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| <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> | |
| <HTML> | |
| <HEAD> | |
| <META HTTP-EQUIV="CONTENT-TYPE" CONTENT="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> | |
| <TITLE></TITLE> | |
| <META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="LibreOffice 4.1.5.3 (Windows)"> | |
| <META NAME="AUTHOR" CONTENT="Martijn"> | |
| <META NAME="CREATED" CONTENT="20140207;200000000000000"> | |
| <META NAME="CHANGEDBY" CONTENT="Ronald Lugge"> | |
| <META NAME="CHANGED" CONTENT="20140302;132030277000000"> | |
| <STYLE TYPE="text/css"> | |
| <!-- | |
| @page { margin: 1in } | |
| P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; color: #000000; font-family: "Arial", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115% } | |
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| </HEAD> | |
| <BODY LANG="nl-BE" TEXT="#000000" DIR="LTR"> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; page-break-before: always"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">**From | |
| Chapter 8**</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Everyone | |
| heard him sigh before he continued. "Citizens of Chicago. | |
| Bothers and sisters... This is a time where we need to band together. | |
| We are now facing the worst thing to happen to this city since the | |
| great fire that threatened to destroy her many many years ago. We | |
| need to band together, no matter what your race, your history, you | |
| past crimes, no matter what has come before, the city of Chicago MUST | |
| band together to protect herself, or surely we will burn. Stand with | |
| me, and stand with your brothers and sisters in this great country, | |
| and together, together we can make it through this long night. I will | |
| not allow the song to come true. There will be no 'Night that Chicago | |
| Died'."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| feed died, and the room was silent. Finally one of the soldiers | |
| breathed out, "holy shit."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"And | |
| that is why I love Chicago." Private Hernandez said with a grin.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><hr></SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">**Chapter | |
| 10**</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">::Thursday | |
| November 8th 0955 (9:55 am) Mountain Standard Time</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">::Thursday | |
| November 8th 1155 (11:55 am) Eastern Standard Time</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">::UNIT | |
| Base, Utah</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%">“<FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Oh | |
| my God...” Someone shouted out in horror. </SPAN></FONT> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%">“<FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">What?” | |
| Jack said forcefully as he looked at the soldier whose face had | |
| turned pale. The soldier couldn’t speak, but hit a button on | |
| his terminal, and the picture at the front of the room changed. Gasps | |
| and cries of terror filled the room. Adam was the first to recover. | |
| All he did, though, was turn the volume up from the feed the soldier | |
| was channeling into the main screen.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"I | |
| can't believe what I am seeing..." A man's voice was heard. The | |
| scene was moving, and obviously an aerial view from someone probably | |
| in a helicopter. "If you're just tuning in..." The man said | |
| in a horrified voice. He had to pause as a sob escaped. "Downtown | |
| Kansas City is gone. We were circling over a protest near the airport | |
| when the helicopter was rocked by a huge explosion. When we looked, | |
| all we could see was a huge cloud coming from downtown. When we got | |
| close... this is what we saw."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| picture was unimaginable. Even Jack, who was President during the | |
| last Mexican-American war, and had seen some pretty bad destruction, | |
| had never imagined seeing this. Some type of bomb, or some large | |
| explosion, centered in downtown Kansas City, looked to have | |
| completely destroyed at least a full square mile around where | |
| downtown used to be.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Looking | |
| at the screen that showed General Sugarhill, the Commander of DAC 5, | |
| which encompassed Kansas City, Jack could see that the man had people | |
| running in and out of the room he was in. The pale, harried look on | |
| the man's face told the entire story, even though they couldn't hear | |
| what was being said.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">He | |
| looked back at the screen that showed the conference going on, | |
| quickly moved over and unmuted. Instantly many voices filled the | |
| room, before General Sugarhill started to speak. "Sir, I am | |
| going to have to cut this call. Be advised, I am setting DAC 5 to | |
| Defcon 1, and initiating Command Level Alpha 1. I would advise the | |
| other DAC commanders do the same." With no further words, they | |
| watched as he leaned forward, touched a button, and the feed to his | |
| Command Center died.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| looked at the other DAC Commanders and simply nodded. "Make it | |
| so." He said in a soft, yet serious voice. “Bring all | |
| Emergency Response personnel under the military command structure. | |
| Get everything you can</SPAN></FONT><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><SPAN STYLE="background: #ffff00">,</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"> | |
| ready to deploy." They nodded, then they too left the | |
| conference.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| turned to look back at the screen, the helicopter view had been | |
| replaced by a satellite view, and that really captured the damage. He | |
| stood there staring at it, mindless of everything going on around | |
| him. Never in his time had he seen something like that. Thankfully, | |
| he was able to be seated, because he knew his legs couldn't handle | |
| him trying to stand now. He couldn't even begin to think how many | |
| people just lost their lives.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Downtown | |
| Kansas City, which he had visited many times. A place that was filled | |
| with traffic, high rise buildings, and the hustle and bustle of many | |
| other major cities, was simply gone. Not even the buildings were | |
| still standing. Everything within a mile was just burning rubble.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Already | |
| he could see people moving around on the outskirts of the blast | |
| radius. He couldn't see any real details because the satellite wasn't | |
| zoomed in close enough, and frankly, he didn't know if he wanted to | |
| see details.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Thankfully | |
| he knew the people below him were doing everything they could, and at | |
| this point didn't need him getting in their way. All around him | |
| though, people were talking to others, and sending out orders. They | |
| didn't need to come from him right now, everyone knew what had to | |
| happen.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| was watching what was going on around him, and every once in a while, | |
| throwing out a suggestion. Even in this mess, he couldn't help but | |
| notice how the UNIT kids were able to keep their composure, and work | |
| through everything very effectively. Their calm was also helping to | |
| keep everyone else around them calm. It was the mark of a very well | |
| disciplined group of people, that Jack still found very surprising, | |
| coming from a group of kids, most of whom weren't even able to shave | |
| yet.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><hr></SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">General | |
| Mary Macintosh was trying to relax by taking a long hot shower. Her | |
| mind, though, just could not relax. She was trying to wrap her mind | |
| around everything that she had learned since she had showed up at | |
| this base. Genetically engineered kids. Technology that was beyond | |
| things she could even imagine. For what seemed like the hundredth | |
| time she felt behind her ear, and barely felt the 'earpiece' that was | |
| there, then, running her hand down her neck, she felt the thin band | |
| that would allow her to talk to almost anyone.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">But | |
| the thing that troubled her the most, well, besides knowing that she | |
| was never alone in her own mind anymore, was the kids she had met | |
| just before Logan and his brothers had to go to a meeting, and she | |
| was left alone. Those kids, completely broken kids. And Juan, the boy | |
| that she had seen hurt, tortured in ways she can't even really wrap | |
| her mind around, he was there doing everything he could to comfort | |
| those kids, even though he was hurt, and in a wheelchair.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Shutting | |
| off the water she stood there for a second letting the remaining | |
| water fall from her body as she wondered if she had the internal | |
| strength to do what needed to be done for those poor kids. Finally, | |
| she stepped out of the shower and started to dry off with one of the | |
| huge towels. "Such hard kids, yet they have some of the nicest | |
| fluffy towels I have ever held." She said out loud. She couldn't | |
| help but smile and chuckle. "Mary, you're losing it!"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">She | |
| walked out of the bathroom and over to the dresser. As she started to | |
| get dressed she looked around the room and found the picture of | |
| George, as he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. And the | |
| Medal itself, right next to it. As she often did, ever since he had | |
| died, she started talking to the picture.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"So | |
| what do you think George? Should I have just stayed retired? Just | |
| last week Ethel asked me if I wanted to join the 'Golden Agers' on a | |
| trip to the casino. I'm starting to think I should have taken her up | |
| on it...NOT!" Absentmindedly, after she was dressed, she started | |
| to move around the room putting the last of the belongings that she | |
| had brought with her away; all the time she kept talking. "These | |
| kids, I mean I just don't know what they want from me, or more | |
| importantly what I can do to help them. I mean really, what do they | |
| need a retired woman my age for." She couldn't help but burst | |
| out laughing. "I certainly hope they don't want me to make | |
| cookies for them. The last time I tried to bake. Well, you know how | |
| that turned out. I even overheard one of the fireman telling his | |
| buddy that he hoped she never tries to bake again. So what could they | |
| need me for."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">She | |
| shook her head as she put one of her few civilian shirts in the | |
| dresser drawer, but then she stopped. "They don't need a | |
| grandmother like that... They need someone to help them, someone to | |
| be their human side. Someone to teach them, to guide them, someone to | |
| help them learn how to tap into what they all lost. Their humanity. | |
| Oh hell..."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">As | |
| the realization really hit her, she found herself moving over to, and | |
| sitting down on the bed. "They have so much power. They have so | |
| much strength. But they lack direction, no.. not direction, they lack | |
| the knowledge of when to use it, and when not to. That's what they | |
| want me for. To guide them." She looked back up at the picture. | |
| "George. My God... These kids could easily wipe out a town if | |
| they wanted to. And they would, too, if I told them to." | |
| Starting to get overwhelmed by the enormity of it all, she jumped | |
| back to her feet and started pacing. "Do I really want that kind | |
| of responsibility? Can I really handle it?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">'Yes, | |
| Mary, you can. If I had any doubt, I would not have chosen you.' | |
| Logan's voice came into her mind. However, since she wasn't used to | |
| that, she spun around, expecting him to be in her room. 'No, Mary, I | |
| am up in the Command Center, which, by the way, is where we need you, | |
| as quickly as you can get up here. But, remember what I said about | |
| the link that you are now a part of. We can all pick up on your | |
| mental </SPAN></FONT><SPAN LANG="en-US">state a</SPAN><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">nd | |
| when you started to freak out there, I started to listen in. I do not | |
| do it unless I have reason to, since a person's privacy needs to be | |
| respected. At least so long as they deserve that respect. Anyways, | |
| Ashwood is making his move, and we need you.'</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"I'll | |
| be right there." Mary said as she grabbed her uniform and | |
| started to quickly change.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><hr></SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Missiles | |
| up!" Jeremy shouted, and everyone turned towards him, and the | |
| screen in front of him. A screen that was showing a radar map | |
| overlaid by a map of Austin Texas.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jory, | |
| who had been silent the entire time stared at the screen then spoke | |
| softly. "There's not enough missiles..."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"What | |
| do you mean?" Tom asked quickly.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"It | |
| means there aren't enough missiles to cover the entire city." | |
| Jory said simply.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Missile | |
| cluster munitions firing!" Jeremy said softly, but in the now | |
| quiet room, it carried.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">On | |
| the screen, they saw the missiles detonating, and then grey circles | |
| started to show on the screen. "I've factored in wind speeds and | |
| everything else I could think of to show what areas are getting hit | |
| with the gas." Simon said absently. "It should be pretty | |
| close to accurate."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Just | |
| like I thought." Jory said emotionlessly. "There weren't | |
| enough missiles." He was referring to the fact that there were | |
| several parts of the city that were actually not getting any of the | |
| gas. Small parts, but they were there, like islands in the grey cloud | |
| of death spreading down from the heavens.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| struggled to put from his mind what the people in Austin, and those | |
| in Kansas City were going through. It was hard, but when you are the | |
| President, there are times you need to put certain things out of your | |
| mind, so that you can more easily deal with the issues at hand. Not | |
| to mention that he knew at least one of the kids here was in contact | |
| with the kids in Austin. They were doing everything they could down | |
| there, while still trying to help others.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">One | |
| thing he was thankful for was the kid that came around and was giving | |
| out water, and refilling people's coffee cups. This was going to be a | |
| long day, no matter what happened. Jack just took a sip of water when | |
| a woman almost ran into the room. She was older, and wearing a Marine | |
| Uniform with the rank of General. Jack knew her, or at least knew of | |
| her, but didn't know she was here.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">From | |
| 'The Horseshoe', Logan stood up and looked down to where Mary was. | |
| "Mary, take the Watch Commander's station.” He then looked | |
| at the young boy that was manning it. "Tyler, bring her up to | |
| speed, and stay with her. This will be her first time using the | |
| system, so help her out however you can."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Yes, | |
| sir!" Tyler said as he slipped out of the seat, offered it to | |
| Mary, who sat down. The two of them started talking quickly, but in | |
| quiet voices.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Sir, | |
| you're getting a call from Prime Minister Arrington." Theodore | |
| said loud enough to be heard over everyone.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"On | |
| screen, please." Jack said as he stood up to face the front | |
| screen just as the man's face appeared.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Prime | |
| Minister. It's good to hear from you again." Jack started. "What | |
| can I do for you?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| Canadian Prime Minister almost smiled, but then it vanished into a | |
| worried look. "It's not what you can do for me Mr. President. I | |
| am calling about what Canada can do to help its Southern Neighbors."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| actually was able to laugh, although there was no humor in it. "I | |
| think, right now, we would be grateful for any help..."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Sir! | |
| We just lost contact with General Sugarhill!" One of the | |
| soldiers called out.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| looked over, but Adam beat him to the punch. "Get me | |
| information..."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"SIR! | |
| I'm getting reports of a detonation in Oklahoma City." He went | |
| silent when he placed a hand to his headset listening intently to | |
| what the other person was saying. Everyone waited in quiet | |
| anticipation for what he would say. Everyone's heart started to sink | |
| when they saw his face go pale. "Repeat that please." He | |
| let his hand fall away from the headset a few moments later as he | |
| turned his pale face towards Jack. "Dirty bomb..." Was all | |
| he said, but it was enough.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Activate | |
| the Radiological Response Team out of Dallas!" Jack ordered. | |
| "Everything gets diverted from Oklahoma City 'till we know how | |
| bad it is."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Done!" | |
| Another soldier called out. Jack looked back to the Canadian Prime | |
| Minister who was almost as pale and shaky as Jack felt. Jack opened | |
| his mouth to say something, only to find words escaping him.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| Canadian Prime Minister nodded slowly. "I understand, Jack. Be | |
| prepared, we are sending everything we can down to help you. We | |
| mobilized our Urban Search and Rescue Teams... all of them. I'll have | |
| someone contact your DAC Commander when they are ready. I am also | |
| mobilizing as many relief supplies as we can, and will have the first | |
| shipments to you as soon as we can."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| nodded and with heartfelt sincerity, he spoke. "Thank you, | |
| Gustave."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Think | |
| nothing of it. When things calm down a bit, and you're ready to go | |
| after the bastard that did this, let me know. There's more than a few | |
| people up here who want a piece of his ass."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Even | |
| with everything going on, Jack was able to find a smile and nodded as | |
| the connection broke. His face then hardened as he turned and looked | |
| at Adam, before he squared himself. "General Casey. I do not | |
| order you guys, or anything like that. You are not a part of the | |
| United States Military." He waited while the room fell deathly | |
| quiet, and Adam studied his face. When Adam nodded in agreement, Jack | |
| moved on. "I want that fucker to pay."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Yes, | |
| Mr. President." Adam said with a single nod. "Once we have | |
| dealt with the current... situations... he will pay... dearly."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">::Thursday | |
| November 8th 1030 (10:30 am) Mountain Standard Time</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">::Thursday | |
| November 8th 1230 (12:30pm) Eastern Standard Time</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">::UNIT | |
| Base, Utah</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Several | |
| minutes had passed since Adam had agreed to take out President | |
| Ashwood. The Command Center was organized chaos as people were doing | |
| what they could to help coordinate the rescue efforts in Kansas City, | |
| Oklahoma City, and Austin. Even with all of this going on, plans were | |
| being passed between the core Unit members on how exactly, they were | |
| going to get to Ashwood, and what they would do when they got him.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Finally, | |
| Adam turned the entire planning session over to Juan, not because | |
| Juan was any better at that sort of thing than Adam was, although he | |
| arguably could be. But Adam knew that unless he did something soon, | |
| Chang or Mom would have to sedate him. As it was, Juan was freaking | |
| out over what was going on in Austin. His friends were in danger, and | |
| there was nothing he could do. Of course, the one time he did try to | |
| really move, he had cried out in pain, which was something Juan | |
| rarely did. That probably made it clear to him just how badly he was | |
| still hurt. Of course with the time he took with the temple kids, | |
| Juan was not doing as well as he might like others to think, but | |
| Juan can't hide things in the 'Link'.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Sir! | |
| I am getting some really strange reports from the Boulder Colorado | |
| area!" Courtney Hayes called out.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"What | |
| do you have?" Adam said as he walked over and stood behind her.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">At | |
| the same time Simon called out. "We're getting a data dump from | |
| the Austin Geeks!"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"There's | |
| a... hold on..." She said as she listened to what was being said | |
| in her headset. She started talking again, but it was obvious that | |
| she was still listening as well. "There's a lot of strange 911 | |
| calls happening in and around Boulder. People reporting burning in | |
| their eyes, nose, mouth..." She stopped and looked horrified up | |
| at Adam. "I think they were hit with a blister agent of some | |
| sort. They're complaining about blisters and skin lesions, burning to | |
| eyes, ears, nose, throat. Difficulty breathing, and some people are | |
| even reported to be going into seizures."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"That | |
| fucking bastard." Adam said in a tightly controlled voice. "Even | |
| with some of the.." Adam slipped into Russian for a moment, | |
| "Huesos's we knew before we came here, I couldn't imagine any of | |
| them using a blister agent, especially on civilians!"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adam | |
| calmly walked over to a wall, growled softly then hauled back and | |
| punched the solid stone wall with everything he had. Not only did he | |
| crack the wall which made every non-UNIT member's jaws drop, but they | |
| also heard the crunching of the bones in his hand.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adam | |
| turned around holding his broken hand while grinning like a madman. | |
| "Dammit, Adam..." Janet said as she walked over to him. | |
| Without a fight, he held out his hand for her to look at. She sighed | |
| deeply, grabbed the fingers, and everyone heard even more crunching | |
| as she moved the bones back into the correct place. Adam did wince, | |
| but other than that, kept a very controlled face. Once the bones were | |
| set, she took out the tricorder and ran it over his hand. She snapped | |
| it closed and looked at him sternly. "Adam... don't do that | |
| again..."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">He | |
| simply shook his hand, then his head. "I had to hit something, | |
| and I figured the wall would be able to handle it."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Kids..." | |
| She said as she moved back to the work station she was using. Without | |
| another word, all the UNIT kids went back to work. Mary though, | |
| brought everyone back to the task at hand. "Sir. The people in | |
| Boulder still don't know what they got. Should I let them know. We | |
| have the information from the Austin Geeks, as well."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Janet | |
| spoke up before Adam could. "I am sending everyone information | |
| to their station. Make sure the people you're in contact with get | |
| this information. The Agent can be delivered three ways; gas, powder | |
| and liquid. Not sure what they got there, but this will help prepare | |
| for all, what they need to do to prevent further contamination, as | |
| well as treatments." No one hesitated. As soon as they got the | |
| information, they were back to talking, and sending the information | |
| out. Several of them sending out orders to send rescue teams to | |
| Boulder from nearby towns.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Everyone | |
| buckled down and went to work, but in the backs of everyone's mind | |
| was one question; was that the last, or were there more mass attacks | |
| still to come. It kept everyone on pins and needles, but they pushed | |
| through it. This was a time that training and steel nerves were | |
| needed, and everyone in the Command Center was showing that they had | |
| all of that, and more.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| had almost forgotten about Mike on the teleconference. He was the | |
| only one left, and had been watching what was going on, as well as | |
| doing what he could from there, mainly helping to get information | |
| out. The Redding bunker was fully stocked and staffed, and able to do | |
| many of the things that the UNIT base could do, although not as well.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"How | |
| is it going over there, Mike?" Jack asked.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Not | |
| too bad. We're sending in medical supplies and personnel to both KC | |
| and Boulder. We just got word that the first supply planes from | |
| Canada have been dispatched to KC. We've also been told that Russia, | |
| Japan, and Australia are readying relief supplies. To quote the | |
| Russian President. "President Bryce sent us more aid than one | |
| would have thought wise at the time. Now Russia shall repay her | |
| American friends."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Mike | |
| got a grin on his face before he delivered his next line. "He | |
| also said to tell you that, just because you are in the middle of a | |
| civil war does not mean that you can forget about the rematch you | |
| promised six years ago."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| smiled as he thought back to when he first met the Russian President, | |
| and how the two men had brought the two nations together, through | |
| blood, sweat and tears.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><hr></SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">$START | |
| </SPAN></FONT><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">FLASHBACK</SPAN></FONT><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">$</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Are | |
| you sure you wanna do this already Jack?" Leonard asked in a | |
| careful voice.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Yes | |
| Len. I need to get back into things. You know as well as I do that | |
| Nancy would kick my ass if I kept moping around like this." It | |
| had been almost nine months since his wife, Nancy, had died. She was | |
| carrying their first child, but it was a complicated pregnancy, and | |
| she had problems. Jack hadn't been able to be there when she passed, | |
| something that would haunt him for the rest of his days.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">He | |
| spent six months after her death mourning her, and passing most of | |
| the duties of the President off to his close friend, and Vice | |
| President Leonard Nimoy. He had taken up as much as he could, leaving | |
| Jack to only have to handle the things that needed the President's | |
| personal attention.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| country, like Jack, had mourned Nancy's passing. Before her death, | |
| her approval ratings were in the high 80%. The country loved her, and | |
| had seen the love the two had for each other. Even Jack's greatest | |
| critics were very careful about casting a bad light on him at this | |
| point in time. One person had tried, and was almost lynched by his | |
| constituents.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Now | |
| here it was, nine months after her death. Jack had taken back most of | |
| the duties he had passed off to Len, including the welcoming of | |
| foreign dignitaries. This meeting was going to be especially | |
| important.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adrik | |
| Ivanov was the newly elected President of Russia, and had inherited | |
| quite a mess. It had only been a little over seven years since the | |
| USSR split apart, and Russia itself was still in turmoil. Adrik was | |
| billed as a leader that could change that, and bring Russia back to | |
| being a strong nation. But he had a huge uphill fight ahead of him.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack's | |
| predecessor, Clifton Eastwood, had done a lot to try and heal the | |
| relations between the two countries, but there were a lot of hard | |
| feelings left between the two populations. The Cold War was not | |
| something that could have been forgotten about over night.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Now | |
| though, the new President was coming for his first official visit to | |
| the White House. So, Jack straightened his tie, and moments later, a | |
| young new staffer named Linda, part of the Public Relations team, | |
| came and got him. "Mr. President, the Russians have arrived. | |
| They are waiting for you, if you are ready."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Of | |
| course." Jack said with a smile. "Please lead the way." | |
| She turned and led him to a small room off of the Oval Office.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| 'official' introductions lasted several minutes with the two | |
| Presidents having plastered smiles on their faces. Then came the | |
| small talk. It was a political game the likes of which are hardly | |
| seen outside of high level politics. It wasn't until two days later, | |
| once all the official functions, state dinners, photo ops, and other | |
| requirements were done, that the two men could take off their suit | |
| coats, roll up their sleeves, and really get to talking.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"I | |
| hope I will not offend you if I have a bit of a stiffer drink." | |
| President Adrik Ivanov said with a small smile.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Only | |
| if you will not be offended if I do not." Jack said with a | |
| chuckle as he sat down with his coffee cup.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adrik | |
| smiled and saluted Jack with his glass of vodka. Jack saluted back | |
| with his coffee, and they both sat there for a few moments in | |
| silence. Adrik finished off his glass then looked at Jack with a | |
| grin. "You know, I could not admit this to many people, but I | |
| really do not like Vodka. However, I have learned to drink it. I | |
| would never have gotten elected had I not been able to throw back a | |
| vodka every so often."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"How | |
| very un-Russian of you Adrik!" Jack said with a matching grin. | |
| they were already to the point of using first names. Jack found in | |
| Adrik a kindred soul, who much prefered informality when it was | |
| possible.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">After | |
| a few moments to stop laughing, Jack looked seriously at Adrik. | |
| "Okay, let’s get down to business. I know we got all the | |
| diplomats working on things, but let’s do this the right way. | |
| What can the US do to help Russia?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adrik | |
| sat back and framed his answer before he spoke. "Frankly the | |
| biggest obstacle we have right now is the economy. We have so much | |
| ability in Russia, so many resources and fertile land for farms, but | |
| we can not build the infrastructure to handle it all. We spent so | |
| much on the military over the last several years, but have let the | |
| rest of the country go. We have workers, but no way to get them to | |
| jobs. Even if we could get them there, there is no money to pay the | |
| workers. I am afraid that shortly we will become even less than we | |
| are now."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Looking | |
| over to make sure that Linda was nearby and taking notes, he spoke a | |
| little louder. "Tell you what. I think it would do a lot of good | |
| for both our countries to work together. Give me a few days to work | |
| something out, but I have a few ideas that I think will work to both | |
| our benefits.“</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adrik | |
| nodded his understanding, then looked around the room. something | |
| caught his eye, and he smiled again. He got to his feet causing Jack | |
| and Linda to both jump to theirs. He walked over to something on the | |
| wall, then smiled as he read the words inside the special frame.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Golden | |
| Gloves winner dah?" He asked as he looked over his shoulder at | |
| Jack.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| blushed a bit but smiled back. "Yeah. I've been boxing since I | |
| was a kid. Continued when I went into the military, and after I got | |
| out. Made my way through college, and after years of training, was | |
| able to get back into boxing, and won the gloves when I was 30. | |
| Almost went pro, but then... well you know how it goes, life got in | |
| the way."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adrik | |
| nodded yet the smile never left his face. "Do you still fight?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"I | |
| try to stay in shape." Jack said simply.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Well | |
| perhaps sometimes we could touch gloves. In Russia, boxing is very | |
| big. I was the champion from my town when I was a teenager."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Perhaps." | |
| Jack said with a smile. As always happens at a time like this, one of | |
| his advisors, flanked by two of Adrik's came over and started to | |
| discuss how to bring the two nations closer together. However, as | |
| usual with political bureaucrats, the ideas were more on a 'feel | |
| good' level then something that would actually help.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><hr></SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">It | |
| was two weeks after the Russian contingent went back to Russia that | |
| Linda approached Jack. "Mr. President?" She said after | |
| knocking on the door to his office.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Yes | |
| Linda, what can I do for you?" He said motioning her to come in.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Well | |
| sir," She said as she walked into the room and sat down. "I | |
| have an idea for you?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| nodded then stood up before she could begin. He walked over to a | |
| small table before looking over his shoulder. "Coffee?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"No, | |
| thank you, sir." She said, to which Jack only nodded then | |
| prepared his own. Tasting it to make sure it was the way he liked, he | |
| sighed in contentment before he moved back to the desk and sat down. | |
| "Okay, so let’s hear it."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Well, | |
| sir, I am sure you remember President Ivanov's comment about the two | |
| of you sparring sometime?" She said hesitantly.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Yeah." | |
| Jack said not sure where this was going.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Well..." | |
| She said, then paused as she reached over and handed Jack a file. | |
| Jack took it, opened it up, and started to look it over. Meanwhile | |
| she started to go over her idea.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Within | |
| a few moments, Jack knew that he had to give her the time she needed. | |
| so he cancelled his dinner plans with a few uptight Senators, and | |
| gave her all the time she needed. By the time they were sharing | |
| desert, Jack was absolutely stunned by the sheer brilliance of the | |
| idea, and the way her mind worked.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><hr></SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Mr. | |
| President..." The reporter started. "Is it true what we've | |
| heard. That you and Russian President Ivanov are going to have a | |
| boxing match?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Yes, | |
| yes it is. When he was here last month, we found out that we both | |
| have a love of boxing. As normally happens when two guys who love | |
| boxing talk about it; we started talking about who was better than | |
| whom. obviously there is only one real way to find that out. So, I | |
| invited him to Madison Square Gardens over Christmas break. The day | |
| after Christmas, known to those in England as 'Boxing Day', we're | |
| going to have a match. Amatuer rules of course, and we invite | |
| everyone that wants to watch, to attend."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"But | |
| sir... You're the President of the United States." The reporter | |
| said, almost stumbling over her words.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"And | |
| that means?" Jack asked her with a mile wide grin. Instead of | |
| waiting on her, he continued. "Ms. Parsons, I know it's | |
| something strange that has never happened before, but honestly, I | |
| think I can take him. Yeah, he may be a year younger then I am, but | |
| honestly, with the people in this country behind me, and the people I | |
| have that are helping me train for this, I think I can beat him."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"But | |
| sir," She started, thankful for the moment to get her thoughts | |
| back. She had thought it was just some weird rumor that the President | |
| was going to debunk with a laugh, not confirm. "What happens if | |
| you get hurt?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Ms. | |
| Parsons, I could just as easily get hurt, if not more so, every time | |
| I walk down the stairs. Yes I am the President of the United States, | |
| but I'm still a man. With this great country behind me, I know we can | |
| win. I know that with everyone's support, there is nothing that I | |
| can't do."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| looked over her shoulder to see Linda waving him over. He nodded to | |
| her, then looked back to the reporter. "I'm sorry Ms. Parsons, | |
| but I have to go. Thank you."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><hr></SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"So | |
| are you ready for this?" Linda asked while Jack sat in the | |
| dressing room in Madison Square Gardens. It had been a busy several | |
| months since they decided to have this match. Linda had played | |
| everything beautifully. The entire arena was jam packed, and it was | |
| being broadcast live to all corners of the country.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">In | |
| almost every city they had places where large numbers of people could | |
| go and watch. It had truly become a spectacle, which is exactly what | |
| we wanted.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Linda | |
| had made sure that there were cameras watching Jack train. Cameras | |
| were watching him spar, every aspect of this match was caught on | |
| camera and given to the American people, and they threw themselves | |
| behind their President, their national hero.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">In | |
| Russia it was much the same. Adrik had been training hard, and taking | |
| this match very seriously. In Russia it was something that brought | |
| everyone together. That, combined with the new trade packages that | |
| Jack and Adrik worked out, were really starting to have an effect on | |
| the country.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Back | |
| at home, Linda came up with the brilliant idea of bringing some kids | |
| from Russia, young boxers, and having them stay with families here. | |
| It was the first 'Boxing Foreign Exchange' program. And it was a big | |
| hit. Of course the fact that everyone in the families, as well as the | |
| Russian children, received good tickets to see the fight, was also a | |
| plus.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">She | |
| had also made sure to have plenty of seats available for Russians | |
| that wanted to come and watch. Much of it was paid for by wealthy | |
| donors, so many of the Russians that came didn't have to pay for the | |
| travel. This meant they had more money to spend in the local area, | |
| making this even more of a boon for the economy.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Yeah." | |
| Jack said in response to Linda's question. He stood up and allowed | |
| her to put his robe around his shoulder. He was still conflicted when | |
| it came to Linda. She was in her early twenties, and yet had made a | |
| hell of a name for herself in the White House. Even more than that | |
| though, she made him feel things that only one other lady had.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">They | |
| had been at the arena all day, watching the events from inside the | |
| locker room. Linda's other big idea was to have matches happen before | |
| Jack and Adrik had theirs. It ended up being an all day thing, with | |
| the first matches starting at nine in the morning.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| opening bout was between two nine year old boys, one from Russia and | |
| the other from the US. Just before that match started, while the boys | |
| were in the ring, but before the Ref started the match, Jack and | |
| Adrik went out to have a talk with the boys, and to generally pump up | |
| the crowd. It worked better than either man could have expected. They | |
| both stayed in the corner of their respective fighter, and both boys | |
| fought like their country's pride rode on their small shoulders.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">It | |
| was a hell of a match, and the crowd was going wild the entire time. | |
| It came down to points, which is what most matches fought by the | |
| young boys would, and in the end it was the boy from the United | |
| States that won, barely.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| thing was, the crowd cheered just as much for the Russian boy as it | |
| did for the American. All throughout the audience, Russians and | |
| Americans were coming together, making friends, and cheering on the | |
| other country’s fighters just as much as their own. All in all, | |
| the day was a roaring success, and now it was time for the main | |
| event.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| waited and waited, it was decided that their respective National | |
| Anthems would play as the two walked out. Since this was New York, it | |
| was decided that Jack would be the 'home team' which meant coming out | |
| second.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">They | |
| waited as the crowd welcomed Adrik, then it was Jack's turn. He | |
| looked over at Linda who gave him a smile, then she started walking. | |
| He waited about five seconds, then followed her out.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">It | |
| was almost deafening when he walked out, and got hit with the noise. | |
| He kept his face a mask of concentration as he walked down the aisle. | |
| People were slapping his shoulder, and shouting words of | |
| encouragement. Of course the Secret Service was out in force; | |
| however, everyone seemed to be okay with the security measures in | |
| place, and the crowd didn't seem to mind the long wait to get through | |
| security. Jack had heard that people started camping out three days | |
| prior, simply to be able to get good seats.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">When | |
| he made it up to the ring, Adrik was patiently waiting in his corner, | |
| completely out of the way as Jack made several trips around the ring, | |
| arms raised and the crowd going nuts for him.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">It | |
| took several minutes for the people to calm down, for the referee to | |
| be introduced, and then for the rules to be gone over. When the bell | |
| rung, the two fighters came out, and the match was on!</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Since | |
| this was amateur rules, there were only four, two minute rounds, but | |
| for both fighters, it felt like an eternity. The match was scored on | |
| points, with the knuckle part of the gloves land on either the | |
| opponent's torso, above the belt, or on the protective headgear. | |
| Neither man really thought the headgear helped all that much, as they | |
| were both rocked hard by punches from the other man.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| was able to take an early lead on points, by using a set of hard and | |
| fast punches, trying to rock Adrick back, and keep him off balance. | |
| It worked throughout the first round, but when the bell rang for the | |
| second round, Adrik kicked it up a notch, his first blow sent Jack to | |
| his knees.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| was back up before the referee even got to a count of two, but it | |
| certainly made an impression in the crowd. One thing not missed by | |
| anyone was that Adrik backed off, and allowed Jack to get back to his | |
| feet. The Russian didn't come at Jack, till he nodded that he was | |
| ready to continue.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">When | |
| they did go at it again, Jack was wary of the right hook from Adrik, | |
| and made sure to block or avoid it. Just before the ring of the bell | |
| ending the second round, Jack saw an opening, and was able to deliver | |
| a massive uppercut that sent Adrik back into the corner, and down to | |
| his knees. It was Jack's turn to step back, while Adrik shook off the | |
| effects of that blow. Then the bell rang, ending the second round.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Holy | |
| shit that man can hit." Jack panted out as his trainer rubbed | |
| the sweat off his back and off his face.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"You're | |
| doing great!" Nine year old Kaydyn Shaw just about screamed in | |
| Jack's ear. After the first match, Jack asked Kaydyn to be in his | |
| corner. The boy excitedly accepted, and Jack couldn't help but smile | |
| at the boy's enthusiasm.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Now | |
| though it was Kaydyn's turn to support Jack, his new hero. "Come | |
| on Mr. President! You can do this!" Jack couldn't help but smile | |
| and nod as he put his mouth guard back in, and stood up.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Across | |
| the ring, Jack wasn't all that surprised to see that Adrik had | |
| brought the Russian nine year old to ringside. The boy was doing the | |
| same thing that Kaydyn was.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| third round was just as intense, with both men being driven from | |
| their feet at least once. Right before the end of the round, Adrik | |
| was down till the ref counted to six.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| stepped back and waited for Adrik to not only get back to his feet, | |
| but to shake off the hit, and get himself set again. Before they were | |
| able to go again, the bell rang, ending the round. The points were | |
| close, but Jack had a slight advantage.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Come | |
| on Sir!" Kaydyn said when he fell onto his stool. "You got | |
| this. One round left, you're leading."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| didn't have the breath to say anything, just nodded his head, and | |
| concentrated on his breathing. He allowed his coach to wipe away the | |
| sweat from his forehead and face, and wasn't all that surprised to | |
| see some blood mixed in.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">All | |
| too soon the bell rang again signaling the start of the next and | |
| final round. Jack pushed himself to his feet, filling himself with | |
| the energy of the crowd that was going absolutely nuts at the moment.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| and Adrik circled around each other for a few seconds, before Jack | |
| made his move to Adrik's left side. He went in with a flurry of | |
| punches pushing Adrik to the right, and back a few steps, all while | |
| trying to not let any of Jack's punches land. Adrik went up against | |
| the ropes, and for a moment Jack thought about trying to tie him up, | |
| but then he remember the whole point of this match, sportsmanship, | |
| bringing the two countries together, and doing it right.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">He | |
| backed off allowing Adrik to re-group; Adrik looked at him, nodded, | |
| and the two men were at it again. There was blood leaking out from | |
| around Adrik's headgear, but it wasn't enough for the Ref to stop the | |
| match, or for it to stop Adrik.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| Russian came at Jack with a flurry of his own that surprised Jack. | |
| Jack stumbled slightly, just as Adrik was coming in with a huge left | |
| jab. The punch hit Jack right in the temple. The American President | |
| crumpled to the mat, unconscious.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><hr></SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">$END | |
| FLASHBACK$</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><hr></SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">As | |
| the memories faded, Jack couldn't help the smile on his face. "Make | |
| sure he knows that, just because he's gotten old doesn't mean I will | |
| go easy on him."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Mike | |
| couldn't help but laugh, but the laughter was cut short. "What | |
| the?" Mike started to say. Jack and everyone else looked, only | |
| to see the room that Mike was in start to shake violently. Behind him | |
| things were thrown off shelves and people were falling all over the | |
| place. "MIKE!" Jack cried out as he shot to his feet. But | |
| the signal died before Mike could respond.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"WHAT | |
| HAPPENED?!" Jack cried out. "MIKE!" He called out | |
| again, then spun towards Logan. "Can we get him back?" He | |
| exclaimed.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"I'm | |
| working on it, sir!" Logan said with a look of concentration as | |
| his fingers flew over the keyboard.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Find | |
| out what's going on!" Adam said to everyone, who were already | |
| working on just that.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Getting | |
| lots of reports from all over California. I think it's an | |
| Earthquake!" Someone called out.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"That's | |
| what I'm getting, too." Theodore said as he turned and looked at | |
| Adam. "It's a big one, too. I'm getting reports from all over | |
| California, as well as Nevada and Western Arizona."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Where?" | |
| Adam asked but all eyes went to Logan.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Screw | |
| it!" Logan said in frustration as he stopped typing, closed his | |
| eyes and didn't move for several seconds. Jack was about to say | |
| something, when Adam held up a hand and stopped him. The room was | |
| silent as those who could were watching Logan, while the rest were | |
| still gathering information.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| one person who was watching him the closest was Mary, fascinated by | |
| finally seeing the boy in real action. But… well there really | |
| wasn't anything to see; he was just sitting there with his eyes | |
| closed. </SPAN></FONT> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Alvin | |
| had put up a map of the Western United States, and started plotting | |
| the reports, trying to figure out what got hit. By the looks of it, | |
| almost everything did.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Logan | |
| slumped back in his seat, a look of clear exhaustion on his face. He | |
| looked over to Jack and smiled gently. "Sammy's hurt and | |
| unconscious, but not too bad. He was with all of his family except | |
| Mike when whatever it was, hit."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"We | |
| think it was an earthquake." Adam said, to which Logan nodded | |
| and smiled at him.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"That | |
| sounds about right." Logan then looked back at Jack. "Sammy'll | |
| let me know if Mike is okay as soon as they find out. I didn't want | |
| to tie him up too long, since they are all trying to rescue people. | |
| The place got hit pretty hard."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Okay, | |
| we'll need to find a new place for them." Jack said as he | |
| started to think.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Sir... | |
| I am just getting unofficial reports. The University of Denver | |
| reported a minimum 8.0 earthquake, centered in or around San | |
| Francisco."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Dear | |
| Lord..." Jack said as he literally fell back into a seat. | |
| Several of the soldiers, as well as a few of the UNIT kids crossed | |
| themselves when they heard the news.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adam, | |
| though, even though he was feeling wound up tighter than almost ever | |
| before, was able to keep his calm, and tried to focus people. "OK.. | |
| someone get me satellite coverage of the area. Everyone else, track | |
| and plug the holes in their response network. Get the DACs to help | |
| you. I want every call fielded, while we get a handle on what | |
| happened." Adam then turned to Jeremy. "Jeremy, I want you | |
| on the Hoover Dam. Find out if that had any damage." Jeremy | |
| nodded and went to work immediately.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">It | |
| was only ten seconds later when Simon called out over the din of | |
| voices. "Satellite coming up!"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">All | |
| eyes moved to the screen as a blurry image came up. Simon worked his | |
| magic and soon the picture started to zoom in and clear up. "Holy | |
| shit..." Someone breathed out. The picture was centered over | |
| what used to the be the Bay Bridge. It wasn't there, neither was the | |
| entire city of Oakland. Rubble was the only thing that could be seen; | |
| rubble, and fire.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">The | |
| Satellite, now controlled by Simon, panned over San Francisco, taking | |
| in the complete destruction of the once vibrant city, then he moved | |
| it east, almost afraid of what he would find. It was just as bad as | |
| he thought. Moving across the San Francisco Bay, they saw the | |
| mainland, and the city that sat there, or at least what was left of | |
| it. Fire, smoke, collapsed buildings, vehicles thrown around like rag | |
| dolls. It was as if a giant hand had reached down from the heavens, | |
| and smashed everything that was there. Here and there, buildings that | |
| had survived the initial quake, were starting to tumble under the | |
| destruction that happened around them. It looked like something out | |
| of a horror or sci fi movie.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Dear | |
| Lord..." Jack breathed out. "Does anyone know if this was | |
| natural?" He asked, not knowing how such a thing could have been | |
| man made, but the timing...</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"That | |
| is unknown right now, sir." Adam replied just as quietly. "We | |
| may never find out."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adam | |
| was silent for several moments, and everyone could tell he was | |
| planning something. All around the room, people were calling out | |
| reports, ranging from casualty counts from the different attacks that | |
| happened, to military readiness reports. All through it all, Adam was | |
| silent. Finally he nodded to himself, then turned to Jack. "Sir, | |
| may I please speak to you in private?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"What | |
| the hell!" SImon cried out. "The sat.... it's gone!"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"What | |
| do you mean gone?" Adam demanded as he spun towards Simon.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"I | |
| mean it's gone!" Simon said with out breaking his stride as his | |
| fingers flew over the keyboards. "They're all gone... just | |
| gone!"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"How?" | |
| Adam asked.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"I | |
| don't know! But... dammit... I'll figure it out!" The boy | |
| growled out.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adam | |
| nodded, knowing that nothing would stop the boy. "Alvin, you're | |
| with me. Get Jory and Will in here ASAP." Adam said as he | |
| followed Jack into the office, Alvin hot on his heels.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">As | |
| soon as the door was shut, Adam motioned for Jack to sit behind the | |
| desk, while he sat down across from him, Alvin standing at attention | |
| behind Adam. Once everyone was settled, Adam sighed before he started | |
| to talk. "Sir, we need to move Mr. Reynolds as well as his | |
| family. However, I have looked at all the other bunkers we have | |
| available to us, and sir, I do not feel it would be a good idea to | |
| send them there."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Why | |
| not?" Jack asked, not arguing, but trying to follow Adam's line | |
| of thinking.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"We | |
| need to open up everything we have for refugees. The remaining | |
| bunkers are stocked with everything people need to survive. Spread | |
| out the officials between them, with security. That will help keep | |
| them safe, since they won't all be in one place, nor will Ashwood | |
| know who is where. The communications blackouts will hurt him as much | |
| as it hurts us in that regard." Adam paused as he leaned | |
| forward. "In the long run you need to be seen as the person | |
| doing everything he can to help protect and comfort the people. You | |
| need to order everyone, that will listen to your orders, that they | |
| need to help the people out as much as they can, and not hole up | |
| somewhere and try to ride this out. You need to be seen taking the | |
| lead, and doing everything you can to help everyone. Use your | |
| international friends to help. We know Canada has already started to | |
| mobilize their urban search and rescue teams. Use them. Have them | |
| bring down aid wherever and whenever they can. You need to be seen as | |
| the leader of the people in the war."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adam | |
| leaned back and gave Jack a hard look. "Make no mistake, Mr. | |
| President, you are now in the middle of a civil war. A civil war | |
| where Ashwood has just shown he will not back down from. From | |
| everything I can see, you and he are about evenly matched as far as | |
| the military goes. What you need on your side, is the people. Ashwood | |
| is going to try and subdue them through fear; you need to be seen as | |
| the one to help lift them out of that fear. This is not going to be a | |
| short term thing. Ashwood is going to try to make it one. He's proved | |
| that, but we're not going to let him. We're in this for the long | |
| haul, and you need to be prepared for that."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Before | |
| Jack could respond, the door opened and Jory and Will came jogging | |
| into the room. Adam turned and looked at Will, while they both went | |
| to attention next to Alvin, then saluted. "At ease, guys. Will, | |
| I need you to get the 'Janet' as well as one of the Hueys spun up and | |
| ready to go to California. It's a rescue mission, so load it up with | |
| everything you'll need for that. However, as soon as you're | |
| offloaded, you need to get the hell out of there with Mike and his | |
| family. Your final destination will be given to you after you have | |
| them and are in the air. Understood?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Yes | |
| sir." Will said crisply, then without another word, he spun and | |
| jogged from the room.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">When | |
| Adam turned back around, and sat down, Jack was staring at him hard. | |
| "Where are you planning on sending them?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Adam | |
| gave a huge grin, "I plan on hiding them in plain sight. Here's | |
| what I got in mind…"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><hr></SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Alvin | |
| and Simon hurried up to the Huey, just as it and the Chinook were | |
| about ready to take off. They both held several metal cases with no | |
| markings on them at all. However, anyone could tell that they were | |
| very high tech cases, complete with biometric locks. Not much could | |
| open them if the boys didn't want them opened.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">They | |
| settled down next to a thirteen-year-old girl holding a rifle and | |
| wearing military fatigues. Her rank insignia was that of a First | |
| Lieutenant, while her unit badge showed her as a member of the Strike | |
| Team code named "Firebirds."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">"Lt. | |
| Hughes, thanks for volunteering for this mission." Alvin said as | |
| the Huey started to lift off the ground.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Courtney | |
| Hughes grimaced as she looked at Alvin. "I understand the reason | |
| we were asked, and I have to say I agree with it; doesn't mean I like | |
| it though. My entire team had to ask Logan to help make sure we | |
| didn't kill the man on sight. He actually had to put a mental block | |
| in all of us that unless that… man… actually tried to | |
| hurt one of us, we could not hurt him."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Alvin | |
| nodded. "He did the same for Simon and me."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Simon | |
| nodded, then he spoke up. "Do you guys have all the equipment | |
| you'll need, and know what your mission objectives are?"</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Trevor | |
| Hughes, Courtney's brother, as well as her second in command, nodded. | |
| "Yeah. It should be pretty cool actually. Getting to pretend to | |
| be normal kids, all the while being silent security. It should be | |
| real fun."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Both | |
| Alvin and Simon couldn't help but giggle at the glare that Trevor's | |
| sister gave him, but they both did see the small smile on her face. | |
| After that they all fell into a comfortable silence. Even to the | |
| point that many of the Firebirds were able to fall asleep on the | |
| ride.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US"><hr></SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">By | |
| the time that Jack and Adam re-appeared in the command center, | |
| everything was almost as hectic as it was before they went in there. | |
| Logan had kept Adam updated on what was going on throughout his | |
| conversation with Jack. So when Adam called out "Update." | |
| He was doing it more for Jack's benefit than his own.</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Mary | |
| turned, then stood up. "Sir. We have received multiple reports | |
| about the incident centered around San Francisco. It was indeed an | |
| earthquake. We do not have an official report on size yet; however, | |
| we have confirmed reports that the effects were felt as far away as | |
| Canada and Mexico. There is some speculation that it was actually | |
| man-made, but that is just rumor right now. However, we have reports | |
| of several naval vessels leaving port about two hours prior, and | |
| hauling ass as soon as they got to open waters. We confirmed that | |
| they are all Ashwood ships."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">She | |
| took a deep breath, then continued. "So far as we can tell, | |
| everything within a five to ten mile radius has been completely | |
| destroyed. There is very little chance of any survivors being found. | |
| There was a huge wave that rushed away from the coastline, and we | |
| know of several smaller ships, a few ocean liners, and even a | |
| military destroyer were capsized by the wave."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">Jack | |
| sat down hard in his chair while Mary was speaking. Finally he found | |
| his voice. "Do…" He had to stop to clear his throat, | |
| it had closed up on him some, as he tried to get the question out. | |
| "Do we have any idea how many casualties we're talking about, | |
| not just from San Fran, but from everything."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P LANG="en-US" STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 113%"><FONT SIZE=3><SPAN LANG="en-US">All | |
| talking in the room stopped as all eyes fell on Mary, but it was | |
| Logan who responded. He had decided that now wasn't the time to tell | |
| Jack about the foreign fighters instigating riots all over the | |
| country, or about how many of the bridges over the Mississippi and | |
| Missouri rivers had been brought down. No, he didn't need to hear all | |
| of it yet. For now, Logan would only answer the question asked. "Very | |
| preliminary reports say… there is somewhere between five and | |
| ten million casualties due to the events of today."</SPAN></FONT></P> | |
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| <P CLASS="western" ALIGN=CENTER STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>::Chapter 8</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" ALIGN=CENTER STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>:::Transmogrifier Test</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" ALIGN=CENTER STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>##This is intended to test the functioning of hte new transmogrifier</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" ALIGN=CENTER STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Logan found Aaron | |
| leaning up against a tree by the waterfall, simply looking at the | |
| water as it fell from above into the pool below. He thought for a | |
| brief moment, then decided this would be the perfect time to chat | |
| with </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>him.</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| As he was alone, and there wasn't anyone else around</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><I>Great | |
| Dragon</I></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>..." | |
| Logan said telepathically, "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><I>I | |
| was wondering if we could talk</I></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Aaron, hearing a pathed | |
| message directed his way, looked away from the water to see a ghostly | |
| image several feet away. Going over the message once more in his mind | |
| he narrowed his eyes as he felt along the pathed message to the | |
| originating location. It was coming from someone on Earth. Seeing the | |
| image hesitate in its approach towards him, Aaron ported the body | |
| that went along with the specter to his location. Staring past the | |
| specter to the startled young man who was looking around in confusion | |
| he growled out, "Is there a reason you are spying on us?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Logan saw Aaron look his | |
| way, then narrow his eyes. The next thing Logan knew, he was yanked | |
| from earth, where his body was at, to physically be there. "Is | |
| there a reason you are spying on us?" he heard as he looked | |
| around the river’s edge.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Simply, yes,” | |
| Logan answered after making sure he knew what his other self had been | |
| doing. "Two of my family members are in your healing tubes, | |
| getting transformed. One of my brothers has been given an opportunity | |
| to join you guys, and at the moment, he is very much leaning towards | |
| taking that offer. I am simply trying to get as much information as I | |
| can, so I can make sure my family will be safe."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Well that's new," | |
| Aaron mumbled. He had expected that by bringing the person's body to | |
| the colony that they would merge back into one being once more. The | |
| fact they hadn't meant that he was dealing with someone who had a | |
| split personality. Looking between the two of them he ported his | |
| scanner to his hand and turned on the real one, "The two in the | |
| Bio-tubes will be fine; now, I've fixed the damage </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>done</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| to them. As far as giving you information; well </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>to</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| be blunt, the person that should be given this information is the one | |
| who should be asking me the questions...not you. Though I am somewhat | |
| willing to alleviate your concerns on the matter, I'm not willing to | |
| go through this twice</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>.”</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| Not to mention I still have no idea just what you've picked up, Aaron | |
| thought. "Have a seat and introduce yourself," he told him | |
| as he pointed to a stretch of grass near the river bank.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>As Logan moved to sit, | |
| he spoke briefly. "First off, my name is Logan Hayes. I am a | |
| member of something called the U.N.I.T. The short explanation of who | |
| the UNIT is this. They are genetically engineered super soldiers from | |
| a dimension with a higher technology level </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>than</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| the universe we currently find ourselves in. We appeared here, by | |
| means that are currently still not known, and </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>we</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| fell right smack into the beginnings of a civil war. Before you bring | |
| Haden and Daileass here, I was wondering if I could ask a few | |
| questions?" As he sat, Big Logan's voice entered his mind, and | |
| Aaron's as well. "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><I>Well</I></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><I>,</I></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><I> | |
| since I am here dealing with this, I guess I don't need to be here. | |
| So if you and I will excuse me</I></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>..." | |
| Big Logan then faded out from sight, giggling slightly.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Like?" Aaron | |
| tilted his head as he considered the specter disappearing, leaving | |
| only the real person behind.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Well, one thing | |
| that weighs heavily on all of our minds is the relationship between | |
| Daileass and Haden." Logan started out by explaining, "In a | |
| lot of ways, Haden is stronger </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>than</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| he gives himself credit for, and Daileass is not anywhere near as | |
| strong, emotionally, as some would think. If you would permit it, I | |
| think I could give you a mental information dump to explain about | |
| Daileass, and then you may understand why I am asking the questions I | |
| am."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden? Aaron thought, | |
| then linking the name to the memory Pete had shared with him when he | |
| met up with him on </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Mars</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>. | |
| Nodding slowly at the request, Aaron reached out with his mind and | |
| connected with Logan's. It was strange, Logan had a strong mind, yet | |
| he had to make an effort to let the link connect in a way he could | |
| see the memory that was being shared with him.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Instead of answering, | |
| Logan felt Aaron reach out with his mind, and while difficult, Logan | |
| started to share some of the memories that Daileass had. First he | |
| showed Aaron the clones, all of them being trained by the doctors and | |
| military staff. Then when Logan first appeared in their minds. Then | |
| the memory of finding out that the doctors were planning on replacing | |
| their human brains with Positronic ones. The many nights of | |
| conversations that resulted in the clones agreeing to allow it to | |
| happen. Then came the fun ones. Daileass, being the older brother, | |
| was the first one to have the procedure done. But they never intended | |
| on putting Daileass's new brain back into his body. They placed the | |
| matrix in several military vehicles, including tanks, </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>airplanes</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>, | |
| helicopters, and the like, to see if Daileass could control them, | |
| without having to have living people in them. They also tried to | |
| figure out how much damage the vehicle could take before Daileass was | |
| unable to function. In many ways, they tortured Daileass over and | |
| over again.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Then the memories moved | |
| onto Logan finding Daileass's Matrix sitting in a box when the clones | |
| escaped. Knowing that Logan didn't have the ability of giving | |
| Daileass a body, he and the other Logan clones decided to do the next | |
| best thing. They hooked him up to the base, and gave him a much | |
| bigger 'body'. Daileass became the U.N.I.T.'s AI, controlling a vast | |
| array of technology.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Then Logan moved the | |
| memories to Daileass meeting Haden, and how, even though he didn't | |
| have a body, Daileass started to grow </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>feelings</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| for the other boy. When they were finally able to create a body for | |
| Daileass, he struggled over what to make the body look like, and how | |
| much he hoped the Haden would like it. Then they came to some of the | |
| memories of Haden and Daileass talking, of them really starting to | |
| fall in love with each other. Of all the things that Haden had been | |
| able to accomplish, all the while, Daileass's feelings for the boy | |
| grew stronger.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Finally, he ended with | |
| the feelings that had come from both Haden and Daileass over the last | |
| twenty four hours as Haden was thinking about accepting the offer to | |
| become Alteran. From Daileass, there were the feelings of almost | |
| absolute certainty of </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>losing</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| Haden. From Haden, there was the huge insecurity and uncertainty of | |
| who he was and where he was going, and the conflict that seemed to | |
| center around the UNIT life style, and if it was right for him. When | |
| the memories were done, Logan took a deep breath and said. "I | |
| hope that helps you to understand why I am worried about what will | |
| happen?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I really </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>don't</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| see an issue," Aaron said frankly. "Being Alteran will not | |
| really affect the feelings between Haden and Daileass. Most likely it | |
| will intensify them. Truthfully the only issue they will have is the | |
| travel back and forth to Earth; so if Haden decides to be altered he | |
| would have access to a shuttle."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Would that take a | |
| long time?" Logan asked.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Aaron chuckled as he | |
| smiled, "One of our shuttles can make the trip in about | |
| twenty</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>-</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>five | |
| minutes. About the same time it would take to drive home from work | |
| for most people."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Okay... that makes | |
| me feel a lot better. I just have two other things that concern me. | |
| The first is a law that Theo had mentioned, about no humans being | |
| allowed to come here. And the second is hearing that Alteran’s, | |
| specifically talking about Stan and Forth, the </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>boys</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| you helped save a little while ago, about how they would not really | |
| be allowed to go to Earth much, because they would not fit in. I | |
| guess my question would be this. Would there be something that would | |
| prevent Daileass from coming here to visit with Haden, or Haden going | |
| to Earth to spend time with Daileass and his other family members."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Picking up on the unease | |
| and distrust from Logan over the law he mentioned he tried to put it | |
| into perspective for him, "If it helps</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| think of the law like this; I doubt you would be willing to let | |
| unknown government agents waltz into your base unopposed. In fact | |
| from what I have picked up on, I think you would meet any of those | |
| theoretical strangers at gunpoint. And if they even looked like they | |
| were going to go for a weapon you would shoot first as a means to | |
| protect your people. The reason you have a hidden base is to keep out | |
| those you don’t want to associate with. Our law is similar, no | |
| humans from that Earth are allowed to step foot on </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Mars</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| and survive, we would automatically assume any group of Earth humans | |
| that made it to </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Mars</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| would be the prelude to an invasion. And the last thing you need to | |
| keep in mind; we are not human, so to equate our actions and words by | |
| human standards will lead you to the wrong conclusion. We are not | |
| human so kindly do not equate human motives and mores onto us. You | |
| will get it wrong every time."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"That is not to say | |
| we don't have some of the same qualities," Aaron told him. "We | |
| do share of the same basic instincts, enough to be familiar, but we | |
| are different enough that there will be a lot of misunderstandings. | |
| One of the most glaring I've picked up from your mind</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| and from what Pete has passed on from his conversation with your | |
| Daileass, is that you consider us cowards for leaving Earth behind."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"From what little | |
| information I have seen and picked up on, that is how it seems to | |
| me." Logan said carefully.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"That was | |
| considered back then," Aaron nodded as if agreeing. "We had | |
| two options, we could move our race totally off world to one of our | |
| many colonies, or we could eradicate every single human on our | |
| planet. In other words," Aaron's voice got cold as he glared at | |
| the young teen, "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>we</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| had the option of committing genocide, or finish moving our people | |
| totally off planet." He growled out, "In the two years our | |
| advanced team has been back in the system of our birth</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| it has been clear we should have just removed humans from the planet | |
| way back when there was only maybe a million of them infesting our | |
| world. Because from what you've said</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| and I've picked up on</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| that is what we should have done if you had your way!"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Changing the subject to | |
| answer Logan's second question without giving him time to think of a | |
| response on his comments he told him, "But realistically, | |
| Daileass is a cyborg, and," Aaron looked at his scanner, "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>even</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| you, though you register as human; your quantum signature is | |
| different enough from the humans in this dimension </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>that | |
| </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>you could | |
| be considered </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>nonhuman</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>. | |
| Not to mention your DNA is cleaner than a normal human." Seeing | |
| Logan look at him with a strange expression on his face he told him, | |
| "To answer the question, eventually when Daileass is known a | |
| little better he would be able to come to Mars. Haden of course will | |
| be free to go back and forth to Earth as he pleases. But at least | |
| until he masters his gifts and finishes puberty, he </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>probably</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| should not spend too much time away from those who understand what he | |
| will be going through and are able to help him as any issues that | |
| come up. And they will."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Mostly I think for | |
| the times they want to spend the night together, or even the | |
| weekend," Aaron shrugged. "They probably should start out | |
| doing so on the Moon base."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Logan nodded his | |
| understanding, and smiled briefly. "Thank you for explaining | |
| that to me. Now, do you need me to tell you where they are at, or can | |
| you teleport them here by yourself?" He asked, while also | |
| mentally telling Daileass and Haden to be ready to be transported. | |
| Thankfully they were simply sitting in a room talking to each other.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Reaching out with his | |
| mind, Aaron found the two people in question on Earth. Standing up he | |
| motioned for Logan to stand, "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Let's</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| move this to the med center." Before Logan had a chance to | |
| comment Aaron ported them to the med center and hid his smirk as | |
| Logan finished standing up. Walking around to one of the empty | |
| Bio-tubes his hands flew across the terminal, prepping the Bio-tube | |
| with the Alteration protocols. When he was done, He pulled power from | |
| the gestalt point built into the Bio-tube and ported Haden and | |
| Daileass from Earth to the med center.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"And then you | |
| just..." Haden was saying before he realized he was no longer | |
| where he had been. "Um, okay that was different."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>As Haden and Daileass | |
| glanced around the room, they quickly realized they were back in the | |
| Alteran medical center on </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Mars.</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| Besides Logan, there was only one other person in the room, a tall | |
| man that neither boy recognized. In addition to his normal clothing, | |
| he was wearing a golden crown with a number of red diamonds set into | |
| it.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Daileass? Haden?" | |
| Logan spoke up immediately, "I would like you to meet the King | |
| of the Alteran people..."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Aaron cut in and | |
| introduced himself, "My name is Aaron Stranton, Prime of Clan | |
| Stranton, King of the Alteran people</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>." | |
| Seeing</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> the | |
| slightly unfocused look Haden was giving him at his long list of | |
| titles he grinned, "Or if it helps you, the healer that is going | |
| to handle your alteration."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden seemed slightly | |
| surprised. "Is this the same Aaron that Pete..."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Yes," Logan | |
| answered, before Haden had finished his question.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"It's a pleasure to | |
| meet you," Haden spoke more formally and threw in a slight bow.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Hello," | |
| Daileass smiled.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Hello Haden, | |
| Daileass," Aaron greeted the two. Before he was able to | |
| continue, he saw Haden's attention already being drawn toward the two | |
| tubes that Stan and Forth were floating in.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Are they going to | |
| be alright? Do we know anything more about them?" Haden asked | |
| with concern, fearing that the sudden and unexpected teleport to Mars | |
| might have meant that something had gone wrong.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"They will be fine, | |
| it was touch and go for a bit there this morning, but I was able to | |
| fix what was wrong before anything bad happened," Aaron glossed | |
| over the real details of the fact they both died multiple times. "I | |
| understand Pete and Theo have given you the option to join our | |
| people</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| and from Logan here," Aaron pointed at the young man in | |
| question, "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>that</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| you are considering taking us up on our offer."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Do you have any | |
| concerns that I can answer for you?" Aaron asked as watched | |
| Haden stare at him. He had an urge to wave his hand in front of | |
| Haden's face to see if he would blink.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Huh? Oh," | |
| Haden replied as he turned away from the tubes and re-focused his | |
| attention on Aaron. "Not really. Especially now that it looks | |
| like Stan and Forth are both going to make it through the Alteration | |
| process, I really think this is something I want to do."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Actually, there | |
| was one thing," Haden continued after he glanced briefly toward | |
| Daileass and then back to Aaron. "One of the things that | |
| Daileass and I have been talking about over the last day was whether | |
| or not I would be able to go back to Earth to visit him and the | |
| others. When we were here yesterday, Pete mentioned it wouldn't be a | |
| problem, but it was hard to tell if it would just be something like | |
| visiting once a week or once a month, or how exactly that would be | |
| able to work out."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"As an Alteran you | |
| have the freedom to come and go as you please, within limits of | |
| course. You could visit Daileass daily if that was what you wanted, | |
| but if you wished to spend the night with each other we probably | |
| would ask that you set up housekeeping on the Moon Base. Earth right | |
| now is not a safe place from what I understand. As for the other | |
| limits I mentioned</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>...,"</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| Aaron held up a hand before Haden could ask for an explanation. "For | |
| instance if you wanted to participate in a war you would have to talk | |
| it over with Theo first; if he said no, you would have to abide by | |
| his decision. But if you wanted to visit Daileass or your friends on | |
| Earth you would be able to easily enough. Just let someone know where | |
| you are going by posting a note to the system. There would be a few | |
| other restrictions that would be short term, mainly while you were | |
| dealing with puberty, but that is more for your protection as your | |
| gifts start unlocking fully as puberty sets in."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Makes sense," | |
| Daileass agreed.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Also, Something | |
| Pete mentioned yesterday," Haden continued with a noticeable | |
| degree of hesitation. "He said when Stan and Forth entered | |
| puberty, they would be slipping into every </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>male's</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| room as they would have an incredible need to have sex. Was he just | |
| joking about that, or is that something that will really happen?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I'm afraid he | |
| wasn't," Aaron chuckled. "When an Alteran enters puberty | |
| their sex drive goes off the charts for what would be normal for a | |
| human. So until you have experienced and gotten control of the urges, | |
| we would make sure you met up with Daileass in a controlled | |
| environment."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Um, okay," | |
| Haden replied as he began to blush.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I think this is | |
| the part you've seen before," Aaron smiled as he gestured | |
| towards the Bio-tube. "There is a shelf under the Bio-tube you | |
| can put your clothes, once you are fully undressed climb up into the | |
| bio-tube and relax. I will get the sensors placed</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| and when you wake up Daileass should be waiting for you."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden nodded in | |
| understanding, and did as Aaron directed. Fortunately for Aaron, | |
| Haden did not try to turn his clothes into projectiles as they were | |
| removed. Once he was fully undressed, he began to climb in, only to | |
| hear Aaron clearing his throat.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"You're going to | |
| need to take that gadget on your arm off as well," Aaron stated. | |
| Seeing the concerned look on the boy's face, he continued. "Don't | |
| worry, we'll take good care of it for you. It will stay right on the | |
| same shelf that all your clothes are on."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden reluctantly | |
| removed his GEAR and placed </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>it | |
| </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>on the top | |
| of his clothes. Once he had climbed in, Daileass walked over to his | |
| side. Almost immediately, both boys wrapped each other in a warm hug.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I love you," | |
| Haden whispered in </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Daileass'</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| ear.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I love you</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| too," Daileass replied.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>When the hug broke, | |
| Haden laid back down into the tube.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Once Daileass moved out | |
| of the way, Aaron squirted some of the cleansing gel onto a small | |
| cloth and cleaned an area on Haden's right temple, over his left | |
| upper chest and his right elbow. Placing the sensors he quickly | |
| activated the </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>soma</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| unit, sending Haden to sleep. Glancing over his shoulder, he asked | |
| Logan and Daileass as he inserted the waste tube into Haden, making | |
| sure to block what he was doing from their view, "Do either of | |
| you have any further concerns that need to be addressed before I port | |
| you back to Earth?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Both Daileass and Logan | |
| shook their head no.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Then someone will | |
| be in contact with you to make arrangements to bring you back | |
| Daileass, so you can be here when Haden wakes up," Aaron gave | |
| them a moment</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| as he prepared to intubate Haden</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| to say anything else. Then before he intubated Haden, which could | |
| make them worried</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| he ported </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>the | |
| two of </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>them | |
| to Earth, </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>where</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| he found Haden and Daileass at a few minutes ago. Finished prepping | |
| Haden, he moved back to the terminal as the bio-tube closed. </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Hand</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| tracing commands on the terminal he initiated the alteration cycle.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Giving one last look to | |
| those being altered in the med bay, Aaron went back to join the | |
| picnic.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%"><FONT COLOR="#000000">………………………………………………………………………</FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Wandering into the med | |
| bay to check up on Nate, Kenny stood looking at the older teen for | |
| several</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| long</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| minutes. He could see the resemblance to Aaron right away. Though the | |
| rest of his features looked familiar for some reason. Deciding to | |
| think about it later he reached out with his mind to see if he could | |
| get a feeling for what Nate's mental state was. Not feeling anything | |
| he turned to walk away when he picked up on a feeling of fear and | |
| pain. Looking around the med bay his eyes fell on the last Bio-tube | |
| in the row. Walking over as he examined the feelings he was picking | |
| up on, he came to the conclusion he felt like Pat did when he was | |
| suffering from traumatic breakthrough. Closing his eyes he felt for | |
| Aaron and pathed out tentatively at first, then with more power as he | |
| unconsciously pulled power from the gestalt points built into the | |
| Bio-tubes. "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><I>Aaron...Aaron?</I></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Tilting his head to the | |
| side, Aaron held up a hand, interrupting his talk with Theo about a | |
| few of his people who had volunteered to stay behind, "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><I>Kenny</I></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>?" | |
| Aaron pathed back with a hint of surprise and pride as he accepted | |
| the link that Kenny initiated. "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><I>Is | |
| there a problem Love</I></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><I>I'm | |
| in the med bay, I think we have a problem with the new kid you put in | |
| the bio-tube a little bit ago</I></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>," | |
| Kenny started as he offered to let Aaron see through his eyes. "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><I>He | |
| feels like Pat did when he was supposed to be asleep and wasn't</I></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><I>I'm | |
| on my way</I></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>," | |
| Aaron pathed as he looked at Theo. "It seems Haden is having an | |
| issue that I need to check on."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Let's go," | |
| Theo nodded as he pathed a message to have Riker meet them at the med | |
| center.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Smiling with pride at | |
| Theo's concern and hands on approach, Aaron ported to the med bay and | |
| walked behind Kenny and hugged him close, "What did you pick up | |
| on</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| Love?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"He's having a | |
| nightmare like Pat did," Kenny said as he leaned back into | |
| Aaron's embrace and shared with him what he was picking up.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Frowning, Aaron walked | |
| over to the bio-tube and stared at the screen. Not seeing any | |
| physical reason for Haden not being fully asleep, and ruling out a | |
| glitch in the Core system, he moved around Kenny and placed a hand on | |
| the bio-tube and concentrated. Closing both eyes he placed both hands | |
| above and to either side of Haden's head and linked his mind to | |
| Haden's.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Watching from outside | |
| the nightmare, Aaron waited until the dream started to loop again | |
| before interfering. Moving into the dream, so he was facing </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| who was hyperventilating at the fact his orders had caused death he | |
| spoke out, startling the boy, "This is a dream </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>. | |
| Think about it, the last memory you had was climbing into the | |
| Bio-tube to start the alterations process. This," he waved his | |
| hand at the now fuzzy images around them, "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>is</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| not real. It is a product of your mind as it tries to deal with what | |
| you've experienced, and your fears."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"But</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>...," | |
| Haden</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| started to say as he noticed the world around them had gone fuzzy. | |
| Concentrating on the person who was standing in front of him he | |
| blinked several times as he could not make him go away or change what | |
| he looked like.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Seeing the boy in front | |
| of him grow; to mature until he was closer in age to fifteen, Aaron | |
| imagined one of the love seats from his office and sat down on it | |
| when it appeared. "I think I understand why you never went to | |
| sleep fully when the process of altering your genetics to the Alteran | |
| standard started," he told him as </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| sat down next to him. "Part of the problems you are facing is | |
| because of the time dilation effect you experienced in your | |
| dimension. Why people think it is alright to play with time is beyond | |
| me. While you did not age physically, you did mentally, and now that | |
| you are not interacting with people, your older self is trying to | |
| force your younger self to behave so to speak," he said the last | |
| with a smile.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"The other issue | |
| keeping you awake is from the fact you are not from this dimension," | |
| Aaron told him as he twisted so he could face </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>. | |
| "As you are being altered, your quantum signature is also being | |
| altered to one that matches exactly to this dimension. Combine these | |
| two things with the fact your older mind is desperately trying to | |
| make your younger mind understand why you are unhappy with being | |
| human</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| and you have the nightmare you experienced. Your older mind just did | |
| not understand what it was putting you through. Once again we can lay | |
| this at the feet of the whole time dilation episode you spent years | |
| in. Humans are just not geared towards being able to handle something | |
| like that."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I don't think I | |
| ever realized that playing with time could mess someone up so much," | |
| Haden said as he glanced around at the distorted, blurry images off | |
| in the distance. "With so many Mikyvis, and the Q, and the | |
| Doctor hanging around, messing around with time seemed like an | |
| everyday thing."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I'm not really | |
| sure about quantum signatures and their relationship to dimensions," | |
| Haden thought out loud as he did his best to process and make sense | |
| of everything Aaron had just explained to him. "I think I | |
| remember one of the Mikyvis talking about other dimensions, and | |
| saying that if a dimension was too different from our own, that we | |
| would have problems existing there. Maybe that's the problem here? | |
| But me and all of the other guys that are with me have been here for | |
| the last two days, and no one seemed to have any problems."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"As far as my | |
| younger and older self goes, the way you explained it kind of makes | |
| sense, but I can't help but to think that I'm missing something," | |
| Haden </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>replied</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| as he closed his eyes, trying to force himself to focus, something he | |
| was finding incredibly difficult to do at the moment.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Ordath!" | |
| Haden cried out, as he opened his eyes. "What about Ordath?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Seeing the confused look | |
| on Aaron's face, Haden continued. "Ordath was this really old | |
| energy based life form that was... well, I guess living inside of me, | |
| or something? Sometimes when he was talking to me inside my head, he | |
| would appear as a younger version of me. He said it was because I | |
| would be able to relate to him better, or something like that. | |
| Anyway, when we arrived here, in this dimension, one of the first | |
| things that happened is that Ordath pulled Barrett and me into my | |
| head, and told us that he had used all his remaining energy to safely | |
| get us here. He talked about a bunch of other weird stuff I didn't | |
| really understand, but then he got super bright and disappeared. I | |
| thought he died, but what if he didn't, and what if I made the wrong | |
| choice, and this is really going to kill him?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden sat there for a | |
| few more moments before he began to slowly shake his head. "A me | |
| that's younger than me, a me that's older than me. It's all so | |
| confusing. I've been nine for, I don't really know how long anymore. | |
| I can't really remember being smaller." Haden looked up at the | |
| man who was quietly sitting on the sofa and listening to him as he | |
| babbled. "I'm sorry, Aaron. I'm babbling on about all of this | |
| different stuff that probably doesn't make any sense to you. I just | |
| don't know what to do."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I am sorry Haden," | |
| Aaron hugged him close to his side. "But if Ordath was an energy | |
| being like you said. Then I'm afraid he is not here. If he was still | |
| with you he would have shown up in the dream world. It sounds like he | |
| gave his life to ensure that you lived</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>." | |
| Seeing</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> the | |
| tears running down Haden's face he squeezed him again, waiting until | |
| he cried himself out. Deciding that this was another thing that had | |
| damaged Haden, he helped him deal with the trauma of Ordath dying so | |
| it was like it had happened years ago, not as fresh and raw in his | |
| mind.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"As far as your | |
| babbling </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>as | |
| </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>you say | |
| you are doing, it could be because of the way the alteration process | |
| is </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>rewiring</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| your brain centers," Aaron was quick to add, "There really | |
| is a long technical medical jargon that describes what is happening, | |
| and my using the word re-wiring is not really what is going on, but | |
| it makes my point well enough. And my solution to your problem is a | |
| simple one, I'm going to age your body to be closer to your mental | |
| age. That way the hormones and enzymes that will be coursing through | |
| your body will," </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>here</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| Aaron poked </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| in the side and chuckled, "sidetrack your older mind so you can | |
| merge your two halves at your pace, not your older </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>mind’s</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>. | |
| I think you will find the diversion...fun."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Standing up Aaron looked | |
| at the confused expression on </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden's</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| face, "You'll figure it out when you wake up. Now that you know | |
| this is all a dream, I want you to lie down on the </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>loveseat</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| and think of sleeping. I'll do the rest in the real world." | |
| Fading from the dream Aaron's voice echoed as </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| closed his eyes, "This is all a dream, remember that nothing you | |
| saw before I showed up was real. You did not fail in your test."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Opening his eyes, Aaron | |
| sighed as he logged into the terminal and programmed the system to | |
| force </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| into puberty. "Kenny was right, and just like we had to do for | |
| Pat, I am forcing </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Haden</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| into puberty. Otherwise the traumatic breakthrough like situation he | |
| is dealing with would cause him to break, mentally."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"What would cause | |
| something like that?" Riker asked as he made a mental note to | |
| find a head shrink or two to recruit. Come to think of it they needed | |
| to recruit a few other doctors</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| too.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Mentally, because | |
| of the time dilation field he worked in, in his home dimension, he is | |
| older than his body, by about eight years," Aaron looked over at | |
| Kenny and told him, "Where he comes from they abuse time to come | |
| up with solutions to every problem they encounter."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" ALIGN=CENTER STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>#</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%"><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT FACE="Arial, serif"><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Sitting | |
| down at the head of the conference table, Theo pathed Gene a memory | |
| of the two of them waking up to some pretty hot sex that morning and | |
| he was rewarded by a blush from the opposite end of the table. | |
| Looking to his left he nodded at Riker and Healer Jorge</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>;</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| across from them, as he looked to his right he saw that both Major | |
| Invectus and Captain Evans; the two officers that </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>led</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| the troops of his </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>brother’s</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| people that stayed behind to help him out. Touching the section of | |
| the table that would send this meeting out live to the rest of the | |
| colony, he cleared his throat, it was time to get started. "Captain, | |
| Major, I want to thank you for staying to help out. I know what a | |
| difficult decision it must have been to stay here in this dimension, | |
| a dimension embroiled in a war that the Army of God has a good chance | |
| of winning."</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%"><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT FACE="Arial, serif"><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Looking | |
| over at the healer who stayed behind</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| and according to Riker was cramming every possible bit of knowledge | |
| into his head</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| he smiled, "I have not forgotten you either healer Jorge. You | |
| have my thanks for staying when you could have gone back home and not | |
| worked in a system that is under construction." Theo brought up | |
| the list of what he wanted to go over on his P.A.D.D. before looking | |
| at his lover, "Gene</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| how about for now who handle all colony related departments. Just | |
| like we talked about several days ago."</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%"><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT FACE="Arial, serif"><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Alright," | |
| Gene nodded slowly as he pulled up the start of his report and threw | |
| it onto the screen so everyone could look at it. "As you can see | |
| by the red outlined area, we now have a lot more infrastructure than | |
| we had a chance to build for ourselves. Roughly we can </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>comfortably</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| fit two and a half million Alteran’s here on the colony base | |
| without any problem." Changing the screen to show one of the | |
| many farms he pointed out, "On the food production side of | |
| things, as you can see</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| Pete went all out to make sure that the gardens could at least feed | |
| the people we could house, at least a totally vegetarian diet that | |
| is." Scrolling through a good selection of the farms he stopped | |
| on the selection of empty livestock barns, "But while we have | |
| the structures in place for livestock, we currently don't have more | |
| than </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>the | |
| </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>several | |
| hundred chickens that we had before Pete showed up."</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%"><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT FACE="Arial, serif"><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"If | |
| I may?" Major Invectus interrupted. Seeing that both Theo and | |
| Gene nod for him to continue he made a note on his P.A.D.D.. "I | |
| have a solution that will tie in with my teams going to </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Earth</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| for rescue and recruitment. We can easily implement livestock | |
| procurement at the same time."</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"That would be a | |
| load off of my mind," Gene grinned. "I can cross that one | |
| off my list then, at least for now." Looking back at his list he | |
| sighed, "There is no easy way to say this. We need more people, | |
| and we need them fast. The bulk of our race has</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| up until now</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| been</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| achieved</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| by the one major rescue Theo, Nate and I did a year back. With the | |
| rest rescued here and there. We really need to start to target | |
| certain skills</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>;</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| and actively </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>recruit."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Now that we don't | |
| have the limit we did back then," Riker sat back as he thought | |
| back to the moon base that Pete had</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| built to use to alter people. With the new moon base, and the | |
| Bio-tubes there for alteration, we can easily handle one hundred | |
| people every three days. So if you get me the people, I can start | |
| ramping up our numbers."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"From a medical | |
| standpoint," Healer Jorge interjected, "That one hundred | |
| every three days is based on not having any medical issues that need | |
| to be repaired first."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Noted," Theo | |
| said as he made a note on his P.A.D.D. before looking back up at | |
| Gene</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>, | |
| "</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>make | |
| sure you post a list of the skills we are looking to fill to the net. | |
| Maybe some of our people know a friend or two that might be | |
| approached. If not</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| at least the rescue teams will know who to keep an eye out to put | |
| pressure on to recruit."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Nodding, Gene looked | |
| back at his list, "I am still trying to get a handle on | |
| everything, so I'm sure I will bring up issues later on, but for now | |
| that is all I have to report."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"So people and | |
| livestock are your priority right now?" Theo questioned. When he | |
| saw </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Gene</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| agree he sat back as he thought about it. Looking over at Healer | |
| Jorge he asked, "Not that I have made up my mind, but can the | |
| alteration process...convert, for the lack of a better word, | |
| heterosexuals into Alteran’s?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"But wouldn't we | |
| then have Straights with gifts?" Riker wondered as he looked at | |
| his mentor. "That would cause problems from what the history | |
| data banks Nate left us on the war."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"It could, if it | |
| was possible to alter a heterosexual without also changing them so | |
| that they are gay, which it is not with the process we use today." | |
| Jorge said as he reassured everyone. "When we alter someone who | |
| is not gay, it is a process labeled 'forced alteration' it falls | |
| under the Omega Protocols."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"So it can be | |
| done?" Theo asked as he thought about the possibilities it | |
| opened up to them.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Yes, though it | |
| adds three days to the process," Jorge told him. Then deciding | |
| to send him several instances of how Aaron used them in the past he | |
| sent the files to Theo's net account. "I've sent you several | |
| recordings from when Aaron activated those protocols. It should let | |
| you know what is possible."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Thank you," | |
| Theo nodded towards Jorge before looking at the ceiling for a moment. | |
| A minute or so later he looked back at the military officers who had | |
| stayed behind, "Can you bring me up to speed with the resources | |
| and personal you have in your commands?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Major why don't | |
| you go first," Captain Evans smiled, "I have a feeling your | |
| people are ready to go</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| where as mine are still in the </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>‘</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>regroup | |
| and find out what we have to work </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>with’</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| mode."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Alright," | |
| Major Invectus nodded as he leaned forward slightly. Without looking | |
| at his notes he told them, "I have a feeling that my marines | |
| alone almost doubled your population. I have just over two hundred | |
| and thirty marines that volunteered to stay to help you out. The | |
| Prime let us keep all of our equipment, so we won't have to worry | |
| about that until it comes time to do repairs or maintenance. | |
| Hopefully by then some of the infrastructure we need will be online."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"From Gene's | |
| comment about needing both people and livestock," Major Lance | |
| Invectus said as he looked at Theo, "My thoughts are to start | |
| sending squad size details Earth side to both recruit and to procure | |
| livestock for the farms. All I need is permission and a location I | |
| can start scouring the </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>area</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| for what we need."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Start in Britain," | |
| Theo told him as he traced patterns on the tabletop as he wondered | |
| what to do with the US. "Would this leave you enough people to | |
| have a strike team if we need to go in and rescue people from the | |
| US?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"It should," | |
| Lance frowned in thought. "I don't foresee my teams spending | |
| more than one day out of four on Earth. And with us porting the | |
| recruits to the moon base instead of Mars. </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>A</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| short detachment on the moon for security, if needed. I should be | |
| able to field up to two squads for a fast action if needed. Getting | |
| them there is another story</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>." | |
| Seeing</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| Theo's questioning look he shrugged as he told him, "Most of my | |
| marines are not familiar with this </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>dimension’s</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| United States. So porting in blind will be a problem. Unless you | |
| allow me to recruit from US forces?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"And that brings me | |
| to my </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>people’s</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| problem," Captain Bill Evans told Theo. "We don't have the | |
| ships available to us like we are used to. His Majesty refused to | |
| leave us any of the fleet…and I understand his reasoning’s. | |
| But it leaves us in a bind." Looking at his notes he told him, | |
| "I have enough people to crew four Ares class vessels. Right now | |
| we have </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>two</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| shuttles at our disposal, and from what my techs have told me we will | |
| need four months to roll the first of the Ares class off the lines."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Ares class?" | |
| Theo looked confused as Captain </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Evans’</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| pointed to the screen where he had put on the monitor a picture of an | |
| Ares class vessel. Seeing the picture of the vessel on the screen he | |
| noticed it was more like a super submarine and said so, "So this | |
| is some type of armed submarine? One we will have to get to the | |
| </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Earth’s</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| Ocean?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Nodding his head, Bill | |
| smiled, "It has been modified slightly from the original plans | |
| that the vessel on the screen is from. The biggest difference is that | |
| by porting it to Earth we can port in and out of the ocean without | |
| anyone noticing."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"So it does double | |
| duty?" Gene asked as he wondered how many people it needed to | |
| run it.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Yes," Bill | |
| smiled as he nodded and told them of his tech </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>boys'</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| modifications, "One of my tech guys, while investigating the | |
| moon base found a small fleet base hidden on the dark side. And with | |
| his luck he found several assembler lines, so he programmed them to | |
| start building the Ares class he had designed with Pete's help."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Knowing my | |
| Brother's lover like I came to," Theo grinned at the stories he | |
| had been told about Pete, "I am sure he made sure it would do | |
| what you wanted and more." Looking at the Captain while deep in | |
| thought he said, "So four months huh..." then </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>asked</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>, | |
| "So how long would it take you to retrofit the shuttles we do | |
| have into something we could drop troops with until one of the Ares | |
| class rolls off the line?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Well," Bill | |
| said as he sat back and closed his eyes to think about it. "If | |
| all you want to do is to transport troops...well they are good to go | |
| now." Opening his eyes as a thought came to him he grinned, | |
| "What we could do is to paint an identifying symbol on the | |
| inside of the transport. That way no matter where the shuttle is the | |
| </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Major's</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| troops can port to it." Linking his fingers together as he | |
| thought some more he added, "But if you want to harden the shell | |
| of the shuttle so it can handle small arms fire and the like, we can | |
| have something in place in a couple of days. After all</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| once we install a proper gestalt generator onto the shuttles, we can | |
| just port it wherever we need to."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Do both then," | |
| Theo nodded as he thought that would work out the best. "We can | |
| take that idea one step further. We can set up safe portation points | |
| on the </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Earth</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| for the areas we will be working out of; I'm thinking a couple of the | |
| shuttle tanks could be dropped off to an isolated location to use | |
| Captain </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Evans’</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| idea of a portation base. Then when we need to move it we either port | |
| it to a new location or have the shuttle come in and pick it up." | |
| Seeing that they had covered everything he needed to know right now | |
| he asked, "Is there anything anyone wants to bring up before we | |
| break up?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"If I may," | |
| Lance looked at the table before steeling himself for a negative. | |
| "Admiral Mandelin made a request before he ported to the | |
| flagship. If at all possible he would like us to rescue him and his | |
| brother along with their lovers if they exist in this dimension." | |
| He hastily added, "They are certifiable geniuses in their fields | |
| and an asset we should not overlook."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Holding up a hand to | |
| stop the Major from babbling his explanation, Theo smiled, "Request | |
| granted. We have an opportunity because we do have names and | |
| addresses of those who chose in Aaron's dimension to join with us. | |
| How much </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>of</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| it will carry over," </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>he</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| waved a hand around the table as he said that, "I have no idea. | |
| But it does give us a starting place I am willing to try." | |
| Standing up he told the group, "We'll meet every morning around | |
| this time, so I can keep up to date."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>After the meeting had | |
| broken up Theo went in search of Aaron to ask what </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>all | |
| </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>was | |
| involved in forcing someone into puberty, but an alarm coming from | |
| Aaron's thigh stopped him. Looking at the pouch that was making the | |
| noise with a frown on his face he gasped softly when the tone changed | |
| and a voice came from the P.A.D.D. his brother was pulling out.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Your Majesty, we | |
| need you in the command center immediately," Victor's voice came | |
| out of the P.A.D.D.. "Nuclear detonation detected..." | |
| trailing off as he saw the sensor net light up once again he said, "A | |
| second Nuclear detonation has been detected on </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Earth</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Seeing the shocked look | |
| on Theo's face, Aaron motioned for him to follow as he ported from | |
| the med bay. Appearing in the command center, he looked up at the | |
| monitor that was showing quite a lot of places under attack. "So, | |
| civil war has broken out. And they are using Nukes."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Prime," | |
| Victor called out </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>from</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| his station. Pointing up at the screen where the monitor showed the | |
| third nuclear detonation he told Aaron, "This is eerily like the | |
| nuclear cascade that the Army of God tried."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Moving over to one of | |
| the consoles, Aaron logged in and ran a simulation. Seeing the | |
| results he shook his head, "In this dimension</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| it seems that the Army of God was sloppy." Pointing to the | |
| blinking green dots he told them, "They missed a couple of | |
| critical points along the fault. Without those going off</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| all that will happen is devastating earthquakes. Though the chemical | |
| gas attacks are worrying, it’s almost as if several different | |
| factions are attacking at once."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I wonder," | |
| Theo murmured softly as he watched the monitor. All the different | |
| attacks started the germ of an idea, but he doubted they could pull | |
| it off to do more than save a couple of thousand people.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"What are you | |
| thinking?" Gene asked as he spotted Theo's deep thinking pose.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Without taking his eyes | |
| off the monitor, Theo told him, "Its absolute Chaos down there | |
| right now." Nodding his head and smiling at Gene's expression of | |
| 'Duh, tell me something I don't know' look, he smiled as his idea | |
| germinated, "I was thinking it was the perfect opportunity to go | |
| in and recruit in high numbers. Those we take will have the Earthers | |
| assuming they were killed in the attacks. The only problem is," | |
| he said as he turned to face his lover, "that we can't really | |
| take advantage of this opportunity. The most we can do is grab a | |
| couple of hundred, maybe a thousand tops."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Nodding at his brothers | |
| idea, Aaron saw Pete grinning, it seemed he liked the idea</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| too. "I might have a suggestion or two," he said</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| with a grin</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>. | |
| When Theo turned to look at him he pointed at Joe who had ported back | |
| with his command staff, "Joe and his people have done something | |
| like this before. We probably can get ten to fifteen thousand people | |
| easily enough."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Shaking his head no, | |
| Theo decided to rain on Aaron's parade so to speak, "There is no | |
| </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>way</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| we can handle altering that many people. Not to mention we could | |
| never be sure they would not betray..." trailing off as he | |
| noticed Aaron's grin</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| he froze as he stared at the Leader of all the Alteran people. | |
| Narrowing his eyes he asked, "Your expression tells me that you | |
| do have a solution to all of the problems I could come up with."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Nodding yes, Aaron moved | |
| so he could pull Theo in close and put his arm over his </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>brother’s</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| shoulder, "That I do</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>, | |
| Brother</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| dear. That I do." Tapping a sequence on the interface built into | |
| the desk</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| his voice echoed through the dome, "RED ALERT... all crews | |
| report to their stations. Omega Protocols are now in effect." As | |
| his message repeated itself the command center plunged into a dark | |
| blue as </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>consoles</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| came to light. Turning his head so Theo was the only one who heard | |
| him he told him, "The </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Omega | |
| Protocols</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| will rewrite a person’s personality. Even straight people would | |
| know that they have always been gay and think that was always the | |
| fact."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Taking that fact and | |
| running with it Theo asked, "Can it be changed so those that go | |
| through alteration under that protocol think they were never human to | |
| begin with?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I can do one | |
| better," Aaron told him as he moved off to the terminal and | |
| started to tap in instructions, "Each of those we run through | |
| the Omega alteration will think they came to this colony base from | |
| one of the other planets in the Empire." Glancing over his | |
| shoulder at Theo he told him, "Of course that means you will | |
| have to make it a priority to build ships so you can claim those | |
| worlds in truth."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Hiding his groan at | |
| having to re-arrange his plans, Theo looked back up at the monitor | |
| that now showed all the captains in the fleet. Staring at Admiral | |
| Mandelin he cleared his throat and ordered, "Admiral. As you | |
| rescue recruits, keep an eye out for your counterparts, yours and | |
| your brothers. If you find them make sure you rescue them."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"You can count on | |
| it, sir," Joe saluted as he noticed Aaron was now done with | |
| whatever he was doing.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Standing up and staring | |
| into the pickup, dragon ghosting around him showing how angry he was, | |
| Aaron gave the order to invade, "Admiral. Take the fleet into | |
| near Earth orbit, target every gay bio-sign that is in a situation | |
| that they are near death. We will transport the females and Lesbians | |
| to a safe location in Paraguay. All males are to be returned to Mars. | |
| All those that have not entered Puberty will be transported to the | |
| Alpha Seven dome, Fred and his people will initiate alteration of | |
| those you transport into the dome while they sleep. For those in your | |
| buffers, they can be transferred to </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Mars’</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| main med bay's buffer system."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Frowning, Theo noticed | |
| Fred asking Pete to replicate several thousand of the sensors they | |
| had come up with to help a group called 'The Lost Ones', his next | |
| order would forever set the Alteran’s firmly against the forces | |
| controlled by the Army of God. "You are to enter orbit above | |
| California, taking out every active satellite on the way in. Make | |
| sure that when you are finished that not one human created satellite | |
| remains in orbit. We will rescue as many as we can from each of the | |
| attack zones."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"What of the | |
| International Space Station?" Gene asked as he brought up the | |
| orbital path of the station.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Seeing that it was | |
| rapidly heading away from the area they would be operating in Aaron | |
| shrugged, "Leave it." Shrugging he turned to face Gene, | |
| "They can live if the other countries can rescue them, or die if | |
| no one can. Not our problem."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Acknowledging the order, | |
| Joe turned to the </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>pickup</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| under the set of monitors showing his fleet captains off to one side, | |
| "Port MRA's to our arrival point; prepare to port in | |
| Three...Two...Port."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Arriving in Earth's | |
| orbit, Joe logged into his terminal to begin scanning for his | |
| brothers and their lovers bio-signs. While the rest of the crew | |
| started to rescue those trapped or in the right place.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Amazing," | |
| Theo whispered in awe</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| five minutes later. Looking at the screens on the other side of the | |
| room he watched as hundreds of children were ported in. Confused and | |
| crying, they were quickly gathered up in waiting arms. Arms that just | |
| as quickly emplaced sensors that sent the children to sleep. As each | |
| group was subdued, they were quickly scanned and taken to one of the | |
| apartments.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Moving to the terminal | |
| so he could switch views, he saw each child placed on a bed after | |
| being stripped. From there they were injected with Nanites before a | |
| bracelet was secured to their arm.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Looking up when Aaron | |
| stopped at his side he asked softly, "How is this going to | |
| work?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Well," Aaron | |
| started </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>to | |
| explain, "each</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| child is hooked up to the CORE through the temple sensor. During the | |
| alteration, they will stay in a near sleep state. Moving around only | |
| to eat and drink and go to the bathroom while their genetics are | |
| altered. During this time their minds are being re-encoded, each | |
| memory and experience is being re-written as if they experienced it | |
| as an Alteran."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Incredible," | |
| Theo whistled in appreciation.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"And each of them | |
| are going to believe they came from one of your worlds?" Gene | |
| asked in confusion.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Each of them will | |
| believe that they are one of the survivors of a new colony that | |
| failed due to a natural cataclysm. One where the colony become so | |
| unstable that they had to abandon it," Aaron told Gene. "They | |
| will have memories of volunteering to jump dimensions when they heard | |
| about Theo's attempt to bring our people to life in this dimension."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"What of the older | |
| ones?" Gene asked. He was just as amazed as Theo was with the | |
| technology being used.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"They shall be | |
| altered in the Bio-beds and Tubes," Xon entered the | |
| conversation. "Those being altered from the Heterosexual genome | |
| will be placed in a Bio-Tube to facilitate alteration. While those | |
| who are gay, shall be placed on one of the bio-beds."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"But the med bay is | |
| not that big?" Gene pointed out as his confusion deepened.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"True," Xon | |
| stated as he pulled his P.A.D.D. out so he could reference the | |
| correct number of beds. "There are five thousand bio-beds and | |
| tubes, split equally between the two. But when </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>we</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| upgraded the main med bay, we also installed one of the interlaced | |
| buffers. We can hold fifteen thousand in the buffers, to be released | |
| one at a time as the space to alter them becomes available."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"That is a lot of | |
| people," Theo whispered worriedly. Thinking about how their | |
| numbers suddenly exploded exponentially.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Picking up on Theo's | |
| discomfort, Aaron leaned in and whispered, "Don't worry about it | |
| too much Theo. Every person who comes out of the Omega alteration | |
| will be a fully educated and stable member of the Alteran race. At | |
| least to the point they should be if they were born as an Alteran. | |
| Also they will know that they volunteered to join your colony, coming | |
| from our dimension."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I hate to bring up | |
| problems," Gene decided to be the bearer of issues. "But | |
| how are we going to feed all these added thousands?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"That's easy now | |
| that the colony is finished," Aaron smiled as he traced several | |
| commands on the terminal. Once the view changed to a bird’s eye | |
| view of the colony he pointed towards the green outlines of a good | |
| number of domes, "Those are your farm domes. And they are in | |
| full production; your problem will be what to do with the extra. The | |
| farms have been geared for the half a million people the colony can | |
| </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>comfortably</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| handle."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Looking up at the | |
| monitors that showed the devastation happening on Earth, Theo nodded | |
| slowly as he realized they had a resource for trade he could | |
| capitalize on.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Walking out into the | |
| main dome, Fred and Kenny at his side, Pete gazed at all of Theo's | |
| colonists glued to the monitors as the rescue started to unfold. | |
| Double checking that Dome seven's schematics were on the screen for | |
| the influx of youngsters, he handed over his P.A.D.D. to Fred.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>The picture of the city | |
| complex on the screen told Fred that dome seven was one of the city | |
| domes, gazing down at the picture for a second he nodded his head. | |
| They could house most</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| if not all</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| of those they were going to rescue easily. Eyes widening in shock | |
| when the information scrolled past telling him that the dome had | |
| already been prepped for Omega use he handed the P.A.D.D. back to | |
| Pete with a nod. Facing the people who were glued to the monitors he | |
| pathed openly, "May I have your attention please. I need all of | |
| you to report to Dome seven to help process the youngsters the fleet | |
| will be transporting in. Once they are transported into the </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>dome's</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| main park, we will need to place one of the modified Soma units on | |
| their temple before placing them in one of the beds in the empty | |
| apartments in this </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>dome's</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| habitat section." Pathing detailed instructions of how the CORE | |
| would help the alteration process along after those rescued were | |
| placed on one of the empty beds in the apartments. Hearing Pete's | |
| shocked whisper next to him he glanced over and saw Kenny was already | |
| gone.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Kenny ported out," | |
| Pete whispered in shock. Facing Fred he looked at him with a confused | |
| expression on his face and asked, "How is that possible?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I'll tell you | |
| later," Fred sighed as he told Pete, "The short explanation | |
| is he forced breakthrough to occur when you disappeared."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Breaking the hold that | |
| news had on him, Pete shook his head as he concentrated on what | |
| needed to be done. "I'll hold you to that," he told his | |
| lover before porting to the park in Dome seven.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Appearing a moment | |
| later, Fred spotted Kenny over by a table filled to overflowing with | |
| the modified temple sensors he had asked Pete to replicate for their | |
| use. Making his way through the crowd of people who were stocking up | |
| on the </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>sensors,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| he pulled Kenny to one side</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>. | |
| Looking</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| into Kenny's serious expression he hid his feeling of how wrong that | |
| look looked on Kenny and told him, "Kenny, I want you to use | |
| your Empathic skills to calm the youngsters as they are transported | |
| down. I know you've not experimented with this, but from what I've | |
| read, this should be something you can easily do since you are a | |
| Prime level Empath."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Are you sure?" | |
| Kenny hesitantly asked as he stared into the grim expression on | |
| Fred's face. Seeing the slow nod he screwed up his face as he | |
| wondered, "How am I supposed to do that?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"I think," | |
| Fred started, "and this is only my opinion mind you</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| I think if you path the emotions you are feeling instead of thoughts | |
| it should do what we need; I think."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Hearing a lot of 'I | |
| thinks’' in Fred's request, Kenny nodded with a frown. Moving | |
| over to one of the lamp posts and sitting with his back to it, so he | |
| could tap into the energy, he closed his eyes and thought hard about | |
| what Fred had suggested. Going back over his memories of how and when | |
| he had picked up on the emotions of others around him. Falling into a | |
| light trance he started to project </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>calm</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| feelings as he heard the first cries of panic in the park.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Cocking his head as he | |
| looked up through the dome at the descending scout, Fred acknowledged | |
| the </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>captain’s</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| warning of incoming refugees. "Captain Yaxley, you are clear to | |
| transport down your rescued." Moving as soon as a young pre-teen | |
| appeared in front of him, he ignored the fear filled yelling as he | |
| slapped the sensor onto the </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>kid's</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| temple. Instantly the kid fell asleep as the Soma unit sent the child | |
| into an artificial coma. Feeling a wave of calm flow through him</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| Fred smiled as the yells and screams trickled to a halt.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Amazing," | |
| Theo whispered in awe</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| five minutes later. Looking at the screens on the other side of the | |
| room he watched as hundreds of children were ported in. Confused and | |
| crying, they were quickly gathered up in waiting arms. Arms that just | |
| as quickly emplaced sensors that sent the children to sleep. As each | |
| group was subdued, they were quickly scanned and taken to one of the | |
| apartments.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Moving to the terminal | |
| so he could switch views, he saw each child placed on a bed after | |
| being stripped. From there they were injected with Nanites before a | |
| bracelet was secured to their arm.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Joe stood in front of | |
| the Vindicator's command chair, slowly taking in the information | |
| being shown on all the screens. While not up to Aaron's standards, he | |
| had trained his mind to be able to multi</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>-</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>task | |
| so he could take the information in from four monitors at once. He | |
| had ordered the Vindicator into high orbit as a means of overseeing | |
| the rescue efforts. From their position he could make sure anyone | |
| that was about to catch a glimpse of the fleet moving in and out of | |
| orbit could be taken care of. As he scanned the incoming feeds he | |
| would give an order in a soft voice that sent part of the fleet in a | |
| new direction to rescue those they could.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Eyes taking in the scene | |
| of several </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>buses</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| fleeing a city as a cloud of gas rushed towards the retreating | |
| vehicle, Joe said without taking his eyes off the monitors, "Grid | |
| nineteen, sub section four, get the closest scout to retrieve the | |
| occupants of the school buses." Command given he ignored the | |
| screen as he turned to another monitor and the...stopping and | |
| focusing on the left most monitor he walked away from the middle of | |
| the deck so he stare intently at the scene. Fighter planes were | |
| approaching the gas cloud from the west, it looked like they were | |
| dropping fuel air bombs...and it looked like it was working in | |
| stopping the gas cloud from entering the city. Wincing</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| he noticed that the inferno was also scouring everything in its path. | |
| The humans had to be desperate he thought as he moved back to the | |
| center of the room. While </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>thermobaric</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| weapons were successful in destroying the Sarin gas, it also had the | |
| unfortunate effect of causing more property damage than the gas | |
| could.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Admiral," the | |
| communication officer called out from his station. "We've | |
| detected several dams weakening to the point that the small towns | |
| downstream will be wiped out." Changing the main monitor to show | |
| the largest dam, its cracks growing as water started to shoot from | |
| the cracks, he overlapped a map to one side showing several small | |
| towns that did not stand a chance if the dam gave way.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Taking a deep breath and | |
| letting it out slowly, Joe barked out, "Have Jefferson take in | |
| the Condor. Evacuate the children from those towns; standard orders, | |
| the females to be dropped off in Paraguay before taking the rescued | |
| to Mars."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Checking the time, Joe | |
| noted that they had only been at it fifteen minutes. Looking over at | |
| the count of those relocated to Mars on the rightmost monitor, he | |
| smiled when he saw the number at nine thousand and climbing. Seeing | |
| that the opening salvo in the civil war was for the most part over, | |
| it was time to leave. Smirking as an idea hit him he ordered, "All | |
| fleet units; feel free to fill your buffers as you make your way to | |
| the Atlantic before porting to Mars orbit, Mandelin out."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Walking over to the | |
| monitor, Theo stared at the breakdown of the numbers of those that | |
| had been rescued. Close to forty thousand people, both male and | |
| female, along with the young children had been transported outside a | |
| small town in Paraguay. Of the rest, the nineteen thousand four | |
| hundred and seventy two they had brought back to Mars for alteration,</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Gene</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| seeing Theo staring at the monitor with a frown on his face, decided | |
| to walk over and try to find out what his other half was upset about.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Spotting the report of | |
| the numbers of those rescued, Gene was both surprised at how many | |
| they had managed to rescue and at the same time he was in awe of the | |
| sheer numbers involved. Placing a hand on Theo's shoulder and keeping | |
| his voice low he asked, "What has you so out of sorts</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| Lover?"</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Closing his eyes briefly | |
| as he took a deep breath, Theo decided he might as well let it out, | |
| after all Gene would be a good test bed for his idea, "I'm | |
| seriously considering making a first strike against those infesting | |
| the Earth."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Hand dropping off of his | |
| lovers shoulder in shock, Gene shook his head; surely he heard wrong, | |
| feeling that Theo was more than serious about what he said he </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>simply</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| said, "Explain."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>Turning so he could | |
| point at the far screen which showed the war being kicked off, Theo | |
| snapped out, "There is a six billion strong infestation of | |
| humans down on Earth. And as you can see they are prone to violence | |
| and </FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>revel</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| in pain and death. Slightly different than your neighbor? Well that's | |
| fine then, just kill them; that is as long as you do it in the name | |
| of your God it is okay." Shaking his head angrily he ranted, | |
| "The Earth would be a better place if the infestation of | |
| intolerance was reduced. I think if we kill off, say, five and a half | |
| billion of them they might get a clue, finally."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"You're talking | |
| genocide," Gene whispered in shock.</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>"Not really," | |
| Theo was just as quick to reply. "We'd leave enough of them | |
| alive so the race could continue." Shrugging his shoulders as he | |
| spotted Nate listening to him closely he fleshed out his idea, "With | |
| all the fighting going on down there right now it would be easy to | |
| slip in a virus or three that we could design</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3>,</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3> | |
| to target the specific genetics that would predispose someone to be | |
| violently aggressive."</FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P CLASS="western" STYLE="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%; widows: 0; orphans: 0"> | |
| <BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P ALIGN=CENTER STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P ALIGN=CENTER STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 200%"><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT FACE="Arial, serif"><FONT FACE="Courier New, serif"><FONT SIZE=3><<<<>>>></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| </BODY> | |
| </HTML> |
This file contains hidden or bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters.
Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters
| <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN" | |
| "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd"> | |
| <html> | |
| <head> | |
| <title>Transmogrifier</title> | |
| <style type='text/css'> | |
| textarea{ | |
| width:500px; | |
| height:250px; | |
| } | |
| </style> | |
| <script type='text/javascript'> | |
| function convert(){ | |
| var input=document.getElementById('input'); | |
| var output=document.getElementById('output'); | |
| var html=input.value; | |
| html=/<body.*?>([^]*?)<\/body.*?>/i.exec(html)[1]; | |
| html=html.replace(/<p.*?>/gi,'<p>'); | |
| html=html.replace(/<font.*?>/gi,''); | |
| html=html.replace(/<\/font.*?>/gi,''); | |
| html=html.replace(/<span.*?>/gi,''); | |
| html=html.replace(/<\/span.*?>/gi,''); | |
| html=html.replace(/\n/gi,' '); | |
| html=html.replace(/\r/gi,' '); | |
| html=html.replace(/\t/gi,' '); | |
| html=html.replace(/<BR>/gi,'</p><p>'); | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*<\/p>/gi,''); | |
| html=html.replace(/<\/I><I>/gi,''); | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*<BR>\s*<\/P>/gi,''); | |
| for (var i = 0; i<10; i++) { | |
| html=html.replace(/[\s]+/gi,' '); | |
| }; | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*<hr\/*>\s*<\/p>/gi,'<hr>'); | |
| //Experimental transmogrifier syntax additions | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*::([^:]+?.*?)<\/p>/gi,'<p class="subsecttitle">$1</p>'); | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*:::([^:]+?.*?)<\/p>/gi,'<p class="subsecttitle">$1</p>'); | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*##([^]*?)<\/p>/gi,''); | |
| var subhtml; | |
| var count=0; | |
| while(subhtml=/<p>\s*\$START FLASHBACK\$\s*<\/p>([^]*?)<p>\s*\$END FLASHBACK\$\s*<\/p>/i.exec(html)){ | |
| if(subhtml){ | |
| subhtml=subhtml[1]; | |
| subhtml=subhtml.replace(/<p>([^]*?)<\/p>/gi,"<p class=\"flashback\">$1</p>"); | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*\$START FLASHBACK\$\s*<\/p>([^]*?)<p>\s*\$END FLASHBACK\$\s*<\/p>/i,subhtml); | |
| count++; | |
| if(count>1000){ | |
| alert("Possible infinite loop detected, script aborted. Contact Rilbur for assistance."); | |
| return; | |
| } | |
| } | |
| } | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*\$START LETTER\$\s*<\/p>([^]*?)<p>\s*\$END LETTER\$\s*<\/p>/gi,"<blockquote>$1</blockquote>"); | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*\$START MUSIC\$\s*<\/p>([^]*?)<p>\s*\$END MUSIC\$\s*<\/p>/gi,"<div class='music'>$1</div>"); | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*\$START NEWSPAPER\$\s*<\/p>\s*<p>([^]*?)<\/p>([^]*?)<p>\s*\$END NEWSPAPER\$\s*<\/p>/gi,"<blockquote class='newspaper'>\n\n<h1>$1</h1>$2</blockquote>\n\n"); | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*\$START NOTE\$\s*<\/p>([^]*?)<p>\s*\$END NOTE\$\s*<\/p>/gi,"<div class='note'>$1</div>\n\n"); | |
| html=html.replace(/<p>\s*\$START RECORDING\$\s*<\/p>([^]*?)<p>\s*\$END RECORDING\$\s*<\/p>/gi,"<div class='recording'>$1</div>\n\n"); | |
| //Human readability transformations | |
| html=html.replace(/<\/p>\s*/gi,'</p>\n\n'); | |
| output.value=html; | |
| } | |
| </script> | |
| </head> | |
| <body> | |
| <h1>Input</h1> | |
| <p>Use 'save as HTML' on a word doc, open the resulting file in a plain text editor, and then copy and paste the contents of the file into the area below.</p> | |
| <textarea id="input"></textarea><br> | |
| <h2>Output</h2> | |
| <p>Hit the convert button to automatically clean up the HTML and run some basic transmogrifier conversions. The resulting text should be safe to paste into Wordpress's text editor (DO NOT USE VISUAL EDITOR). Please remember to eyeball the results before calling it final, as additional changes may be needed.</p> | |
| <button onclick='convert()'>Convert</button><br> | |
| <textarea id="output"></textarea> | |
| </body> | |
| </html> |
This file contains hidden or bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters.
Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters
| <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> | |
| <HTML> | |
| <HEAD> | |
| <META HTTP-EQUIV="CONTENT-TYPE" CONTENT="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> | |
| <TITLE></TITLE> | |
| <META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="LibreOffice 4.1.5.3 (Windows)"> | |
| <META NAME="AUTHOR" CONTENT="Ronald Lugge"> | |
| <META NAME="CREATED" CONTENT="20140227;190848198000000"> | |
| <META NAME="CHANGEDBY" CONTENT="Ronald Lugge"> | |
| <META NAME="CHANGED" CONTENT="20140227;194914683000000"> | |
| <STYLE TYPE="text/css"> | |
| <!-- | |
| @page { margin: 0.79in } | |
| P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } | |
| A:link { so-language: zxx } | |
| --> | |
| </STYLE> | |
| </HEAD> | |
| <BODY LANG="en-US" DIR="LTR"> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">:: This is a transmogrifier test | |
| document</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">:::Produced by Rilbur, for the use of | |
| the RU</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">##Not for distribution</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">I am the very model of a major brittish | |
| general</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$START NEWSPAPER$</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Extra, extra! Zacky's Transmog being | |
| replaces!</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Rilbur Skryler, programmer | |
| extroardinaire, has stepped up to try and fix what has gone wrong | |
| with the current situation.</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Zacky's disappearance, while | |
| potentially disasterous, can still be dealt with.</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$END NEWSPAPER$</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$START FLASHBACK$</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">It all began many years ago...,</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$END FLASHBACK$</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$START LETTER$</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Dear Roland,</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">I've done the best I can, but this is | |
| all I can do.</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Rilbur</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$END LETTER$</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$START MUSIC$</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Oh fuck,</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Now I'm stuck,</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Doing Zacky's Job,</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Of fixing others not learning,</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">How the hell to do theirs.</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$END MUSIC$</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$START NOTE$<BR>No clue what I'm doing | |
| here, people!</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$END NOTE$</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR> | |
| </P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$START RECORDING$</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Rilbur: Done?</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Roland: Maybe.</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Rilbur: Hurry it up... we need to get | |
| this transmogrifier out fast!</P> | |
| <P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">$END RECORDING$</P> | |
| </BODY> | |
| </HTML> |
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