Post by Fishy on Jun 23, 2012 13:03:50 GMT -5
I'm no author, but decided to write something to give the universe a bit of plot and expand on ideas. I've got a plan as to where this story will go and places to develop the universe (such as laws and so on which apply to this). Hope people enjoy it!
Chapter 1
What can appear normal and mundane can be both unusual and dangerous. The people we pass in the street appear like a background in our lives, as we do to them. However each one is interesting in their own way, unusual in what they do and as complex as the most difficult of formulae or the most intricate of machines.
James Naujokas would appear as a normal man to most people, not unusual in his opinions or in his actions. Medium height, a healthy build and with short brown hair. His gait was not unusual, his look was improbable. He was by most standards a normal man. Each morning like clockwork he would drop his daughter off at School and commute to his work as a security guard in an upper level shopping centre.
His life was lived in the city of Kyros on the planet Imbrosi, year 3142 C.E. Kyros was the largest city on Imbrosi, a colony founded by the human dominated United Planetary Federation. The UPF, a spiritual successor to the United Nations, had founded Imbrosi as a trade node between itself and its neighbouring governments. This allowed Corporation-States to wield a larger diplomatic sway in the governance of Imbrosi and the facilities in Kyros. It also politically secured Kyros as a relatively safe haven between competing governments. The Eirenian Republic, who were generally friendly towards the UPF, took a small role in assuring a safe place for intergalactic trade to take place. The Onian Empire, traditionally a more aggressive and politically difficult Government used it as a place for negotiation with Corporation-States and smaller governments.
This nodal planet therefore was heavily populated by a diverse population. The city had quickly built upwards and as buildings became taller there began the development of levels of the city. These levels began as corridors between buildings to ease the load on lifts and quicken the transportation of goods and people between buildings. As these corridors were used increasingly, shops began to open above ground and these corridors developed into new levels of the city. Kyros had developed for distinct levels. The ground level was seedy and dark place, as the richest businesses had moved upwards to be closer to daylight and the more recently developed building projects. What was left of it were independent hotels and service businesses left in the dark, with the black market and crime taking advantage of the dark and dank atmosphere. The second level Was slightly more developed, with residential areas and public services located for those who lived and worked in Kyros. Although not being luxurious, and varied in its affluence, it was deemed an appropriate level to raise a family for the majority of working to middle class inhabitants.
The Upper-levels were a mix of business and better residence. Only the richest could afford to live in the top level, near the trees and parks and sunlight. It contained the parts of the city where people would live their lives and interact with others before returning to their homes at night. This was where James worked his job, in a bustling shopping centre full of various races and cultures all living their lives ignorant of each other.
James had been a security guard in the shopping centre since his traffic accident at age twenty-three. In the accident he had been hit by an oncoming vehicle being driven by an intoxicated Onian. This oncoming vehicle was both speeding and on ground-effect mode, where a car would be travelling fast enough for its wheels to be retracted and for it to utilise ground-effect forces in order to travel at faster speeds and consume less fuel due to reduced friction. Ground-effect is restricted to open highways however as it harms the ability of a car to break. This was what caused the Onian's vehicle to collide with James' and resulted in the death of is wife Clara and the constant medical supervision of James' health.
Every day after work James would visit Dr K'chakus, an Eirenian Doctor, who would give James a check-up on his general health and mental well-being. There had only been a couple of disturbances in the past regarding the strength of his heart around four years after the accident. Dr K'chakus was a kind Eirenean, acting in the usual relaxed and contemplative manner which their people were famed for. He was tall, with dark eyes and dark green skin. His accent was strange due to the lack of a tongue, causing him to pronounce words like train as “Chrain”.
After this visit James would return home to his daughter, Karen, who was normally cared for by Dr K'chakus' wife who was a close friend of James'. Dr K'chakus' wife was a human, a relationship which was considered taboo by many but was more accepted in recent times. Their inter-species relationship meant that Jane K'Chakus was unable to have her own child, and so cared for Karen like she was her own.
James' life in this sense could be seen as normal. His days varied little as events across the galaxy appeared to unfold only on his television screen. It was stable, and stability relaxed and pleased James. Karen was going to turn six the next day, a day he had prepared for alongside Jane with great precision down to the selection of music which would be playing when he arrived home with her birthday gift; her first personal communicator. It was a brand new one, able to phone, take pictures, store her thoughts and feelings and update her thoughts and emotions to a social network connecting these communicators. This one was special as it was an early kind of ring communicator, which worked by projecting a hologram screen into the user's hand. Karen had always wanted one but James had said no as she was too young. He had a change of heart this year and so had finally given in and bought hi daughter her dream device.
What can appear normal and mundane can be both unusual and dangerous. The people we pass in the street appear like a background in our lives, as we do to them. However each one is interesting in their own way, unusual in what they do and as complex as the most difficult of formulae or the most intricate of machines.
James Naujokas would appear as a normal man to most people, not unusual in his opinions or in his actions. Medium height, a healthy build and with short brown hair. His gait was not unusual, his look was improbable. He was by most standards a normal man. Each morning like clockwork he would drop his daughter off at School and commute to his work as a security guard in an upper level shopping centre.
His life was lived in the city of Kyros on the planet Imbrosi, year 3142 C.E. Kyros was the largest city on Imbrosi, a colony founded by the human dominated United Planetary Federation. The UPF, a spiritual successor to the United Nations, had founded Imbrosi as a trade node between itself and its neighbouring governments. This allowed Corporation-States to wield a larger diplomatic sway in the governance of Imbrosi and the facilities in Kyros. It also politically secured Kyros as a relatively safe haven between competing governments. The Eirenian Republic, who were generally friendly towards the UPF, took a small role in assuring a safe place for intergalactic trade to take place. The Onian Empire, traditionally a more aggressive and politically difficult Government used it as a place for negotiation with Corporation-States and smaller governments.
This nodal planet therefore was heavily populated by a diverse population. The city had quickly built upwards and as buildings became taller there began the development of levels of the city. These levels began as corridors between buildings to ease the load on lifts and quicken the transportation of goods and people between buildings. As these corridors were used increasingly, shops began to open above ground and these corridors developed into new levels of the city. Kyros had developed for distinct levels. The ground level was seedy and dark place, as the richest businesses had moved upwards to be closer to daylight and the more recently developed building projects. What was left of it were independent hotels and service businesses left in the dark, with the black market and crime taking advantage of the dark and dank atmosphere. The second level Was slightly more developed, with residential areas and public services located for those who lived and worked in Kyros. Although not being luxurious, and varied in its affluence, it was deemed an appropriate level to raise a family for the majority of working to middle class inhabitants.
The Upper-levels were a mix of business and better residence. Only the richest could afford to live in the top level, near the trees and parks and sunlight. It contained the parts of the city where people would live their lives and interact with others before returning to their homes at night. This was where James worked his job, in a bustling shopping centre full of various races and cultures all living their lives ignorant of each other.
James had been a security guard in the shopping centre since his traffic accident at age twenty-three. In the accident he had been hit by an oncoming vehicle being driven by an intoxicated Onian. This oncoming vehicle was both speeding and on ground-effect mode, where a car would be travelling fast enough for its wheels to be retracted and for it to utilise ground-effect forces in order to travel at faster speeds and consume less fuel due to reduced friction. Ground-effect is restricted to open highways however as it harms the ability of a car to break. This was what caused the Onian's vehicle to collide with James' and resulted in the death of is wife Clara and the constant medical supervision of James' health.
Every day after work James would visit Dr K'chakus, an Eirenian Doctor, who would give James a check-up on his general health and mental well-being. There had only been a couple of disturbances in the past regarding the strength of his heart around four years after the accident. Dr K'chakus was a kind Eirenean, acting in the usual relaxed and contemplative manner which their people were famed for. He was tall, with dark eyes and dark green skin. His accent was strange due to the lack of a tongue, causing him to pronounce words like train as “Chrain”.
After this visit James would return home to his daughter, Karen, who was normally cared for by Dr K'chakus' wife who was a close friend of James'. Dr K'chakus' wife was a human, a relationship which was considered taboo by many but was more accepted in recent times. Their inter-species relationship meant that Jane K'Chakus was unable to have her own child, and so cared for Karen like she was her own.
James' life in this sense could be seen as normal. His days varied little as events across the galaxy appeared to unfold only on his television screen. It was stable, and stability relaxed and pleased James. Karen was going to turn six the next day, a day he had prepared for alongside Jane with great precision down to the selection of music which would be playing when he arrived home with her birthday gift; her first personal communicator. It was a brand new one, able to phone, take pictures, store her thoughts and feelings and update her thoughts and emotions to a social network connecting these communicators. This one was special as it was an early kind of ring communicator, which worked by projecting a hologram screen into the user's hand. Karen had always wanted one but James had said no as she was too young. He had a change of heart this year and so had finally given in and bought hi daughter her dream device.
Chapter 2
James arose with his alarm playing the normal chart music which sounded little more than poetry read to mechanical noises. He hated these “sounds” but felt that something so irritating would help him get out of bed faster. He opened his curtains and looked out of the window to gaze across the street of the second level.
It was 8am on Imbrosi, a planet with a 26 hour day. The lights had begun brightening on the Skyline Trans-level Atmosphere Reproducer (S.T.A.R) and James was excited to see his little girl on her birthday. He wandered through to her bedroom to get her out of bed and ready for school. Although upon entry he had found that she was already awake and did not need woken at all.
“Happy birthday little Butterfly!” he said with a smile across his face.
“Daddy!” She screamed as she ran over to hug him.
“I've put the gifts in the living room, but you can only open one before school.”
She looked to his eyes with a smile and shouted “I want my surprise!”.
“That's for when you get home sweetheart. Come on, get ready for school.” He said as he gave her a warm hug.
James always enjoyed Karen's birthdays more than his own. He loved seeing her smile and took his greatest pleasure in making her happy. The excitement flowed through him thinking of the special gift which he would return home with in the afternoon. After eating breakfast and getting washed he watched Karen open her birthday cards including one from Dr K'chakus and Jane K'chakus. Inside was a small screen with a recording of the couple.
“Happy birthday Karen” Dr K'chakus said. “We hope you have a lovely day.”
“We've given you 100 credits to spend on something special sweet-pea. Hope you get something you really like” But don't let your daddy spend any of it!” She said with a joking smile. The thin screen then returned to a menu headed “Happy Birthday” with a small bear holding a balloon and a “replay” button below.
“Wow! You'll be richer than Daddy soon.” James jokes to Karen. She just giggled and gave him another hug.
“I love you” he said as he held her.
“I love you too daddy” she replied with her normal smile.
After hugging they entered his car and he drove her up to the third level to their closest School. After dropping off Karen he headed to work and started his shift at the shopping centre. His day was rather slow, with only a few incidents including an Onian and a human having a small brawl in a restaurant over a seat at the bar and a young human being caught shoplifting in the local electronics shop.
Following his shift James phoned home to ask Jane how things were going. His communicator ringed but no response was heard from the other end. “Must be busy I guess” he muttered to himself as he entered his car and headed to Dr K'chakis for his daily check-up.
James entered the surgery on the third level and was greeted by John, the receptionist. “Nice to see you Mr Naujokas. Dr K'chakis is expecting you in the normal room.”
“Thanks John” James replied and carried on walking through the clear glass doors towards Dr K'chakis' room.
He knocked and the glass door changed from opaque to clear and inside the Doctor got out of his chair and pushed the open button. “Hi James, did Karen like her gift?”
“She did, it was a lovely card. I can't believe she is already six!”
“They grow up so fast. I hope she'll like the communicator.” K'Chakis calmly responded. “Could you sit upon the bed and open your mouth please?”
“No problem.” James responded and he sat himself on the bed. The Doctor then proceeded to use various scanners and take readings from James.
“Hmm. You appear to have a small problem on your back. One of the bones which broke is looking a little weak. I'm going to give you a small injection which should strengthen it.” He said as he looked onto his datapad.
“Just do what you need to doctor” James replied.
“Thanks James” the Doctor said in his deep calm voice as he gracefully carried his tall slender frame across the room to the appropriate drawer. From this he pulled a long thin solver instrument in which he could see his white Stone Medical Doctors coat reflected. “Lie on your front please” he asked politely. James did as asked and lay down and felt a short sharp shock bite into his back.
“That'll take a few hours to work properly so don't stress yourself out” K'chakus ordered.
“Thanks Doctor” James said as he smiled. “You're a good friend.”
“Thank you James.” He said. “Take care.” He said as his normally joking demeanour turned a little more serious.
James shook his hand as he turned to leave the surgery. He waked through the white sterile surgery and exited to the car park to enter his car, a second hand Horobleedo built in the Corporation-state of Nanuki Industries. Upon entering the silver, sleek machine he commanded “computer: Phone home”.
“Phoning home.” The speakers rang for a few seconds, and continued to ring. James felt a little confused, but thought little of it. He proceeded to drive off home as always down to the second level.
After a twenty minute drive he neared his house and pulled up to park on the edge of the street across from his apartment. He looked up to his flat and noticed the lights were off and the window left open. After crossing the road James neared the entrance to the stairway. The lock was broken and the door appeared drilled through. This confused him as the block was meant to be protected by a security contractor.
He walked up the hallway towards the stairs in deadly silence. Something seemed wrong. His heart felt heavy as he clutched the small wrapped box. James got to the second floor and saw his door open. It too was drilled. With his heart beating with fear he pushed open the door and tried to switch on the light. “Karen?” he called as the lights remained dark. He left the light and started to search through the flat through light from the S.T.A.R.
“Karen? Jane? Come out now.” He called again but with no reply as he walked through the kitchen searching for them. James walked and jogged towards Karen's room. He pulled open the door and shouted in horror. “Oh God no!”
In front of him, against the wall lay the body of Jane K'Chakis. In her forehead was a bullet shaped hole with a trail of blood dripping down her cold emotionless face. “Jane!” He exclaimed in shock as he looked around him to check nobody was behind him. James exited the room and looked around. There was no sound in the flat, it was silent. The silencers on the windows made the flat eerie and empty. Not even a breath could be heard. James hurried round his room, looking under the bed repeating “Oh god, oh god!”.
It soon became clear in his mind that he was alone, and that his butterfly was gone. He broke down in tears and shouted “KAREN” once more. James felt lost in his situation, with no idea how to react. His first thought was to call the police to report it. His communicator rang cold. “bleed”. He tried then to call his friend Dr K'chakus. Again the phone rang and nothing appeared at the other end.
“Bzzzzz” he heard from the hallway. “Bzzzzz” it rang again. Confused he walked through to the hallway and saw Karen's gift vibrating. It seemed to him like his only connection to the outside world. He tore the box open, fastened the ring onto his finger and answered the call. He was presented with an empty caller screen, no image of the person he was communicating with. “Who is this?” he asked through his tears ad emotion.
A deep, muffled voice spoke through the communicator “James, I cannot speak long to you as this connection will be shut down soon. Call me X. In around one and a half minutes there will be a car which will pull up outside your flat and will flash its headlights twice. Approach that car. If you don't you will be dead in around fifteen minutes. They are en-route to kill you.”
“What? Who are you? How can I trust you?” James blurted.
“You have to trust me. I know what they did with your daughter, and I know they killed the Doctor's wife. We can only call this communicator as they have shut down your other communicators. Please, you can come with us or them. We won't kill you.” X said in his monotonous robotic voice.
James went to the window and looked out. A red car pulled up behind his and flashed its headlights twice. Not knowing what to do James responded, “Do you have my daughter?”.
“No. We don't. I can explain more in the car. Come now. Quick.”
The call ended and the hologram blacked out. James looked upwards deciding what to do. He didn't know whether he could trust the voice, but thought to himself he had no alternative. He ran down the stairs and out of the door. The car's window opened and a masked female figure spoke in the robotic voice. She called “Get in the back. They're coming”. She looked out of the window to check if they were behind her and looked to James “NOW”. James fumbled around the handle and entered the car as it pulled out and drove away.
“Where's my daughter?” He shouted.
“I'm sorry James. I can't tell you everything now. We need to go somewhere safe. She's not dead and not lost. That is important. All I can tell you now is that you are a wanted man, and there are people who want you dead. I've got some spare clothes there, you need to change into them. Keep down and throw your clothes out of the window.”
The masked woman continued to drive away into traffic. James ducked in the back seats and changed into the plain grey clothes he had been presented with. James was lost in a new life. His body felt empty as he sobbed into his hands.
James arose with his alarm playing the normal chart music which sounded little more than poetry read to mechanical noises. He hated these “sounds” but felt that something so irritating would help him get out of bed faster. He opened his curtains and looked out of the window to gaze across the street of the second level.
It was 8am on Imbrosi, a planet with a 26 hour day. The lights had begun brightening on the Skyline Trans-level Atmosphere Reproducer (S.T.A.R) and James was excited to see his little girl on her birthday. He wandered through to her bedroom to get her out of bed and ready for school. Although upon entry he had found that she was already awake and did not need woken at all.
“Happy birthday little Butterfly!” he said with a smile across his face.
“Daddy!” She screamed as she ran over to hug him.
“I've put the gifts in the living room, but you can only open one before school.”
She looked to his eyes with a smile and shouted “I want my surprise!”.
“That's for when you get home sweetheart. Come on, get ready for school.” He said as he gave her a warm hug.
James always enjoyed Karen's birthdays more than his own. He loved seeing her smile and took his greatest pleasure in making her happy. The excitement flowed through him thinking of the special gift which he would return home with in the afternoon. After eating breakfast and getting washed he watched Karen open her birthday cards including one from Dr K'chakus and Jane K'chakus. Inside was a small screen with a recording of the couple.
“Happy birthday Karen” Dr K'chakus said. “We hope you have a lovely day.”
“We've given you 100 credits to spend on something special sweet-pea. Hope you get something you really like” But don't let your daddy spend any of it!” She said with a joking smile. The thin screen then returned to a menu headed “Happy Birthday” with a small bear holding a balloon and a “replay” button below.
“Wow! You'll be richer than Daddy soon.” James jokes to Karen. She just giggled and gave him another hug.
“I love you” he said as he held her.
“I love you too daddy” she replied with her normal smile.
After hugging they entered his car and he drove her up to the third level to their closest School. After dropping off Karen he headed to work and started his shift at the shopping centre. His day was rather slow, with only a few incidents including an Onian and a human having a small brawl in a restaurant over a seat at the bar and a young human being caught shoplifting in the local electronics shop.
Following his shift James phoned home to ask Jane how things were going. His communicator ringed but no response was heard from the other end. “Must be busy I guess” he muttered to himself as he entered his car and headed to Dr K'chakis for his daily check-up.
James entered the surgery on the third level and was greeted by John, the receptionist. “Nice to see you Mr Naujokas. Dr K'chakis is expecting you in the normal room.”
“Thanks John” James replied and carried on walking through the clear glass doors towards Dr K'chakis' room.
He knocked and the glass door changed from opaque to clear and inside the Doctor got out of his chair and pushed the open button. “Hi James, did Karen like her gift?”
“She did, it was a lovely card. I can't believe she is already six!”
“They grow up so fast. I hope she'll like the communicator.” K'Chakis calmly responded. “Could you sit upon the bed and open your mouth please?”
“No problem.” James responded and he sat himself on the bed. The Doctor then proceeded to use various scanners and take readings from James.
“Hmm. You appear to have a small problem on your back. One of the bones which broke is looking a little weak. I'm going to give you a small injection which should strengthen it.” He said as he looked onto his datapad.
“Just do what you need to doctor” James replied.
“Thanks James” the Doctor said in his deep calm voice as he gracefully carried his tall slender frame across the room to the appropriate drawer. From this he pulled a long thin solver instrument in which he could see his white Stone Medical Doctors coat reflected. “Lie on your front please” he asked politely. James did as asked and lay down and felt a short sharp shock bite into his back.
“That'll take a few hours to work properly so don't stress yourself out” K'chakus ordered.
“Thanks Doctor” James said as he smiled. “You're a good friend.”
“Thank you James.” He said. “Take care.” He said as his normally joking demeanour turned a little more serious.
James shook his hand as he turned to leave the surgery. He waked through the white sterile surgery and exited to the car park to enter his car, a second hand Horobleedo built in the Corporation-state of Nanuki Industries. Upon entering the silver, sleek machine he commanded “computer: Phone home”.
“Phoning home.” The speakers rang for a few seconds, and continued to ring. James felt a little confused, but thought little of it. He proceeded to drive off home as always down to the second level.
After a twenty minute drive he neared his house and pulled up to park on the edge of the street across from his apartment. He looked up to his flat and noticed the lights were off and the window left open. After crossing the road James neared the entrance to the stairway. The lock was broken and the door appeared drilled through. This confused him as the block was meant to be protected by a security contractor.
He walked up the hallway towards the stairs in deadly silence. Something seemed wrong. His heart felt heavy as he clutched the small wrapped box. James got to the second floor and saw his door open. It too was drilled. With his heart beating with fear he pushed open the door and tried to switch on the light. “Karen?” he called as the lights remained dark. He left the light and started to search through the flat through light from the S.T.A.R.
“Karen? Jane? Come out now.” He called again but with no reply as he walked through the kitchen searching for them. James walked and jogged towards Karen's room. He pulled open the door and shouted in horror. “Oh God no!”
In front of him, against the wall lay the body of Jane K'Chakis. In her forehead was a bullet shaped hole with a trail of blood dripping down her cold emotionless face. “Jane!” He exclaimed in shock as he looked around him to check nobody was behind him. James exited the room and looked around. There was no sound in the flat, it was silent. The silencers on the windows made the flat eerie and empty. Not even a breath could be heard. James hurried round his room, looking under the bed repeating “Oh god, oh god!”.
It soon became clear in his mind that he was alone, and that his butterfly was gone. He broke down in tears and shouted “KAREN” once more. James felt lost in his situation, with no idea how to react. His first thought was to call the police to report it. His communicator rang cold. “bleed”. He tried then to call his friend Dr K'chakus. Again the phone rang and nothing appeared at the other end.
“Bzzzzz” he heard from the hallway. “Bzzzzz” it rang again. Confused he walked through to the hallway and saw Karen's gift vibrating. It seemed to him like his only connection to the outside world. He tore the box open, fastened the ring onto his finger and answered the call. He was presented with an empty caller screen, no image of the person he was communicating with. “Who is this?” he asked through his tears ad emotion.
A deep, muffled voice spoke through the communicator “James, I cannot speak long to you as this connection will be shut down soon. Call me X. In around one and a half minutes there will be a car which will pull up outside your flat and will flash its headlights twice. Approach that car. If you don't you will be dead in around fifteen minutes. They are en-route to kill you.”
“What? Who are you? How can I trust you?” James blurted.
“You have to trust me. I know what they did with your daughter, and I know they killed the Doctor's wife. We can only call this communicator as they have shut down your other communicators. Please, you can come with us or them. We won't kill you.” X said in his monotonous robotic voice.
James went to the window and looked out. A red car pulled up behind his and flashed its headlights twice. Not knowing what to do James responded, “Do you have my daughter?”.
“No. We don't. I can explain more in the car. Come now. Quick.”
The call ended and the hologram blacked out. James looked upwards deciding what to do. He didn't know whether he could trust the voice, but thought to himself he had no alternative. He ran down the stairs and out of the door. The car's window opened and a masked female figure spoke in the robotic voice. She called “Get in the back. They're coming”. She looked out of the window to check if they were behind her and looked to James “NOW”. James fumbled around the handle and entered the car as it pulled out and drove away.
“Where's my daughter?” He shouted.
“I'm sorry James. I can't tell you everything now. We need to go somewhere safe. She's not dead and not lost. That is important. All I can tell you now is that you are a wanted man, and there are people who want you dead. I've got some spare clothes there, you need to change into them. Keep down and throw your clothes out of the window.”
The masked woman continued to drive away into traffic. James ducked in the back seats and changed into the plain grey clothes he had been presented with. James was lost in a new life. His body felt empty as he sobbed into his hands.
Chapter 3
The engine hummed as James looked up to see traffic lights and window lights speed past in a blur. Having changed into the bleak clothes, he felt a little more confident after he felt more numb than shocked. James asked “Where are you taking me?”
“We're going somewhere safe, it will only be a few minutes”, the driver replied.
James screwed up his face and shook his head. “I don't understand. What did I do to deserve this?” He inquired.
“I'm sorry James. I don't know if you are bugged. The people who are after you have the capacity to put receivers on you which are microscopic. I hope you understand.” The woman said looking into the mirror and towards James. “I can't imagine how you feel just now, but you are not the only one who has been bleeded by these people. You'll feel better soon.”
James felt his heart sink. “I just want to see her.”
“You will. We're here. You can get up now” She said. The car slowed down and pulled into the left. The masked woman opened the door and got out and proceeded to open James' door. “Follow me” she ordered. James exited the car onto the dark pavement. It was a quiet street on what looked like the ground level. Around them were derelict and boarded up windows. Homeless people slept in the doorways and side streets warmed by thin sheets. The walls had neon advertisements and cheap boards with alien writing on them. The odd human sign advertised “Massage: 100 credits” or “Cheap Liquor”. It was an uncomfortable surrounding in a strange place. They walked towards a derelict shop with a man in a long trench-coat and obscured by a dark mask dotted with two soulless red lights over the eyes.
“Is this him?” His unhuman voice enquired.
“Yes” The woman responded.
“Alright, go in” he said as he signalled towards the door. He stepped forward to check for anyone behind them as they entered the door to a room dimply lit by a single lamp in the far corner. Its unpainted brick walls looked badly maintained, felt cold and derelict and was only filled with a single table surrounded by three bland wooden chairs with a tall man in a long black coat holding a cigarette in his hand sitting on one of them. His upper face was obscured by an opaque visor. He spoke in a calm human voice.
“Are you James Samuel Naujokas?” He asked in a gravelly voice before drawing smoke from his half used cigarette.
“Yes” James replied. “What is going on? I'm sick of this.”
“I know James. This is all for your safety for now. “We're going to scan you to make sure you are clean and don't have any bugs. Sit down. It won't take long.”
James sat down and the woman who was driving pulled out a hand-held medical scanner. Her mask was illuminated by the screen. This was the first good look James had seen of the woman. Her eyes were covered by a single dark visor, with metal and plastic extending down her face and the mask coming to a point over her mouth. She had black hair tied back in a pony-tail which was separated by a thick plastic strap. The woman pressed several buttons in quick succession which the device responded to with beeping noises. “Sit still please.” She said.
She pointed it towards James and lights flashed over him searching every inch of his body to the sound of high pitched beeps and purrs. The lights began to flash brighter and the noises became louder. “There is one on his back and one behind his ear” she told the man at the table.
The man nodded in acceptance and looked to James. “James, you have been bugged by the people who are chasing you. We're going to have to remove these if you want to know what happened. Eat this pill and you will wake up in a couple of hours then we can talk.”
“I'm sorry, but I've done so much and still don't entirely trust you. I don't want to take the pill without more answers.” James said more angrily.
“I can't give you answers or they will know how much information we have. We've told you too much already. I'll give you the pill, it's your choice whether to take it or not but those bugs have to be taken out if you want answers.” The mysterious man said. He stood up and placed a single pill in front of James.
“Alright.” James responded. He took the pill and looked at it before swallowing it. Within a few seconds he felt increasingly tired and soon his vision faded to black.
“Get him in the new car. Have Ed sit in the back with him and take them out. I'll drive” the man ordered.
“Yes sir” the masked woman responded. She saluted the mysterious man and turned towards the door and knocked it three times. The man who had been guarding the door came in and picked James up and put him over his shoulder. He opened the door of a dark blue car, not unlike James' and lumped his body into the back. The mysterious man and woman entered the front and pulled out of the parking space leaving the old vehicle behind.
James awoke on an unmade bed and looked around the room he found himself in. The room was better maintained, with white walls and light blue curtains. It was lit by an overhead lamp which brightly lit the room. His ear and back stung with a sharp pain where the mysterious woman had located the bugs. Beside him sat a grey haired man in a long black trench-coat. He looked around fifty, with short combed back grey hair and short thick stubble. From his mouth hung a cigarette, with smoke drifting upwards towards the ceiling. James rubbed the back of his year which was covered by a piece of cotton held to his head by tape.
“I wouldn't touch it so soon.” the man said as he lowered the e-tablet and removed the cigarette from his mouth.
“Where is Karen?” James asked. She was still fresh in his mind and the thought of her still pained his heart.
“I'm sorry James, you and Karen are both part of something... You are both part of a conflict which has been going on for a long time.” The man coughed and took a deep breath. “My name is George Wight, I'm the commander of a group of people who want to stop abductions of people like your daughter and protect humanity and all that is pure. Your daughter has been kidnapped by a group of people who hold power you wouldn't imagine. It isn't a terrorist cell but something closer to a dictatorship. We want to help you find her and get her back.”
“Why Karen? Why me?” James responded.
George adjusted himself in the red leather seat. It was clear that this was a long story. “You've been part of this for a long time James, you just haven't known it. These people want your daughter for tests. They are an oganisation which transcends government, industry, society and many other structures. Their leader is a man called Clarence Stone.
“Stone owns several businesses and runs a corporation-state called 'Stone Industries'. He is a power hungry man who only cares about himself. This corporation has arms in every government and every industry. There is a reason the police were not at your apartment today James.”
“What does he want with my daughter?” asked James. He was feeling uneasy and lost in this story.
“He wants your daughter because she is special. According to what we know, they have been gathering people for a number of years who have tissue which can easily accept robotic body parts.” George replied. “The woman who drove you today is called Melissa. Her son was abducted two years ago and was used in tests in which Stone Industries replaced organs in his body with robotic prosthetics.”
“We have to help her!” He said as he leaped forwards on the bed.
“Calm down, we have time and you need to know what it is we will do.” Ordered George sternly. “We are an organisation called Aquos. It's named after Aqua, or water. We want to protect what is natural. You know why robots are illegal James?”
“Yes,” he responded “because they can't make moral judgements sufficiently and so endanger the people around them”.
“That is correct,” George replied. “Stone Industries has been attempting to defy intergalactic law to create sentient robots which can be used for profit. Our organisation has existed for over a hundred years to help enforce this law because we know how dangerous robots can be. The galaxy is a big place James, Governments don't have enough control to police it effectively. Without us there is a threat to the safety and purity of natural life.
“James, they used robots to enter your flat and kidnap your daughter. They would have killed you if you were in the flat at that time, but they didn't want you dead just yet. This fight is later than we think, but we need to rescue your daughter to stop them.”
“What can we do?” James asked.
“We have to find out where they've taken her. There is a man we can go to in this city who an help us. For now you are one of us and stick with us. You can't communicate with anyone you used to. We are your only friends now, you have to trust us.” George said. “I'm glad you have so far”.
“But Dr K'chakus needs to know about his wife!” James insisted.
“Dr K'chakus is not your friend James. I'm sorry to tell you this.” George stood up from his chair. “He has been one of them for your life. He works for Stone and has been employed to keep a check on your family since your crash five years ago.”
“What? I don't understand!” James exclaimed. “His wife was shot!”
“Really?” George asked. His relaxed demeanour began to wane as he looked uneasy.
“Yes. She was shot in the forehead when she was looking after Karen.” James answered.
George approached the door and turned to James and told him, “I'm sorry to hear that. She must've really loved your daughter.” He paused for a moment and rubbed his fingers over his stubble. “Come through when you are feeling a little better and meet Ian and Melissa. We'll go when you are feeling better.” His black leather glove clutched the door handle and pulled it towards him.
“One last thing,” James said. “How did you know I would trust you?”
George stopped momentarily. “You still don't. But the alternative was abducting you, and I don't think you would ever have trusted us if we had done that.”
George left the room and left James alone. James lay back for a moment to get his head around what he had just been told. His gut felt tied, his heart felt empty and he felt like he had lost his soul. All he could think amidst his confusion was the daughter he loved so much and the danger she was in. Every bone, every cell in his body wanted her back. Nobody around him offered him such security. James was alone.
The engine hummed as James looked up to see traffic lights and window lights speed past in a blur. Having changed into the bleak clothes, he felt a little more confident after he felt more numb than shocked. James asked “Where are you taking me?”
“We're going somewhere safe, it will only be a few minutes”, the driver replied.
James screwed up his face and shook his head. “I don't understand. What did I do to deserve this?” He inquired.
“I'm sorry James. I don't know if you are bugged. The people who are after you have the capacity to put receivers on you which are microscopic. I hope you understand.” The woman said looking into the mirror and towards James. “I can't imagine how you feel just now, but you are not the only one who has been bleeded by these people. You'll feel better soon.”
James felt his heart sink. “I just want to see her.”
“You will. We're here. You can get up now” She said. The car slowed down and pulled into the left. The masked woman opened the door and got out and proceeded to open James' door. “Follow me” she ordered. James exited the car onto the dark pavement. It was a quiet street on what looked like the ground level. Around them were derelict and boarded up windows. Homeless people slept in the doorways and side streets warmed by thin sheets. The walls had neon advertisements and cheap boards with alien writing on them. The odd human sign advertised “Massage: 100 credits” or “Cheap Liquor”. It was an uncomfortable surrounding in a strange place. They walked towards a derelict shop with a man in a long trench-coat and obscured by a dark mask dotted with two soulless red lights over the eyes.
“Is this him?” His unhuman voice enquired.
“Yes” The woman responded.
“Alright, go in” he said as he signalled towards the door. He stepped forward to check for anyone behind them as they entered the door to a room dimply lit by a single lamp in the far corner. Its unpainted brick walls looked badly maintained, felt cold and derelict and was only filled with a single table surrounded by three bland wooden chairs with a tall man in a long black coat holding a cigarette in his hand sitting on one of them. His upper face was obscured by an opaque visor. He spoke in a calm human voice.
“Are you James Samuel Naujokas?” He asked in a gravelly voice before drawing smoke from his half used cigarette.
“Yes” James replied. “What is going on? I'm sick of this.”
“I know James. This is all for your safety for now. “We're going to scan you to make sure you are clean and don't have any bugs. Sit down. It won't take long.”
James sat down and the woman who was driving pulled out a hand-held medical scanner. Her mask was illuminated by the screen. This was the first good look James had seen of the woman. Her eyes were covered by a single dark visor, with metal and plastic extending down her face and the mask coming to a point over her mouth. She had black hair tied back in a pony-tail which was separated by a thick plastic strap. The woman pressed several buttons in quick succession which the device responded to with beeping noises. “Sit still please.” She said.
She pointed it towards James and lights flashed over him searching every inch of his body to the sound of high pitched beeps and purrs. The lights began to flash brighter and the noises became louder. “There is one on his back and one behind his ear” she told the man at the table.
The man nodded in acceptance and looked to James. “James, you have been bugged by the people who are chasing you. We're going to have to remove these if you want to know what happened. Eat this pill and you will wake up in a couple of hours then we can talk.”
“I'm sorry, but I've done so much and still don't entirely trust you. I don't want to take the pill without more answers.” James said more angrily.
“I can't give you answers or they will know how much information we have. We've told you too much already. I'll give you the pill, it's your choice whether to take it or not but those bugs have to be taken out if you want answers.” The mysterious man said. He stood up and placed a single pill in front of James.
“Alright.” James responded. He took the pill and looked at it before swallowing it. Within a few seconds he felt increasingly tired and soon his vision faded to black.
“Get him in the new car. Have Ed sit in the back with him and take them out. I'll drive” the man ordered.
“Yes sir” the masked woman responded. She saluted the mysterious man and turned towards the door and knocked it three times. The man who had been guarding the door came in and picked James up and put him over his shoulder. He opened the door of a dark blue car, not unlike James' and lumped his body into the back. The mysterious man and woman entered the front and pulled out of the parking space leaving the old vehicle behind.
James awoke on an unmade bed and looked around the room he found himself in. The room was better maintained, with white walls and light blue curtains. It was lit by an overhead lamp which brightly lit the room. His ear and back stung with a sharp pain where the mysterious woman had located the bugs. Beside him sat a grey haired man in a long black trench-coat. He looked around fifty, with short combed back grey hair and short thick stubble. From his mouth hung a cigarette, with smoke drifting upwards towards the ceiling. James rubbed the back of his year which was covered by a piece of cotton held to his head by tape.
“I wouldn't touch it so soon.” the man said as he lowered the e-tablet and removed the cigarette from his mouth.
“Where is Karen?” James asked. She was still fresh in his mind and the thought of her still pained his heart.
“I'm sorry James, you and Karen are both part of something... You are both part of a conflict which has been going on for a long time.” The man coughed and took a deep breath. “My name is George Wight, I'm the commander of a group of people who want to stop abductions of people like your daughter and protect humanity and all that is pure. Your daughter has been kidnapped by a group of people who hold power you wouldn't imagine. It isn't a terrorist cell but something closer to a dictatorship. We want to help you find her and get her back.”
“Why Karen? Why me?” James responded.
George adjusted himself in the red leather seat. It was clear that this was a long story. “You've been part of this for a long time James, you just haven't known it. These people want your daughter for tests. They are an oganisation which transcends government, industry, society and many other structures. Their leader is a man called Clarence Stone.
“Stone owns several businesses and runs a corporation-state called 'Stone Industries'. He is a power hungry man who only cares about himself. This corporation has arms in every government and every industry. There is a reason the police were not at your apartment today James.”
“What does he want with my daughter?” asked James. He was feeling uneasy and lost in this story.
“He wants your daughter because she is special. According to what we know, they have been gathering people for a number of years who have tissue which can easily accept robotic body parts.” George replied. “The woman who drove you today is called Melissa. Her son was abducted two years ago and was used in tests in which Stone Industries replaced organs in his body with robotic prosthetics.”
“We have to help her!” He said as he leaped forwards on the bed.
“Calm down, we have time and you need to know what it is we will do.” Ordered George sternly. “We are an organisation called Aquos. It's named after Aqua, or water. We want to protect what is natural. You know why robots are illegal James?”
“Yes,” he responded “because they can't make moral judgements sufficiently and so endanger the people around them”.
“That is correct,” George replied. “Stone Industries has been attempting to defy intergalactic law to create sentient robots which can be used for profit. Our organisation has existed for over a hundred years to help enforce this law because we know how dangerous robots can be. The galaxy is a big place James, Governments don't have enough control to police it effectively. Without us there is a threat to the safety and purity of natural life.
“James, they used robots to enter your flat and kidnap your daughter. They would have killed you if you were in the flat at that time, but they didn't want you dead just yet. This fight is later than we think, but we need to rescue your daughter to stop them.”
“What can we do?” James asked.
“We have to find out where they've taken her. There is a man we can go to in this city who an help us. For now you are one of us and stick with us. You can't communicate with anyone you used to. We are your only friends now, you have to trust us.” George said. “I'm glad you have so far”.
“But Dr K'chakus needs to know about his wife!” James insisted.
“Dr K'chakus is not your friend James. I'm sorry to tell you this.” George stood up from his chair. “He has been one of them for your life. He works for Stone and has been employed to keep a check on your family since your crash five years ago.”
“What? I don't understand!” James exclaimed. “His wife was shot!”
“Really?” George asked. His relaxed demeanour began to wane as he looked uneasy.
“Yes. She was shot in the forehead when she was looking after Karen.” James answered.
George approached the door and turned to James and told him, “I'm sorry to hear that. She must've really loved your daughter.” He paused for a moment and rubbed his fingers over his stubble. “Come through when you are feeling a little better and meet Ian and Melissa. We'll go when you are feeling better.” His black leather glove clutched the door handle and pulled it towards him.
“One last thing,” James said. “How did you know I would trust you?”
George stopped momentarily. “You still don't. But the alternative was abducting you, and I don't think you would ever have trusted us if we had done that.”
George left the room and left James alone. James lay back for a moment to get his head around what he had just been told. His gut felt tied, his heart felt empty and he felt like he had lost his soul. All he could think amidst his confusion was the daughter he loved so much and the danger she was in. Every bone, every cell in his body wanted her back. Nobody around him offered him such security. James was alone.
Chapter 4
James arose from the bed after around an hour of contemplation. He was fed up with being in the dark, of having no control over his life and wanted his daughter back. He opened the door and entered the living room. The room he entered was covered in a tacky blue and white striped wallpaper and a wooden lamented floor. It had a homely feel with ceramic ornaments of woodland animals dotted around window sills. In the centre of the room was a table with George sitting at it fiddling with three guns which were neatly presented on the table for his inspection. Behind George was the small kitchen with the masks and armour which the three had been wearing on their mission to rescue James. To his right he saw a grey used couch with Ian and Melissa sitting watching the Channel 16 news.
Ian was a gaunt black haired man, with dark skin and a friendly smile. His hair was short and wiry encircling his face with a small beard. He looked relaxed and seemed to be enjoying having some time away from his mission. He had a thin athletic build with a tattoo on his arm of a burning skull. He sat, legs crossed with a finger resting on his chin as he listened to the news and nodded every time a new piece of information was mentioned. Ian's relaxed demeanour was somewhat comforting to James as it made him feel as if his presence was welcome and that he was in good hands.
Beside Ian sat Melissa. She had a long face partly obscured by her black wavy hair. She looked a strong woman who stared at the television intently in full concentration. She had brown eyes and a long straight nose. Upon noticing James her head had turned to him and nodded in acknowledgement. In her left hand was a pistol, unlike any which James had seen before. She stroked its handle as if she needed it near in case anything were to go wrong. Her more anxious attitude reinforced the seriousness of the situation although her friendliness and empathy with James made him feel like she was one of the few people he could see as a friend at this moment.
On the television the presenter rattled off the day's events. “In C34 region there have been several disturbances as Police investigate a break-in to a house. They have said that the matter is unlikely to be of any great seriousness and have told people to stay inside and to come forward with any information they have.”
“I knew they'd come out with that bleed.” Ian said as he shook his head. His manner of speaking was relaxed and jolly, as if making a joke.
“Nice of you to join us James, why don't you take a seat?” George said as he pulled the stool next to him backwards for James to sit on. James tentatively walked across the room and sat himself down on the stool.
Ian said, “you're looking a little better from earlier. Although the only interaction I've had with you so far has involved a scalpel.”
“Thanks Ian,” George replied. He looked to James in a friendly manner and said “I don't think I've had a chance to introduce you properly to our small team here. Obviously there are more of us, but these are the best I could get together for this specific mission.”
“The women on the left there is Melissa, I've already mentioned her to you. She was the one who drove you from the apartment and has been in your situation before.” George said as he pointed his left hand towards her.
“It's good to meet you James,” she responded. “I know how you are feeling just now. Don't worry, you are in safe hands and we have a good chance of getting your girl back alive” Melissa reassured him. Her look was genuine although James noticed the despair in her eyes as she mentioned her situation. She was trying to comfort him and make him feel calmer, which was appreciated.
“Thanks”, said James. “It's appreciated.” Melissa nodded in acceptance with a calm smile and rested her chin on the back of the sofa looking at James.
George then moved to introduce his other comrade. “On your right is Ian. He's been an operative with us for a while. Ian is a very experienced soldier and can give you any weapons training you need. I've left these out for you, you'll need one.”
“It's nice to finally meet you,” Ian said. “If you stick with me we'll get through this mess in no time. Don't you worry friend.” He rose from the seat and pulled a stool from under the table. “These here are the weapons we use. Obviously they are pretty dangerous but I believe that you are acquainted with weaponry in some way already.”
James nodded in agreement. “I'm a security guard at a shopping centre if that counts. Although I've not handled anything lethal.” He explained.
“Don't worry friend, there isn't a huge difference,” Ian explained. “I think you look like an Avenger sort”. He clutched a short gun which looked like a machine gun. It had a long barrel and was a sleek mix of silver and black. “Just remember to put your ammunition in this bit and not to leave your finger on the trigger,” he advised. “But you already knew that.”
Ian got up out the seat and signalled for James to follow him towards the Kitchen counter. James followed with interest. Laid out on the Kitchen surface was a long grey trench-coat just as they had been wearing when they met James. Next to it was one of the masks which they had been wearing with its distinctive long mouthpiece and piercing red eyepieces. “This coat is what we wear during missions, it's lighter than you think but a pretty important piece of kit,” he said looking impressed with it.
“It's a coat,” James said sarcastically.
“Friend, it's not just any coat. This coat is made of Technifibre. It's a special material the Eirenean Special Forces use for their armour,” he explained. “Basically this fibre can change colour according to setting which we've already programmed in. It's amazing stuff... Say you are in a dark room, then it will change to black so to look harder to see. Say you are in snow, it will change its colour to white to camouflage you.”
Ian pointed to the face mask, “and this is the mask we use. Most military forces wear masks of some sort because they can help identify objectives, enemy forces and can be used to pick up heat and so on. We usually wear these with helmets when we're not walking about in public. When we're out and about we'll wear them under a hood or whatever.”
The tall athletic man took a few steps to the right. In front of him was some basic body armour and a glass. “This is the body armour we wear under the coats. I don't think I'll blow your mind when I tell you we use it to protect ourselves from things like bullets” he remarked.
“What about the glass?” James remarked.
“That's for you. Might as well have a little drink to welcome you into our little group here,” Ian said reaching for a bottle.
“Is this really appropriate?” asked James. “I'm sorry but I don't want to be sitting around while my daughter is being taken somewhere across the galaxy to be bleeded up by some scientist!”
George's hand fell upon his shoulder in a friendly fashion. “It's important you get to know us pretty well James. If you want to help us find your daughter then we can't do it if we're all strangers to one another.” He said calmly.
The four people sat down at the table to discuss the situation they were in. George asked James if there were any remaining questions which he had. James had plenty of questions.
“If you knew his was going to happen then why didn't you warn me? How long have you been watching me live my life?”
George took it upon himself to answer this question. “We didn't know when it was going to happen. There were signals that it was going to happen fairly abruptly, but we only knew for sure when we had tracked some agents from Stone moving in an unusual manner. We would've tried to save you both if we could, but we don't have as much information as we'd need if we were to do that,” the grey hair man said softly. “We've been on this mission for a few months now, trying to find out what Stone is planning. All we know is that at this point in time he's had enough reason to make the first abduction in months and that this one is of particular interest to him.”
“And you. Aquos. Is it run by a government?” James enquired.
“We were founded as a stronger arm of a pressure group over a hundred years ago, when governments of all types were considering artificial intelligence as the future of warfare. Our founder's family was killed brutally during a mission where his family were considered a large enough threat to their mission. This case was one of many which started a prohibition on Artificial Intelligence. We are not a government but an organisation protecting people from the threat of immoral robots.” George explained.
“AI doesn't get brought up like we do. They are not born infants and socialised into learning the difference between right and wrong. It is programmed, told what to do without understanding why they are doing it. Life cannot be created in an instant, intelligence is learned through understanding and not programming,” he argued. “If Stone is successful then we have no idea what it is that he could unleash. He has the potential to raise armies at cheap prices and kill thousands of people. It was destroy the balance of our galaxy and end in the suffering of the innocent.”
At that moment a communicator lying in the centre of the table rang and Melissa pressed the answer key. A hairy alien face appeared in the fuzzy screen and began to talk. “I have found a lead that might interest you, and it is on this planet,” the face muttered. “I've uploaded the co-ordinates of the contact in the residential zone of DS26. The man is a government advisor who is currently under the protection of Stone Security. We think he could have information on a facility which providing Stone with valuable research into Artificial Intelligence. We have reason to believe that the advisor has been providing details of previous research done by the UPF government”.
“Thanks Fidd. You're a great help. We'll investigate straight away.” Replied Melissa. She pushed a button on the hologram and it disappeared with a flash. “Looks like we should get ready to head there.”
James hesitantly asked “Do you want me to come with you?”.
“Sure! We can't just leave you here by yourself!” he laughed. “Anyway, you're one of us now. Get your gear on and let's get started on finding your daughter”.
James arose from the bed after around an hour of contemplation. He was fed up with being in the dark, of having no control over his life and wanted his daughter back. He opened the door and entered the living room. The room he entered was covered in a tacky blue and white striped wallpaper and a wooden lamented floor. It had a homely feel with ceramic ornaments of woodland animals dotted around window sills. In the centre of the room was a table with George sitting at it fiddling with three guns which were neatly presented on the table for his inspection. Behind George was the small kitchen with the masks and armour which the three had been wearing on their mission to rescue James. To his right he saw a grey used couch with Ian and Melissa sitting watching the Channel 16 news.
Ian was a gaunt black haired man, with dark skin and a friendly smile. His hair was short and wiry encircling his face with a small beard. He looked relaxed and seemed to be enjoying having some time away from his mission. He had a thin athletic build with a tattoo on his arm of a burning skull. He sat, legs crossed with a finger resting on his chin as he listened to the news and nodded every time a new piece of information was mentioned. Ian's relaxed demeanour was somewhat comforting to James as it made him feel as if his presence was welcome and that he was in good hands.
Beside Ian sat Melissa. She had a long face partly obscured by her black wavy hair. She looked a strong woman who stared at the television intently in full concentration. She had brown eyes and a long straight nose. Upon noticing James her head had turned to him and nodded in acknowledgement. In her left hand was a pistol, unlike any which James had seen before. She stroked its handle as if she needed it near in case anything were to go wrong. Her more anxious attitude reinforced the seriousness of the situation although her friendliness and empathy with James made him feel like she was one of the few people he could see as a friend at this moment.
On the television the presenter rattled off the day's events. “In C34 region there have been several disturbances as Police investigate a break-in to a house. They have said that the matter is unlikely to be of any great seriousness and have told people to stay inside and to come forward with any information they have.”
“I knew they'd come out with that bleed.” Ian said as he shook his head. His manner of speaking was relaxed and jolly, as if making a joke.
“Nice of you to join us James, why don't you take a seat?” George said as he pulled the stool next to him backwards for James to sit on. James tentatively walked across the room and sat himself down on the stool.
Ian said, “you're looking a little better from earlier. Although the only interaction I've had with you so far has involved a scalpel.”
“Thanks Ian,” George replied. He looked to James in a friendly manner and said “I don't think I've had a chance to introduce you properly to our small team here. Obviously there are more of us, but these are the best I could get together for this specific mission.”
“The women on the left there is Melissa, I've already mentioned her to you. She was the one who drove you from the apartment and has been in your situation before.” George said as he pointed his left hand towards her.
“It's good to meet you James,” she responded. “I know how you are feeling just now. Don't worry, you are in safe hands and we have a good chance of getting your girl back alive” Melissa reassured him. Her look was genuine although James noticed the despair in her eyes as she mentioned her situation. She was trying to comfort him and make him feel calmer, which was appreciated.
“Thanks”, said James. “It's appreciated.” Melissa nodded in acceptance with a calm smile and rested her chin on the back of the sofa looking at James.
George then moved to introduce his other comrade. “On your right is Ian. He's been an operative with us for a while. Ian is a very experienced soldier and can give you any weapons training you need. I've left these out for you, you'll need one.”
“It's nice to finally meet you,” Ian said. “If you stick with me we'll get through this mess in no time. Don't you worry friend.” He rose from the seat and pulled a stool from under the table. “These here are the weapons we use. Obviously they are pretty dangerous but I believe that you are acquainted with weaponry in some way already.”
James nodded in agreement. “I'm a security guard at a shopping centre if that counts. Although I've not handled anything lethal.” He explained.
“Don't worry friend, there isn't a huge difference,” Ian explained. “I think you look like an Avenger sort”. He clutched a short gun which looked like a machine gun. It had a long barrel and was a sleek mix of silver and black. “Just remember to put your ammunition in this bit and not to leave your finger on the trigger,” he advised. “But you already knew that.”
Ian got up out the seat and signalled for James to follow him towards the Kitchen counter. James followed with interest. Laid out on the Kitchen surface was a long grey trench-coat just as they had been wearing when they met James. Next to it was one of the masks which they had been wearing with its distinctive long mouthpiece and piercing red eyepieces. “This coat is what we wear during missions, it's lighter than you think but a pretty important piece of kit,” he said looking impressed with it.
“It's a coat,” James said sarcastically.
“Friend, it's not just any coat. This coat is made of Technifibre. It's a special material the Eirenean Special Forces use for their armour,” he explained. “Basically this fibre can change colour according to setting which we've already programmed in. It's amazing stuff... Say you are in a dark room, then it will change to black so to look harder to see. Say you are in snow, it will change its colour to white to camouflage you.”
Ian pointed to the face mask, “and this is the mask we use. Most military forces wear masks of some sort because they can help identify objectives, enemy forces and can be used to pick up heat and so on. We usually wear these with helmets when we're not walking about in public. When we're out and about we'll wear them under a hood or whatever.”
The tall athletic man took a few steps to the right. In front of him was some basic body armour and a glass. “This is the body armour we wear under the coats. I don't think I'll blow your mind when I tell you we use it to protect ourselves from things like bullets” he remarked.
“What about the glass?” James remarked.
“That's for you. Might as well have a little drink to welcome you into our little group here,” Ian said reaching for a bottle.
“Is this really appropriate?” asked James. “I'm sorry but I don't want to be sitting around while my daughter is being taken somewhere across the galaxy to be bleeded up by some scientist!”
George's hand fell upon his shoulder in a friendly fashion. “It's important you get to know us pretty well James. If you want to help us find your daughter then we can't do it if we're all strangers to one another.” He said calmly.
The four people sat down at the table to discuss the situation they were in. George asked James if there were any remaining questions which he had. James had plenty of questions.
“If you knew his was going to happen then why didn't you warn me? How long have you been watching me live my life?”
George took it upon himself to answer this question. “We didn't know when it was going to happen. There were signals that it was going to happen fairly abruptly, but we only knew for sure when we had tracked some agents from Stone moving in an unusual manner. We would've tried to save you both if we could, but we don't have as much information as we'd need if we were to do that,” the grey hair man said softly. “We've been on this mission for a few months now, trying to find out what Stone is planning. All we know is that at this point in time he's had enough reason to make the first abduction in months and that this one is of particular interest to him.”
“And you. Aquos. Is it run by a government?” James enquired.
“We were founded as a stronger arm of a pressure group over a hundred years ago, when governments of all types were considering artificial intelligence as the future of warfare. Our founder's family was killed brutally during a mission where his family were considered a large enough threat to their mission. This case was one of many which started a prohibition on Artificial Intelligence. We are not a government but an organisation protecting people from the threat of immoral robots.” George explained.
“AI doesn't get brought up like we do. They are not born infants and socialised into learning the difference between right and wrong. It is programmed, told what to do without understanding why they are doing it. Life cannot be created in an instant, intelligence is learned through understanding and not programming,” he argued. “If Stone is successful then we have no idea what it is that he could unleash. He has the potential to raise armies at cheap prices and kill thousands of people. It was destroy the balance of our galaxy and end in the suffering of the innocent.”
At that moment a communicator lying in the centre of the table rang and Melissa pressed the answer key. A hairy alien face appeared in the fuzzy screen and began to talk. “I have found a lead that might interest you, and it is on this planet,” the face muttered. “I've uploaded the co-ordinates of the contact in the residential zone of DS26. The man is a government advisor who is currently under the protection of Stone Security. We think he could have information on a facility which providing Stone with valuable research into Artificial Intelligence. We have reason to believe that the advisor has been providing details of previous research done by the UPF government”.
“Thanks Fidd. You're a great help. We'll investigate straight away.” Replied Melissa. She pushed a button on the hologram and it disappeared with a flash. “Looks like we should get ready to head there.”
James hesitantly asked “Do you want me to come with you?”.
“Sure! We can't just leave you here by yourself!” he laughed. “Anyway, you're one of us now. Get your gear on and let's get started on finding your daughter”.