Derek and Vivian didn't live in the middle of nowhere because Spoonerville was the middle of nowhere and their house was a 9 minute drive from outside the Spoonerville city limits. And when you're in the middle of nowhere, nine minutes is a long drive.
Paved state roads gave way to to private gravel four minutes outside of town. The design philosophy of the entire state centered around building into and around the wilderness so their private gravel road was a roller coaster of curves and turns.
The house didn't appear until the last second. IT was designed to blend into it's surroundings that way. Once you saw it though, it slowly began to betray the secrets of its own elegance. The longer you looked at it the beautiful it became.
Vivian pulled into the paved driveway and into the open section of their three car garage. She hit the button to close the garage door and shut the car off. They got out of the car in silence and went into the house.
Derek took off his backpack and dropped it by the door. He hung his jacket up and dropped his keys on a shelf above his bag at the same time his sister deposited her keys and purse. The walked down the short entry hallway, through the kitchen and into the living room to a huge double set of sliding glass doors. Behind the glass doors was an Olympic size swimming pool, complete with a waterfall, small beach, and a giant sun lamp that kept the room around 80 degrees. The pool room had no windows and from the outside appeared to be a giant hill behind the house.
The siblings stripped down to the swimsuits they had on under there clothes. Derek was a storm of flying fabric until he hit the water. Vivian leaned against the wall and lifted her right boot off the ground and pulled the zipper down until the boot practically dropped off her foot, revealing a shimmering fin on the outside of her leg. It started just below her knee, and ended just above her ankle and hand a wide range of flexibility to open and close. She took her left boot off and revealed her other fin and flexed it and rolled her ankle. Without further delay she dove into the pool and dolphin kicked the entire length of the pool twice before returning to the surface.
Her brother was already sunning himself on the beach. his fins spread all the way out. "There's no place like home" He said smiling at her.
Presents
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Shades of Justice: Page 40
The breach between universes was closed.
The hand of Tha'ral Da had been destroyed.
The Earth had been saved.
Mark and the other Shades of Justice had won. Two entire universes still existed because of their victory against the darkness.
Cassie and Gwen got married. Arthur gave the best man speech. Mark sat in the back at the open bar with a neglected scotch and watched sadly as his friends shared their love with their friends and family. People who could never know what they had done, didn't want to know what they had done.
Eli started his own business and went public within a year. He moved to Seattle and the stock reports on cable news became his preferred form of communication.
Without Dale around Mark felt lost. The funeral had been small. His parents had been simple, quiet, sad people and the loss of their son only amplified the quiet, sad, simplicity of their lives. The fact that they would never know that he was one of Earth's greatest heroes burned in Marks chest like a tiny sun.
Mark went to college. Lumarion paid for everything. In fact the Shades wanted for nothing now. Compensation for two hard years of service. Years that Mark missed.
He checked in with Technarious and Lumarion regularly. Even as word from the others became increasingly infrequent. At first it was an act of duty, but as the months became years it became an act of self preservation. A constant reminder that he wasn't crazy and had once been a part of something very important.
Carrie and Gwen invited everyone to Hawaii. Mark politely declined and when Technarious found out he teleported Mark straight to the resort instantly.
Mark had seen the ocean before. A family vacation to California when he was in the fourth grade. He didn't remember it being anything special. This ocean was different, or perhaps this Mark was different.
The seven day trip passed like a dream. He learned to surf, they went hiking and explore the island, they played games and sunbathed, he spent as much time as he could justify on the beach alone with the ocean. He flew home from Hawaii closer to some semblance of peace than he could ever remember being before.
Ten days later he was back, and did not leave for a long time.
The hand of Tha'ral Da had been destroyed.
The Earth had been saved.
Mark and the other Shades of Justice had won. Two entire universes still existed because of their victory against the darkness.
Cassie and Gwen got married. Arthur gave the best man speech. Mark sat in the back at the open bar with a neglected scotch and watched sadly as his friends shared their love with their friends and family. People who could never know what they had done, didn't want to know what they had done.
Eli started his own business and went public within a year. He moved to Seattle and the stock reports on cable news became his preferred form of communication.
Without Dale around Mark felt lost. The funeral had been small. His parents had been simple, quiet, sad people and the loss of their son only amplified the quiet, sad, simplicity of their lives. The fact that they would never know that he was one of Earth's greatest heroes burned in Marks chest like a tiny sun.
Mark went to college. Lumarion paid for everything. In fact the Shades wanted for nothing now. Compensation for two hard years of service. Years that Mark missed.
He checked in with Technarious and Lumarion regularly. Even as word from the others became increasingly infrequent. At first it was an act of duty, but as the months became years it became an act of self preservation. A constant reminder that he wasn't crazy and had once been a part of something very important.
Carrie and Gwen invited everyone to Hawaii. Mark politely declined and when Technarious found out he teleported Mark straight to the resort instantly.
Mark had seen the ocean before. A family vacation to California when he was in the fourth grade. He didn't remember it being anything special. This ocean was different, or perhaps this Mark was different.
The seven day trip passed like a dream. He learned to surf, they went hiking and explore the island, they played games and sunbathed, he spent as much time as he could justify on the beach alone with the ocean. He flew home from Hawaii closer to some semblance of peace than he could ever remember being before.
Ten days later he was back, and did not leave for a long time.
Monday, November 6, 2017
Blood and Profit: Page 63
The session, and more specifically the coming reality they discussed during the session, started as an acidic lump in her throat. They did not have enough ships to get everyone off the planet. The lump in her throat sank to her stomach and flipped over when it became clear that even if they had enough ships, the didn't have enough protein generators or protein packs to get the population safely to Earth. Simply put, they were not ready to leave and would not be ready for some time.
And time was their truest enemy. There were plans within plans to steal as much time as they could, but she worried what they would be giving up in exchange. Most manufacturing was already automated. and they were shown that all automation had already been re-purposed to turning out huge star liners, but it would be weeks or even months before any of them were ready to launch with sites working 24/7.
In the meantime. there were three hundred million people to help solve the problem of the protein generators and packs The plan made Kepi's stomach twist violently and not just because it was Fletcher that proposed it.
As usual he did not stand. "We have all we need to solve our current dilemma." He began. "The Corporations have already set aside their own interests in service of the common good, we cannot afford to ask any less of the rest of the citizenship." He leaned forward and raised his giant hand to silence the growing murmurs of the room. "We must re-purpose a majority of the population to the goals of preparing for our escape. I am certain that it will not be hard to convince them." He said flatly.
Kepi avoided speaking for fear her stomach had more control over her mouth than her mind did. One of the other representatives spoke up. "Who gets, re-purposed first?" They asked.
Fletcher leaned back in his chair. "A draft system has been in place for years now, all we need to do is set the selection parameters People already listed in manual labor jobs relating to our direct short or long term survival, can be weeded out. I suggest we start pulling from the arts, sciences, and education sectors. There will be little to no school, no research and no entertainment for a while, but in the end, we will survive." he finished.
The black walls of panic were giving Kepi tunnel vision and muffling the logistical argument in the room. YOUR PHONE her mind yelled at her. She dug it out of her pocket and looked at it. Without conscious thought her fingers moved over they keys, her heart had detached from her brain and was doing the only thing it could thing of. She sent a message to Eamon.
[E- We don't have the ships or the supplies to get everyone to Earth. The senate is going to forcibly draft workers until we do. I can't stop this, they're starting with artists, scientists, and teachers...I'm sorry. -K]
She hit the button and the warning was off.
And time was their truest enemy. There were plans within plans to steal as much time as they could, but she worried what they would be giving up in exchange. Most manufacturing was already automated. and they were shown that all automation had already been re-purposed to turning out huge star liners, but it would be weeks or even months before any of them were ready to launch with sites working 24/7.
In the meantime. there were three hundred million people to help solve the problem of the protein generators and packs The plan made Kepi's stomach twist violently and not just because it was Fletcher that proposed it.
As usual he did not stand. "We have all we need to solve our current dilemma." He began. "The Corporations have already set aside their own interests in service of the common good, we cannot afford to ask any less of the rest of the citizenship." He leaned forward and raised his giant hand to silence the growing murmurs of the room. "We must re-purpose a majority of the population to the goals of preparing for our escape. I am certain that it will not be hard to convince them." He said flatly.
Kepi avoided speaking for fear her stomach had more control over her mouth than her mind did. One of the other representatives spoke up. "Who gets, re-purposed first?" They asked.
Fletcher leaned back in his chair. "A draft system has been in place for years now, all we need to do is set the selection parameters People already listed in manual labor jobs relating to our direct short or long term survival, can be weeded out. I suggest we start pulling from the arts, sciences, and education sectors. There will be little to no school, no research and no entertainment for a while, but in the end, we will survive." he finished.
The black walls of panic were giving Kepi tunnel vision and muffling the logistical argument in the room. YOUR PHONE her mind yelled at her. She dug it out of her pocket and looked at it. Without conscious thought her fingers moved over they keys, her heart had detached from her brain and was doing the only thing it could thing of. She sent a message to Eamon.
[E- We don't have the ships or the supplies to get everyone to Earth. The senate is going to forcibly draft workers until we do. I can't stop this, they're starting with artists, scientists, and teachers...I'm sorry. -K]
She hit the button and the warning was off.
Friday, November 3, 2017
Lidarion: Page 35
There is little written about the differences in difficulties of harnessing air and fire. Even less on the subject of how the Titan's discovered the solutions for each. What is know is that air was tricked.
More than anything the sky and all its citizens were free. Free in ways that no ground pounder could ever hope to comprehend. What walkers and crawlers dreamed of, fliers personified. The titans couldn't just imbue the sky the way they had done with inert stone, they needed a vessel.
By this time Humans had discovered music. Over time hollow log drums were accompanied by simple flutes and rudimentary stringed instruments. The titans took the concept of music and carved giant singing caverns filled with holes for the wind. These holes created a playful area that sang a deeply haunting tune when the wind ripped through the tunnels.
Once the wind discovered the gift, it was only a matter of filling the tunnels with energy and waiting until the wind came through in a large enough gust to be trapped in physical form.
Needless to say, no one was prepared for the raging fury of the wind's retribution. Storms tore across the planet, the result of the winds desperate attempt to free itself from captivity. Storms of such great intensity that their size and power had never before been seen, nor had they ever been seen again. In its blind rage, the wind reshaped the coast lines of the world, tore trees from the ground like fresh flowers, and wiped whole settlements from existence. None of it was enough to break the wind free.
Unlike Moun Tain who struggled against nothing more than the endless spans of quiet eternities, Ty Phune could barely stand to focus on the unbearable certainty of being physically linear. To be limited to a single direction when three hundred and sixty was just barely enough.
So the Titans sought to strike a deal. They would very nearly free the wind, in exchange for a period of service once a generation and support in times of emergency by playing 'Ty Phune's lament" on a flue of red stone. With the agreement struck, the wind was freed for a generation.
It never returned to the singing caverns again.
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Melody and Harmony: Page 9
Daniel nodded. "But you did make it out." He said with a smile. "Not only that but you were able to get the package. You're quick on your feet, determined, and have a sharp mind. All things we value very highly." He assured Foster.
Foster leaned forward slightly. "Enough to finally grant my petition to join?" He asked.
Daniel smiled awkwardly and shook his head. "Not yet." He started.
Foster looked like he might start screaming but kept himself to an acidic whisper. "Two years Daniel!" He hissed. "What else could their be to consider?" He spat. Daniel shrugged and Foster sat back against the booth in frustration. "Can you at least tell me what's in the package?" He asked.
Daniel leaned forward, his eyes filled with excitement. "Never before heard Deck Hands studio recordings." He admitted with a huge smile. "From their first album!" He tried to keep his excitement to a whisper. "They were found out in the desert somewh -"
Foster exploded. "I almost died for some recordings of songs everyone's already heard!" he snapped.
Daniel held up his hands and looked around the empty diner. "Woah dude! Relax, it's not the recordings of the songs that are important, it's the stuff they recorded between the songs. The banter, the arguments, the inspirations." He smiled. "These are our saints and you've delivered them to us Foster. We owe you." He explained.
Foster nodded. "Sure you do, just not enough to make me a full member." He spat as he leaned over, shoved his hand into his pack, pulled the package out and tossed it at Daniel. Daniel almost fumbled the catch which gave Foster enough time to grab his bag and shuffle out of the booth. By the time Daniel was out of the booth Foster was at the front door. "Later Pops" He said disappearing into the night.
Pop looked to Daniel "That'll be three fifty for the pie." He said pressing the button to lock the door.
Foster leaned forward slightly. "Enough to finally grant my petition to join?" He asked.
Daniel smiled awkwardly and shook his head. "Not yet." He started.
Foster looked like he might start screaming but kept himself to an acidic whisper. "Two years Daniel!" He hissed. "What else could their be to consider?" He spat. Daniel shrugged and Foster sat back against the booth in frustration. "Can you at least tell me what's in the package?" He asked.
Daniel leaned forward, his eyes filled with excitement. "Never before heard Deck Hands studio recordings." He admitted with a huge smile. "From their first album!" He tried to keep his excitement to a whisper. "They were found out in the desert somewh -"
Foster exploded. "I almost died for some recordings of songs everyone's already heard!" he snapped.
Daniel held up his hands and looked around the empty diner. "Woah dude! Relax, it's not the recordings of the songs that are important, it's the stuff they recorded between the songs. The banter, the arguments, the inspirations." He smiled. "These are our saints and you've delivered them to us Foster. We owe you." He explained.
Foster nodded. "Sure you do, just not enough to make me a full member." He spat as he leaned over, shoved his hand into his pack, pulled the package out and tossed it at Daniel. Daniel almost fumbled the catch which gave Foster enough time to grab his bag and shuffle out of the booth. By the time Daniel was out of the booth Foster was at the front door. "Later Pops" He said disappearing into the night.
Pop looked to Daniel "That'll be three fifty for the pie." He said pressing the button to lock the door.
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Spoonerville: Page 7
It wasn't a long walk for Rodney to get home so his Grandmother was still up puttering around the house. He hand't known her for long, in fact he had only learned of her existence after his parents had died. They had been living together for almost a month and he found her to be as cool as any old person could be. She volunteered at the local library, listened to current music and even had a pretty decent computer in her home. He still wasn't super familiar with her, but after a month he was beginning to wonder why his parents never mentioned her.
He kicked his shoes off by the front door and hung his jacket on the coat rack. She came out of of the kitchen with a kitchen towel over her shoulder. "And where have you been all day and night?" She asked with a smile.
She followed him into the living room as he told her about his day. "I found the pizza place. Vivian's brother works there." He said assuming that she would know which Vivian he was talking about.
His grandmother nodded. "He doesn't just work there, he owns it." She replied.
Rodney grabbed the remote for the TV and dropped into the couch. surprised by her statement. "There's no way he owns that place grandma." He said.
She sat in her ancient recliner. "And what makes you say that?" She asked.
Rodney shrugged his shoulders. "If I were him and I owned that place, i'd be a nervous wreck and worrying about going of out business." He replied.
Grandma shook her head. "Well you ain't him. He and his sister are "independently wealthy"" She held her hands up putting air quotes around independently wealthy for Rodney's benefit.
He nodded. "They dot com'ers?" He asked flipping through channels.
Grandma shrugged. "No clue, for all the good this town's near supernatural gossip powers can do, their story is one that we've yet to uncover." she sighed.
Rodney's curiosity was piqued. "Supernatural gossip powers?" The words didn't fit any better in his mouth than they did his ears.
Grandma nodded. " You'll get used to it. Secrets in this town have a habit of becoming well known facts." She warned. "The more you want something to stay private, the quicker people seem to know all about it." She sighed. "Stay here long enough and you just stop fighting it. Everyone's lives are a matter of public record in Spoonerville." She finished.
Rodney considered this instead of listening to the souless delivery of brainless dialog to the endless delight of the laugh box that filled every episode of "The Big Bang Theory."
He kicked his shoes off by the front door and hung his jacket on the coat rack. She came out of of the kitchen with a kitchen towel over her shoulder. "And where have you been all day and night?" She asked with a smile.
She followed him into the living room as he told her about his day. "I found the pizza place. Vivian's brother works there." He said assuming that she would know which Vivian he was talking about.
His grandmother nodded. "He doesn't just work there, he owns it." She replied.
Rodney grabbed the remote for the TV and dropped into the couch. surprised by her statement. "There's no way he owns that place grandma." He said.
She sat in her ancient recliner. "And what makes you say that?" She asked.
Rodney shrugged his shoulders. "If I were him and I owned that place, i'd be a nervous wreck and worrying about going of out business." He replied.
Grandma shook her head. "Well you ain't him. He and his sister are "independently wealthy"" She held her hands up putting air quotes around independently wealthy for Rodney's benefit.
He nodded. "They dot com'ers?" He asked flipping through channels.
Grandma shrugged. "No clue, for all the good this town's near supernatural gossip powers can do, their story is one that we've yet to uncover." she sighed.
Rodney's curiosity was piqued. "Supernatural gossip powers?" The words didn't fit any better in his mouth than they did his ears.
Grandma nodded. " You'll get used to it. Secrets in this town have a habit of becoming well known facts." She warned. "The more you want something to stay private, the quicker people seem to know all about it." She sighed. "Stay here long enough and you just stop fighting it. Everyone's lives are a matter of public record in Spoonerville." She finished.
Rodney considered this instead of listening to the souless delivery of brainless dialog to the endless delight of the laugh box that filled every episode of "The Big Bang Theory."
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Shades of Justice: Page 39
Technarious's new body was laid on the table. The old was was sitting on the floor, leaned up against the side of the table like a forgotten toy.
The Shades stood around the table. Each looking from the old body, to the new body, and then around to the other Shades. Everyone was waiting for someone else to take the lead. It was Gordon who broke the silence. "Soooo, now what?" he asked fidgeting nervously with his glasses.
Warren shrugged. "Computer, are there any files or instructions in your system that explain how to transfer Technarious' consciousness unit from one body to another?" He asked.
There was slight pause. "Searching." The computer finally replied.
The tense silence returned. Mark was pacing, Dante was still sitting by Sonya's bed. Her hand was cradled in his. Mark was pacing quickly, muttering to himself.
The computer chimed in again. "There are no references to Technarious that include anything relating to mind, consciousness, or body transfer, I am sorry." The computer finished.
Mark stopped pacing and looked as if he had been struck by lightening. "It's not in the computer!" He almost shouted. Before he practically ran over to the shattered light wall. He carefully reached out and the others watched as he was able to slowly wedge his hand behind the shattered wall of crystals.
"What are you doing?" Kelly asked.
Mark gritted his teeth as he carefully felt around for what ever he was looking for. "Got it!" He shouted. He pulled the manual lever and a piece of the wall right next to his shoulders slid open. He pulled his hand out and looked inside the tiny area. The others ran over to join him. There was nothing inside the little hidden area except a book titled. 'Maintenance And Repair Manual.' Mark grabbed the book and flipped it open to the index. He ran his finger down the list until he found 'Memory unit.' and flipped to the page that was listed. He scanned the page for a second and then closed the book around his finger. Ran over to the old Technarious body. "Lift this up and place it over a console so the back of his head is up towards us." he instructed.
Warren and Gordon grabbed the body and gently laid it over the nearest console. With his free hand Mark felt the edge of the back of Technarious' head until he found a numb, slid his pinky finger under it and was able to press a button.
From the back first, Techanious' head opened like the most intricate and detailed Tackle box ever created. layers upon layers of hardware and circuitry were exposed one layer at a time. Once the head was completely open Mark and the rest of the Shades looked inside at what they had discovered.
Warren looked to Mark. "You sure about this?" He asked.
Mark looked from the head back to the instruction manual and took a deep breath.
The Shades stood around the table. Each looking from the old body, to the new body, and then around to the other Shades. Everyone was waiting for someone else to take the lead. It was Gordon who broke the silence. "Soooo, now what?" he asked fidgeting nervously with his glasses.
Warren shrugged. "Computer, are there any files or instructions in your system that explain how to transfer Technarious' consciousness unit from one body to another?" He asked.
There was slight pause. "Searching." The computer finally replied.
The tense silence returned. Mark was pacing, Dante was still sitting by Sonya's bed. Her hand was cradled in his. Mark was pacing quickly, muttering to himself.
The computer chimed in again. "There are no references to Technarious that include anything relating to mind, consciousness, or body transfer, I am sorry." The computer finished.
Mark stopped pacing and looked as if he had been struck by lightening. "It's not in the computer!" He almost shouted. Before he practically ran over to the shattered light wall. He carefully reached out and the others watched as he was able to slowly wedge his hand behind the shattered wall of crystals.
"What are you doing?" Kelly asked.
Mark gritted his teeth as he carefully felt around for what ever he was looking for. "Got it!" He shouted. He pulled the manual lever and a piece of the wall right next to his shoulders slid open. He pulled his hand out and looked inside the tiny area. The others ran over to join him. There was nothing inside the little hidden area except a book titled. 'Maintenance And Repair Manual.' Mark grabbed the book and flipped it open to the index. He ran his finger down the list until he found 'Memory unit.' and flipped to the page that was listed. He scanned the page for a second and then closed the book around his finger. Ran over to the old Technarious body. "Lift this up and place it over a console so the back of his head is up towards us." he instructed.
Warren and Gordon grabbed the body and gently laid it over the nearest console. With his free hand Mark felt the edge of the back of Technarious' head until he found a numb, slid his pinky finger under it and was able to press a button.
From the back first, Techanious' head opened like the most intricate and detailed Tackle box ever created. layers upon layers of hardware and circuitry were exposed one layer at a time. Once the head was completely open Mark and the rest of the Shades looked inside at what they had discovered.
Warren looked to Mark. "You sure about this?" He asked.
Mark looked from the head back to the instruction manual and took a deep breath.
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