Red was actually Mark Strauss. He was the most elite agent for the Galactic Occupancy of Man until he was wounded during a mission against the Proletariat Conglomerate. The Proletariat had stolen the plans for a weapon system that was capable destroying entire solar systems and Mark, along with Penelope, was assigned to getting it back or destroying the Proletariats. He destroyed the Proletariats and the plans along with them but was mortally wounded. Penelope managed to get Mark back to GOM medical techs who used an experimental treatment of placing his body in stasis and transferring his mind into a cloned canine. When Mark came to the first question he had for Penelope was what kind of dog was he. She told him a mutt with red fur. His nickname of Red was born then.
I am a writer. I have these ideas and I put them into words for others to experience and hopefully enjoy. Most are going to be rough while others are thought out. Some are part of grander ideas while others are just snippets.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
6/20/2011: Penelope and Red
Penelope and Red are adventurers. They always end up in some sort of trouble and its never their own fault. As an Ex-spy for the Galactic Occupancy of Man and its constituents she has seen wide swaths of galaxy with her former partner who was put into the body of a dog after their last mission for the GOM went horribly wrong.
“Nah, I’ll make sure you get to ride with me. In the seat right next to me. Besides, you did help me save the world didn’t you?” Penelope walked away from the shimmering integrity field. The small red dog followed her across the transport shuttle bay. Penelope smiled at the sound of the dogs nails on the metal surface.
“We need to cut your nails so we can do that during the flight.”
“Ugh, I would rather ride in the carrier in the belly of the ship.”
Penelope watched the ramp into the transport lower as a line of people approached the ship. They weren’t actually people, Penelope thought to herself. Well, they were people, but they were aliens from across the galaxy. Come to this world to help reestablish civilization after Penelope and her little red dog destroyed it all.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
3/24/11 Prometheus
The Prometheus project was a defensive satellite system the Collective developed from technology left behind by the Scholars and technology scavenged from the Grays. The Prometheus was designed to provide a defense in case of alien invasion of earth. It wasn’t meant to prevent invasion, the military space fleets in the system were meant to do that. The Prometheus was intended to help fight aliens if they gained a foothold or invaded earth. There were a few times when Prometheus was targeted against human threats but to use it would have forced the Collective to stop what it was doing and reconsider sharing all it had learned from its years of research and collection.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
3/22/11 Jack Fargone
Jack Fargone always wanted to live an extraordinary life. Unfortunately he was born on Earth in the early twenty-first century and little would happen. That is until the IDIOTS fleet came into his 9-planet system and destroyed it. The fleet needed fuel to get to their next destination and they converted every planet into said fuel. Fortunately for Jack and 87 other people were rescued. Why he was chosen was just luck. There were 7 billion people on the planet and the IDIOTS chose 87 healthy individuals. It could have been any 87 people with good health but he was one of them and it would change his life and the lives of the other survivors forever.
3/18/11 The Collective
Ugh, March is almost over. Here you go.
Why did the Collective approach Ensign Est?
Ensign Est was the only person to see the Null Weapon technology. They wanted the technology in their possession to prevent two things: The technology falling into the wrong hands and preventing the Anuras and other Ambassador races from destroying anyone with the technology. The Collective wanted to make sure Ensign Est was either isolated so they could get the technology or killed before the Anuras got a hold of him in a populated area.
Why did the Collective believe they could trust Est?
The retrieval mission was not Est’s first mission. He had served for five years aboard the Aegis and was their only Intelligence soldier for at least half that time.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
3/17/11 Unicorn Ranch 1
The shuttle bumped up against the air lock and Ensign Est felt the grav-locks activate and stop the shuttle from bouncing off the side of the station. Ensign Est had arrived at a location that was not supposed to exist. Unicorn Ranch was the most secret of secret locations. It was where all prospective members of the Collective came to depart for Collective headquarters.
Est unbuckled his safety harness and waited for the red light above the air lock to turn green before he stood. There was no one else on the transport with Est. The light switched to green and Est stood.
Est adjusted his eye patch and grabbed his duffle bag from under his seat.
3/16/11 Unicorn Ranch
The Collective wasn't going to be part of the Scholars and Others stories but they some how made it into the setting.
Unicorn Ranch. When Ensign Est heard the name of his next destination he couldn’t help but laugh. The admin officer he stood in front of didn’t think it was funny. But that officer had to tell a lot of soldiers that was their destination. The Unicorn Ranch was the secret location of pickup point for the intelligence agency known as the Collective. The Collective wanted Est in its ranks to help them determine what was in the satellite and how that knowledge could be interpreted. Unicorn Ranch was located in a mining system and was such a random location that when the transport arrived Est had no real reason to tell them where he was going.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
3/8/11 the Plan
The plan had been called ‘hair-brained’ and Ensign Est called crazy for coming up with it. The crew of the Solace was relying on the plan of a 20-year-old intelligence soldier.
The plan relied on calculations and projections on where an 18-year-old satellite would be located. Est dared not tell everyone he was guessing on some of it.
But this type of mission was for what the Solace was designed. To jump into a hostile system and within a minute spool up their jump engines and get the hell out.
Two seconds and the ship would be in the targeting arrays of all the pirate vessels. Two seconds would decide whether the plan Ensign Est came up with would cost everyone his or her life.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
3/5/11 Ensign Est
Two seconds and the ship would be in the targeting arrays of all the pirate vessels. Two seconds and the only person who could do anything was Est. He watched as his display illuminated with the targeting information. Two seconds would decide whether he would cost everyone their lives or if everyone would survive this jump into hostile space.
Two seconds passed and his targeting array was dark. No hostiles.
Est tapped on the screen and widened the display field. Nothing. He couldn't believe it. They had jumped into the heart of the pirate systems. They should have been surrounded on all sides, hostile weapons charged and ready to fire.
“Sir, there are no hostiles,” he said.
“Check comms,” the Commander ordered.
Another crewman pulled up the communication arrays.
“The entire system is completely quiet, sir.”
“What the hell,” the Commander pulled up the imagery. "Did we come out of jump where we were suppose to?" The Commander looked back at Est.
"Yes sir, this is where we needed to be."
"Is the courier on his way?"
Est looked down at his display. He smiled.
"I'll take that as a yes," the Commander said.
Everyone turned their attention to the main visual display that took up one whole wall of the command deck. It looked like a giant window with data streaming across it explaining what they were looking at.
Ships lay in ruin around the only m-class planet in the system. Tendrils of fires burned as the oxygen from the ship’s leaked out into space. Debris streaked across the planet’s upper atmosphere like scars.
“What the hell happen,” the Commander asked.
“Sir, we are reading Anuras weapon signatures,” Est said.
“Anuras?”
“Yes, sir. Degradation indicates less than an hour old. You need to see this, sir.” Est transferred the display to the main view screen.
“What are you showing me, Est?” the Commander asked.
“Anuras vessel on the far side of the system, sir,” Est said. “It was in the upper atmosphere of the gas giant. That’s why we didn’t detect it upon reentry.”
“Lower defenses, power down weapons. Get me communications with that ship.” The Commander manipulated the image on the main display to enhance the Anuras ship.
The Anuras ship resembled bundle of copper wire so tangled up that no one or thing could undo it.
“Sir, I have the Anuras on comms. He is requesting we leave the system,” the communication crewman reported.
“On main.”
The mvd that filled the entire front of the ship shifted and the Anuras captain was on the display.
He resembled a very large humanoid frog. His wide mouth and thick lips dominated much of his face. His eyes were set on the top of his head and were bulbous. Where humans have only one iris, Anuras eyes have three or more, depending on age. This was an older Anuras captain with 7 irises in his golden eyes. His eyes sank into his head briefly to be moistened as his eye lids snapped over them and then the slid back up into place. The Anuras were named so because of their resemblance to earth frogs.
“Translator functioning, sir.”
“Anuras vessel, this is Commander Wise with the Empirical Frontier of Man. Please state why you have destroyed these human vessels and your business in this system.” Commander Wise and all on the command deck knew the Anuras had no real reason to answer such questions. Everyone on the command deck knew that one Anuras ship was the one who destroyed the pirate fleet. A fleet of 230 Stellar, Frigate and Destroyer class vessels wiped out by a single Anuras command ship. It would have taken more than this lowly Scout vessel and the battle fleet that is waiting for our signal.
“Commander Wise. Return to the frontier and inform your commanders that the Pirate fleet in this system has been destroyed, your appreciation for such a task is unnecessary,”
“Sir, we have it,” Est said.
The Commander knodded to Est.
“Anuras vessel, we will respect your request. Commander Wise, Out.”
The Commander rushed off the command deck.
He ran through the corridors of his ship, dodging past the lower enlisted who stopped and saluted, slid down multiple deck ladders as he made his way deeper into the ship and emerged on the loading bay of engineering out of breath.
“Ensign Est said we had it?”
A man in an external vehicle excursion suit was standing next to a large satellite.
The man removed his helmet and smiled.
“Yep, it’s intact.”
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
3/1/11: 99 years is not enough time
The 99 years following the invasion of the Bel Shavo was a very dark time for humanity.
So many people had been lost. So many lives were gone. Thousands more starved to death but in that dark time we discovered what the Bel Shavo had done to us. They had created a new mankind.
The Bel Shavo conducted so many macabre experiments on humans during their occupation of Earth. They tested every aspect of human physiology and psychology. Some of the most heinous experiments were conducted on pregnant women and newborns. The horrific stories that came from the Panama Internment camps still give nightmares to those who listen to them. The Bel Shavo were demons in every sense except where they came from. No hell could spawn their sinister appetites.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
2/22/11 The Keri Wolves
The tundra was a rough environment but the Keri Wolves were rougher than anything that could be thrown at them. They were trained to defend the most precious of all resources: Drian Crystals. A single crystal the size of a coin was able to power a starship or space station.
Years of plundering by pirates led to the Drians to create the Keri wolves. Each weighed over 370 kilograms. They could sprint up to 56 kilometers per hour for long distances. Their red fur clashed against the snow of the tundra but that didn’t matter. If you saw the Keri Wolves you were dead.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
2/15/11 Ugh, busy day of writing
I knew this was going to happen this semester. I have a ton of writing and editing I have to do and so little time. I need to start focusing and working throughout the week but it always seems like there isn't enough week to do anything.
I started to read Path to Fury by David Weber for a class and I like the first chapter. It has a deeper setting and more description than Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. I like a book that that when you put it down you think: "I will never live in a world like this" and you have to decompress from it for a second. I didn't get that with Ender's, perhaps later in the series you do. Won't find out until later though cause right now all I'm reading are books for class. But I guess I'm lucky though cause those books for class are not really all that bad.
Next semester though will be dedicated to one class so this semester is preparing me for Novel writing.
But I did write some creative stuff today so don't worry, I didn't waste the day. I just felt this type of entry was needed. Here is a snippet of what I wrote today.
Jack then sees Pascal and Jean. They don’t see him and he follows them. They have found a docking bay where small ships sit unguarded. Jean, the smarter of the two, goes into one of the ships and comes back out. Jack overhears him say they can take it and leave. They see Jack and he runs from them. They pursue him and the three run through the corridors. Jack comes to a door that has a keypad next to it and he begins punching in a bunch of different number sequences. The French twins come around the corner and see they have him trapped. A light above the door turns green and the door opens. A bright shimmering force field is on the other side and when Jack runs into to it without looking he disappears and the door closes before the twins can get to it.
Monday, February 14, 2011
2/14/11 Deanionionasad
Earth has been destroyed and Jack and Huan watch as it is being sucked up into a giant hand vacuum to make fuel for the IDIOTS fleet.
The alien leads Jack and Huan through corridors. They see other humans being met by various aliens. Some of the humans are reacting less than civil. The alien introduces himself as DEANIONIONASAD but they can him Dean. He tells them they are on a ship orbiting what is left of Earth. Jack and Huan stop walking. Jack asks if he heard him right. Dean sighs and tells them to follow him. Dean takes the two to a large window overlooking a fleet of ships surrounding a debris field that is being sucked into another ship that looks like a hand vacuum. Ships pull are pulling up to the ‘handle’ of the hand vacuum ship and refueling.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
2/12/11 The Black Shalu
The contract was to suppress the rebel forces on the desert moon orbiting Odiu. When the Black Shalu negotiated the contract there was an antiquities clause that was created to compensate for any additional costs if the hiring party could not pay for extensions. The desert moon tested that clause.
Fleet Admiral and Supreme General of the Black Shalu, Gulion Strax IV, led the Black Shalu forces in the suppression operations. This was a very rare occurrence and when the mission was successful the native inhabitants of the desert moon despised the Black Shalu for reasons other than fighting a war against them.
The inhabitants of the desert moon used a form of energy manipulation that many superstitious individuals would consider magic. After action reports and intelligence summaries referred to this as Manipulation of Physics and Energy. But in the field, soldiers referred to is sorcery and witchcraft. Commanders warned troops not to discuss it in such ways but court martial and demotion takes valuable troops away from the fight.
Gulion Strax IV sought an item that the inhabitants used long ago to protect the moon from outside interlopers. He was not a superstitious man and sought the item to use it militarily. Unfortunately, it would change him and the Black Shalu forever.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
2/4/11: The Mont Suval
The Mont Suval provided us with the information we needed to spread our civilization across the galaxy. When we left earth we were wandering aimlessly. We settled 2 systems and our resources were being squandered looking for other resources. The Mont Suval showed us how to create a renewable energy source that would fuel our ships, our colonies and our expansion.
The Mont Suval were the first race we encountered after entering space. They detected our colonies and came to see who we were. When they encountered us they were so grateful. Not because we provided them with anything tangible. We gave them hope.
Monday, January 31, 2011
1/25/11: Jack Fargone and Otto
Jack Fargone stood watching the blue water on the other side of the protective barrier. He stared deeply into the cyan abyss that existed filled the large window before him.
As he watched the light filter through the water his mind wandered to his left jean pocket. Inside his pocket he was thumbing a ring around his index finger. An engagement ring meant for someone who didn’t actually want it and now will never get it.
“Thinking about Regina, again?” The voice was slow and smooth.
“Yea, Otto,” Jack answered. He continued to stare into the aquarium.
“Can’t help but think if she were here she would have liked all this craziness even more than me.”
“I am sure she would have also,” The voice grows a little louder as a large whale swims across the window into the aquarium.
1/23/11: And then it all ended
Then it all fell apart. The Eugenics Rebellion began and we lost control of the Empire. The lesser races we had created and helped thrive were led to rebel against us by a select few who felt they knew what was best for all. Millions of star systems rebelled and overthrew our reign. The rebellion became war and the lesser races began to win. We scrambled all our assets to combat them but desperation and a willingness to forfeit life was hard to combat. We destroyed planets but that merely fanned the flames of rebellion. Our best creations turned against us and we never believed they would fight us.
1/22/11: The Golden Age of Man
The Golden age of man was a time when our race ruled the galaxy with the other Golden races. We were masters of all things in the Galaxy. We could bend space to allow instantaneous travel. We could create life and we could destroy it just as easily. We ruled over a million star systems and that was only the Humans. As a collective empire we ruled the lesser races and subjugated those unwilling to accept our rule. Many of those races saw us as benevolent rulers, but others saw us a tyrannical dictators. But we provided so much to so many. We connected the different points of the galaxy with the use of Warp Gates. We created sustenance for the starving in areas of the galaxy where there was none.
1/18/11: Jack is a simple man
Jack is a simple man. He worked in a video store peddling the latest rentals out to a dying breed of people. He didn’t have a girlfriend but had a crush on the waitress at the local bar he and his three friends hung out at after work. He was on his way to the bar that evening when the IDIOTS ship picked him from the surface of the planet along with 87 other humans and an array of animals. He had intended on telling the waitress he would like to go out on a date but then the IDIOTS got in the way. So now he is one of 87 humans an alien fleet that’s soul purpose to relocate people around the galaxy.
Friday, January 28, 2011
1/13/11: The Planet is doomed 4
The Planet was doomed.
Not from the scourge of mankind and all our misguided decisions to consume all the fossil fuels and use up all the resources. Not from our use of chlorofluorocarbons in our hair sprays and roach sprays. Not from the explosion of our population worldwide and no way to feed every mouth. No, all those would have eventually killed us if we had the time. Instead, the world was doomed by outside forces of business and economics among alien races that had no idea mankind existed. Well, up until about twenty minutes ago they did not know we existed.
The Intergalatic Department of Industrial Outsourcing and Teleportation Services (IDIOTS) planned to use the planets in our solar system as a crude fuel for their freighters. It was a busy time for IDIOTS as they were transporting workers from one job site to another. They had to save money somewhere and scrapping nine planets in an unnamed solar system would save charging the corporate account. With new labor laws in the center of the galaxy, IDIOTS were booked for years transporting workers and jobs across the galaxy.
But on this day the newest member of this IDIOT fleet was at the data analysis terminal and decided to follow all protocols in the New Recruit handbook, Edition 450A. This new edition was supposed to ensure every recruit had a chance to become captain one day. But in reality it all it did was keep a new recruit busy with mundane tasks and requirements.
This newest member of the crew had always been an over achiever and this new assignment wasn’t going to be any different. He wanted to impress this new captain. The last captain he served under didn’t like him at all. Something about jettisoning cargo and the captain’s mother’s body being among said cargo.
As this recruit was excelling at his job a small alien stumbled onto the deck. Usually IDIOTS would not give a second thought to an insignificant race such as Humans, but it just happen that a liberal, bleeding heart conservationist blindly stumbled through the sliding doors and into the darkened bridge of the fleet command ship. The conservationist saw the results of the scan of the solar system after his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room.
Everyone on board the command ship thought of this protector of the weaker aliens as an insignificant annoyance who was required to be on ship for the yearly inspections.
He was a little eight-armed man whose six bulbous eyes were not accustomed to the harsh lighting in the corridors of the command ship. He had to squint his way around the ship because the ships captain was trying very hard to keep the lights at maximum illumination. It was during his blind wandering that the conservationist stumbled onto the bridge. He had actually been looking for the cafeteria to enjoy his fifth meal of the night. These IDIOT command ships always had the best midnight buffets.
“Um, Captain? What is that,” the conservationist asked, pointing to the small screen in the corner of the overhead displays.
“Official Preign, that is the scan of the local system we are entering,” the Captain said. “No need to worry yourself about it.”
“But Captain, there is life on the third planet from the sun,” Official Preign said. “While it is very primitive life it is life none the less.”
“Oh great.” The Captain’s head sunk and he forced himself to get up from his very comfortable looking chair. “Isn’t there a buffet you should be getting to?”
“In due time, Captain,” Preign said. “But first, look here. This third planet has life and it is apparently sentient life with a level 4 civilization.”
“Level four?”
“Yes, a civilization that is between agrarian and space faring.”
“Well. Let’s take a closer look,” The Captain looked at the over head.
87 people, living not dead, they didn’t have the time to raise the dead. 6 dogs, 2 birds, and 4 greater mammals. So naturally, a whale was one of the choices. No body knew at the time though that the whale was actually named Otto and could speak. But we were getting ahead of ourselves.
the main character is a young man who has to deal with this strange circumstance. Since the 87 were taken from all over the planet they all don’t speak the same language so everyone is given a translator module that is worn around their neck like a necklace. The young man befriends a girl, a pair of twins, and a small red dog. The dog is given a translator also. When the main character talks to the dog the dog usually replies or says single words to express his ideas. The Twins were just lucky. The transport device scanned for their dna and picked up the two people with the same DNA.