~ Andrew stood for a long, long time, gazing into the abyss, as if at any moment the solution to their first conundrum would appear in big neon letters, shining out of the darkness. Jaden explored what remained on their side of the room. Solid flooring stretched from the door they'd entered through, now firmly closed, to the chasm, about 20 yards apart Jaden estimated. From side to side the chamber was at least triple that, the chasm spanning the entire thing. The ceiling high, high above was obscured by shadow. The entire thing was far from well lit when it came right down to it.
Jaden ran his hands along the walls, searching for some kind of clue, or key, or...something. Anything really. He found nothing but a patch of wetness seeping through the wall from minuscule fissures, sticky with a bit of algae. He rejoined his two companions.
"I didn't find anything but a trickle of water, for all that's worth."
Takyle and Andrew looked at each other.
"Water?" they asked in unison.
"Yeah, a tiny bit coming through over there." Jaden gestured behind himself at one of the side walls. Takyle looked excited.
"If there's a stream behind the rock...Jaden, that might be it." She grabbed her pack from where she'd set it on the ground, jerked the bindings loose, and pulled out a folding pickax.
"Show me," she ordered and Jaden didn't hesitate to usher her over to the place. She ran her hand over the wall and, finding where the most water was coming through, had at it with the ax.
Andrew, not waiting for orders, immediately headed for the opposite side of the room to look for any more water near the chasm at the other end.
"I found another patch of water over here! I'm going to start working at it," he yelled across to them. Neither Jaden, who had since begun utilizing his own pick, nor Takyle took the energy to acknowledge Andrew's shout.
It didn't take long at all for Jaden's arms to get tired of swinging the ax again and again, taking the constant percussive blows of metal against solid granite, and surely Takyle was just as worn out. Jaden's thoughts began to read futility into the seemingly endless exercise and he silently cursed and threatened the wall.
"Oh you had better have a hell of a damn good bit of water behind you, or I swear I'll...I'll...You'll be so sorry!"
Takyle interrupted his mental seething by waving her hand for him to stop for a moment. They stood still and studied the wall. Oh yes. There was definitely more water coming out now. A steady little stream flowing down onto the floor. Jaden grinned at Takyle and they began again with renewed vigor. The amount of water seeping out continued to increase, by more and more noticeable amounts.
Suddenly and without warning a large section of weakened stone gave way under the water's pressure and Jaden was knocked to the ground by the powerful jet as the water came gushing out. It splashed the ground all around and flowed over the jagged edge of the floor, cascading out of sight. The echoing roar of water in the room doubled as, at the other end, Andrew got the same result from his assault on the far wall.
Mopping water out of his eyes, Jaden went to stand by Takyle and peer over the edge, watching the water disappear into the shadows. All that there was left to do was wait and see what came of their labors.
They waited. And waited some more. The water continued to pour out of both walls into the divide. Jaden played a few games of tick-tack-toe with Andrew, made possible by wetting their fingers and drawing on one of the dry patches of floor. Takyle sat on the edge looking down.
"Hey guys. Come over here and tell me if I'm crazy." Jaden crawled over to her and followed her gaze. If she was crazy, then he was as well. Out of the dark he could definitely see water swirling and glinting. The chasm was filling up. Andrew let out a whoop and slapped them both on the back.
"Yeah! It's working! It'll be full in no time and we'll swim right across." Takyle grinned at his enthusiasm.
"That wasn't so bad," she remarked. ~
Showing posts with label Chapters: 1-10. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chapters: 1-10. Show all posts
Friday, November 23, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Chapter 9: Momentary Triumph
~ Jaden skidded to a halt just inside the door. He was fairly sure that he even gasped, though he wouldn't have admitted it. He knew instantly that they must have stepped into a live-sim because there was no way that the architects would have built an antechamber this size behind every door. They literally couldn't have, the thing was enormous. Takyle had not paused and was already a good ways into the thing, Andrew two strides behind her. Which turned out to be a very lucky thing when the floor fell away beneath her feet.
Andrew leapt forward with shocking agility and, grabbing two handfuls of her pack, hauled her back from the precipice onto firm ground. She regained her footing faster than Jaden thought he would have been able to and they both scrambled away from the still widening chasm. What remained of the stone floor trembled as huge chunks of marble cascaded into the abyss, thunderously reaching their ends somewhere far out of sight. Andrew still had a grip on Takyle with one hand, and she wasn't complaining.
"Oh my...Shit...I wasn't expecting that." She laughed and it sounded forced. Jaden was sure that he heard a tremble in her voice. Andrew didn't say anything, just stood there looking grim. Jaden felt compelled to fill the silence.
"Well...That was...Guess this is the first obstacle then." Andrew shot him a look that was a little sarcastic, and a little amused. Takyle recovered enough to be biting.
"Yeah? Really? Cause falling into a dark echoing abyss wouldn't, ya know, be fatal or anything."
Jaden surprised himself with a ready retort.
"Oh, ha freakin' ha, Takyle. Incidentally, I think that you should definitely continue to take point, you know, play to your strengths and all that." Out of the corner of his eye he could see a grin attempting to creep over Andrew's face. Takyle narrowed her eyes at Jaden, wavered on the edge of declaring all-out war, and took the highroad. She turned to gaze across the divide.
"How are we going to cross?"
Jaden felt a little bit satisfied because she'd backed down. A little bit more the lesser man for taking the bait offered him.
"And winning!" the satisfied voice protested. He squelched that voice. "This isn't about winning," he mentally reprimanded. "It's about getting along and getting through this alive and together." Jaden looked at Andrew. He had that you're-lookin'-crazy-but-I'm-not-gonna-say-anything-about-it-cause-it's-none-of-my-business expression on his face. Jaden cleared his throat and closed his mouth. He hadn't realized that it had been hanging open.
Andrew neared the jagged precipice cautiously and peered down into the darkness. Takyle, unsurprisingly, kept her distance. Jaden touched her arm.
"Sorry," he murmured. She had the class not to make a big deal out of it. She nodded her acceptance and reciprocation of the sentiment. ~
Andrew leapt forward with shocking agility and, grabbing two handfuls of her pack, hauled her back from the precipice onto firm ground. She regained her footing faster than Jaden thought he would have been able to and they both scrambled away from the still widening chasm. What remained of the stone floor trembled as huge chunks of marble cascaded into the abyss, thunderously reaching their ends somewhere far out of sight. Andrew still had a grip on Takyle with one hand, and she wasn't complaining.
"Oh my...Shit...I wasn't expecting that." She laughed and it sounded forced. Jaden was sure that he heard a tremble in her voice. Andrew didn't say anything, just stood there looking grim. Jaden felt compelled to fill the silence.
"Well...That was...Guess this is the first obstacle then." Andrew shot him a look that was a little sarcastic, and a little amused. Takyle recovered enough to be biting.
"Yeah? Really? Cause falling into a dark echoing abyss wouldn't, ya know, be fatal or anything."
Jaden surprised himself with a ready retort.
"Oh, ha freakin' ha, Takyle. Incidentally, I think that you should definitely continue to take point, you know, play to your strengths and all that." Out of the corner of his eye he could see a grin attempting to creep over Andrew's face. Takyle narrowed her eyes at Jaden, wavered on the edge of declaring all-out war, and took the highroad. She turned to gaze across the divide.
"How are we going to cross?"
Jaden felt a little bit satisfied because she'd backed down. A little bit more the lesser man for taking the bait offered him.
"And winning!" the satisfied voice protested. He squelched that voice. "This isn't about winning," he mentally reprimanded. "It's about getting along and getting through this alive and together." Jaden looked at Andrew. He had that you're-lookin'-crazy-but-I'm-not-gonna-say-anything-about-it-cause-it's-none-of-my-business expression on his face. Jaden cleared his throat and closed his mouth. He hadn't realized that it had been hanging open.
Andrew neared the jagged precipice cautiously and peered down into the darkness. Takyle, unsurprisingly, kept her distance. Jaden touched her arm.
"Sorry," he murmured. She had the class not to make a big deal out of it. She nodded her acceptance and reciprocation of the sentiment. ~
Friday, November 9, 2007
Chapter 8: The Roar of the Crowd
~ To say that the building was enormous would be an understatement of magnificent proportions. The colossus stretched into the sky like it was trying to reach God himself. Across the front of the building the words: "Fourth Triennial Bilken International EPIC Race" were emblazoned in a tasteful font. EPIC stood for Endurance, Perseverance, Ingenuity, and Courage. Jaden found the acronym a bit on the cliched side. In front of the building stood a huge bronze statue of Warren Bilken holding in one hand a 3-D version of the race logo, and in the other, what looked from a distance to be the world. Water bubbled up around his feet and splashed into the large marble reflecting pool surrounding the flattering effigy.
Jaden looked around himself at the massive crowd kept at bay by velvet ropes and hassled Marines. They had fallen quiet. Or, at least as quiet as a mob of that size can. He looked to his left and right, up and down the line of competitors. Twenty teams of three vying to make it through the building, constructed specifically for this purpose, and get to the top alive and on time. The place was full of real and live-sim obstacles. In past years the survival rate for the race was about seven in ten, the injury stats, not healthy to dwell on.
Each team was ushered to a door in the front of the building by a "Race Official". Opening ceremonies were over. The race was about to begin. Jaden nervously tightened all of the straps that he could reach on his gear. He felt Andrew's hand on his shoulder and he looked up. Andrew smiled at him.
"It's go time Jay. You ready for this?" Jaden fought down the urge to vomit and answered honestly.
"I don't know," he said. Andrew never broke his calm gaze. He nodded. Jaden thought he understood.
"You don't have to operate alone anymore," said Andrew. "We're a team." Takyle stepped forward and touched Jaden on the other elbow.
"That we are. We're gonna do this."
The RO in front of them was given the signal and he pointed a remote at their door. Jaden realized that the crowd's former murmurings had grown back into a roar as one by one the teams were given their start. Even over that Jaden heard the lock click in their own door. In the distance he heard the announcer shouting over the speaker system that team six was clear. He looked down at the topmost patch on his arm. 6. Takyle was moving towards the door as it swung inward. Andrew was beginning to follow, his hand still on Jaden's shoulder. Jaden looked back and saw a man in the throng waving a hotdog, and then he was inside and the man and his food were out of sight.
This was it. ~
Jaden looked around himself at the massive crowd kept at bay by velvet ropes and hassled Marines. They had fallen quiet. Or, at least as quiet as a mob of that size can. He looked to his left and right, up and down the line of competitors. Twenty teams of three vying to make it through the building, constructed specifically for this purpose, and get to the top alive and on time. The place was full of real and live-sim obstacles. In past years the survival rate for the race was about seven in ten, the injury stats, not healthy to dwell on.
Each team was ushered to a door in the front of the building by a "Race Official". Opening ceremonies were over. The race was about to begin. Jaden nervously tightened all of the straps that he could reach on his gear. He felt Andrew's hand on his shoulder and he looked up. Andrew smiled at him.
"It's go time Jay. You ready for this?" Jaden fought down the urge to vomit and answered honestly.
"I don't know," he said. Andrew never broke his calm gaze. He nodded. Jaden thought he understood.
"You don't have to operate alone anymore," said Andrew. "We're a team." Takyle stepped forward and touched Jaden on the other elbow.
"That we are. We're gonna do this."
The RO in front of them was given the signal and he pointed a remote at their door. Jaden realized that the crowd's former murmurings had grown back into a roar as one by one the teams were given their start. Even over that Jaden heard the lock click in their own door. In the distance he heard the announcer shouting over the speaker system that team six was clear. He looked down at the topmost patch on his arm. 6. Takyle was moving towards the door as it swung inward. Andrew was beginning to follow, his hand still on Jaden's shoulder. Jaden looked back and saw a man in the throng waving a hotdog, and then he was inside and the man and his food were out of sight.
This was it. ~
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Chapter 7: The Excitement Begins
~ Thud!
Jaden landed hard on his back, but leapt back to his feet pretending like it didn't hurt. Score one for lessons learned from street gangs. He circled Andrew, crouched low, looking for an opening. He got it by accident. He stumbled in a manner that must have looked like a feint and Andrew reacted accordingly. He covered to the right and Jaden dived in from the left knocking Andrew clean off his feet.
That was how their sparring usually went. Fairly well matched, but neither perfect. Andrew actually knew how to fight. Jaden was willing to think outside of the "rules of engagement". Takyle could beat them both handily.
Jaden flopped down on the floor beside Andrew and crossed his arms around his knees.
"I'm happy we beat the sim this morning," he panted cheerfully. Andrew didn't seem that delighted.
"It was luck. We're no better than we were," he pronounced dismissively.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three months later:
Mr. Bilken walked down the line of competitors shaking hands and dropping doubtlessly insincere good luck wishes.
Takyle rocked back and forth on her heels, looking unnaturally flushed. Jaden scuffed the edge of his black shoe on the pavement. He looked at his compatriots. He thought that they all looked quite spiffy in their matching black race outfits. Takyle looked nervous and excited, Andrew looked serious and focused. Jaden wondered briefly how he himself looked. Warren Bilken reached them and shook each of their hands firmly. He murmured something about "all the best", Jaden murmured something by way of thanks before the next race sponsor grabbed his hand and pumped it energetically.
Jaden wondered how successful they could be in the race if all the competitor's elbows were worn out. They'd already been standing for two hours listening to speeches from a variety of people, most of which Jaden hadn't heard of before. Finally, finally, finally, they called for the teams to gather their supplies. Jaden snatched his pack and hefted it over his shoulders, he checked his utility belt one more time, and then turned to check Takyle's gear from behind her as Andrew checked his.
Jaden suddenly felt very, very nervous. ~
Jaden landed hard on his back, but leapt back to his feet pretending like it didn't hurt. Score one for lessons learned from street gangs. He circled Andrew, crouched low, looking for an opening. He got it by accident. He stumbled in a manner that must have looked like a feint and Andrew reacted accordingly. He covered to the right and Jaden dived in from the left knocking Andrew clean off his feet.
That was how their sparring usually went. Fairly well matched, but neither perfect. Andrew actually knew how to fight. Jaden was willing to think outside of the "rules of engagement". Takyle could beat them both handily.
Jaden flopped down on the floor beside Andrew and crossed his arms around his knees.
"I'm happy we beat the sim this morning," he panted cheerfully. Andrew didn't seem that delighted.
"It was luck. We're no better than we were," he pronounced dismissively.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three months later:
Mr. Bilken walked down the line of competitors shaking hands and dropping doubtlessly insincere good luck wishes.
Takyle rocked back and forth on her heels, looking unnaturally flushed. Jaden scuffed the edge of his black shoe on the pavement. He looked at his compatriots. He thought that they all looked quite spiffy in their matching black race outfits. Takyle looked nervous and excited, Andrew looked serious and focused. Jaden wondered briefly how he himself looked. Warren Bilken reached them and shook each of their hands firmly. He murmured something about "all the best", Jaden murmured something by way of thanks before the next race sponsor grabbed his hand and pumped it energetically.
Jaden wondered how successful they could be in the race if all the competitor's elbows were worn out. They'd already been standing for two hours listening to speeches from a variety of people, most of which Jaden hadn't heard of before. Finally, finally, finally, they called for the teams to gather their supplies. Jaden snatched his pack and hefted it over his shoulders, he checked his utility belt one more time, and then turned to check Takyle's gear from behind her as Andrew checked his.
Jaden suddenly felt very, very nervous. ~
Friday, November 2, 2007
Chapter 6: Issues to be Surmounted
~ When Jaden and Andrew arrived at lab building 16-E, Takyle was in the lobby talking on her cellphone and looking extremely irritated.
"No, I told you. I did submit those papers. Yes, they were yellow. I have my copies right here in my bag!" She slapped the side of her attache case for emphasis and knocked it off of the high side table it was resting on. She didn't notice. "Ok, fine! Let's pretend that I'm wrong and you're right. What do I have to do to get our sponsorship back on line?" She was quiet for a long time, nodded twice, and murmured a vague assent. She rallied her civility, thanked the poor soul on the other end of the proverbial line, and hung up. Andrew picked up her bag and, dusting it off, offered it back to her.
"Trouble?" he asked.
"Yes, MedFord seems to have changed its mind about sponsoring us in the race. I did turn in the necessary forms."
"Perhaps they were just lost in the shuffle?"
"Perhaps. Either way I'll have to go over there and try to get it straightened out," she said.
Through all of this Jaden stood a little off to the side feeling particularly awkward. He wasn't sure if he should be paying attention to the goings on or purposely attempting not to eavesdrop. He ended up going for a kind of half and half approach, looking at Takyle and Andrew, and then at the floor, and then back at them, and then out of the window, and so on. Takyle caught his eye on its next pass over her. She raised one eyebrow.
"Good morning Jaden. Sleep well?" Jaden nearly fell over. Sure Takyle had been nice to him before, but she was his boss, and it was always tempered by the constant undercurrent of what Jaden took to be dissatisfaction with most of his actions, or lack thereof as the case may be.
This, this was downright friendly. His eyes darted to Andrew's face for guidance. It was unreadable. He opened his mouth and, to his relief, a fairly coherent and pertinent response came out.
"Thank you, I slept fine. How are you today?"
"Great." Jaden wasn't sure if she was responding to his question, or commenting on his response to hers. He didn't need to worry about it though, as she immediately turned back to Andrew and picked up her conversation with him.
"I'll leave a little early to go down to the MedFord office this afternoon. For now, let's get busy and try to get through at least one sim before I go."
"Do you want me to go to MedFord with you?" asked Andrew.
"No, I'd prefer you to spend your time working with Jaden." Again Jaden felt like he shouldn't be listening in, but they were moving towards one of the long corridors of lab entrances by that time, so he just trailed along behind. The two ahead fell silent and Andrew dropped back to walk beside him. He felt better. He was still trailing Takyle, but now at least he was trailing with Andrew.
"Will you two pick up the pace?" Takyle barked over her shoulder. "We haven't got all day!"
Andrew shot a look at Jaden and pantomimed patting down his pockets.
"I must have left my day on the bureau drawer!" ~
"No, I told you. I did submit those papers. Yes, they were yellow. I have my copies right here in my bag!" She slapped the side of her attache case for emphasis and knocked it off of the high side table it was resting on. She didn't notice. "Ok, fine! Let's pretend that I'm wrong and you're right. What do I have to do to get our sponsorship back on line?" She was quiet for a long time, nodded twice, and murmured a vague assent. She rallied her civility, thanked the poor soul on the other end of the proverbial line, and hung up. Andrew picked up her bag and, dusting it off, offered it back to her.
"Trouble?" he asked.
"Yes, MedFord seems to have changed its mind about sponsoring us in the race. I did turn in the necessary forms."
"Perhaps they were just lost in the shuffle?"
"Perhaps. Either way I'll have to go over there and try to get it straightened out," she said.
Through all of this Jaden stood a little off to the side feeling particularly awkward. He wasn't sure if he should be paying attention to the goings on or purposely attempting not to eavesdrop. He ended up going for a kind of half and half approach, looking at Takyle and Andrew, and then at the floor, and then back at them, and then out of the window, and so on. Takyle caught his eye on its next pass over her. She raised one eyebrow.
"Good morning Jaden. Sleep well?" Jaden nearly fell over. Sure Takyle had been nice to him before, but she was his boss, and it was always tempered by the constant undercurrent of what Jaden took to be dissatisfaction with most of his actions, or lack thereof as the case may be.
This, this was downright friendly. His eyes darted to Andrew's face for guidance. It was unreadable. He opened his mouth and, to his relief, a fairly coherent and pertinent response came out.
"Thank you, I slept fine. How are you today?"
"Great." Jaden wasn't sure if she was responding to his question, or commenting on his response to hers. He didn't need to worry about it though, as she immediately turned back to Andrew and picked up her conversation with him.
"I'll leave a little early to go down to the MedFord office this afternoon. For now, let's get busy and try to get through at least one sim before I go."
"Do you want me to go to MedFord with you?" asked Andrew.
"No, I'd prefer you to spend your time working with Jaden." Again Jaden felt like he shouldn't be listening in, but they were moving towards one of the long corridors of lab entrances by that time, so he just trailed along behind. The two ahead fell silent and Andrew dropped back to walk beside him. He felt better. He was still trailing Takyle, but now at least he was trailing with Andrew.
"Will you two pick up the pace?" Takyle barked over her shoulder. "We haven't got all day!"
Andrew shot a look at Jaden and pantomimed patting down his pockets.
"I must have left my day on the bureau drawer!" ~
Monday, October 29, 2007
Chapter 5: Commuters
~ Jaden walked to the subway with Andrew in companionable silence. He buried his hands deep in the pockets of his thick fleece jacket. The air was getting colder every day. Later in the morning it would be beautiful out but this early, in the lee of the skyscrapers, with the mist still earthbound, it was downright chilly. He shivered and tucked his chin deeper into his collar.
Andrew began talking about something. Something to do with a vector and an impermeable field force or...something. Jaden tried to understand it, nodding and murmuring assent occasionally, knowing full well that Andrew didn't really need, or expect, him to actually process it all. He just wanted to talk it out, and he looked less crazy talking to Jaden than if he were just chattering away to himself.
Soon enough they were descending into the darkness and boarding their transport. Jaden wished the walk was a bit longer and the ride was a lot shorter. It was tedious and tiring and crowded and it always smelled like a mixture of really old french fries and dirty socks. At the other end, after an eternity of jostling, they were spit out along with everybody else and they rose into the light once again. By the time they were back up on the street Jaden had already sealed up and put away any personal thoughts he might have been indulging in and fixed his attentions on the work that they had to do that day. The transport stop was only two blocks from the Live-ulator lab buildings, in a much classier part of town than where Andrew and Jaden's apartment was.
Jaden judged the wealthiness of a place by the size and number of windows it sported. Live-ulation International Inc. Office Headquarters were made primarily of windows. Tall and tinted and continuous but for flashy chrome frames all around the building. Arranged in back of that building were more buildings, slightly smaller, with slightly fewer windows, but still impressive. Those were where the actual Live-ulation labs were.
The inventor and patent holder to the Live-ulator still held offices here, though he didn't spend a lot of time in them anymore. Most of his time was taken up with figuring out new ways to spend the fortune he'd made. He was stuck between a rock and hard place because it just kept growing every day. A sad tale indeed.
With his invention Warren Bilken had revolutionized the world. A simulation that was real. A constructed alternate mode of being if you will. What went on within a Live-ulation was as real as when it was experienced outside. Since the system actually interfaced with a subject's brain it essentially had control of their body. If you fell in a Live-ulation, it hurt. If you had sex in a Live-ulation, well, hopefully you'd brought a tissue. If you died in a Live-ulation, you were dead.
The only appreciable difference between the live-sims, as they were known, and real life was that in a sim you had a safeword. If you had the sense to use it in time, you could actually be let out if you got into trouble. Obviously the use of Live-ulators required extensive waiver signing.
They were expensive to rent, but not so much so that an average middle class family couldn't go on a "vacation" at least once a year. That was, in fact, what the the live-sims were most employed for. Warren Bilken had single-handedly put more than a few tourist-dependant countries out of business. ~
Andrew began talking about something. Something to do with a vector and an impermeable field force or...something. Jaden tried to understand it, nodding and murmuring assent occasionally, knowing full well that Andrew didn't really need, or expect, him to actually process it all. He just wanted to talk it out, and he looked less crazy talking to Jaden than if he were just chattering away to himself.
Soon enough they were descending into the darkness and boarding their transport. Jaden wished the walk was a bit longer and the ride was a lot shorter. It was tedious and tiring and crowded and it always smelled like a mixture of really old french fries and dirty socks. At the other end, after an eternity of jostling, they were spit out along with everybody else and they rose into the light once again. By the time they were back up on the street Jaden had already sealed up and put away any personal thoughts he might have been indulging in and fixed his attentions on the work that they had to do that day. The transport stop was only two blocks from the Live-ulator lab buildings, in a much classier part of town than where Andrew and Jaden's apartment was.
Jaden judged the wealthiness of a place by the size and number of windows it sported. Live-ulation International Inc. Office Headquarters were made primarily of windows. Tall and tinted and continuous but for flashy chrome frames all around the building. Arranged in back of that building were more buildings, slightly smaller, with slightly fewer windows, but still impressive. Those were where the actual Live-ulation labs were.
The inventor and patent holder to the Live-ulator still held offices here, though he didn't spend a lot of time in them anymore. Most of his time was taken up with figuring out new ways to spend the fortune he'd made. He was stuck between a rock and hard place because it just kept growing every day. A sad tale indeed.
With his invention Warren Bilken had revolutionized the world. A simulation that was real. A constructed alternate mode of being if you will. What went on within a Live-ulation was as real as when it was experienced outside. Since the system actually interfaced with a subject's brain it essentially had control of their body. If you fell in a Live-ulation, it hurt. If you had sex in a Live-ulation, well, hopefully you'd brought a tissue. If you died in a Live-ulation, you were dead.
The only appreciable difference between the live-sims, as they were known, and real life was that in a sim you had a safeword. If you had the sense to use it in time, you could actually be let out if you got into trouble. Obviously the use of Live-ulators required extensive waiver signing.
They were expensive to rent, but not so much so that an average middle class family couldn't go on a "vacation" at least once a year. That was, in fact, what the the live-sims were most employed for. Warren Bilken had single-handedly put more than a few tourist-dependant countries out of business. ~
Friday, October 26, 2007
Chapter 4: Close Quarters
~ That night Jaden fell into bed with a sigh of pure exhausted bliss. He lay awake for a moment, listening to Andrew clattering about in the bathroom. He didn't know how the hell one man could make so very much noise with one toothbrush, but Andrew always did.
The rooms that they shared were small and far from luxurious, but Jaden was happy with the arrangement. He had a bed. And he had food. Beds and foods were good. Andrew exited the bathroom in pajamas, set the alarm clock, and clambered up into the top bunk.
"Night Jaden."
And he had a friend. Friends were good.
"Night Andy." The last thing Jaden was aware of that night, was a warm and fuzzy feeling. Possibly from the coziness that Andrew's big brotherly attitude inspired in him, possibly because of the flannel sheets that he'd just gotten out of the dryer 15 minutes ago.
The first thing Jaden was aware of in the morning was Andrew kicking him in the face as he disembarked from the bunk.
"Ow! Andrew! Be careful!" Jaden clutched his nose and swung out with one fist in retaliation. He barely clipped the back of Andrew's leg, who didn't even seem to have noticed.
"Sorry about that Jay. Oh well, time to get up anyway." Andrew proceeded on his way to the little kitchenette without another glance at Jaden, who was left to roll about in the covers and feel his face gingerly to see if anything was missing. Nothing was, so he got up.
He staggered into the shower thinking, as always, that if someone really had to feel as grumpy and awful as he did every morning, then they should have at least had a really good time the night before. He glimpsed himself in the mirror and saw a dark shadow quickly forming under his left eye. Wouldn't you know it? He'd been proud of getting through both sims yesterday without actually getting hurt and then someone goes and gives him a black-eye while he's still in bed? You can't make that kind of stuff up.
All wrongs in the world were forgiven however, when he finally got to the kitchen and found that Andrew had made blueberry waffles for breakfast. He even had whipped cream.
"Andy," Jaden said between mouthfuls of sweet, fluffy, savory, toasty, sticky pure awesomeness. "If I were gay, and you were gay, I would marry you." Andrew shrugged and rose to rinse his own plate off.
"Eh, if I had a dime for every time I've heard that."
Jaden, busy as he was floating between levels of heaven, didn't ask Andrew what he would do with all of those dimes. ~
The rooms that they shared were small and far from luxurious, but Jaden was happy with the arrangement. He had a bed. And he had food. Beds and foods were good. Andrew exited the bathroom in pajamas, set the alarm clock, and clambered up into the top bunk.
"Night Jaden."
And he had a friend. Friends were good.
"Night Andy." The last thing Jaden was aware of that night, was a warm and fuzzy feeling. Possibly from the coziness that Andrew's big brotherly attitude inspired in him, possibly because of the flannel sheets that he'd just gotten out of the dryer 15 minutes ago.
The first thing Jaden was aware of in the morning was Andrew kicking him in the face as he disembarked from the bunk.
"Ow! Andrew! Be careful!" Jaden clutched his nose and swung out with one fist in retaliation. He barely clipped the back of Andrew's leg, who didn't even seem to have noticed.
"Sorry about that Jay. Oh well, time to get up anyway." Andrew proceeded on his way to the little kitchenette without another glance at Jaden, who was left to roll about in the covers and feel his face gingerly to see if anything was missing. Nothing was, so he got up.
He staggered into the shower thinking, as always, that if someone really had to feel as grumpy and awful as he did every morning, then they should have at least had a really good time the night before. He glimpsed himself in the mirror and saw a dark shadow quickly forming under his left eye. Wouldn't you know it? He'd been proud of getting through both sims yesterday without actually getting hurt and then someone goes and gives him a black-eye while he's still in bed? You can't make that kind of stuff up.
All wrongs in the world were forgiven however, when he finally got to the kitchen and found that Andrew had made blueberry waffles for breakfast. He even had whipped cream.
"Andy," Jaden said between mouthfuls of sweet, fluffy, savory, toasty, sticky pure awesomeness. "If I were gay, and you were gay, I would marry you." Andrew shrugged and rose to rinse his own plate off.
"Eh, if I had a dime for every time I've heard that."
Jaden, busy as he was floating between levels of heaven, didn't ask Andrew what he would do with all of those dimes. ~
Monday, October 22, 2007
Chapter 3: Hierarchy
~ Jaden stood in front of his rented locker toweling himself off. Andrew sat on one of the benches to the side, already fully dressed. He was always done before Jaden, and Jaden wasn't completely sure how.
He turned self consciously to his locker, painfully aware of his scarred back. Jaden had plenty of scars, but those were different. Most of the rest he'd gotten in the Live-ulator. The ones on his back though, those he hated. Those he had reason to hate. Andrew broke into his thoughts with a chuckle.
"Dude, you look so manly with all those scars." He put special emphasis on the word "manly", deepening his voice considerably and grinning in a singularly admiring way. Jaden quickly pulled a clean shirt over his head and turned to face Andrew.
"They're all from mistakes Andrew. They're not something to be proud of." Andrew shook his head and, putting the subject aside, stood.
"Ready to hit the cafeteria then? Takyle will join us there." Jaden snatched up his jacket.
"Yeah, let's go." At the door he faced Andrew.
"Hey can I bum five bucks from ya?" Andrew let out his deep, and Jaden thought, sincere, laugh and kept going. Jaden took three running steps to catch up with him outside.
"What am I going to do if I ever really need money from you?" Andrew's face got comically serious.
"You'll beg," he informed Jaden. "Or give me some type of sexual favor. If you were good I'd pay you for that."
"Oh gee whiz, thanks a lot. Good to know that I've got options. Incidentally," Jaden added after a pause. "You act like I've never serviced a man before." Andrew quickly raised one finger to stop him.
"Ok, that's just awkward." Jaden grinned again, and this time it seemed a bit more natural on his face.
"Awkward is what I do best Andrew."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Takyle was already at the cafeteria and had claimed a table by the time Andrew and Jaden made it through the line. Jaden approached her confidently, at least on the outside.
"Hello again Takyle." She nodded curtly in response. He sank into a seat across from her. Not out of the line of fire yet.
Takyle Carlyle (and Jaden knew for a fact that she cursed her parents every day for saddling her with that name) was as tall as Jaden with a commanding eye and black hair. Next to her, Jaden's hair looked dirty brown. It was so black that it looked a little blue sometimes. Jaden always had the urge to touch it whenever he saw her. He had suppressed that desire successfully thus far. He wondered briefly what exactly would happen to him if he did do that. He looked up from his sandwich when she addressed him a moment later.
"So today was a bust...again."
"Yeah," he agreed. "Sorry about that," he added as an afterthought by way of repentance. Takyle remained cool.
"I have to leave for a meeting with the Wellcraft Association in less than an hour. Are you going to run the simulation again this afternoon?" It was worded like a question, but her tone suggested otherwise. Jaden shared a split second look with Andrew. The latter cleared his throat quietly.
"If I may Takyle? Being in the live-sim for very long stretches of time is tiring at the least, and possibly damaging, as well you know. Are you sure it's a good idea for us to give it another run today?" Takyle's eyes were fixed on Andrew but Jaden got the distinct impression that she was not addressing him alone. Quite the contrary.
"Of course I know the dangers. I also know that we are nowhere near ready. I can only afford to rent the Live-ulation lab for another week. It's not cheap you know. We have to get as much time in with it as we can. Any risks you take in it will not be greater than what we'll experience in the real thing. But if you're having second thoughts...?" Andrew never blinked. He gazed back into her eyes and in Jaden's mind the image of a mongoose and a viper, mutually locked in a stare rose to the forefront. Andrew spoke with more seriousness than Jaden had thought him capable of.
"Of course boss. We'll try it again and see if we can get farther this time. Of course that'll be hard without your skills though." He cracked a tiny smile and Takyle turned her gaze on Jaden. He silently nodded his assent to his dish of applesauce and once again wondered why he put up with this. Once again he reminded himself.
"For the profits." ~
He turned self consciously to his locker, painfully aware of his scarred back. Jaden had plenty of scars, but those were different. Most of the rest he'd gotten in the Live-ulator. The ones on his back though, those he hated. Those he had reason to hate. Andrew broke into his thoughts with a chuckle.
"Dude, you look so manly with all those scars." He put special emphasis on the word "manly", deepening his voice considerably and grinning in a singularly admiring way. Jaden quickly pulled a clean shirt over his head and turned to face Andrew.
"They're all from mistakes Andrew. They're not something to be proud of." Andrew shook his head and, putting the subject aside, stood.
"Ready to hit the cafeteria then? Takyle will join us there." Jaden snatched up his jacket.
"Yeah, let's go." At the door he faced Andrew.
"Hey can I bum five bucks from ya?" Andrew let out his deep, and Jaden thought, sincere, laugh and kept going. Jaden took three running steps to catch up with him outside.
"What am I going to do if I ever really need money from you?" Andrew's face got comically serious.
"You'll beg," he informed Jaden. "Or give me some type of sexual favor. If you were good I'd pay you for that."
"Oh gee whiz, thanks a lot. Good to know that I've got options. Incidentally," Jaden added after a pause. "You act like I've never serviced a man before." Andrew quickly raised one finger to stop him.
"Ok, that's just awkward." Jaden grinned again, and this time it seemed a bit more natural on his face.
"Awkward is what I do best Andrew."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Takyle was already at the cafeteria and had claimed a table by the time Andrew and Jaden made it through the line. Jaden approached her confidently, at least on the outside.
"Hello again Takyle." She nodded curtly in response. He sank into a seat across from her. Not out of the line of fire yet.
Takyle Carlyle (and Jaden knew for a fact that she cursed her parents every day for saddling her with that name) was as tall as Jaden with a commanding eye and black hair. Next to her, Jaden's hair looked dirty brown. It was so black that it looked a little blue sometimes. Jaden always had the urge to touch it whenever he saw her. He had suppressed that desire successfully thus far. He wondered briefly what exactly would happen to him if he did do that. He looked up from his sandwich when she addressed him a moment later.
"So today was a bust...again."
"Yeah," he agreed. "Sorry about that," he added as an afterthought by way of repentance. Takyle remained cool.
"I have to leave for a meeting with the Wellcraft Association in less than an hour. Are you going to run the simulation again this afternoon?" It was worded like a question, but her tone suggested otherwise. Jaden shared a split second look with Andrew. The latter cleared his throat quietly.
"If I may Takyle? Being in the live-sim for very long stretches of time is tiring at the least, and possibly damaging, as well you know. Are you sure it's a good idea for us to give it another run today?" Takyle's eyes were fixed on Andrew but Jaden got the distinct impression that she was not addressing him alone. Quite the contrary.
"Of course I know the dangers. I also know that we are nowhere near ready. I can only afford to rent the Live-ulation lab for another week. It's not cheap you know. We have to get as much time in with it as we can. Any risks you take in it will not be greater than what we'll experience in the real thing. But if you're having second thoughts...?" Andrew never blinked. He gazed back into her eyes and in Jaden's mind the image of a mongoose and a viper, mutually locked in a stare rose to the forefront. Andrew spoke with more seriousness than Jaden had thought him capable of.
"Of course boss. We'll try it again and see if we can get farther this time. Of course that'll be hard without your skills though." He cracked a tiny smile and Takyle turned her gaze on Jaden. He silently nodded his assent to his dish of applesauce and once again wondered why he put up with this. Once again he reminded himself.
"For the profits." ~
Friday, October 19, 2007
Chapter 2: Saving Grace
~ Jaden desperately felt all around the panel one more time before giving up. There seemed to be only one thing to do. He said the safeword, "Kennedy", and his field of vision was flooded with white light. After a moment his eyes adjusted to it and he saw someone moving towards him.
"Way to go Jaden. Way to completely back yourself into a corner. If you'd waited in the room for two more minutes, me and Carlyle would have gotten to you and we might have won for once."
Jaden still sat on the floor, shirtless, drenched in sweat, waiting for Andrew to shut up. He was compact and lithe in build, longish hair dark enough brown that it was often mistaken for black, penetrating brown-green eyes rimmed by thick lashes. His features were memorable and on the strong side. Largish nose, full lips, high cheekbones, wide jawline.
Andrew was (in more ways than just physically) comfortably opposite. Tall, skinny, freckled, with red auburn hair, a long nose, and ice gray eyes. He stared down at Jaden for a moment.
"Well aren't you going to say anything?" Jaden raised an eyebrow in response.
"Not until you help me up, that's for damn sure." He held up a hand and Andrew took it and hauled him to his feet. Jaden walked over and retrieved his shirt from where it had landed across the empty white room.
"I don't regret it. I couldn't have known when, or even if, you'd get to me. I had to do something."
"Jaden, that's your problem. That's what's stopping us. You're part of a team now. You have to learn to trust your mates and remember that you don't have to operate alone anymore." Jaden nodded absently.
"Carlyle very angry?" he asked. Andrew shrugged his bony shoulders.
"Eh, no more that usual. Wanna get some lunch?"
Yes, Jaden decided that he did want some lunch. No reason to face up to Carlyle on an empty stomach if it could be avoided. He nodded again and pushed the dagger he'd been holding the entire time into the sheath on the back of his belt.
"Yeah, yeah actually I do." As they made for the door Andrew shot him the look that, without fail, foreshadowed a joke.
"Nothing like clockwork precision teamwork to give you an appetite, ey Jaden?" Jaden's mouth turned up in an awkward kind of grin.
"Well if that's the case, then I'm starving!" ~
"Way to go Jaden. Way to completely back yourself into a corner. If you'd waited in the room for two more minutes, me and Carlyle would have gotten to you and we might have won for once."
Jaden still sat on the floor, shirtless, drenched in sweat, waiting for Andrew to shut up. He was compact and lithe in build, longish hair dark enough brown that it was often mistaken for black, penetrating brown-green eyes rimmed by thick lashes. His features were memorable and on the strong side. Largish nose, full lips, high cheekbones, wide jawline.
Andrew was (in more ways than just physically) comfortably opposite. Tall, skinny, freckled, with red auburn hair, a long nose, and ice gray eyes. He stared down at Jaden for a moment.
"Well aren't you going to say anything?" Jaden raised an eyebrow in response.
"Not until you help me up, that's for damn sure." He held up a hand and Andrew took it and hauled him to his feet. Jaden walked over and retrieved his shirt from where it had landed across the empty white room.
"I don't regret it. I couldn't have known when, or even if, you'd get to me. I had to do something."
"Jaden, that's your problem. That's what's stopping us. You're part of a team now. You have to learn to trust your mates and remember that you don't have to operate alone anymore." Jaden nodded absently.
"Carlyle very angry?" he asked. Andrew shrugged his bony shoulders.
"Eh, no more that usual. Wanna get some lunch?"
Yes, Jaden decided that he did want some lunch. No reason to face up to Carlyle on an empty stomach if it could be avoided. He nodded again and pushed the dagger he'd been holding the entire time into the sheath on the back of his belt.
"Yeah, yeah actually I do." As they made for the door Andrew shot him the look that, without fail, foreshadowed a joke.
"Nothing like clockwork precision teamwork to give you an appetite, ey Jaden?" Jaden's mouth turned up in an awkward kind of grin.
"Well if that's the case, then I'm starving!" ~
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Chapter 1: In a Cold Dark Place
~ Jaden McAllister slipped the knife back into its sheath and finished pulling the ropes from his ankles. He didn't know why the hell he'd been left his dagger, or why his hands had been tied so loosely come to think of it, but he got the impression that he'd find out quite soon. Too soon.
A short panel in the wall began to slide open and he rose to his feet in one fluid, continuous motion. Disconcerting scratching noises were coming from the other side of the quickly widening gap. He used his last free second to scan the room again. Nothing to take cover behind, nothing to climb. Jaden once again unsheathed his dagger. Looked like he would have to stand and fight.
A lioness came gliding out of the little door, as silent as a shadow, hugging the wall. The opening closed behind her as she circled Jaden. He turned with her, his thoughts racing.
"What is this, the dark ages? Am I to be martyred? What's next? A gladiator match? I can't kill this; it's a protected species!"
Just as Jaden decided that the lone lioness probably wouldn't attack him another panel began to grind open. His decision was split second and final. As soon the second lioness slunk out to join the first Jaden ripped off his shirt and flung it up at the moving camera head high above that had been tracking him all this time, hoping to God that it would catch on something. With a silent Hail Mary on his lips, Jaden threw himself at his only hope for escape.
What he heard behind him was the scuffling of the lionesses, who had deduced the escape plan of their only potential prey and had decided to make a last ditch effort at conquest. The muffled bump of the panel closing shut them off abruptly, leaving Jaden in absolute darkness. He groped around himself to try and establish bearings. He could feel the blood thudding in his face and neck and realized that he was breathing quite hard. He felt hot all over and his bare chest was slick with sweat.
Knife still to hand he began crawling along the tunnel he'd dived into. It turned out to be quite succinct, ending perhaps eight feet later in a cool metal door. He ran his hands over and around it. No handle, no gaps. It occurred to Jaden that he'd be royally screwed if another lioness was let through this way.
"Or if they let the two in the room back in," the voice of logic reminded him dismally.
"Well this is just fan-damn-tastic," he said aloud. ~
A short panel in the wall began to slide open and he rose to his feet in one fluid, continuous motion. Disconcerting scratching noises were coming from the other side of the quickly widening gap. He used his last free second to scan the room again. Nothing to take cover behind, nothing to climb. Jaden once again unsheathed his dagger. Looked like he would have to stand and fight.
A lioness came gliding out of the little door, as silent as a shadow, hugging the wall. The opening closed behind her as she circled Jaden. He turned with her, his thoughts racing.
"What is this, the dark ages? Am I to be martyred? What's next? A gladiator match? I can't kill this; it's a protected species!"
Just as Jaden decided that the lone lioness probably wouldn't attack him another panel began to grind open. His decision was split second and final. As soon the second lioness slunk out to join the first Jaden ripped off his shirt and flung it up at the moving camera head high above that had been tracking him all this time, hoping to God that it would catch on something. With a silent Hail Mary on his lips, Jaden threw himself at his only hope for escape.
What he heard behind him was the scuffling of the lionesses, who had deduced the escape plan of their only potential prey and had decided to make a last ditch effort at conquest. The muffled bump of the panel closing shut them off abruptly, leaving Jaden in absolute darkness. He groped around himself to try and establish bearings. He could feel the blood thudding in his face and neck and realized that he was breathing quite hard. He felt hot all over and his bare chest was slick with sweat.
Knife still to hand he began crawling along the tunnel he'd dived into. It turned out to be quite succinct, ending perhaps eight feet later in a cool metal door. He ran his hands over and around it. No handle, no gaps. It occurred to Jaden that he'd be royally screwed if another lioness was let through this way.
"Or if they let the two in the room back in," the voice of logic reminded him dismally.
"Well this is just fan-damn-tastic," he said aloud. ~
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