Chapter 1: Fixerspy's self abosbed melodramactic and pointless story

Her office was a small, cramped, and poorly lit affair, seemingly located at random near the end of an empty maze of dusty and seldom traversed corridors. Outside, a lone and brutish Atrox Agent stood guard. 'His' naked skin burned with a blue aura and, rather oddly, the creature that was presumably his pet floated in the air beside him. The cruel and wicked dual blades he carried seemed somewhat… unusual. Those unwitting enough to mistake his simple and brut intellect for a lack of pure combat ability were most unfortunate. His skills rivaled the best of any class or profession.

Fixerspy, and her 'unofficial' bodyguard and friend, whom she affectionately called 'Meat', had been in residence, undisturbed, since returning from the lands of Inferno some weeks ago. It was unbearably stuffy in the deserted complex, and both had opted for the more comfortable 'social' armor while enjoying their 'down time'. Except for occasionally popping his head in to make sure she was ok, he seemed more or less continent to amuse himself while standing guard in the hallway. She did not deal with boredom that easily. Maybe it was because she was several years younger than he. With age, after all, comes patience. Often times, it was she that would call him in. Did he want an office of his own to relax in ('Um N'tanks.')? Would like to hang out with her awhile ('Um K. Fo Ah Min it.')? Would he like to get away and go on a field trip somewhere ('Um Ya. K. Go. K Go Go' he would babble excitedly)?

Few knew of their close friendship. Even fewer suspected how deeply that friendship went and how it was forged. Most that noticed assumed that they just had the generic 'merc friendship and fellowship' that many small bands of misfits and outlaws developed in their associations with fellow outcast. On the surface that would appear to be correct. However, the assumption couldn't be more wrong.

She was sitting cross-legged on an oversized stuffed brontohide chair (made recently from a bronto bashed by Meat of course) and was leaning across her desk, reading. The desk in and of itself was an interesting contraption made of several large sheets of junk metal (beaten into shape by Meat of course) and covered with a thick leather hide (again Meat). The several other chairs and couches in the room shared the same distinct Atrox style. She had often joked with him that if he ever decided to retire he would do quite well as a merchant catering to clients with a liking for Atrox taste and styles.

The facility had been abandoned for countless years before she had stumbled across it in her explorations. Indeed, she and Meat had frequently used it as a hid out, a haven, and a base of operations numerous times over the years when things in the real world got so dicey that living and traveling amongst the civilized world was not an option. Thanks to private funding secured from her new benefactors, she had over the past several months been able to make some most interesting modifications. And today, for the first time, she would reveal its secret location and uniqueness to someone else for the first time.

Several months previously, at her last meeting with one of her benefactors, she had listened to much ranting and raving, scheming and plotting, and a scratching of heads as to how best to acquire notum towers. At the end of it she had been handed a series of data disk with instructions and an almost unlimited budget. And she had followed the instructions to a 'T'. They would be getting Every-Thing they had asked for. And then some. They had asked her to scout out possible tower sites. Done. Establish and expand a new base of operations that could be used in support of eventual notum mining and tower defense. Done. Look for ways and means to exploit any and every advantage that could be found over their rivals and enemies. Done. And then some. The only problem was that they would be getting far, far more than they asked for. Dangerously more than they expected. This worried her somewhat…

A data console flashed on her desk… this was to be expected, had been expected for quite some time, as the agreed upon date for inspection of the results of her work had arrived. Taping at the keys on the console she quickly decoded a simple text message. "///***%%%???%%%***///" Such a simple yet utterly silly message. But, it was the one she was expecting. Quickly she tapped the keys on the console and encrypted a set of coordinates. With one key stroke this haven would be revealed. Her fingers hesitated momentarily above the send button. Did she really trust them? Would the secret of this location leak past the circle of a trusted few? Would an unannounced enemy supplant here benefactors? Last chance…

Dismissing the troubling thoughts from her mind, she pressed the button. Sighing… she settled back to wait…

Passing the time, Fixerspy half-heartedly glanced through the reports of the ensuing peace that had settled over MMD. She briefly reflected on the many painful experiences of reclaiming she endured after being assigned to run missions in the former political zone. Far too often, she would have to make a dash for the vendor terminals to buy more meds to restock so she could complete the missions that she was assigned to. Far too often she would dash, sneak, and hide, dash, sneak, and hide, trying to make it from building to building, mission to mission, only to be endlessly cut down. She had thought it had been the worst year of her life since joining the clans... Unfortunately for her… she little realize that her worst years still lay ahead.

It was no wonder she had learned a few of the basic skills of ganking. They had been illustrated and used upon her so often and so well. It was a matter of survival. Secretly she feared pvp. And worst of all she feared her mentors... the hardcore gankers. She had neither the skill, the equipment, nor the proper training to go head to head in a proper pvp duel with twinkled and hardened opponents, much less against a true ganker.

Sometimes she fought well enough that the unsolicited matches would be a draw, occasionally she got the lucky kill, but far too often, the best she could hope for was gridding to safety... She rarely had that chance. Far too often she died quickly from a snipers bullet, or worse, died slowly and painfully, unable to grid due to her ransacked skills and ncu, falling victim to one of the well tweaked and well coordinated assassination teams that patrolled the area.

She reflected on the lessons those painful experiences taught her. At best, her tormentors taught her to use whatever dirty trick she could to live, to evade, to Survive! It was a lesson well taught. Never fight a battle you can not win!

Eventually, she transferred out of the MMD political zone. Many years later after much adventure and hardship she had joined 'The Firm'. In short order she was assigned to support the guilds efforts in the fiery lands of Inferno, with the occasional 'rotating support' every several weeks in support of the ongoing tower battles. Fortunately for her, the need and usefulness of her various other skills as a fixer landed her this plush assignment. However, she knew that would only carry her so far. Results mattered. Moreover, she knew that lack of results could end up in an immediate transfer to a front line unit in the tower wars. She intended to avoid that at all cost.

Unexpectedly the door to her office was flung open. A man she recognized as one of the senior generals of 'The Firm' walked in. 'The Firm' was a very small and very secretive organization. It was forbidden of low level recruits to know the actual names of their superiors. They were addressed by rank only.

Glancing beyond him into the corridor beyond the door, she noticed the two hulking figures what she presumed were the general's escort. They seemed ill at ease in the confined quarters that the corridor provided. Moreover, they seemed confused as to if they should give their attention to the oddly out of place creature floating in the air near them, or follow the general, unbidden, into the room behind him. Needless to say, Meat was nowhere to be seen. Stifling a giggle, Fixerspy relaxed back into the chair and smiled warmly at the general.

"So, Fixerspy... warming up to your cozy little post?" he asked, glancing about the room as if deciding which piece of the 'Trox' furniture would be most accommodating. "Nothing comparable to being a former clan leader, I'm sure..." the general half joked, half jibed. She tried to ignore the comment as best she could. She had formerly lead a moderately sized guild 'Harbingers of the Void' for a number of years... but eventually the guild had crumbled. The constant assaults upon their Towers by combined Omni forces, the infiltration of Omni and Neutral spies, and the rumored undermining of support by rival clan guilds took its toll. Wincing, she remembered the day that the Guild fell, and its surviving members scattered to the winds, after their secret HQ location and all three tower sites fell in smoking ruins.

Noticing the wince, the general said in a gentler tone, "Lessons learned but never forgotten, I'm sure". He still looked indecisive as to which of the chairs and couches he thought was appealing.

"Actually I'm enjoying the new position rather well, General." It was quite true. After the fall of Harbingers, she had spent over a year on the run. In every new city she explored, or in each new guild she sought refuge in, she found no relief. Whatever enemies she had made, they somehow always managed to find her, and the threat and attempts of assassination had been constant.

When she had founded 'Harbingers of the Void' all those years ago, she had chosen the name not only for the similarity her youth had to the legend, but also because for many the memory of the legend itself evoked a powerful rallying cry for battle. As legend had it, Harbingers was amongst the first of the Ancient Guilds founded. Supposedly, an impoverish and filth trodden rag tag band of children, many whom had fought beside their parents during the first waves of Revolution that had swept the planet, had made a sacred vow whilst burying their dead. And so the Ancient Guild was born... In the thousands of years since the Ancient Guild had been destroyed, but its legend had lived on.

Of course, there were the occasional rumors that one heard whispered late at night in the darkest recesses of less reputable bars. Rumors that Harbingers and several of the other Ancient guilds were never truly destroyed, but had survived and remained underground all these thousand of years. Had they had become some of the most secretive, elusive, dangerous guilds of all? If the rumors were to be believed, these clandestine guilds were the most powerful influence on the planet.

Unconsciously, Fixerspy knotted her eyebrows upon this reflection. She was not sure she was willing to believe that any of those rumors were true. Nevertheless, there was one thing she was certain of: By invoking the name of the Ancient Guild when naming her former guild, she had unwittingly drawn the attention and hostilities of some very powerful enemies. And if the rumors where to be believed, if the Ancient Guilds still lived, then she had become the enemy of the Ancients rivals as well…

A gentle cough drew her attention. Embarrassed, she realized that she had been lost in her thoughts. "Most enjoyable, General" she reasserted. "Any chance that I will get promoted beyond 'Applicant'?" A wicked smile crossed her lips as she let out a gentle laugh.

The general's eyes lighted with amusement. "Not a chance." They both knew that it was far too dangerous. The Firm, and Fixerspy herself for that matter, could not risk their enemies, combined, or separately, to realize that there was more than a casual and fleeting affiliation. The Firm was committed to extreme measures of security to protect their endeavors. It was fortunate for them. Although they were very familiar with many of her misadventures over the years from conducting an extensive background investigation, they only half suspected the full extent their dangerous new association. They knew she had powerful enemies. Powerful enemies that had managed to destroy a fair sized guild with seemingly little effort. However, they also knew that she could prove an extremely valuable asset to a small and formidable guild such as theirs.

Since joining, every courtesy and privilege, normally reserved for their most senior officers, had been extended to her. With several exceptions of course: No knowledge of the names of her superiors. No authority to recruit on behalf of the guild. No official honor or affiliation as one of their honored ranks.

The general raised an eyebrow in a half serious manner as something crossed his mind. "Hmm… Where is Meat? Off frolicking somewhere? I know it is boring as hell down here, but damn it, don't go soft on me. What if a few Omni, or god forbid, Worse, found out where you where? Those borg roaming around outside won't stop em from coming for you." His harsh words trailed off… emphasizing an unspoken meaning. Awkwardly he glanced about at the furniture again. He seemed torn between settling for one of the oversized stuffed chairs or the couch.

"General… I can assure you that all is, and will continue to be, well in hand. If you were a threat you would either be dead. I mean seriously dead… for a long, long time. Or you would be wandering this complex searching for something you would never find. Did you notice anything unusual on your way in?" She smiled mischievously at her boss.

"Er.. Well.. No…" the general said glancing about the room and back through the door. "Uh.. well, maybe. Looks like you did a little repair job a while back." The general shook his head agreeably as he said this. "That still doesn't answer my question…" His eyes darted over to the couch. Yes the couch. It was, by and far, the most comfortable looking and appealing of the furniture. "I still fail to see your point. Your security could be improved. As for that Meat fellow you keep about as your bodyguard, he should spend more time guarding and less time frolicking. "

"Yes. Repair work. We will get to that in a minute." She almost giggled with anticipation. "Meat, stop being rude and say hello to the general."

A massive blue form materialized slightly off to the side of the general, one arm bent with a cruel looking blade mere inches from the generals neck, the other holding a twin blade outstretched towards the door where the generals escort waited beyond. "Lo, Gen'ral" Meat seemed to say in a most satisfied way.

The general, slightly startled, took an unconsciously cautious half step backwards. His escort, sensing danger, tensed in the doorframe, weapons aimed, waiting for the slightest indication from the general. Almost aimlessly, the floating pet wandered from the corridor into the now obviously overcrowded office.
Smiling at the general, in a manner that more resembled the monstrous features of a failed breed experiment than a friendly humaniod smile, Meat relaxed his pose and lowered his blades. "Welcum."

The general glanced first at Fixerspy, whom was obviously doing her best to restrain from laughing, then at Meat and the unusual blades he carried, and finally back over his shoulder at his escort still posed, off balance to the situation, in the doorframe. "Guess that answers one question. But I'm still curious about those repairs." More relaxed now, the general eyeballed the couch again, step towards it, and settled comfortably into it.

He momentarily glanced back and forth several times between Meat and his guards. "Sorry Meat. Seems I was wrong about you." Lazily he scratched his chin as he pondered a few things. He was obviously disappointed and embarrassed by the situation. Carefully he looked at Fixerspy. "Any way I can get him to work for me?" he half joked. Amusement flared in Fixerspy's eyes. "Hee. Ask him."

"How about it, Meat?" the offer boomed, awash with warm and friendly tones, under-toned with a overpowering and commanding allure. The general obviously had some natural talent rallying the troops. The very air seemed to sparkle with the power of the invitation.

"N'thks." The respond was casual and firm.

A look of surprise and disappointment flickered in the general's eyes. "Right then. Let's get down to business. We have a lot to discuss." He glanced at Meat again. "Meat, get the door please" he said in a dismissive tone. A moment later he had to catch himself as his jaw dropped in disbelief. In a typically classic Trox style, Meat had pointed at the guards by the door with one of his blades and grunted two words "D'or. O'ut." Confused, the guards glanced from the general to Meat and back again, before one of them awkwardly and hesitantly reached for the door and pulled it shut, resigning themselves to standing guard alone. A moment later, with the guards isolated in the corridor beyond, Meat happily flopped down into one of the remaining oversized chairs spread eagle style with arms and legs dangling in every direction.

"Well I'll be damned" the general laughed.

The moment was short lived and replaced with an air of militant serious as the general turned on the couch to face Fixerspy. She recognized the mood instantly and gave a knowing glance towards Meat. It was time to put set the bullsh*ting aside and get down to it.

"Secure?"
"Yes. Very."
"Those repairs?"
"Shielding and jamming devices, designed to block radio and nano frequencies and transmissions, specifically designed to block 'death' transmissions for a prolong period of time which postpones the rezzing of anyone killed in this facility. The are effectively cut off from the net the moment the step into the complex." The general's eyebrows raised as he whistled appreciably. "Also effective at stopping becon warps, but carefully tweaked to allow outbound gridding from this location with no interference."

"A grid jammer?" The general pondered this for a moment, moved on. "How long is the rezz delay?"
"Indefinite. The lower level of the facility would have to be completely destroyed for the transmissions to reach the net. Or the dead body or a body part would have to be removed to the outside world for the nanites to complete the death notification."
"Failsafe measures?"
"Series of self sealing blast proof doors within the facility. If that fails Nukes placed on the upper levels designed to block off escape and seal this place like a tomb. The grid jammer is hidden in the complex. Of course using it would mean stranding ourselves here with whomever we were trying to stop from gridding, but we have ways of dealing with that."
"The Gas?"
"There is none. It doesn't exist in the immediately localized area at the moment." A look of shock crossed the generals face.
"How?" The general seemed none to happy that this hadn't been mentioned to him before. Cautiously he glanced sideways at Meat, whom was still happily spread eagle in his chair.

Fixerspy was tempted not to answer the generals question, but The Firm had proven itself a useful ally and haven, not to mention financing practically any whim she fancied, including this complex. "'This complex and the surrounding land are actually part of a large notum rich field. One of several that have remained undiscovered or haven't been released for official licensing and mining. We retrieved" she motioned to Meat casually "numerous remains of control towers and various other towers that had been destroyed in battles the past several months. It was a matter of finding the right components… we finally managed to assemble a hacked somewhat jury rigged mini version of a poorly working control tower and integrating it with a holo-projector to mask it's location. The auto-features which control the gas surrounding the controller don't exist. The gas can be manually controlled. 0% - 100%. So you see" she said, pointedly pushing past the alarmed objections the flustered general started to make, " what we have here at this facility is small yet highly illegal notum mining operation. Perhaps The Firm should strongly consider building its new HQ and operational support city directly above this facility? "

She reached for something under her desk, found it, and tossed it across the room and into the generals lap. Its form was small, dense, about the size of a small rough shaped egg, and it gleaming with an eerie light.
The general stared at the object in disbelief. Slowly he picked it up and examined it closer. Pure refined notum. It was worth a small fortune. "Production is limited, but we have managed to produce several dozen of those" she said casually. "Oh, and general" she added, "I'd suggest that next time you or anyone from The Firm visit, that you safely store a dna sample with precise instructions of the when and why to have it re-animated. In a worse case scenario… it would be the only way to ensure a continued existence."

Meat glanced at her and they shared a knowing glance. "Right, Meat?" He shook his head in an energetic agreement.

He was furious. She sat calmly staring at him across her desk. Meat, unaffected or uncaring of the tension that gripped the room, still sat happily with his limbs dangling about in every direction. The only indication that he cared about the goings on of the past several minutes was the silent bobbing of the heal pet that had taken up residence on Fixerspy's side of the desk.

"You know the consequences?" he asked as calmly as he could. "The entire Planet… ICC, Omni Tech, hell even the rest of the Clans would unite to destroy this complex and anyone affiliated if they ever found out."

"Yes." She answered in a calm almost casual fashion; it was not the answer he wanted to hear. Pondering the suggested safeguard against eradication, he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. If everything she told him was true, he was very, very vulnerable right now.

"Where is it?"
"In this room."
"Put the gas up. Now! All the way up. And show me."

With a fluid motion Fixerspy slid out of the chair, turned and side stepped, and walked Through the wall behind her desk. A moment later the image of the wall flickered and faded, revealing an enormous cavern, in the middle of which stood a haphazardly and ill-constructed mini control tower. Glancing up, he noticed what appeared to be a somewhat sizeable opening in the top of the cavern. "Ah…" he thought. "That must be how…A way of countering its inability to operate indoors or underground. Somehow it is operating as if it were in a natural 'depression' in the landscape."

As if to confirm his thoughts, she nodded upwards and said "force shield. And a hologram of course." He shook his head in acknowledgement. A small humming sensation filled the room as he watched the contraption slowly pulsate. After watching it for several seconds he had the growing feeling that the entire assembly would short circuit without warning at any given second, and destroy the entire complex with the resulting explosion.

Sensing his train of thought, she looking at him as she strolled back to her desk and pointedly said, "Yes. It is rigged to do that. It is the final fail safe measure."
A moment of silence passed. "Is there anything else that I should know about?"
"Actually…" she hesitated…
"Tell me." The words were spoken softly, but the command of an order to be obeyed without any disobedience was instantly clear.

Again, Fixerspy paused, considering if she should tell him everything he wanted to know. Bracing herself for the response that would be forthcoming, she slowly inhaled and released a long breath. "Please inform the board of directors that I have located a second site where a similar operation can be established. It is extremely rich in notum. So rich in fact, that one can stroll above the ground, and find rocks which can be refined using common extraction and refinement tools that can be bought in any hardware store. I would like The Firm to finance the construction of an Ultra Secure Facility at that location."

"Are you F**king nuts?"
"Depends on who you ask."
They stared intently at each other for several minutes.
"Where is it?"
"I will not reveal its location." The words were steel edged, defiant. "Finance it. I will build it. When it is complete, The Firm can have full access to this facility. Production at the new facility will be crated and escorted into the grid. It can be delivered anywhere you desire."

The general stood and paced in place momentarily. His mind reeled at the events of the last 10 minutes. The sheer gravity of the situation was staggering. Never in his wildest imagination did he think she would engage in an unauthorized undertaking so extremely dangerous. And never in his wildest dreams did he expect her to succeed so vastly beyond their expectations for this assignment. The general was racked with an unconscious shudder, and came to a new appreciation of why she had created such powerful enemies, and why she could be a useful, yet dangerous, asset to their operations.

"Restore the hologram." he said as he glanced towards the door. He waited. After a moment the wall behind Fixerspy's desk was restored and she slid back into her chair.

"We will need to proceed with the original plans in order to mask the presence and production of this facility. You Did complete the orders we assigned to you before embarking on this madness, didn't you?" The reprimand rang clear in his voice.

"Yes" she sighed with relief. Although he was clearly stressed by the revelations of the capabilities of this base, and the dire consequences that its existence could cause, he none the less appeared ready to accept it and more forward. She slid a data disc across the desk towards him. He quickly pocketed it and replaced it with one in return. Nodding, she picked it up and set it aside to review after he left.

The general glanced about the room as if to size up a situation before setting it to rest. Sighing, he held Fixerspy's gaze in silence. "An additional directive," he said nodding towards the data disc she had placed beside her data console, "not listed there: See if you can tinker and find a way to set up support towers as well." Having already anticipated this requst, she nodded in acknowledgment and slid a second data disk across to him. Pocketing it, his eyes stared to the back wall of the office and a slight smile creased his lips. Unbeknownst to the world at large, The Firm was now in possession of a base, which soon additional improvements and with a well-trained garrison of troops, could withstand the assault of all but the most determined enemy. "Indeed. Obviously a lesson learned and never forgotten. Yes?"

"Yes. Obviously." Her response assaulted him with and wrapped his senses with a coldness he had not felt in quite some time.

With a parting glance at Meat, he spun and marched to the door. "Oh… one more thing general" she said. The general pause at the door and glanced back at her. "The controller is capable of transmitting a hacked data stream. After you are safely out of the complex, the surface entrance will be sealed and the base interior locked down. Future visits will have to be made via the grid. Look around for it and you will find the correct exit on the bottom floor, near the Emergency Exit for the grid network. Of course… I'll have to transmit an encrypted code to you, naturally, for you to gain access."

The general nodded. "Prudent. I'll brief the board members of The Firm shortly. As for the rest…" his voice trailed off. He turned and left the room without another word, marching down the corridor, guards in tow. Within moments, they were gone, ascending to the upper levels.

Meat shifted in his chair, looking curiously at Fixerspy. "Go Gud?" he asked.
"Yes, Meat. It went very well" she said smiling.
"Gud Gud" he said yawning. "Me Nappy." And with that, Meat curled his dangling limbs into a ball and promptly fell asleep.

I really liked your story fixer. Don't ever defend your imagination...if people have a problem with it, as you said they can move on to the next thread. BTW do people really sell storylines on ebay? *worried*

Naw, what's the point of selling a storyline. If someone rewrites your story, that's just like two artists both painting a chicken. You can't say either artist owns the chicken. Now if someone copies it word for word, that's plagiarism.

Thanks Ivy /gives her a hug.

/looks at wool...

"dump our moms. i'm sure ivy and / or i can keep you amused, lol"


Hee. it was an ungodly hour just before the sun came up when i posted. earlier the evening before some friends had emailed me complaining about ebay... so that might have shaped my mindset.

And sound advice wool.

The view was exquisite. Doctor "Vedman" Flummer, President of 'The Firm', stood silently, arms crossed, pensively stroking his beard as he took in the view of the hustle and bustle of life in the City of Jobe below. Somehow, watching the continual hustle and bustle and the coming and goings reassured him, relaxed him, and reaffirmed, to him at least, that there was a meaning and an order to all things. A gentle cough drew his attention, momentarily distracting him away from the blissful scenery. Beside him, Ranger Damon "Kayoan" Linder, a seasoned adventurer and one of his top generals, shuffled his feet.
"Ved, we are almost ready" Kayoan said. He had the look of someone that had endured a very long and troubling day. Doubtlessly he was ready for the day to be over with, to put it behind him, and to move on to other things.
Vedman glanced at him for a moment, then returned his view to the cityscape below. "The briefings have been prepared?"
"Copies of her bio and assignments, plus status reports on the guild's ongoing projects, as well as briefings on this latest unexpected development" he assured him. "Everyone is here and waiting to start."
"Very Well." Outside the sun was setting, and the city was awash in a vibrant array of starkly contrasting hues of shades and colors. "I'll be out in a few moments."
Respectfully taking his queue, Kayon turned and quietly walked out.

************************************************** ********************************
"Hey Kayoan," Bokhylla greeted, "what the hell is going on?" Kayoan nodded acknowledgement to her, and looked at the sizeable crowd assembled around the massive conference table. It was an impressive assembly of 'The Firms' elite. Including himself, they numbered TEN all told, all highly respected members within their respective classes and professions, all highly decorated veteran warriors of the Clans. They were the generals of 'The Firm' and comprised its Board of Directors.

Kayoan shrugged his shoulders dis-heartedly in response to Bokhylla's question. "Ved will be out in a few minutes. That will be soon enough…" He made his way around the table to a chair on the end, to the left of where Ved would soon join them. Everyone had more or less taken their places, five to either side of the table. Everyone seemed to be in a light hearted mood and playful banter passed back and forth freely. 'Wonder how long that is gonna last', he thought ironically to himself. Unfortunately, he had had a wacked day, and his mood reflected it. 'Geez, you'd never know this was an emergency meeting' he joked with himself.
"Alright you wanna be tweak noobs" he called over the racket, "Listen up. Ved will be in a minute. Lets get started. Holler if you need a data disc." The banter died down somewhat as people started to settle around the table.
"Roll Call!" Several heads turned quizzically towards him.
"Criosophanes?"
"Um… er what?" a puzzled look crossed his face.
"Bokhylla?"
"Give me a break…" she rolled her eyes.
" Shodwei?"
"Since when the f*ck do we do roll call for the board?" The annoyance was clear.
"Keeprunning?"
A red cloud of nanites spamming his ncu with hots, followed by a giggle.
"Ok then, Imzar?"
"Blow me. Or duel me. This is stupid."
" Cevalt?"
"I've got your duel right here, Im. Any time." A few chuckles went around the room.
" Imnom?"
" Let's get this over with… I got a date…"
" Kylith?"
"Oo Oo Really? I'd like to see you try to get laid, lol"
" Garada?"
"Ha, when it come to Trox's… it's the cuddles that count!!!" she teased.
"All rightie then" Kayoan said as he wrapped up the call. "All present. Anyone not happy can duel me tomorrow…" Several eagerly sat up in their sets with excited looks on their faces. "But remember" he continued, "if for some god forsaken reason I actually lose to any of you… I can always sleep with your moms."

A round of laughter swept the room. A moment later Vedman entered, nodding and gesturing to the various welcomes he received, and took his place at the head of the table.

************************************************** ***************
///---Excerpt from the Clan Newbie Guidebook---///
"Assessing ones ranking within the Clans, ones Honorable Ranking or Quality Level (QL) Ranking as it is commonly called, is a complicated, interesting, and tedious process.

There are at Least 3 known recognition's given by the Clans. They are:

1) Meritorious Achievement Awards. Given in recognition of an individual citizens successful performance of freelance services rendered on behalf of and for the benefit of The Council. Every citizen, regardless of Guild affiliation (or lack there of) can support the Clans by running a mission today!

2) PVP Combat Titles. The only good omni is a dead omni! And everyone that you kill makes a difference! Grab your gear, suit up, go join your buddies, and Go Make A Difference in the battles today!

3) Quality Level (QL) Ranking. Being Clan means being Tough. Damn Tough. There is nothing harder on the planet than dedicating your life to the Clans and to the cause of freedom. It takes Grit. It takes GUTS! Determination and Hard Work. And BLOOD. But don’t despair! Keep at it and hang in there! The Council of Truth recognizes the efforts and sacrifices you make, and will reward your faith in freedom. Register with the clans and they will continuously provide you with the recognition, skills, education, and training you earned!. You will not only prosper in this harsh world, but you will flourish beyond your wildest expectations! Sign that Clan Application Form and JOIN THE CLANS TODAY!

Assessing ones ranking within a clan guild is a far easier process… Join a guild. Then do your damnest to out train, out fight, and outlive your peers. Remember, You Are Doing This For The Clans!!! That next promotion is only one tour of duty away!"
///---Clan Newbie Guidebook: Understanding the Council, Clan Paramilitary Guilds, and Your Role in Clan Society---///
************************************************** ***************

All eyes rested on Vedman as the mood started to turn somewhat serious in the room. "You know the deal. Everything about this meeting is classified and forbidden to be discussed or disseminated with anyone not present at the meeting… yada yada yada so forth and so on. If you f*ck up and let anything slip then you will auto-matically be at the top of my sh*t list and ganked repeated on a daily basis until such time as someone else f*cks up and becomes my favorite bitch." Several chuckles and smiles and knowing glances were exchanged back and forth and cackles of laughter slowly died away.

Kayoan shifted restlessly in his chair. "What do you wanna start with, Ved? The usual? Or…" His voice trailed off. The mention of the 'Or' part drew several curious glances in Kayoans direction.

"The usual" Ved replied casually. He looked at Imzar. "Imzar, Our troops? What shape are we in?" General Hattori 'Imzar' Hanzo, was the Firms most seasoned martial artist and had the highest Quality Level ranking of all the generals on the Board of Directors. With a QL of 207 awarded to him by the Council of Truth, his ranking was surpassed only by Vedman himself.

Imzar slipped a data disc into the sleek flat desktop console in front of him, and tapped several keystrokes. "Sec… I have a holorepot…"

A moment later, as the lights dimmed, the air flickered over the center of the large oval desk as the holoimage resolved itself. Imzar narrated as the images flickered in the air. "Currently we have recruited and retained over 200 members in good standing. The membership has a good mix and is representative of every profession, class, and ability. As you already know, our board is comprised of 11 members, including yourself and the 10 generals seated here this evening. " Hushed murmurs of approval and acknowledgement accompanied the overview snapshots of the guild. Then, brief images of each of the board members were illuminated. Not surprisingly, various catcalls, whistles, jibes, and jokes of an assorted 'dirty' nature passed around.

"Amongst our middle ranks and junior leadership we have a dozen commanders; 8 squad commanders and 4 unit commanders." The images of each in turn flashed over the desk, various meritorious awards, performance ratings, and campaign stats flickered beside their images. Several of the generals beamed proudly as officers assigned to the divisions they commanded received Special Honors for their achievements. A small round of cat calls, occasional applause, and energetic cries of 'Yea!' Atta Boy!' and 'Go Girl' were shared.

"Our lower ranks are comprised of 117 experienced combat troops of all types and abilities. Specifically 4 Unit leaders overseeing 113 Unit Members. Although we could use more leaders at this level, we seem to be doing very well." The banter amongst the generals became somewhat subdued as they intently watched the wide angle shots of squadrons, companies, and batteries of troops engaged in training drills and then combat activities. "Due to extended assignments in the Shadowlands, a good number of these troops are lacking an appropriate level of Meritorious Recognition by The Council of Truth for services rendered to the clan."

Ignoring several scuffed remarks and complaints, Imzar pushed on. "We have taken corrective actions, including more frequent rotation of troops and an extra week of personal down time on Rubi Ka between rotations to be use for freelancing missions on behalf of the Council." The images of their troops valor in combat faded, and was replaced by the image of a strange and unusual ship landing in the Rubi Ka wastelands. Wave after wave of alien hoards stormed from the ship. "However, due to a new threat, troops scheduled to provide freelance support to the Council has been derailed somewhat…" This last remark was received with frowns, muttered curses, and nods of dejected agreement.

The image changed again and showed the proving and training grounds of 'The Firms' Boot Camp. "Now for some really good news. New Applicants and fresh recruits. Currently we have 66 recruits applying for honorable standing amongst our ranks and will eventually be promoted to Unit Members." A few of the generals nodded their heads or made gestures of approval. "And there is the nice twist. A majority of the applicants are experienced or well experienced, and only about a third are actually novice recruits." This elicited excited mumurs of approval and several catcalls of 'yum yum fresh meat'. "In many cases, a good number of these applicants are already serving side by side with our members on one of the various war fronts."

Imzar tapped at the console. The room fell into near darkness as the holoimage faded. It took a few moments while Imzar ejected the datadisc and inserted another. "As for our ongoing frontline efforts in Rubi Ka and Shadowlands, I think the images speak for them selves." The holoimage flickered back to life and a brooding silence ensued as the mood turned deathly somber. Slowly, one after another the images revealed themselves, each more graphic and horrific in turn. Emergency reinforcement troops dispatched to the aide of their allies and engaging in pitched tower battles against Neutral and Omni forces. Lower level squads fleeing in sheer terror as their ranks broke in the face of Trash King's onslaught as he systematically pursued them and methodically ripped their bodies asunder. Squad after squad battling for survival on the brink as trains of hecklers ripped through their positions, the very ground shaking from thunderous weight of the hecklers crushing blows. Elite troops on special assignments in the Shadowlands heroically risking their lives time and again in the face of insurmountable odds and unrelenting monsters; their numbers dwindling one by one as combat looses and the extreme conditions of fire and snow took their toll, only to have the last survivors cut down within reach of completing their special mission and quest objectives.

Imzar tapped a few keys, and the images of Lord Mord convulsing in his death throes froze in midair. "Make no mistake. It is brutal, yes, but with out a doubt we have made and continue to make many qualified success's in our ongoing campaigns. To reinforce the success of those efforts, most of the generals sitting at this board have been assigned to personally assist our junior level troops in this regard. That initiative has been an enormous success."
Several of the generals nodded or smiled and beamed with pride at the recognition and were immediately assaulted with playful banter and noob jives.

Vedman coughed gently as he looked at Imzar and drew his attention. Smiling he 'yawned' to make sure the hint was taken. "Nice brief. Damn near creamed my pants its so good. Lucky for you I got laid this morning." Laughter swept the table, followed in short order by several cries of 'Azzkisser' accompanied by smooching and sucking sounds. Vedmans brow creased with a half serious thought. "Make sure we distribute that holoreport to the newbies in boot camp. Now, lets wrap it up so we can take a break before we move on to more important matters."

Imzar had been distracted trying to hold his own against the teasing jibes, playfully blowing kisses or waving his middle fingers in response to various comments. His ncu uploaded several 'pawn you' messages and he quickly replied with confirmation for the requested duel dates. Another cough from Vedman drew his attention again. "Right boss" he said, nodding, and tapped the console again.

"This is nothing new… as most of us were there at the time. But we have acquired a visual and audio recording that was taken by one of the Omni Tek orbital surveillance satellites some months ago when the aliens first arrived." The holoimage showed a high altitude panoramic view of the landscape of Rubi Ka. In the middle of the image a fierce battle was raging as several hundred (A thousand? More?) troops from many guilds of all factions contested each other for control of notum land. They looked like ants scurrying blindly in and amongst the towers as waves of troops dashed towards each other, collided, broke apart and regrouped. Flashes of light arched relentless, violently, as nukes and other nano programs were unleashed, ripping the skies asunder. The sounds of semi automatic and automatic gunfire, complemented with the continuous crescendo of nukes and explosions, barely masked the screams of panic and pain, of fear and the numerous rattles of death.

In the far distance several strange and unusual ships flew through the air towards the battle and started to slowly descend through the air, unnoticed by the various forces engaged in a conquest of dominance with each other. Unexpectantly all the battle-com frequencies where jammed and then replaced by a planetary wide emergency alert broadcast, and the battle fell away into confusion and died.

Suddenly the images were torn and ripped by static. Its last several moments showed the confused and chaotic efforts of the humaniod warriors as they struggled to comprehend the situation. Frantically they tried to regroup and then brace themselves against the charging attack of the seemingly endless droves of aliens racing towards them from every direction. They were quickly mercilessly overwhelmed and their positions overrun, as the aliens washed over them in a unrelenting tide. The image crackled and hissed, briefly showing scenes of a hellacious battle the likes of which had never been seen before… and then the recorded image went blank, presumably as the OT surveillance satellite was destroyed.

The room remained in darkness for a moment. A few muttered curses and sighs of remembered pain. Others, clenching their jaws and staring at the walls, the floor, or their hands, sat in silence. They each, in a very personal way, continued to deal with the memory of that day. Everyone, Everwhere, remembered that day, all too well… it was an unprecedented day as the factional wars were completely forgotten and Clan fought side by side with Omni Tech and the Neutrals as true brethren. …

It was the day the planet nearly fell.

The lights turned back up as the holoimage blinked off. Vedman pressed and held a button on his console, holding open a com channel. "Lebonnier… this is Ved. Do me a favor. Drop what ever you are doing and find a burger bar." He looked at the restless and somewhat agitated and bored group seated around the room. "Dinner for 12. Half a dozen of everything. Oh… and as many bottles of something from a bar…" A moment passed before a response was keyed. "O'k" Leb grunted. A very distinct bone crushing whacking sound was heard, followed by the screams of some creature. "Be ah min. Dyna B'ss."

A short while later, he arrived.




More of Chapter 2 later... 'Yawn' I'm tired. lol. And er... Meats story might get pushed back to chapter 4... maybe.

Laters.

Note: this post will be deleted and replace when I post more of the story.

Moving it end of postings...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fixerspy

Hope you enjoyed Chapter 1. If not… go read someone else's thread. 

Forthcoming will be Chapters 2 and 3. Chapter 2 (unless I get side tracked or change my mind, will be semi action filled with some tech nerd logistical stuff tossed in describing a Major Tower Battle. Also some plot development for characters and several Guilds that will be mentioned in passing. Chapter 3 and I am itching to Write! It will describe in some detail the origins of Meat, and the roots of his friendship with Fixerspy. Should have Tons of drama, action, omfg cry your heart out plot twist.

As for when (or if) I will find time to write and post these chapters… your guess is as good as mine. Hopefully before the servers are shut down, at any rate. Subscribe to the thread, and you will be able to easily check for updates and the weeks, months, or years roll on…

Disclaimer: Yes, I have taken certain creative liberties in including ingame dynamics into this storyline. Some of the dynamics I stretched or bent. Others I broke. Deal with it, it is a Story FFS. Fixerspy is an actual toon ingame, played by ME. 'The Firm' is an actual guild ingame, of which I am currently an Applicant (and have been for some months, lol). Certain liberties were taken in describing the nature of my relationship with them. Yes, I am somewhat of a rogue character ingame. My actions ingame most often times Are Not at the direction or behest of any Power other than my own… but if I happen to like or agree with something, or if something irks me and pisses me off… I am prone to do something about it without the prior knowledge or consent of other Powers in game. Therefore, do not take the plot or creative liberties of this story as an indication that 'The Firm' or any of its members know of, consent, or in anyway approve of this story, its plot, or my actions, igname or out. 'Harbingers of the Void' was an actual guild, which I ran for an extended period of time, now demised. At its peak of power it had some 90ish odd toons on rollcall and 3 lower level tower sites. And yes, the Guild was destroyed 'overnight' after several continuous and massive attacks wiped out our towers. Of course… it didn't help matters much when a few days later in RL I had to leave the game for an extended period of time for work and travel. So… without a leader, and smoldering in ruins, the membership scattered to the four winds. Meat is an Atrox Agent toon currently under development, but has a different name in game. The ingame name of Meat is strictly reserved to whom ever was lucky enough to nab it first (you lucky bastard!) and is in no way affiliated or to be confused with the character of Meat described in this story thread. As I authored and created this story line, I categorically and in every way conceivable claim it as a work of my own, all rights reserved, etc. etc. and steadfastly refute, refuse, denounce, and decry portrayals, attempts, or claims of rights and or ownership, etc. etc. by any other parties. And since it is posted on a public forum… read it, enjoy it, email it to your friends if you think it will get them interested in the game, or in any other way promote it as you see fit without profiting from it (please don't piss me off by selling copies of this or any AO storyline on ebay unless YOU authored it), qualified exception to funcom of course being the only entity allowed to profit (via the selling of game subscriptions). And thanks in advance for refraining from bashing it.

GMs and Arks… If I have unknowingly or unwittingly violated the EULA with these remarks, please don't kill the thread. Send me a PM and I can modify as appropriate. Everyone else can byte me.

Anarchy Online, Notum Wars, ShadowLands, and Alien Invasion trademarks, software, and online game are the exclusive property of Funcom, all rights reserved, yada yada yada.

/me pays homeage to the corporate god and wonders if i can stop kissing yet...

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oops. screwed up my posting.

nothing to see here... move along...

Does this girl -ever- get writer's block? O.O

fixerspy <3