Interview with The Nanomage Liberation Front
June 05, 29481 - Andolina "Nukinuke" Timor [Atlantean]
IRRK Freelance - This is quiet an unusual interview for me, but I must say lucky as I do not often get a chance to get out and meet new people. Particularly those I’ve only heard of in the news, without being able to gather my own opinions. Fortunately, recently I was given such a chance to speak to a member of the Nanomage Liberation Front. To some people, they are terrorist and to others freedom fighters. I believe in the free press, and as such, I will let you decide that for yourself. This is the IRRK and not OTPC or the FJRK after all.
I have to admit, the tales I had heard about these ‘mages had me a little worried at first. What is it they wanted to speak to me about? Why me? But they assured my safety so after some closed communications a meeting was arranged. And nervously I arrived at the desired co-ordinates.
It was strange I first thought, meeting in a place so well known as the Notum Tree. But here we were. After exchanging pleasantries, I turned and looked at the Notum Tree, and decided to break they ice.
“Magnificent isn’t it?” I said, forgetting the company, which I was with and just taking in the beautiful surroundings I was in.
“That it is. And it’s also why we are here” she said, as I looked at her puzzled and the larger, and rather annoyed looking demon behind her.
“The Notum Tree is very special; it’s tied directly to the heart of Mother-Ka. Its roots tap the very veins of Notum deep within the planet, and stretch out with it to every part of this world. And with it, stretching out like the branches you see here, to every one of her children”.
“Her children?” I enquired.
“Yes, Mother-Ka’s children, the nanomages. We are dependent on her for our very lifeblood. Without her and the essence of her spirit which we receive through the Notum we would perish”, she continued, strongly believing in what she was saying with conviction. Her eyes glimpsing every so often nervously to the demon, which seemed to have a cross between frustrated and hungry look across its face.
“Interesting, I hadn’t heard of Mother-ka before”, I commented...which seemed to almost make the lady snort in possible annoyance, and the demon hiss momentarily before a quick glimpse of her eyes towards it made it seemingly jump back into being well behaved. Almost as if it wasn’t necessarily following her control all the time.
“She is all, she is everything. She is our very life. Without what many see as just a mining opportunity we will merely die a painful death. That is what all these miners are doing to us as they steal the lifeblood of Mother-ka” she continued to say.
“And this is why you fight the war which you are on against the miners?” I questioned.
“Yes, the miners must be stopped before they kill every last one of us. We can not allow them to exterminate our people” she finished.
“Thank you, I had no idea the situation was so bad?” I informed her before I expressed my fears of being harmed by her and those who many consider terrorists. Yet the woman just smiled and said I had nothing to fear from the Front as, I was a ‘mage like them. And although not a part of their “family” as they liked to call it. I was a true citizen of Rubi-ka, and one who they can never hurt. Strangely enough, I got a warm feeling of this of trust. Even after the hostile tone of what she had just discussed. I felt they did have a heart. And these “terrorists” are a lot more complex than many seem to believe. As I was leaving, she handed me a holo-recording and a small note and smiled. The demon merely turned, scowled and followed on behind her as if it was only acting to follow her will and did in fact have its own motivation for something else planned.
Once I was back home at my apartment in Newland, I was able to play the recording...
“Greeting Rubi-ka.” Said a female nanomage. She was located in a dark room, possibly some kind of bunker it seemed. There was a group of other nanomages in the background along with a tall solitus man on his knees below the group, wearing just ragged clothes.
“Obviously, it seems you haven’t been listening to our request to leave Rubi-ka. And cease mining or face the consequences. In fact, it seems that instead of listening you have instead moved forth to try and cause further harm to ever nanomage on this world though the release of this heinous virus crafted by this sick individual” she continued as she pointed to the solitus man on his knees on the floor.
“ His actions cannot be tolerated, as will the actions of all those who support mining and are endangering the life of every nanomage on this planet”. She turned and looked at a male nanomage behind her, and asked “do we have his reclaim details?”
“Yessss ma’am” the strange male hissed from a very ugly helmet he had on. She merely nodded to him as if a command and he held forth a holo-disc which must of held the reclaim information which the male ‘mage caused to spontaneously combust in a fireball, leaving nothing but dust.
The woman turned to face the solitus male...and asked him a question.
“Where is the information on this virus?” she asked him in a very hostile tone. The man spluttered and coughed up blood, obviously suffering greatly from some kind of drug.
“Secure data cluster” he coughed.
“Where?!” she howled at him.
“Head implant” he coughed as spitting out more blood onto the floor. There seemed to be some kind of pause in the room. She looked at another nanomage male nearby with a sword, and who was holding some bottle of some strange liquid. She merely nodded at him and he quickly swung the sword with conviction and searing hatred it seemed, and a splatter of blood flew up the walls and at the holo-camera. A quick burst of healing nano programs, and the male nanomage with the sword, resting it down so the blood could drip down from the blade, learned in and tried to administer some of the strange potion, or brew, or whatever was in the bottle. Healing nano programmed continued to buzz around the room as what looks like a small child, although extremely nervous went forth towards the solitus.
A moment later the child ran off somewhere with the wrenching sound coming from the background. Obviously the sight of what was occurring was too much for him. Another female nanomage, quiet small this time holds something up and begins to tamper with it. As the camera is still quiet blurred it hard to see, but it looks as though it could be the head implant that was mentioned, and the lady was doing some connection to it with some kind hacking device.
The first lady turned back towards the camera and a hand appeared from one side and attempted briefly to clean up some of the blood.
“Due to your inaction and lack of co-operation. We shall now be forced to make good on our threats and will from this point forth, for the next thirty days reign terror and devastation down upon those who stand in our path and endanger nanomage life” she continued and stared at the camera for the holo-recording.
“Till all are free!” she said as the camera was switched off.
What could I do? I sat their stunned looking at the screen of my holo-player in my apartment. I opened the accompanying note, which came with the holo-disc and read it aloud...
“May we thank those kind enough to give Timmy blood recently. It was of great use while formulating a cure for Tindamir’s virus”...an odd message, I wonder what they mean by it I pondered a moment.
Although I understand their seemingly peaceful goals, to save the nanomage population from the hazards of over mining. Will a reign of terror be the only way? I really couldn’t comment. I am just here to report the news and let the world decide. Such hard times it seems lay ahead...and bloody it would also seem.