Through the looking glass - Part I

[Xaun]

{Preface

This is a continuation of the story in Vixentrox's Marooned thread. I have decided to continue it here but if you have not read that one previously you might be a tad confused on things.. I am writing this some what as a finale and a tribute to the fantastic RPers and PVPers I have had the honor of playing with over the years since launch.

There are news headlines interspersed with the story and are relative to the time periods of the following segment unless dated.. I have tried to work them in to the actual story as one part dating the story arcs but also to show some of the new and future ARK teams and RPers where our roots are and the fun we've had over the years. As with the original thread the things that are "current" or following Xaun's time in the source after being assassinated are written in italics.. and I have tried to put the date along with them. ... keep in mind all of this is the past.. 2 years ago or more depending on what you are reading.. the rest is a history of Xaun's life.. her beginning.. and maybe her ending..

This game has a lot of history and fantastic intrigues over the years and I have been fortunate enough to be a part of them. So I hope you all enjoy this story as of current offline 18 pages to upload slowly as I refine them for posting.

~Cheers
Player of Xaun}

The Council of Truth/Dust Brigade Link - Myth or Fact?
Oa Kieretsu

Newland City -- (IRRK) -- Dust to Dust. Those three words have terrorized Rubi-Ka for over two years, and though Omni-Tek departments have often claimed that evidence exists linking the Dust Brigade to the Council of Truth, is this link fact, or nothing more than a smear campaign?

The Past

On December 18, 29475, Rubi-Ka Headline Services (RKHS) first <Interact with the Info button now to learn more> broke the news that a transmission had been intercepted from a previously-dormant sect of social extremists calling themselves the "Dust Brigade", who originally earned a degree of infamy for the "Black October" attack of October 7, 29466, during Rubi-Ka’s third civil war. It was on this day that "more than fourteen hundred Omni-Tek soldiers were massacred, and their insurance patterns sabotaged."

However, in the months following their initial appearance, the Dust Brigade was believed to have been suppressed, as a result of a two-pronged effort by the Council of Truth to curtail the extremist clans within their ranks and massive manhunts by Omni-Tek to root out the personnel involved. It wasn’t until RKHS broke the intercepted transmission story that speculation of their rebirth began to rage.

Almost immediately after the RKHS announcement, spokespersons from both the Council of Truth and Omni-Tek Corp...

Fixietrox shut the holo-news feed off in the small flat in West Athens.. "How much more of the nonsense can you stand to listen to?" he questioned just as the maturing solitus youth before him stood to fix the interruption in her down time..
"I was watching that..." Xaun stated while reaching for the control.
"Yeah but I have something more important than who killed a bunch of omni's... they're dead right?" he quickly passed before continuing to speak.. "Remember that guy I was telling you about? He knew how to juice implants? Well he showed me a few things about it.. I think we can maximize our effectiveness by using them.. And they are better than safe now as you know.. and you'll get more use out of them for now than those sym-bio-tical.. things you got in you now.." he carried on explaining in great detail the new breakthroughs in juicing..
"I dunno.. it sounds good.. but.. I hate needles.. and surgical procedures..even simple 'implant' ones.." she said with a queasy tone.. "Beside.. didn't I just get this last process done? These cost a fortune as it was.."
"I have it all covered already he owed me a favor and I took the liberty of gettin you a set." Fixie stated as he presented a small card chip to a local clinic for the procedure as Kabulla suddenly burst through the door behind them..
"Whoah you weren't kidding about those implants.. I just got done downing two mines in half the time. My scrawny little atrox gene mate that was intense!" He boasted as he grappled Fixie's head in a lock.
"Yeah I was just trying to convince the skittish Solitus to give them a shot.." Fixie teased.. knowing it would have the desired outcome.. stubborn, yep she was predictably that..
"You don't have to convince me at all.. I already made up my mind.." she stated with a snap as she took the card firmly in her hand and smiled to herself..
"What do you think about these "Dust Brigader's?" she questioned Kabulla with a quirk to her right brow.. "Heard anything about them at the Silos?"
"Just rumors is all.. nuthin more than the next Trox waiting for lunch break.. I was thinking about joining the Unionists.. They seem to cover our 'assets'.. more than other clan reps.." He continued in his usual pattern of mixed thoughts..
"Well I would wait before just joining anything we still haven't finished our J.A.M.E. contract yet.. and you know how them scientists get when you botch a test.. they wave thier hands around and then start making promises of great treasures and wave that bracer in your face.. " Fixietrox chuckled to himself as he imitated Dr. Drake, the snake... as he liked to call him behind his back since there were always so many shining coilers nearby.
"Fixietrox oh by the way you might want to stop by The Happy Rebel' tonight.. I hear the gang is planning to get down and silly to celebrate omni getting blown up..." Kabulla points out as he stands checking out his own rear in the mirror.. again..
"Neither of you can ever pass up a chance to put on your thongs in public can you?" She questioned giggling to herself..
"Nope!" the said vehemently in unison..

12-27-29480
Her final thrust upward with her palm in to the creatures throat seems to crush it causing it to fall lifelessly to the ground.. she walks over to it's companion and pulls her sword from it's chest..
"Damn thing.. it tried to break it.." she thinks to herself as she wipes the blood on a bit of algae growing in a small top lit room.. She tilts her head upward but something about the way the beams and glittering of the particles from the mushrooms seems to cause time to slow.. Inward.. the majesty of the light causes her mind to recoil as she remembers..

Despite the fact that it is 29478 and has now been over a year since Omni-Pol abandoned its investigation into the alleged links between the Council of Truth and the Dust Brigade, speculation as to the exact truth behind the entire sordid affair still plague the planet’s collective consciousness. This speculation, and the debate evolving there from, has recently been rekindled with the return of Henry Radiman and the revival of the Council of Truth movement. Moreover, rumors have recently surfaced suggesting that Commander "Caid" Notoris, an advisor of clan First Light, is an operative with the Dust Brigade who has already been implicated in attacks on Omni-Tek interests.

"Rumors are rumors." Caid replied in a recent interview. "I will say though, that I cannot comment without further retaliation from outside sources." Mr. Notoris declined to elaborate further on who these "outside sources" might be. "I've had a lot of bad rap from people in the past. Red Freedom, Dust, and every other name under the suns. Still, the fact of the matter remains: my goals to revive the Council of Truth and its democracy are still true. There’s already been a few campaigns to discredit the Council of Truth, for example, the warrants out for the Clerical Staff [issued by Omni-Pol]."

Another member of the Council of Truth clerical staff, Jenae "Tussa" Godfree, President of clan Assembly, had this to say about Mr. Notoris' rumored ties to the Dust Brigade: "Commander Caid has my fullest support and my friendship. I do not believe the allegations made against him."

Mr. Notoris made mention of "campaigns to discredit the Council of Truth", which seemed to be echoed when Ms. Godfree was asked for her opinion as to the source of the rumors and speculation revolving around the Council’s alleged ties to the Dust Brigade.

"The rumors, and I believe they are nothing but rumors, about Henry having connections to the Dust Brigade is merely stories that are meant to hurt his reputation. I'm not implying Omni-Tek. I am just saying that it would be very convenient for some if Henry Radiman was actually linked to the Dust Brigade. Personally, I have no reason to doubt Mr. Radiman. I would rather think that the clans' adversaries are behind this, to bring his name in the dirt and make the clans doubt him."

Ms. Godfree, when asked whether or not she believes an Omni-Tek department is behind the circulation of these rumors, immediately pointed the finger at Omni-InternOps, and specifically, General Nathan "Ammicus" Age.

"I know that man and his staff are capable of most anything.."

The power from the entire grid network cuts out leaving a dark room with a small group of people previously playing a game of pool in the dark..

Static fills the screen as the entire node resets the 8 occupants heading out doors in the night air to see what can be seen in the sky.. "What was that?" Several of them state at various times and tones each no more clued in than the next.
"I hear an alarm in the distance.. you think there is trouble in the next block?" Xaun spoke out to the others in the dark.
"It seems to be coming from near the grid.. " Kabulla states grabbing his 'necessities'..
"Yeah I think we should check it out.." Fixietrox agrees reading himself along with the rest.
Moments later the group rounds a corner where the grid terminal can be seen being being assaulted by unknowns..
"My leg.. " screams someone near a fire in the distance.
"Quick, try to get to the injured" Xaun leads making a path out of sight of the ghosts in the night. The scene a disaster and the fight already done they quickly disperse and try to aid those they can. How powerless they all felt arriving to late.. they knew there would be a lot of reconstruction in the morning.. the expressions on everyone's faces as they tried to take stock of what might be lost and what happened. The war is always best in far away places.. never forget.. never forgive..

12-27-29480
The darkness creeps back from the blurr as she regains her focus.. stumbling back in to the darkness.. she was deep in Shadowlands and the calling from within beckoned her deeper.. so she travels.. Alone.. The keeper slowly peeks around the corner in the dark tunnel. The sweat trickling down between her body and her armor. She scrunches her nose as a draft from the opening behind her carries the stench of death from the Unredeemed she slew getting here from there.

Thinking to herself.. "wow those things stink.."
A rumbling in the dark catches her unaware and sends her flying back in to the far wall.. the crunch in her side tells her something broke.. the shooting pain lets her know it was a rib.. but the massive trauma to the head following her landing causes everything to go black.