Story Introductions
- Thread starter FMJ
- Start date
FMJ
Technical Senior
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FMJ
Technical Senior
I'm not sure if you have seen the two stories posted previously that lead us to "Introductions" or not.
They are "It Just Started Making this Strange Noise" and "Serious Protection", links to both of which appear below.
Reading those stories may clarify things somewhat. Sorry for the confusion. Moar to come.
Links: http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?520432-Serious-Protection
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?515365-It-Just-Started-Making-This-Strange-Noise
They are "It Just Started Making this Strange Noise" and "Serious Protection", links to both of which appear below.
Reading those stories may clarify things somewhat. Sorry for the confusion. Moar to come.
Links: http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?520432-Serious-Protection
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?515365-It-Just-Started-Making-This-Strange-Noise
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FMJ
Technical Senior
“Your Centurion?” Pop asked incredulously. “Does it have a designation?”
“Yes, he is D4MNC8, and you are?” the Colonel inquired.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Pete McCready, proprietor of Pop’s Garage and this is Mabel Finn, my good friend and bookkeeper. You’ll have to forgive us, but it’s really been quite a day. By the way, everybody calls me, Pop. Would you like an ice-cold grape or orange soda while you wait, Colonel?”
"No, no thank you. As soon as the person I’m meeting here arrives, we’ll be leaving.”
“You look so familiar,” Mabel remarked. “Have we met before? I run the beauty shop here in town. It’s called Focus on You,” Mabel offered hopefully.
“No, I’m quite certain we have not and the current state of affairs leaves me little time for the extravagance of beauty treatment,” the Colonel replied morosely.
“Is your Centurion a sentient machine?” Pop asked with interest. “I’ve worked on Knights before but never a Centurion.”
Dominic responded eagerly through the Colonel’s comm link, “I have never been considered a sentient before. I believe I like this person.”
“Oh Lord, I will never hear the end of this now. Alright! Pete McCready, Dominic. Dominic, Pete McCready, but everybody calls him, Pop,” the Colonel cried in exasperation.
“Yes, he is D4MNC8, and you are?” the Colonel inquired.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Pete McCready, proprietor of Pop’s Garage and this is Mabel Finn, my good friend and bookkeeper. You’ll have to forgive us, but it’s really been quite a day. By the way, everybody calls me, Pop. Would you like an ice-cold grape or orange soda while you wait, Colonel?”
"No, no thank you. As soon as the person I’m meeting here arrives, we’ll be leaving.”
“You look so familiar,” Mabel remarked. “Have we met before? I run the beauty shop here in town. It’s called Focus on You,” Mabel offered hopefully.
“No, I’m quite certain we have not and the current state of affairs leaves me little time for the extravagance of beauty treatment,” the Colonel replied morosely.
“Is your Centurion a sentient machine?” Pop asked with interest. “I’ve worked on Knights before but never a Centurion.”
Dominic responded eagerly through the Colonel’s comm link, “I have never been considered a sentient before. I believe I like this person.”
“Oh Lord, I will never hear the end of this now. Alright! Pete McCready, Dominic. Dominic, Pete McCready, but everybody calls him, Pop,” the Colonel cried in exasperation.
FMJ
Technical Senior
A powerful voice with deep warm tones rumbled within the great machine, “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Pete McCready. I am one of seven third echelon heavy warriors currently on the surface of this planet and I am a fourteenth order artificial intellect.”
“Fourteenth order? Why, that’s incredible! Do you need anything that I can help you with before you leave? And please, just call me Pop.”
“No, Pop. I just completed depot maintenance and system up-grades twenty-one standard days ago and all my diagnostics are well within green zones. What were the designations of the Knights you performed maintenance for?” the machine asked with interest.
“M2GNS8, Magnus is the Knight I am most familiar with. I did a weapons upgrade on him that added a rotary loader for exotics and a power upgrade,” Pop explained. “I am curious though about how a fourteenth order AI differs from a twelfth order?”
“Well, I can curse fluently in eight modern languages and three ancient ones,” Dominic replied in perfect dead-pan response and waited.
Pop’s mouth fell open in astonishment as he turned to look squarely into the monitor on the Centurion’s control console. “No! Seriously? Ha! It's a joke! And I was the straight man, too! Humor!” Pop laughs slapping his knee.
Mabel shook her head and took the Colonel gently by the arm and steered her towards the rocking chairs, “Let’s just let the boys talk for a bit shall we. You were saying you were meeting someone. Do you know when they are due to arrive? Are you sure you wouldn’t like something cold to drink while you wait?” Mabel asked trying to be the gracious hostess.
“Fourteenth order? Why, that’s incredible! Do you need anything that I can help you with before you leave? And please, just call me Pop.”
“No, Pop. I just completed depot maintenance and system up-grades twenty-one standard days ago and all my diagnostics are well within green zones. What were the designations of the Knights you performed maintenance for?” the machine asked with interest.
“M2GNS8, Magnus is the Knight I am most familiar with. I did a weapons upgrade on him that added a rotary loader for exotics and a power upgrade,” Pop explained. “I am curious though about how a fourteenth order AI differs from a twelfth order?”
“Well, I can curse fluently in eight modern languages and three ancient ones,” Dominic replied in perfect dead-pan response and waited.
Pop’s mouth fell open in astonishment as he turned to look squarely into the monitor on the Centurion’s control console. “No! Seriously? Ha! It's a joke! And I was the straight man, too! Humor!” Pop laughs slapping his knee.
Mabel shook her head and took the Colonel gently by the arm and steered her towards the rocking chairs, “Let’s just let the boys talk for a bit shall we. You were saying you were meeting someone. Do you know when they are due to arrive? Are you sure you wouldn’t like something cold to drink while you wait?” Mabel asked trying to be the gracious hostess.
FMJ
Technical Senior
“The person I’m meeting should be here in just a few minutes and then we must be leaving,” the Colonel said apologetically checking a complex looking chronometer on her wrist.
“I see..., oh, have you eaten? Mabel inquired. Pete and I have a fried chicken dinner here every Thursday night. We’ve already finished and there’s still plenty left,” Mabel offered hopefully.
“No, thank you, I really shouldn’t. I..., did you say, fried chicken? With that crispy coating?” the Colonel asked wistfully, her mouth starting to water.
“Yes, extra crispy and potato salad with fresh rolls and butter, too. Let me fix you a plate and if your friend shows up before you finish, you can just take it with you,” Mabel added kindly.
As Mabel rose to fetch Colonel Temple a plate, a small, electric public vehicle rolled silently up the driveway with the trade name AutoCar written down the side in large bold letters. It stopped under the edge of the canopy and a man with short white hair wearing civilian clothes got out with a large military gear bag.
Its assignment completed, the self-directing AutoCar slowly turned around and trundled back down the driveway to return from the direction it had come.
The Colonel jumped to her feet, walked quickly to the white-haired man and came to a smart salute saying, “Good evening, Sir. It’s good to see you again. I assume we will be leaving shortly?”
“I see..., oh, have you eaten? Mabel inquired. Pete and I have a fried chicken dinner here every Thursday night. We’ve already finished and there’s still plenty left,” Mabel offered hopefully.
“No, thank you, I really shouldn’t. I..., did you say, fried chicken? With that crispy coating?” the Colonel asked wistfully, her mouth starting to water.
“Yes, extra crispy and potato salad with fresh rolls and butter, too. Let me fix you a plate and if your friend shows up before you finish, you can just take it with you,” Mabel added kindly.
As Mabel rose to fetch Colonel Temple a plate, a small, electric public vehicle rolled silently up the driveway with the trade name AutoCar written down the side in large bold letters. It stopped under the edge of the canopy and a man with short white hair wearing civilian clothes got out with a large military gear bag.
Its assignment completed, the self-directing AutoCar slowly turned around and trundled back down the driveway to return from the direction it had come.
The Colonel jumped to her feet, walked quickly to the white-haired man and came to a smart salute saying, “Good evening, Sir. It’s good to see you again. I assume we will be leaving shortly?”
FMJ
Technical Senior
“At ease, Colonel. We have some important business to conduct here first,” the General replied carrying his gear bag inside the open service bay door. “Has everyone arrived?”
“I don’t understand whom you mean, General. The only other people here besides us are the owner of this garage and his lady bookkeeper,” Colonel Temple replied in confusion. “Whom else were you referring to...,”
The Colonel’s head snapped towards the dark interstate highway in the distance as the shrill whine of electric motors wound quickly down as a machine took the exit ramp off the interstate, then rose to a shriek as the machine shot out of the tunnel and drifted into the driveway with a spray of gravel.
No sooner had the exotic sports car come to rest than the door popped open and a pretty blonde-haired girl jumped out calling, “Pop, Mabel? I got here as soon as I could. Is everything alright?”
“Now, everyone is here,” the General smiled, rubbing his hands together briskly.
“I don’t understand whom you mean, General. The only other people here besides us are the owner of this garage and his lady bookkeeper,” Colonel Temple replied in confusion. “Whom else were you referring to...,”
The Colonel’s head snapped towards the dark interstate highway in the distance as the shrill whine of electric motors wound quickly down as a machine took the exit ramp off the interstate, then rose to a shriek as the machine shot out of the tunnel and drifted into the driveway with a spray of gravel.
No sooner had the exotic sports car come to rest than the door popped open and a pretty blonde-haired girl jumped out calling, “Pop, Mabel? I got here as soon as I could. Is everything alright?”
“Now, everyone is here,” the General smiled, rubbing his hands together briskly.
FMJ
Technical Senior
When Pop and Mabel heard the unmistakable sound of the Cerulean Knight tearing into the driveway, they came at a run. Lizzy sprinted up the driveway towards the garage confused and anxious about the urgent summons she received and the huge TVS Centurion blocking the driveway.
The epicenter of the meeting was directly in front of the open service bay door when Lizzy skidded to a stop facing Colonel Temple and the General uncertainly. Her face rapidly registered recognition and fear as she looked between their faces until Pop and Mabel arrived a moment later. Relief flooded through her when she saw they were unharmed but curiosity rapidly took its place.
“Mom..., I..., I don’t understand. I received an urgent directive to come here as quickly as possible. What’s going on?” Lizzy stammered.
“Hello, Mike. It’s good to see you again,” Pop grinned as he greeted the General while Mabel looked on curiously.
The epicenter of the meeting was directly in front of the open service bay door when Lizzy skidded to a stop facing Colonel Temple and the General uncertainly. Her face rapidly registered recognition and fear as she looked between their faces until Pop and Mabel arrived a moment later. Relief flooded through her when she saw they were unharmed but curiosity rapidly took its place.
“Mom..., I..., I don’t understand. I received an urgent directive to come here as quickly as possible. What’s going on?” Lizzy stammered.
“Hello, Mike. It’s good to see you again,” Pop grinned as he greeted the General while Mabel looked on curiously.
GrewUpErie
Quilter
Thank you.
Dumb Blonde
Contributing Member
OK, so don't leave us hanging.... Moar please!
FMJ
Technical Senior
The General, who had kept his silence through these revelations cleared his throat to gain their attention.
“I suppose introductions are in order, I am General Mike McCready commanding officer of the TVS Orbital Weapons Platform. This young lady to my right is Colonel Jennifer Temple, the commanding officer of North American Tactical and pilot of the imposing Centurion, D4MNC8 behind me. This beautiful girl on my left is Captain Elizabeth Temple, the notorious pilot of the Cerulean Knight, M2GNS8, Victor of the Battle of Warm Springs. Elizabeth, or Lizzy as you prefer to be called I am told, Colonel Temple is my daughter, so that makes me your grandfather. This gentleman with the huge grin here is Pete McCready, my father. That makes him your great grandfather. I trust you are already acquainted with the gracious, Miss Mabel Finn.
The General waited until the happy shocked assembly had quieted somewhat before somberly beginning again,
“I’m sorry to say that the reason I have called us all together on such short notice and in such secrecy, is not a happy one. Unfortunately, the conflict with the Strax has taken an entirely unanticipated turn for the worse.”
“I suppose introductions are in order, I am General Mike McCready commanding officer of the TVS Orbital Weapons Platform. This young lady to my right is Colonel Jennifer Temple, the commanding officer of North American Tactical and pilot of the imposing Centurion, D4MNC8 behind me. This beautiful girl on my left is Captain Elizabeth Temple, the notorious pilot of the Cerulean Knight, M2GNS8, Victor of the Battle of Warm Springs. Elizabeth, or Lizzy as you prefer to be called I am told, Colonel Temple is my daughter, so that makes me your grandfather. This gentleman with the huge grin here is Pete McCready, my father. That makes him your great grandfather. I trust you are already acquainted with the gracious, Miss Mabel Finn.
The General waited until the happy shocked assembly had quieted somewhat before somberly beginning again,
“I’m sorry to say that the reason I have called us all together on such short notice and in such secrecy, is not a happy one. Unfortunately, the conflict with the Strax has taken an entirely unanticipated turn for the worse.”
FMJ
Technical Senior
“A story was passed down by word of mouth on several different worlds of an intelligent race who was enslaved and almost exterminated several hundred years ago by ruthless alien invaders. Due to the passage of time, it was largely relegated to myth and legend until an exploration vessel from a consortium world discovered the dead ruined planet of a race called the Phylaetia.”
“As near as we have been able to determine, the invaders cut deep channels into the planet’s crust to extract raw materials using some highly destructive vapor deposition mining process that ravaged the land while polluting the air and water and ultimately destroying the ecosystem.”
“A zenoarchaeological research team dispatched to the Phylaetian planet discovered a site where a device of immense power was constructed. It would seem the dying remnant of the Phylaetian race was capable of constructing a weapon possessing the power to utterly destroy a world utilizing a mechanism we have as yet been unable to comprehend. Not knowing how far this weapon might have to travel or how much time might pass before it could complete its mission, they built it to be virtually eternal.”
“As near as we have been able to determine, the invaders cut deep channels into the planet’s crust to extract raw materials using some highly destructive vapor deposition mining process that ravaged the land while polluting the air and water and ultimately destroying the ecosystem.”
“A zenoarchaeological research team dispatched to the Phylaetian planet discovered a site where a device of immense power was constructed. It would seem the dying remnant of the Phylaetian race was capable of constructing a weapon possessing the power to utterly destroy a world utilizing a mechanism we have as yet been unable to comprehend. Not knowing how far this weapon might have to travel or how much time might pass before it could complete its mission, they built it to be virtually eternal.”
FMJ
Technical Senior
"In their last dying act, they made the weapon self-aware and sent it out into the void to seek out the home of the alien invaders that destroyed their world. Alien invaders we have positively identified as the Strax."
“A deep space transit photometry scan discovered this weapon drifting inert almost a light year away from the Phylaetian home world and if this was the end of the story, it would have only been an interesting foot note in some Xenoarchaeology newsletter.”
“However, I now have information that the weapon recently activated some sort of engine that appears to distort space around it while generating thrust. In another five standard days at its current rate of acceleration, we won’t be able to catch it, and that’s providing we had a ship out there to give chase, which we don’t.”
“If it continues to accelerate on the present vector, it will arrive here, in-system, in less than six months traveling at a significant fraction of the speed of light carrying what is theorized to be an ultimate weapon.”
“Xenoarchaeology teams are continuing their research at the site where it was built in the hopes they may understand the alien mechanism and discover a means to abort it. However, if all our efforts to mitigate this threat are unsuccessful, our only remaining course of action will be an exodus from the planet. We have about five and a half months, give or take a week.”
“A deep space transit photometry scan discovered this weapon drifting inert almost a light year away from the Phylaetian home world and if this was the end of the story, it would have only been an interesting foot note in some Xenoarchaeology newsletter.”
“However, I now have information that the weapon recently activated some sort of engine that appears to distort space around it while generating thrust. In another five standard days at its current rate of acceleration, we won’t be able to catch it, and that’s providing we had a ship out there to give chase, which we don’t.”
“If it continues to accelerate on the present vector, it will arrive here, in-system, in less than six months traveling at a significant fraction of the speed of light carrying what is theorized to be an ultimate weapon.”
“Xenoarchaeology teams are continuing their research at the site where it was built in the hopes they may understand the alien mechanism and discover a means to abort it. However, if all our efforts to mitigate this threat are unsuccessful, our only remaining course of action will be an exodus from the planet. We have about five and a half months, give or take a week.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Be Continued ~~~~~~~~~~~~
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GrewUpErie
Quilter
Wow!
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Thank you for sharing your gift with us. Looking forward to more soon.
Wayne
Wayne
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Thanks you for the posts. WOW!!!!!Just letting you know your story is fantastic. As always looking for more ASAP.
Wayne
Wayne
Dumb Blonde
Contributing Member
That Phylaetian weapon is getting closer by the day....
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Great story, thank you for posting.
Wayne
Wayne
Thank you for sharing your work!
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Great story thank you FMJ
Wayne
Wayne