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Post by miokalia on Oct 29, 2006 17:21:33 GMT -5
Sparhow had a satellite phone, it was one of the few items of technology she was allowed to bring into the country with her. The only reason why she had been allowed in was because of her reputation preceding her. A lot of strings had to be pulled, and she was under much scrutiny even by those who 'trusted' her. She was able to contact #36 when she awoke one morning and instinctively knew, he was on-world. She also knew that #36, being the personality he was, would try to visit her at her cottage here... and with how much a problem it was with Kagi... chances are #36 would have some real trouble getting in. Kagi only got in because he had a safety-passport. A perfect record and the species-listing of his passport conveniently blured-up a bit. Plus, his disguise was very effective. But even then, it was a very sloppy attempt at slipping in. A monk from the monastery found out, confusing him for someone else, and a student pretty much figured out what was happening from the jumping incident. Of course, he encountered very little trouble in leaving. The officials seemed to be expediting his departure, probably because of that reason.
#36 of course, wouldn't even bother with a disguise. He would be very direct, and she knew, #36 was going to be a bit of a controversy. Although, chances are he would comply with their rules, being the orderly and hyper-pacifistic entity he is.
She was nearing the completion of her work anyways... and the growing isolationism was starting to become evident. The monastery was becoming increasingly nervous about her work. She arrived there as a visiting scholar, although not permitted to live on monastery grounds, she was allowed access to the library (with the pulling of many strings).
But the war really messed things up. Since then, isolation has become policy, and her presence there was becoming treated more and more as a threat to that policy.
She was a bit angry for a moment, she already had her old wooden chests packed with her things, in case she had to leave immediately. She knew she was walking on thin ice here to begin with.
Of course, her explusion from the country would be an international-relations disaster. And while she had been in favor with the current governance of her immediate area... A change in leadership could change everything immediately.
The day finally came when this happened. When she tried to hike into the monastery the guards politely stopped her for the first time in a while. "I'm sorry... but we have received orders. Your special permission has apparently expired.", explained one of them.
Sparhow sighed and then said, "Well, I suppose it was bound to happen someday. I suppose I will be leaving then."
When she arrived home, she packed the remainder of her things into the last wooden chest. She was going to take a wagon out of town to a point where it had been arranged for a small propeller plane to pick her up and take her into Erenmor.
Upon leaving, she looked back and said, "I'll return again someday, perhaps this is just not the right time."
----
She called up #36 from a phone in the airport at Altair. "Dearest... It seems that I'm going to have wait some stuff out outside of Ciata for a while. My access permission to the monastery was not renewed, and it expired. I guess I'll have to wait for some politicians to negotiate a few things before I can get back in again. I'm sure it's probably just a political hiccup. Maybe someone just didn't remember that I was there as a scholar, and not a rebel. I don't know."
"Odd that you would be labeled a rebel. It's not like you were even theologically incompatible with them. You did all your work by hand, I assume you respected their system enough... I think they are just a bit concerned about outsiders having access to them right now. They just had problem with that last year, and I can't really blame them for it. They almost had a nuclear bomb detonate in their pristine country. I would be pretty isolationist too, if I were in their position", said #36.
"I suppose I have been seeing it coming for a while... I fear that maybe perhaps Kagi's slipping into the country probably freaked them out a bit. Which actually makes sense. I mean, they were polite to him, but they really wanted him out of there once word of his presence got out.", said Sparhow.
"Sending Kagi into Ciata with a disguise was asking for trouble. The best way to deal with this is to just leave them be. That's what they really want isn't it?", said #36
"So you're not at all angry about this?", asked Sparhow.
"Not really. They seem to have their reasons for not wanting to have anything to do with us, and we're not going to violate that. They pose no threat to us, and as long as we pose no treat to them, we're all fine aren't we?", said #36.
"But..."
"No, that's just how it is. Of course I'd like to have been able to visit you there... but they obviously know what's best for themselves, and apparently we do not fit into that.", said #36.
"Where are you exactly?", asked Sparhow.
"I'm in Cal right now. On Thack. Um... Karak came up again and I have to prevent him from causing some trouble. When this is finished I'll go ahead and pay you a visit where ever it is you happen to be. I'm sure Erenmor has been quite hospitable to you thus far. I imagine you'd prefer to stay in the northern hemisphere too, so taking the 14-hour flight down to Cal or Miokalia is probably out-of-the-question.", said #36.
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Post by Erenmor on Oct 29, 2006 18:30:29 GMT -5
It must be said that Erenmor made a point of knowing who came to visit their country, and for what reasons. Obviously, most of the time it ended at simply knowing. Another piece of data for the archives. Of course, there were the occasional travellers that sparked the interest of someone or another. Usually it was the security division. Sparhow, however, caught someone else's eye.
***
"Miss Sparhow?" came a voice from behind her, and noticeably from above, as she hung up the phone. As she turned around, she found herself face to face with a very peculiar individual. Though perhaps face to face was a poor way of calling it... The figure in question was some 9 feet tall, incredibly lanky and hunching forward. It was humanoid in its basic shape, the lanky frame covered by something between a white suit and a lab coat, with dark gloves covering its sleek hands. Its head was covered by a piece of white cloth. "My name is Faust," the figure introduced himself, bowing down with a sweeping motion of his long arms. "If I could ask you to walk with me for a bit? There are a few matters I would discuss." Sparhow glanced around briefly. None of the locals seemed to regard this Faust as anything out of the usual... it stood to reason that he would be a local himself, then. "I don't see any problem with that," she nodded. "Perhaps I'll be forward? I'm aware of your particular... talents," Faust said as they walked through the city's corridors, with the lanky Faust taking slow, short steps so as not to get too far ahead. "We've been able to pick out information about a rather important science project over in Tinis, one you've had some dealings with? The security around that thing alone was enough to spark anyone's curiosity," Faust explained, in a polite tone that suggested a smile behind that cloth over his head. "And you'd like to find out what I know about it," Sparhow interrupted with a smile. "It is secret for a reason, you realise..." "Certainly," Faust nodded slowly. "But I'm far from simply asking you to tell me everything you know. I am instead offering Erenmor's assistance in the project. We have access to some rather... unique findings which might be of interest to the other researchers, if that would help." "Yet you didn't come to Tinis to openly participate in the project?" "The stance that Tinis took on the subject of our mind-probes had some of us worried," Faust admitted with a brief shrug. "We would rather avoid diplomatic incidents. I was rather hoping you might be persuaded to expand the project into facilities outside of Tinis. Or that you might at least influence the others involved to consider it?"
After a lengthy pause, Faust shrugged again. "Of course, there is no pressure. If you refuse it won't affect your treatment here in the least. We won't detain you or chase you out, there won't be unforseen future difficulties with getting a passport or any of that other rubbish you might expect from the authoritarian regime we've got here." Faust paused again. "What would you say, then?"
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Post by The Union of Tinis on Oct 30, 2006 20:43:14 GMT -5
Kam found himself once again short on sleep. This time he had been roused by a call from a fire chief who was intent on informing him that there had been a report of a fire at the building and that he should come down.
Upon his arrival, he was furthur informed that what ever fires had occurred had been put out, mostly due to the buildings sprinkler system. And that the damaged seemed to be localized to a small section of the building centered around his offices. Looking up, surrounded by others who were in charge of offices in the building, he could easily see the windows broken or missing in exactly the spot that housed their computer lab and surrounding rooms.
"You Kam?" asked splotchy black and white cat with a firemen's hat.
"I am," replied the skunk with worry in his eyes. "Was anyone hurt?"
"We're afraid so, would you come with me."
The cat, Fire chief Yannick, lead him inside where they took the elevator up to the office.
"You see, when we arrived on the scene there was little still burning. Mainly just some smoldering computer equipment and it was entirely self contained. But we did find a body of some sort of, I guess cyborg dragon thing, laid out on the floor. We didn't know how to check for signs of life really, but it didn't seem responsive. So we can't be sure if its still alive or not. It was burned in places and even looked like it had attempted to put itself out."
Kam was very quiet for a few moments. "I'll need to make a phone call."
Just then the elevator door opened. They took not more than five steps before another fire fur appeared to say, "I think he's alive. He shifted under his own power slightly."
Kam's sigh of relief was hidden by the sudden footsteps of the fire chief.
In the epicenter was the mangled wreck of Doron's experiment and off to the side of the room next to the extinguisher was Doron, still asleep, and looking a mess. The devastation around the room soon popped back into Kam's focus as again the news that the visiting scholar was not dead allowed a little more leeway with the wandering of the minds eye.
Destroyed lights, destroyed monitors, destroyed computers. Even the fridge in the break room was silent with its door ajar. The lights of the fire furs as the only illumination giving the room a very erie look. Glass and plastic shards were everywhere.
Kam walked over to Doron. "Hey, its Kam. Wake up."
"No," came the response.
Kam, now quite sure Doron was alive came to the conclusion that he should be very angry about the destruction of the lab.
"You destroyed the lab Doron. Be very glad there's back ups of our code," said Kam, doing his best to be stern.
With no response forthcoming Kam turned to Chief Yannick, "I should still make that phone call soon. Are the phone's working?"
"Not on this level. Next of kin?"
"Sort of. He's a visiting scholar. His compatriots would like to know what happened and they might be able to tell if he's hurt and if we can or should do anything for him. And they might know what he was doing..."
A realization came over Kam. What had he been doing? What sort of thing would the draco-lich be involved with if he was here by himself? Kam began to search through the bent up and twisted equipment in the center of the room, then under the desks and into the next room.
"Sir? What are you looking for?" asked Chief Yannick.
"A small sphere thing. Have you seen it?"
"Afraid not," came the answer.
"Are you sure?" asked Doron from behind the chief. "It would be a bad thing if it had gone missing. And even worse if you were involved."
The fire chief and the fire fur turned to see Doron half standing looking at them. Kam, hearing the conversation came back in.
"Are you okay sir?" asked the chief of Doron.
"Where is the sphere?" came the response.
"Sir, I've not seen any spheres. Do you need assistance?"
"Bah," was all Doron could say to that before lying down to go back to sleep. No deception in their eyes and insistence on making sure he was prodded by doctors. Useless lead.
-----
A few hours later Kam was alone in the broken office suite. Doron had been taken back to his lodging by his compatriots. The students and the others had been informed that they shouldn't come in today, or at all until things had either been fixed up or they had been moved to a temporary office. The building engineer had informed Kam that he was worried about the electrical systems in the lab as well as the structural stability of the floor.
Kam had spent the last hour or so collecting things of value from the mess and putting it in boxes. Any thing left when the repair crew comes in might be considered trash so papers, books, and personal nicknacks had to be collected from the desk tops, drawers, and shelves.
It was about this time that Kam noticed a smell. Following it easily to the fridge he realized that since the power was still off and had been for hours, a small collection of microwave dinners had decided to go bad. Understanding the need to toss them out quickly, else they'd just get to smelling worse, he grabbed a trash bag and began tossing them.
It was only a few boxes into this chore when he noticed paxisphere tucked under a mini-pizza box and hidden by veggie entre. Relieved to have found it, Kam cleared away the boxes. He was about to go grab something to carry it with, not wanting another accidental vision so soon, when he noticed a slip of paper under the paxisphere.
He snatched a clipboard and a fork and pulled out the clean little sphere and dropped it on the table. He then reached in and grabbed the note.
It read: 'Tell Doron not to damage the fire detection system again, I'm not likely to be passing by next time. I didn't want this toy disappearing by accident so I stuffed it here for you.'
The thought that came to Kam's mind was very clearly: Now that's odd.
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Post by miokalia on Oct 31, 2006 3:55:52 GMT -5
The money was very prompt in it's arrival, as well as a note on official stationary from the Regent of the University of Dorigan, in broken Tinisian, it said,
'We am the sorry with for Dl. Doron's damage to on your laboratoriat. i send you for repair the money. it authorized have by Secretary Dl. Andertol. With exchange of rate, it is extremely possible that it enough.
Repeted: We am the sorry with very for make accident."
It was very obvious that the Regent had run the actually very intelligible note through a simply text-translation service. Some kind of Babel-Fish equivalent which butchered the grammar and connotations of the original document. But it was rushed, and it was legible enough.
Kam's department had along with the note, received a couriered check for 640,000 Karats (800,000 US dollars) This really brightened Kam's day.
----
Sparhow agreed to the tall figure, Faust. She sighed and said, "Well, it certainly gives me something to do while I'm waiting to get my permissions renewed. Whenever that will happen...
By the way you don't need to hide whatever sensory array, or whatever it is you have for a head from me... Even though I've been in Ciata for quite some time, I'm quite comfortable with machines. After all, I'm married to one.
I would love to see where you guys are at with this, I would love to see what you've done so far...
Now of course, you must understand... it is our law that our research resources, even while within other nations, not be used for the purpose of building doomsday devices or other things which may compromise our... actually extremely liberal ethics...
Unless of course, our leadership gives the green light for it.
So, tell me about what you have here, Mr. Faust..."
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Post by Erenmor on Oct 31, 2006 16:30:37 GMT -5
Faust seemed rather surprised at the suggestion of taking off that piece of cloth from his head. At least that's what his posture indicated for a few brief moments. He made no move to actually remove the cover, though.
"Mm, quite... well, I can't really say if we're even working on the same thing presently," Faust admitted. "We haven't pried quite that far into other nations' internal affairs."
"And certainly, you shouldn't have to worry about us using the knowledge to build new doomsday devices. I can assure you, we've plenty of those on hand already," Faust added with a quiet dry chuckle.
He directed the walk away from the more crowded corridors surrounding the Altair airport and into the quieter section of the city where habitation facilities were located for the citizens. "Our own research presently is more focused on the subject of creation and control of singularities... specifically, controlling them to facilitate safe transport between distant locations... Specifically the colony on Ferrin Moon."
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Post by miokalia on Nov 1, 2006 4:30:03 GMT -5
"Coaxial.", Sparhow said. "Well, it is certainly quite convenient that you found me when you're researching that. Of course... from what it sounds like, your needs go beyond simple coaxial transportation. Coaxial becomes exponentially more difficult as the mass of the vessel increases. What you need is something continuous. Which is something completely impossible with conventional coaxial devices. You need real hypergated travel (as opposed to momentary hypergated travel). ... I am assuming of course that you got to Ferrin Moon in the first place by way of something equivalent to coaxial. I assume this because I know for a fact that those Malych-run Hexakka Airlines planes that go between here and Miokalia also go to Malychis and Dincota every once in a while. And you all don't seem to be to bothered by this at all."
She then adjusted the handle on her baggage-tote and continued, "Odd how it seems that the Malych have had absolutely no problem with intense security and such when they come here. I suppose that's why they choose go through your airports so much. I guess it's actually faster and easier for them. Passport-checking and customs are done so extremely quickly between machines both of whom's very nature is to be orderly and compliant. I think it must be a machine thing."
----
Doron received a very angry call from Andertol once he was back at the hotel. "PLEASE, do not damage the property of other countries. That was careless and irresponsible and... Well, there really isn't a whole lot we can do about it technically, because you do have diplomatic immunity. BUT if you cause expensive damage to any piece of infrastructure or expensive equipment over there again, we're commandeering your hoard, and it's coming out of your pocket. I know you understand.", said Andertol angrily into the phone. It was a brief and simple scolding.
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Post by Erenmor on Nov 1, 2006 19:22:55 GMT -5
"The main difference, as I understand it," Faust picked up, "is that your coaxial system applies to vehicles. We're looking into something that can as easily facilitate transit of a single person as it can the transit of a ton of plasma steel..."
The corridor they were taking seemed to slope downards gently. This section of it didn't have any doors on the sides, though a look at the ceiling easily revealed the series of blast doors placed along the length of the corridor. The traffic was lighter here, though it wasn't too noticeable given the quiet nature of Altair's habitation area.
"Creating and containing a singularity aren't a problem any more, really. The main bug we're working out these days is getting it to do what we want, when we want. The first tests on organic matter were somewhat... unpleasant in their result," Faust went on, finishing with a shrug. "It's frustrating. The military applications of the singularity engine have been in use for at least half a century now, but we can't seem to make a gateway to send a lab rat through without turning it inside out."
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Post by miokalia on Nov 2, 2006 3:58:55 GMT -5
Sparhow chuckled a bit and then said, "I remeber our first tests of coaxial devices on aircraft, all of them inside the atmosphere... They too were a bit... rough at first.
One of the first ones we tried were on a small UAV propeller plane and... Well, lets just say about 50% of the time, the jump would send the fuselage to the end-point at 14x C... but the wings of the plane would be cleaved from the aircraft and then fall straight to the ground below the jump-point. We pretty much had to just expand the field and change the shape of it.
Oh well. The thing about coaxial is that the way we do it, with dipole pucon field 'sails' is a method which absolutely requires a vessel in order to work. I mean, theoretically it should work without one too... It's just the engineering aspect is something which has been very difficult..."
She stops herself for a moment and then shrugs and says, "I guess there is no reason to hide it from you, but... we have been able to get it to work without a vessel... it's just incredibly unsafe... and... well... The most testing we've done with it isn't actual point-to-point travel so much as slight time dialation. If we give it enough power to actually make a jump... the power input-versus-distance curve we came up with says that almost as soon as the power to overcome Interia(PN)/C (Pucon Momentum Transfer Threshold) is put into the system... the distance traveled becomes greater than Dq(Hubble Volume)+1... In other words... the item and the device would dissappear from this universe... and reappear in the next one in the exact same place. The fun part is: The matter/energy has to be compensated for, because there is now an energy defeceit in this universe (and surplus in the next). So to equalize it, the dark matter from within the matter tranferred is forced back into this universe into the same place at exactly the same speed. Causing the structure of the tranferred item to implode upon itself (basically, turning it inside-out until it gets to the atomic scale.)
You know what... I think we've pretty much found different ways of doing the same thing."
They continued down the hall for a bit, then she said, "Ferrin Moon... I don't think I've been to that one. Is it like the habitable Malych moon, Lsat-B (or ZM1)? Where there is an atmosphere, and sufficient gravity (although ZM1 is a very consistently cold place, and is covered in ice).
Funny. We can go between the atmospheres of planets hundreds of lightyears apart as though it were an intercontinental flight... and yet, we haven't done hardly any space flight in the vast expanses between, with the exception of a lot of probes and such. I suppose the Malych are currently looking at resource sequestration on asteroids right now, since they are all about preventing scarcity and... well, they consume vast quantities of lots of minerals and ores and certain gasses.
They won't confirm it but, there are two gas-giants in the Malychedar system. They're tapping both of them for anything and everything that contains carbon and hydrogen. Carbon to be used in their manufacture and hydrogen to be used in various other industrial applications. I imagine Ferrin Moon is for a similar purpose?"
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Post by The Union of Tinis on Nov 4, 2006 14:17:05 GMT -5
"I might be a little new here, but why exactly do we have a mystery blob in lock up here?"
"The office of the National Auditor had us pick it up a few days ago from some science office. The office didn't have permit for biological experimentation so it classified as a pet if ya use the letter of the law. Can't be mistreating ya pets, which the scientists were doing. So we had to bring it here."
"It sure likes it oatmeal."
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To: Professor Kam <sys.eq.kam@math.group.uot> From: The Office of the Chief of Operations for the Math Group <op.chief@math.group.uot> Subject: Your office problems
It will likely be a week or more before your office is ready and checked out. I'm going ahead and letting your group use level 24 in the Ricci tower until its ready. Please don't let your guests trash this place. The money they sent is appreciated, but its still a hassle.
You've also been approved to take one another full time researcher and up to two more grad students. Please let us know if and when you find good choices so we can get them in the system.
Finally, an analysts from TIPS has been bugging our office for a could days now trying to get in contact with someone who is familiar with System Equation computation theory. With the disaster in your office and our standard operations we've been a little slow in getting to the request. But if you would like someone in your office to speak with her, her e-mail is wendo.campili@bullwrath.co.uot. She did explain it was non-urgent.
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To: wendo.campili@bullwrath.co.uot From: Professor Kam <sys.eq.kam@math.group.uot> Subject: Looking for experts?
I was told by the math group that you're looking for some experts on computational methods used with the system equation. Is this true?
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To: Professor Kam <sys.eq.kam@math.group.uot> From: Wendolin Campili <wendo.campili@bullwrath.co.uot> Subject: Re: Looking for experts?
Yes, I certainly am. I work at the computer science division of TIPS's internal operations. Recently we've been asked to look at viral programming, especially the kinds used by the Malych. I don't know if you follow the news but their rouge Karak is rumored to have viral component, which would explain some of the concern over his appearance.
I'm investigating how the system equation's format interacts with viral programs. Unfortunately I'm only an expert on viruses, not the system equation. I understand you've had some issues of late at your office with a fire or something so I can understand if your hesitant to even give me the light of day, but if you could I'd appreciate it. I could talk at you about security needs and all that but we're adults here so I won't bother. My work will progress, just a lot slower without a hand.
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To: First Speaker Izixs <1st.speaker@tinis.gov.uot> From: Judge Erolis <judge.erolis@arx.gov.uot> Subject: Hearing
The Advanced Parts Council has requested a hearing on the validity on your claim that their biological object is to be classified as a pet. They have claimed that it is without the capacity for minimal brain function for such a definition as it lacks the brain material necessary to do it. They have also been approved by the National Science Council to perform biological experiments in that office, and are requesting a return of their specimen. This highly unusual set of circumstances that had you finding this thing in their office will not be on trial but may enter into the proceedings. As presider over this case I'd like to inform you that the public advocate and the Advanced Parts Council's lawyer will likely both ask for you as a witness. Just a heads up First Speaker.
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Post by Erenmor on Nov 6, 2006 18:44:06 GMT -5
Faust sighed quietly. "If turning the subjects inside out was the only problem with the thing... some of the subjects came through in one piece, you know. But on more than one occasion they came back before we sent them out..." the lanky figure shook his head.
The bulkhead corridor opened into a slightly different section of the Altair complex. Rather than the soft grey with occasional decorations of the hab areas, this zone had the look, feel, sound and even *smell* of a laboratory in its essence. The people coming and going through here didn't seem much different from those in the habs, though, at least not in terms of clothing, and there were, as always, the ever-present sentinels.
"As for Ferrin Moon?" Faust picked up another thread of the conversation, "It's as inhospitable a world as any you'd wish to visit. Insanely high tectonic activity, wildly varying gravity pulls from neighbouring worlds, mostly toxic atmosphere... It has most definitely yielded plenty of valuable data in regards to hazardous environment protection. That, and it's rich in some rather rare minerals. Stuff not naturally occuring on this world."
"Getting there wasn't anything as impressive, though," he shrugged. "The best engines we could put together, the latest in communications technology, some cryo-storage cells for the organic personnel and a few decades' worth of travel... the station there's only been running for the last 30 years or so, really. Ah, here we are..."
They stopped outside a door, pretty much like any other door in the sector, shaped like a rectangle with the edges cut off, made up of some odd metal painted over blue-grey. "I've arranged for your quarters here. The basic comforts are provided, don't hesitate to ask if you wish anything added," Faust explained, demonstrating how to work the door panel. The furniture seemed to place the most emphasis on being functional, though subtle decorations could be spotted here and there. Not much metal could be seen, mostly it was some composite material and the odd bit of wood here and there. "I'll go get your guide while you get settled in, miss Sparhow," Faust bowed.
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Post by miokalia on Nov 7, 2006 1:12:50 GMT -5
To: Dr. Hychakita Doron <zomg@khu-dorigan.ed.mrz> From: Office of President H. Phong <dlp.p40n6@ral.gv.mrz> Subject: Your arse...
...Is grass if you cause damage like that again. If you were any less of a laureate than you happen to be, than we would have sent you right back home. Consider yourself lucky.
On another note, the Mrs. Dr. Sparhow has been relocated to Altair, Erenmor. We have to remove her from Ciata for a while. Politics... you know how that is.
PS. Ciata may have a working Carruthian-Field box device at this time, most likely for some kind of exploratory research, since the system is simple enough as is. The government people we have spoken to seem to either not know or deny it's existence. I have pulled Sparhow out because I know she might take an interest in it... and end up violating their secrecy. I don't think they want anyone to know. It is pure speculation, but since it has been running for a few weeks now, I beleive it is time-travel failsafe system. You are under direct order to leave it alone and not speak of this again.
To: Sec. Gladarus Zagckza <uncle.246ck24@mil.gv.mrz> From: Sec. Hiyike Andertol <eat-your-mattress@ral.gv.mrz> Subject: if you read this
...then congratulations, you're alive. This means you survived the Karak ordeal.
When you get this, call me so we can go to my apartment one afternoon and we will drink up the pack of Kolminaisus Sweetbeer I've had in the fridge for weeks and play some 'Super Mailbox-Baseball' on the GameTube. I know you want to.
BTW, you need to sign off on a mountain of paperwork. I've taken upon my own department to make sure that we don't accidentally have any Malych in Ciata right now, I mean... I'm pretty sure we don't have any, but I want to make sure. They've recently tightened some of their laws about that. Regardless of if I agree or disagree with that, we have to comply and make sure we avoid a controversy or ethical tragedy.
Oh yeah, and Doron blew up a room in his laboratory in Tinis.
----
Sparhow unloaded one of her wooden chests. She took out an LED lamp, one designed to reproduce sunlight, and set it up on a table. She put a large tapestry on a wall above the bed and basically settled in.
She didn't have a regular computer with her yet, but she did have her old rotary type-writer. A bulk old machine which had type devices to lay down text in English, Kohtohkhan and Illsyndran Runic. She set this up on a desk nearby. Foretunately, it was not completely obsolete, as it did feature a small parallel port, which would have been used for teletype wall-connections... and now it could be used for interfacing to a computer, to use the type-writter as a printer.
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Post by The Union of Tinis on Nov 10, 2006 1:04:26 GMT -5
It was a few days later before things were a little more settled in the temporary office. In the mean time Sana and Lipner had gone off to a conference in House on the subject of advanced topology. Fran stayed around and helped Kam get the computers at the temporary office loaded up with the necessary software as well as the main program. Having redundant backups of the code in multiple servers around the city controlled by various science councils and the Arx academy did indeed end up being a very good idea.
Kam was also mulling over helping Wendolin Campili. There was one obvious problem and that of time. But beyond a busy schedule, could he be sure that this wasn't an attempt to infiltrate the office and have a benign insight into what whom ever has been watching them has been missing?
It was about that time that Kam realized there was a non zero chance the new place could be bugged.
-----
"Epshrin, hear me now. If this crazy plan keeps going forward in any form, it will be the end of Tinis."
Epshrin starred at the irate dragon once more. "The Advanced Parts Council is in charge of it. They're the one's pushing for the return of their slim ball. I don't understand why you're harassing me about this."
"Because I thought you had a level head," replied Izixs. "And as such should be able to comprehend the dangers the use of a heaven stone poses to everything."
"You're experience with Sicarii was unique. It is unlikely we'll push for a stone of that power. Its unnecessary."
"You're quite right its unnecessary. Any heaven stone, or hell stone as this thing might be for all I know, are unnecessary. A low resonance results in improved health and the ability for even a novice to defend themselves. A high resonance means they can cut through tanks. An over resonance means not only can they destroy cities but are insane to boot."
"I'd hope the Part group know this of course," says Epshrin sternly. "And I do tire of you belaboring the point to me."
The dragon corrects his posture. "I met Sicarii twice," says Izixs.
"And you survived both times. Krel was quite surprised by that."
"I should of died both times. I got lucky the second time."
The wolf nodded. "And probably the first."
Izixs grew a half smile. "I lied about not remembering all of it."
Epshrine's expression change subtly, but Izixs recognized the old wolf was surprised.
"You're not the only one that can be sneaky. I don't remember all of it. But I remember enough."
"So, what happened?"
Izixs nodded. "Well..." he laughed. "I still should of died. It was instinctual this time. I knocked the rock at the demon in order to distract him at a critical moment. Sent it flying towards his face, spinning perfectly on axis. He was distracted. Both by my missile and by the appearance of Opalance's protector, who saved the good kitty's life that day at the cost of his own. Sicarii felt the pain and anguish near his target, the pain of the body guard. He thought the Chattan was dead or soon to be. He turned his attention to me. He came at me. I reacted."
"You... reacted... did you... no... why?" The wolf's face was almost that of shock.
"I thought I was clean of it myself. If he hadn't broken several of my bones before he left I might not of snapped out of it. Of course I don't recall what happened during the intervening moments. And I'm sure it was moments really. I just know that my instincts kicked in and I lost myself in it. Woe to my memory of how it was done."
"First Speaker, I can honestly say I fear you now."
Izixs sighed. "It didn't happen the second time. Perhaps it was pulled from my spirit by Sicarii. Perhaps I just had better control. Perhaps I finally forgot. I hope I did forget this time. If you'll excuse me. Now that I hope I've informed you of the level of difficulty these things could pose to even your best military minds, I think I shall take my leave. I know you have no control over the court hearing, but please to stop pushing the ADC to get these things to work."
"I... might have to."
As Izixs took his leave he recalled the first time he had seen what had gone unsaid. He remembered how her eyes burned so fiercely.
-----
Sana almost couldn't stop talking about the conference. Lipner wasn't quite as talkative, but it wasn't like he could of gotten a word in easily either way. With all present, including the foreign guests, she had turned into a blur at the chalk board writing out the latest eighteen dimensional manifold perturbation theory and being entirely too excited about it.
At one point, Ryuqi asked, "May I go, this sounds interesting but I'm afraid I have some computers that need to be worked on."
Sana laughed, realizing her zealousness had pulled everyone into what had become an hour lecture with little direct relevance to the reason they were there.
"Alright fine, anyone not interested in hearing how this removes string singularities from the Ublan solutions can go."
And they all did except for one of the grad students.
A little before Sana and Lipner's return the office had been debugged. This round they had encountered something new. A motion sensor that acted as a sweeping radar pulse obviously designed to figure out where people were standing. Several had been set up in the main computer center and a couple more in the meeting room.
"So any idea who the mysterious benefactor was?" asks Doron, obviously referring to the sphere in the fridge.
"I have an idea, and I think you do to," replied Kam as they went into the other room where a bunch of equipment salvaged from the old office was sprawled about.
"But did he use it, or know to use it?"
Kam nodded. "Perhaps we should ask the next time we see the First Speaker."
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Post by Erenmor on Nov 10, 2006 19:34:35 GMT -5
Sparhow's room wasn't perhaps luxurious, but it still had just about every basic comfort. A desk against a wall with a computer terminal there, a screen to the side of the bed currently showing a sunny, snow-covered mountainside. A square table, four chairs around it, everything clean and well maintained.
Eventually, the door panel beeped a few times before the comm system switched on.
"Miss Sparhow?" came the calm male voice, "My name's Fedor Petrov, I've been assigned as your guide... may I come in?"
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Post by miokalia on Nov 10, 2006 23:15:03 GMT -5
"Yes, do come in", she replied to the door.
----
Back in Dorigan, there was another project going on at a research campus near the tiny town of Cahcondol. It was very much along the same lines as the research going on by the Advanced Parts folks up in Tinis, except a different approach.
Lieutenant Chon, a grey fox was leading a project of covert nature. He knew that the future of weapons lay not in 'mass destruction'... but in being able to render enemy combatants unable to fight. Surrender was more efficient than killing, and less messy too. While the north was busy with weaponizing the heaven stones... the south was busy developing the 'solution' to the heaven stone problem.
A four-mile long compact pucon accelerator... something which even the top academics didn't even know existed (at least, the ones which weren't part of the project), lay beneath an copper aquaduct filled with water.
A pucon accelerator for research purposes would have to be nearly 1/3rd of a lightyear in diameter in order to produce accurate measurable data in experiments since the particles move so fast. This accelerator was not designed so much for research however...
Similar to the 2000 miles of pucon-conducting fibre material inside the Coleotam-Ring transmission tower, this device was intended for military application. The difference being that the fibre inside the CR-tower was inteded just to increase the effective efficiency of it and only conducted a barely detectable quantity to do this. This accelerator was linear and 30 feet in diameter on the cross-section.
The device was capable of 'projecting time'. A Dorometric prism made of planar carbon was used on the opposite end of the device. A series of vectors then accumulated the charge which could exceed as much as +92 Dorons (Dorons being a unit of difference between reletive time passage inside a field and outside the feild with respect to the amount of momentum causing the difference. It is named after the same Hycakita Doron currently in Tinis, he disagreed with the naming of the unit, which he suggested should be called 'Underpants' and abbreviated 'Undis.')
This charge could then be projected to a location and attenuated so that it would effect only objects of a certain energy density... such as heaven stones... The charge would cause every other atom of the object to exist in, quite literally 180-degrees opposite phase from normal. Theoretically causing the stone to cancel-out it's own energy, rendering it harmless, and possibly destroying it.
Last night, the team started up the entire system for a critical test. A single shard of heaven stone, acquired from a larger piece which was acquired from a museum was placed atop a scaffold supported by guy-wires. The stone was contained inside a glass bell-jar.
The vectors were aimed for that location and the attenuation to match the stone's energy density was acheived. And so began the test.
This project had been going on for quite some time, actually, for several years. There had been many tests... but this was the first time something actually happened.
The following day, spirits on the campus were light and there was some celebration among the military personell and scientists...
The stone, after just 2.3 milliseconds of exposure... vaporized completely in a white flash, and the glass around it was left intact.
Lieutenant reported the information to Blinn's office happily. "Supreme Commander, We now posses the power to kill gods.", he said into the teletext box. His smile could be heard in his voice.
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Post by Erenmor on Nov 11, 2006 20:16:09 GMT -5
The door to Sparhow's quarters slid open with a quiet hiss. Fedor Petrov walked in slowly, turning out to be a rather short, skinny otter, wearing a blue-white coat over the ever-present green-brown jumpsuit. He offered a short, formal bow in greeting.
"Ah, getting settled in, I see?" he said with a brief smile, taking a quick glance around the room. A slavic accent was making itself known in his speech. "Well, is there anything you will be needing for your quarters? Or do you have any questions to be sorted out?" he asked, tilting his head forward slightly.
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