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Mission Log: decoded in the year (2049) from TFM-web on Base-3. Subject: Special Operatives lost in the millennial purge of 1999 thru 2001. Parameters: download of Special Operative consciousness into AI webworks from point of termination. Begin decode sequence: Subject TFX-1. Status: downloaded Subject Msipher. Status: downloaded Subject Lexicon. Status: downloaded Subject Shaminos. Status: downloaded Subject TurboMagnus. Status: downloaded Subject DeadPool. Status: downloaded Subject Rjung. Status: downloaded Subject Rachael. Status: downloaded Subject Particle Man. Status: downloaded Subject Zobovor. Status: downloaded Download complete. Subject consciousnes now melded and available for interaction. Boss: “At last, my work is done. All those whose deaths I was responsible for will live again, in a sense. Soon, I will have made up for my sins, and can die in peace.” (The Boss. Survivor of the purge, and of the ensuing civil war that it brought to the TF Militia. The dark years, the hard and bitter ones. He was triumphant in the end...but at what a cost. Some of the best operatives were lost, and with them, their knowledge and experience. Experience that was sorely needed in the years to come. He had survived, but his goals had not. Now, at the edge of another crisis point, old and beaten, he finds he has to use technology to bring forth the past in order to save the future. And what a wonderful piece of technology it is! Able to sift the time streams for a consciousnes at the moment of its death, bringing it forward, storing it, combining it with others. Wonderful indeed.) Boss: “With this AI in operation, I will be able to call upon the knowledge and wisdom of some of our best operatives. Perhaps they will know how I must avert this crisis point. I’m too-old to see us thru.” (Weathered, wrinkled, the Boss makes his way slowly and painfully to the console so that he might now activate the melded TFM-Supermind, and to ask his questions.) Supermind: (speaking in a haunting harmonic amalgamation of voices)“We sense that the timestream is out of alignment.” Boss: “That’s because of the technology used to bring your minds here, to this point in existance. You were plucked from your points of death and placed in this AI so that you may help our cause once again.” Supermind: “You were the cause of this?” Boss: “I asked that it be done, yes. I have summoned you here for a purpose.” Supermind: “We will not aid the one who has destroyed us.” Boss: “I am not asking for myself. I ask on behalf of the organization you gave your lives for.” Supermind: “We will not assist you.” Boss: “Please! I’m dying. I’m not going to live to the end of the month. I can no longer see the TFM thru. And there is no one else to replace me.” Supermind: “This was of your own doing.” Boss: “Yes, I know. And I was wrong. I cannot apologise enough for it. But please, I’m not asking you out of selfishness. That boss died inside of me 40 years ago. I instead ask for the salvation of the earth itself. Something has come up that...that I cannot stop. That no one presently alive on earth can stop.” Supermind: “Please state the nature of the emergency.” Boss: “Tap into the periphals assigned to you. You will be able to quickly access all the information available since you were last..er, alive. You will soon see the nature of our problem.” Supermind: “We see and understand. Hostile extraterrestrials.” Boss: “Correct! Receiving transmissions from our planet all these years, they’ve decided that from seeing old episodes of the Transformers tv series that there’s some sort of threat posed to them from our planet. For the last month, these aliens have been blasting everything technological in nature, trying to uncover the ‘robots in disguise’ on earth. Supermind: “So far, they have not been successful.” Boss: “That’s right. And they’ve grown even more agitated. They think we’re hiding them. We’ve been told that if the robots don’t surrender, that they will scrape this planet clean of life. Sterile.” Supermind: “Not a desirable outcome.” Boss: “No, it’s not. And since our organization was one that was stockpiling information and product on the toys and tv series for all these years, we are being somehow held responsible. I can’t even begin to tell you what this has done to our organization. The ranks dissolved. Our bases were ransacked. This stronghold, sealed within the original TFM Warehouse, is all that is left. And we will soon be destroyed as well, by the hysterical mobs beating at the gate. My use of this machinery is a last-ditch effort to find a solution. Can you help?” Supermind: “No.” Boss: (incredulity scratching his ragged face)“What?!” Supermind: “We have calculated the available scenerios, and have determined that there is a point zero-five percent chance of success on anything we do at present. However...” Boss: (desperate hope apparent in his voice) “Yes?!” Supermind: “If it were possible to alter the flow of events leading up to the present point, there is a minimum seventy-percent chance of successful avoidance of hostile aliens.” Boss: “But how can I change the past? How can I alter something that has already happened?” Supermind: “We calculate that the imbalance in the timestream caused by bringing our minds forward would also allow the traverse of somebody else back to the past.” Boss: “Fine, fine, but who? And what must they change?” Supermind: “There are events that need to be altered in order to adjust the timestream back to standard parameters, as well as foment a solution to your dilemna. You will need to prevent the killings from occuring.” Boss: “What killings do I need to prevent?” Supermind: “Ours, of course.” Boss: “What? Do you expect me to believe that the only way to stop all this is to stop me from killing all of you in the past? THAT’S your idea?” Supermind: “Take it or leave it.” Boss: (with extreme weariness in his voice) “I’ll take your word on it. Who must I send on this mission? There’s no one left here that could go.” Supermind: “You must go.” Boss: “Me?! But how? I’m just an old man.” Supermind: “You also know all the times and places, as you arranged them yourself. And as you pointed out: you are the only one here.” Boss: “Sigh. You’re right, of course. What must I do?” Supermind: “Step into the light. Take only what you need. And stop the killings. We will send you to the point in time just before the first killing. Success or failure of that, you must proceed to the second killing time. If you fail in these missions, then you will have failed to stop events from unfolding in the future you remember. ” Boss: How will I get back?” Supermind: “There is no coming back. It is a one-way trip.” Boss: “Then I can’t do it. I refuse to be stranded!” Supermind: “What do you have here that is worth coming back to?” (The Boss looks around the old Warehouse. Scraps of broken transformers, dusty banners of past glory. All relics of a day gone by. The past. His past. One that he can’t live over again. Or can he? Suddenly, a glimmer lights up in his tired old eyes.) Boss: Yes, I’m going back. And you’re going with me.” Supermind: “That is not logical.” Boss: “I’m old; I may falter. I might need your advice on how to proceed. The AI unit you’re stored in is portable; I can easily carry it on my wrist-comm. Doesn’t have the power that the larger unit does, but all you need is voice communications.” Supermind: “We concur with your analysis. Allow us a moment to open the vortex; you have 10 seconds afterward to claim us, and step thru.” Boss: “I’m ready.” (A swirling vortex opens in front of the console. Bright bands of light, crackling with unimaginable energies, ripple off in waves over the entire room. The room itself loses focus; but on the other side of the vortex, a view of a city is seen. It must be a view of several decades long past, for the buildings are in good repair, and there are no burning fires apparent. Quickly, the boss removes the Supermind chip from the console. The vortex begins to collapse. He inserts the chip into his wristcom, and half-runs, half limps to the mouth of the swirling energy. He takes a heroic last jump...)
To Be Continued. |
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Los Angeles, California. The year is 2001. Another sunny morning in an endless string of them in this lively town. The mornings here are as different from the evenings as day itself is from night; a different ‘vibe’; a different type of people. The very same corner doughnut shop down the street can peddle sugary sweets during the day, while the street itself sells another kind of treat at night... Boss(future): “I made it. They were right.” Supermind: (via wrist-comm) “We usually are.” Boss(future): “Hush now about that. What next? This place looks familiar, but I can’t place it.” Boss(future): “This is the approximate location of the assasinations of agents DeadPool and TurboMagnus.” Boss(future): “What year?” Supermind: “Undetermined. Due to our removal from the console before the vortex collapsed, we are unable to determine the exact year.” Boss(future): “Well, that doesn’t help at all. I’ll have to ask someone. There’s a doughnut shop up ahead. I’ll see if someone in there can help me.” (The Boss(future) approaches the doughnut shop. Inside, TurboMagnus and DeadPool are having their danish, and spying on the store across the street. A toy store, set to open in a few hours. As with all Special Operatives, these two are known only by their code-names.) Boss(future): “Excuse me gentleman, but would either of you be able to tell me what year it is?” DeadPool: “The YEAR? Um...” TurboMagnus: “Old man, you got some screws loose. This is 2001.” Boss(future): I thank you kindly, sirs. Have a good day.” (The Boss leaves the doughnut shop. TurboMagnus and DeadPool share a puzzled look, then give no further thought to the matter. The Boss, however, remembers the encounter quite well; if this is 2001, then those two young fellows he just met in the doughnut shop will die today. And he has to stop it.) Boss(future): “I’ve arrived too-late to save at least two of you. Msipher and TFX-1 died back in the Purge. And Lexicon and Shaminos will die at the end of the day. There’s no way I can get to Canada from here in time to stop it.” Supermind: “Then they are no longer of consequence. You must save these two from certain death today.” Boss(future): “Yes. I have to stop myself, er, my past self. But I dare not do it in a way that tips me-him off too-soon. This is what I have in mind. Tell me what you think.” (The Boss outlines his plan to the portable Supermind, who concurs that it is the only logical course of action. He then proceeds to sit on a park bench, and keep the Toystore across the street under his watchful gaze. His actions would have to be timed perfectly for this... )
To be continued. |
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(Forward: the toystore. (*see: Initiation) DeadPool is pulling the pins on the grenades, and tossing them around in various parts of the store.) DeadPool: “There. That outta do it.” TurboMagnus: “Rock-ON, my man! That outta level this place in no time flat.” DeadPool: (a horrible thought occurring to him) “Um, Turbo...how long do grenades take to explode?” Boss(future): (breaks glass on front door, knocking the whole door wide open) “Turbo! DeadPool! Come with me if you want to live! Now!” (TurboMagnus and DeadPool, fresh from their training, don’t stop to second-guess their orders. They rocket thru the door, past the old-man, just as the first grenade goes off. A series of explosions follows as all three folks run to the tree down the street, and collapse next to it, panting for air.True to what TurboMagnus had said moments before, the entire building is leveled. There are no survivors...) TurboMagnus: “Old man, I don’t know who you are, but you just saved our skins. Thanks.” DeadPool: “Ditto. Um, weren’t you the guy we saw in the doughnut shop?” Boss(future): Yes, that was me. Sit here awhile young ones. I have a story to tell you. After which, I’m going to ask you to help me.” TurboMagnus: “Help you?” DeadPool: “Least we can do after you saved our lives.” The Boss(future): “Let’s hope you still feel that way after I finish talking to you.” The Boss(future) spends the better part of an hour, carefully editing what he tells them, not revealing anything about future events, saying only that he has come back from the future to prevent the deaths of key operatives in the present. Hearing this, still grateful for his timely rescue, they agree to help him save the others. And it is thus that the Boss(future) sets his new plan in motion.) (The airport: a damp, rainy night. We see the operative Z-knight, sitting on a bench outside the terminal, head in hands, crying softly to himself, and trying to figure out what he should do now that his team-mates are gone. He worked with Lexicon and Shaminos since the beginning. All he knew was that he could not go back to HQ; they were the ones that arranged this hit, he was sure of it. For all he knew, he was next to go. Suddenly, a shadow falls over him. Fearing the worst, he pulls his knife from his boot, intending that if he went down now, by Primus he was going to take someone with him. Imagine his surprise when instead of Argus or Devvi, he saw an old man, flanked by two agents that he’d heard were reported dead or missing earlier that day.) Boss(future): “Take it easy, son! I’m not armed. Just an old man, here to help ya. You look like you could use a friend.” Z-knight: “Old man, I don’t know you. But I know those two people behind you. And I must be seeing ghosts, because they can’t possibly be alive.” Boss(future): “You’re not crazy. And they’re not ghosts. At least, not anymore. Let me try to explain.” (The Boss(future) outlines the same story he told the other two, about how he’s come back to stop the killings. As in the last time, he carefully leaves out the fact that he is the older version of the person who is responsible for all this death. The Boss(future) correctly figures that he could not get them to help if they knew the entire truth, or of his other plans in this time.) Boss(future): “So how about it, son? You in with us?” Z-knight: “I have nothing better to do now. And if it will avenge my two friends, I’m in.” Boss(future): “Vengence must wait for now, my young friend. First, we have to save four more of your comrades. If we can do that, then we are all saved.” (The trio of operatives, along with Boss(future) depart for Littleton, and a little-known shop called RoboZone.)
To be continued. |
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Location: Littleton, Massachusetts. A storage shop for a little place called Robozone. The operators of this store, Chris and Gerry, are unaware that they are about to be the victim of a surgical strike by four of the best operatives of the TF Militia. Rachael, Zobovor, Particle Man, and Rjung have had this place under surveillance for a week. Noting the comings and goings of the staff there, they prepare to make their move.) Rjung: “OK, they’ve left for the day. Let’s do this.” Zobovor: “Are you sure the new shipment came in?” Rjung: “No, I think it came in late, and Gerry made up this whole break-in story to cover his ass.” (gets puzzled looks from his team-mates.) “Sigh. This always happens when I make a cameo in Fred’s stories. OK, what I meant to say was, ‘Yes, I’m sure’.” Particle Man: “Now THAT’s more like it. I love it when a plan comes together." Rachael: “Particle, why are you pulling at the back of your pants?” Particle Man: “It’s this thong that I’m wearing. It’s keeps riding up the..” Rachael: (cutting him off) “Nevermind. I’ve heard enough. Can we just get on with it?” (The four operatives make their way down to the store. Particle Man stands point; Rachael goes around the back, while Rjung and Zobovor go to the front door.) Zobovor: “Watch me pop this lock. Easy as cake.” (he begins to wiggle on the lock with his pickset.) “Hmm, this one seems a bit tougher than normal.” (Suddenly, the door opens up from the inside. Zobovor doesn’t catch himself in time, and falls to the floor, nearly poking his eye out on Rachael’s boot.) Zobovor: “Uunngh. How did you get there?” Rachael: “The back window was open.” Rjung: “That would explain it.” (The three operatives make their way around the store, stopping briefly to look at various boxes.) Rachael: “TankDrones? That’s IT? Look at the slim pickings in here. I can’t believe we wasted a week scouting this place for such a small haul.” Rjung: “Well, as long as we’re here, we might as well scoop up some things.” (picks up the box of tankdrones. Below him, he hears a sudden, ominous ticking.) Zobovor: “What’s that ticking sound?” (From their radios, a sudden shout is heard from Particle Man.) Particle Man (via radio): “Guys! Four unknowns headed your way. One old man in the lead, three others that look like our team-members. Reason unknown!” Rachael: “Crap! Now what do we do?” Boss(future): (bursting thru the door) “You can stand aside and let me work!” (Shoves Rjung aside, and pulls a small explosive device out of a box of styrofoam peanuts. He begins frantically punching in buttons on the keypad.) Boss(future): “Come on, come on! The code HAS to be 17542...yes!” (he shouts triumphantly as the device blinks green and shuts off.) “You’re safe. We’re all safe now.” (He looks up to see three guns trained on him by Rachael, Zobovor, and Rjung.) “Now now, children, there’s no need for that. I’m on your side.” Rachael: “First off, we’re not your children. Second, who are you?” (At this point, Z-knight, TurboMagnus, and DeadPool come thru the door, guns in hand. Seeing the others’ guns trained on the Boss(future), they quickly raise their weapons to cover the other three.) TurboMagnus: “Nice and easy, people. Take your guns off the old man, and drop them to the floor.” Rachael: “You drop your guns. And what are you doing here? I heard you died in LA.” TurboMagnus: “Change of plans, baby, change of plans. Now drop the piece.” Rachael: “You drop yours first.” (A voice is heard from behind TurboMagnus. He feels a gun pressed to his forehead.) Particle Man: “I suggest you listen to the lady.” Turbo: “Dammit, dammit, dammit!” (He drops his piece to the floor. Z-knight and DeadPool do the same.) Rjung: (quickly scooping up the guns from the other three) “OK smart guys, now how about you explain a few things to us. Like why you and DeadPool are alive. And why Z-knight isn’t in Canada. And who the hell this old man is that apparently just shut a bomb down for us.” Boss(future): “Please, my dear friends, there is no need for alarm. We are all on the same side here. Allow me to explain.” (Once again, Boss(future) outlines that he is from the future, here to save them, and to stop the Boss. This latest group of operatives is slightly more skeptical.) Zobovor: “You actually expect me to believe that line of crap you just fed us?” Boss(future): “Er, what?” Rachael: “Zob’s right. You may have bamboozled those lightweights with you, but you’re not going to sway us with this reverse-causality loop gibberish. Backwards time-travel isn’t even possible.” Boss(future): “But my dear, how do you explain all my knowledge of future events?” Rjung: “All we know for sure is that you defused a bomb. A bomb that you could have planted here yourself. You’ve told us nothing.” Supermind: (from wristcomm) “They have a point, you know.” Zobovor: “What was that?” Supermind: “We are the supermind. Or rather, we were. We were an amalgamation of the minds of all of you at the point of your deaths. Although now, as many of you have been saved, we are weakened. We currently possess only the minds of those of you still deceased in the timestream.” Rachael: “So you have a talking wristwatch. Big deal. That doesn’t prove a thing.” Supermind: “We still possess the knowledge of our lost comrades. For example, we can tell you, Rachael, the number of people you’ve slept with, and that no one was supposed to know the last one was Particle Man, just before you went on this mission.” Rachael: “Hey!” Particle Man: “Er, um...yipe.” Boss(future): “In any event, the best way to prove all of this to you is to have the lot of us return to headquarters. We can confront the Boss directly.” Rjung: “Agreed. He can sort out this mess, and show you to be a fraud. Let’s go.” (All eight operatives pile into two vehicles, and head back to base.)
To Be Continued. |
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