Post by Orin on Aug 31, 2011 3:06:22 GMT
Prelude... 2-1
Note: My next post will be labeled, “The Seeker 2-1-1” this post is just a prelude to that next one.
Orin recalled laying in a reclined position listing off the details of the new technology to Elliot Danver, “The articulating web arc that will ensue after the reaction between the thermite and 4-Ion mercury must be contained within the titanium cylinder. Note: a cylinder is the preferred shape, but is not required. After this, apply direct gamma radiation to the cylinder and make sure to kick-start the repetitious reaction using loadstone catalysts. Following this...” For Orin, this had been his life since the return to earth-2. He hadn't heard where any of the others had gone, or if they would be returning. But now, he had done nothing for several days but try to sleep.
The man was robbed of his rest by his mind's ravenous hunger for answers. He had no idea what he would do now, what his purpose was. Every once in a while someone would come by his quarters and say a “Thank you” to which Orin would reply, “Thank my father and those who died in this mission, not me.” Orin's head felt different, like someone was pressing their finger in the middle of his forehead, trying to get in. It was a dull sensation, but Orin knew he was having difficult with it because he had nothing to occupy his mind except one recurring thought, one recurring vision, one recurring memory.
Brandon had given his life as the ultimate sacrifice to save the AU, or did he? Orin was consumed with this single notion. There was a point in every man's life when someone who seemed immortal, someone who seemed beyond the reach of death died. It just didn't seem right that someone as charismatic as Brandon could die. Orin could not come to grips with the fact that one of his friends had passed on. He wrestled with the thought of Brandon's death creating much unneeded stress on his body and mind. He became tired daily, for he could not sleep. He slurred his speech out of exhaustion and his ability to “see” through his blindness became dull. Orin needed something to motivate him once again. He needed something to live for.
So, Orin took sometime to himself a week or so after he had finished giving Elliot Danver the instructions to the semi-perpetual power source, an extremely efficient battery that could run an aircraft for a few years on a single drop of a rare mercury fuel. He sat down on his bed in his quarters and called upon his memories, the only memento he had of Brandon. He could hear Brandon say “LEAVE!” and, “At least I'll take a few of them with me...”. Orin could feel the strong urge to stay and fight but was forced to leave. Orin remembered hearing the sounds of the gunfire from the Sunfighter as they sped off. The gunfire had formed a mental sound picture for Orin, one which revealed Brandon's broken body falling to the ground, followed by a moment of silence. Then Orin remembered the thought that permeated his mind at the sight, Face it, he's dead...
When a hero dies, his body is usually give a hero's burial. A ceremony is given in his honor, but what of Brandon? There was no ceremony, no honorable burial. Only, the unanimous thought from everyone's mind, he's dead... Orin slammed his fist down on the nightstand next to him as he shouted, “NO! I won't accept it!” He stood from his bed as a rush of new thoughts found his mind. Kurt and Daniel said he was dead, so did Danver. What do they know? NOTHING! They saw him get shot and fall. He was wearing combat armor! NO ONE dies from a single shot wearing that stuff! It's not possible! Orin was now rapidly pacing around his small room. Think, think, think! I never “saw” him die. He just fell down! Plus there were so many APM troops there. Why would they kill him? They would have known he had valuable information! They would have SAVED him for interrogation and maybe even negotiations. Why aren't we back there trying to save him!
Orin was now furiously throwing his belongings in his backpack, mainly filled with ammo and weapons. No one verified his death, therefore by military standards, he is missing in action. Also by military standard, this requires a search. Orin left his room in a flash. He let everyone he thought would care know of his findings as he spent the next two hours finding AU commanders, trying to convince them that there was a chance that Brandon was still alive. The one person he didn't tell was Brandon's father, who had managed to slip underneath the vale of activity on earth-2. After receiving several “You're crazy”'s and hearing a few people say something like, “That's just how he is dealing with the grief.” Orin slumped down against a wall in the docking bay of the AU HQ in New Chicago. He was next to the massive entrance of the bay, which was roughly 30 stories above the ground, outside of which there were thousands of incoming and outgoing military craft of all sorts. That's when it hit him.
Orin ran up to General Harrison's office and knocked, no, pounded on the door. A bodyguard answered, “Ah, Orin nice to see you. Thanks for...” “No time to talk,” Orin pushed by him and into General Harrison's office. “General,” Orin said as he gasped from his long run, “I need a favor.” “Well, Orin I hear that you've been making some claims for the past couple hours...” “Look, with all do respect sir, I did provide a very important advantage to you, or my father did, er...” “I understand, you're right. What do you need, no...let me guess, you need a ship, a disposable one, and a pilot to get you to Apothos.” “Well, ummm...” “...and you're going there to try and find Brandon who we all know is dead...” “He's NOT DEAD!!!” Orin yelled but then caught himself and cooled his tone, “No one saw him die, no one even knows for sure. Plus, the APM had reason to save him if he was mortally wounded.” “Orin this is a bit ridiculous. You know we are short on military craft in this hour of war...” “General, I mean you no disrespect, but look outside. There are thousands of ships and pilots on reserve, what difference is one ship and one pilot going to make? Besides, the perpetual battery will more than make up for the the loss of one ship, and that's assuming the pilot doesn't make it back.”
The General sat silent for a long moment. To Orin it felt like hours, no days. Finally, the General began to speak slowly, “Orin, I respect you. You have earned my utmost trust and friendship, and you have truly granted the AU a much needed advantage. But...” Orin's heart sank as the General continued to speak, “...I only have one ship and one pilot available for such a reckless mission, so you are going to have no choices. I'll need this pilot and the ship back, so this will be a drop and go mission. Once on Apothos you are on your own, and I will cut off all contact with you. I am at no obligation to get you off that planet. If you find Brandon, great; you will have to find a way to get out of APM territory yourself.” Orin smiled, “Just give me names for pilot and ship.” General Harrison grinned from ear to ear, “Your pilot will be a man by the name of Frank and your ship, the Sunfighter.”
Note: My next post will be labeled, “The Seeker 2-1-1” this post is just a prelude to that next one.
Orin recalled laying in a reclined position listing off the details of the new technology to Elliot Danver, “The articulating web arc that will ensue after the reaction between the thermite and 4-Ion mercury must be contained within the titanium cylinder. Note: a cylinder is the preferred shape, but is not required. After this, apply direct gamma radiation to the cylinder and make sure to kick-start the repetitious reaction using loadstone catalysts. Following this...” For Orin, this had been his life since the return to earth-2. He hadn't heard where any of the others had gone, or if they would be returning. But now, he had done nothing for several days but try to sleep.
The man was robbed of his rest by his mind's ravenous hunger for answers. He had no idea what he would do now, what his purpose was. Every once in a while someone would come by his quarters and say a “Thank you” to which Orin would reply, “Thank my father and those who died in this mission, not me.” Orin's head felt different, like someone was pressing their finger in the middle of his forehead, trying to get in. It was a dull sensation, but Orin knew he was having difficult with it because he had nothing to occupy his mind except one recurring thought, one recurring vision, one recurring memory.
Brandon had given his life as the ultimate sacrifice to save the AU, or did he? Orin was consumed with this single notion. There was a point in every man's life when someone who seemed immortal, someone who seemed beyond the reach of death died. It just didn't seem right that someone as charismatic as Brandon could die. Orin could not come to grips with the fact that one of his friends had passed on. He wrestled with the thought of Brandon's death creating much unneeded stress on his body and mind. He became tired daily, for he could not sleep. He slurred his speech out of exhaustion and his ability to “see” through his blindness became dull. Orin needed something to motivate him once again. He needed something to live for.
So, Orin took sometime to himself a week or so after he had finished giving Elliot Danver the instructions to the semi-perpetual power source, an extremely efficient battery that could run an aircraft for a few years on a single drop of a rare mercury fuel. He sat down on his bed in his quarters and called upon his memories, the only memento he had of Brandon. He could hear Brandon say “LEAVE!” and, “At least I'll take a few of them with me...”. Orin could feel the strong urge to stay and fight but was forced to leave. Orin remembered hearing the sounds of the gunfire from the Sunfighter as they sped off. The gunfire had formed a mental sound picture for Orin, one which revealed Brandon's broken body falling to the ground, followed by a moment of silence. Then Orin remembered the thought that permeated his mind at the sight, Face it, he's dead...
When a hero dies, his body is usually give a hero's burial. A ceremony is given in his honor, but what of Brandon? There was no ceremony, no honorable burial. Only, the unanimous thought from everyone's mind, he's dead... Orin slammed his fist down on the nightstand next to him as he shouted, “NO! I won't accept it!” He stood from his bed as a rush of new thoughts found his mind. Kurt and Daniel said he was dead, so did Danver. What do they know? NOTHING! They saw him get shot and fall. He was wearing combat armor! NO ONE dies from a single shot wearing that stuff! It's not possible! Orin was now rapidly pacing around his small room. Think, think, think! I never “saw” him die. He just fell down! Plus there were so many APM troops there. Why would they kill him? They would have known he had valuable information! They would have SAVED him for interrogation and maybe even negotiations. Why aren't we back there trying to save him!
Orin was now furiously throwing his belongings in his backpack, mainly filled with ammo and weapons. No one verified his death, therefore by military standards, he is missing in action. Also by military standard, this requires a search. Orin left his room in a flash. He let everyone he thought would care know of his findings as he spent the next two hours finding AU commanders, trying to convince them that there was a chance that Brandon was still alive. The one person he didn't tell was Brandon's father, who had managed to slip underneath the vale of activity on earth-2. After receiving several “You're crazy”'s and hearing a few people say something like, “That's just how he is dealing with the grief.” Orin slumped down against a wall in the docking bay of the AU HQ in New Chicago. He was next to the massive entrance of the bay, which was roughly 30 stories above the ground, outside of which there were thousands of incoming and outgoing military craft of all sorts. That's when it hit him.
Orin ran up to General Harrison's office and knocked, no, pounded on the door. A bodyguard answered, “Ah, Orin nice to see you. Thanks for...” “No time to talk,” Orin pushed by him and into General Harrison's office. “General,” Orin said as he gasped from his long run, “I need a favor.” “Well, Orin I hear that you've been making some claims for the past couple hours...” “Look, with all do respect sir, I did provide a very important advantage to you, or my father did, er...” “I understand, you're right. What do you need, no...let me guess, you need a ship, a disposable one, and a pilot to get you to Apothos.” “Well, ummm...” “...and you're going there to try and find Brandon who we all know is dead...” “He's NOT DEAD!!!” Orin yelled but then caught himself and cooled his tone, “No one saw him die, no one even knows for sure. Plus, the APM had reason to save him if he was mortally wounded.” “Orin this is a bit ridiculous. You know we are short on military craft in this hour of war...” “General, I mean you no disrespect, but look outside. There are thousands of ships and pilots on reserve, what difference is one ship and one pilot going to make? Besides, the perpetual battery will more than make up for the the loss of one ship, and that's assuming the pilot doesn't make it back.”
The General sat silent for a long moment. To Orin it felt like hours, no days. Finally, the General began to speak slowly, “Orin, I respect you. You have earned my utmost trust and friendship, and you have truly granted the AU a much needed advantage. But...” Orin's heart sank as the General continued to speak, “...I only have one ship and one pilot available for such a reckless mission, so you are going to have no choices. I'll need this pilot and the ship back, so this will be a drop and go mission. Once on Apothos you are on your own, and I will cut off all contact with you. I am at no obligation to get you off that planet. If you find Brandon, great; you will have to find a way to get out of APM territory yourself.” Orin smiled, “Just give me names for pilot and ship.” General Harrison grinned from ear to ear, “Your pilot will be a man by the name of Frank and your ship, the Sunfighter.”