"And what is that?" Tatterdemalion asked, her voice echoing in the chamber.
"It's the Metaplex, represented as a four-dimensional object. That's why it appears to change shape over time but still retain cohesion."
"It hurts my head, looking at it."
"It's even worse when you are inside it. Don't you remember?"
Tatter stared at the pulsing, morphing substance hovering in the centre of the room. The colour changed, sometimes shiny, others muted.
"It's like a strange attractor..." Tatter whispered.
"Well, it most certainly attracts the strange. You'll observe three recurring patterns on the sides of the object. Interacting with it at each of these will produce a different experience."
Pattern One: Fragments
Pattern Two: Iteration
Pattern Three: Crisis
Tatter squinted. "I... I think I see a fourth pattern..."
Showing posts with label iteration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iteration. Show all posts
20160217
20150601
Continuity
Control says, "Current analysis of the newest Iteration of the Metaplex suggests that there are increased levels of Continuity occurring between events... That there are higher amounts of cause and effect... That things are starting to connect, to make more sense... Whether this is helpful or harmful to Max remains to be seen."
The Professor says, “Don't pretend that this isn't all part of your design. Whatever your intentions, I have to believe that by achieving Continuity Max will finally have some peace...”
Morganfokker says, “Continuity is the greatest of all lies, and the greatest of all traps.”
Maggie says, “Maybe it means something finally coming true, for better or worse.”
Max says, “I barely remember it now, being in the mansion, fighting that monstrous cyborg, and hoping that maybe it would be the thing... I was hallucinating messages from a television producer, or maybe the cyborg was the hallucination... I believed that if things worked out we would get picked up, if we were a TV series, or get to stay together if we were a team of supernatural warriors... I kissed a girl – was it Maggie? I hoped that the romance would make it count more, mean more. I wanted it all to mean something. To matter. I wanted Continuity more than anything. Now, sometimes, it scares me... I can't make up my mind.”
The Professor says, “Don't pretend that this isn't all part of your design. Whatever your intentions, I have to believe that by achieving Continuity Max will finally have some peace...”
Morganfokker says, “Continuity is the greatest of all lies, and the greatest of all traps.”
Maggie says, “Maybe it means something finally coming true, for better or worse.”
Max says, “I barely remember it now, being in the mansion, fighting that monstrous cyborg, and hoping that maybe it would be the thing... I was hallucinating messages from a television producer, or maybe the cyborg was the hallucination... I believed that if things worked out we would get picked up, if we were a TV series, or get to stay together if we were a team of supernatural warriors... I kissed a girl – was it Maggie? I hoped that the romance would make it count more, mean more. I wanted it all to mean something. To matter. I wanted Continuity more than anything. Now, sometimes, it scares me... I can't make up my mind.”
20150528
Neo Static: The Permutation Particles Polka - Epilogue
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
His eyes flickered open and he could see the clear blue sky above him. He felt a little woozy and he sat up as a cool, late spring breeze caressed his skin. He let out a big breath and glanced around the park.
"Well, look who it is," Aqua stated as she approached.
"C'mon Max," Suki said. "We're heading to Kelly's to meet up with the gang and get some grub."
"You girls okay?" Max asked of them as Aqua helped him up.
"Yeah," Aqua said. "I had this strange dream this morning though..."
"Tell me over breakfast," Max said as they began to walk across the park.
"Yo Max," Suki said. "I think you forgot something."
Max looked back and saw the pack of smokes on the grass; he walked back and picked them up and looked at them. It was a brand new pack, unopened. He looked up at the skyline and back at the girls and to the surprise of the girls he crushed the pack in his hands.
"Well, now," Aqua said. "I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks."
They headed to the gateway and Max tossed the cigarette pack into a garbage bin.
"Today is a new day," Max said. "Breakfast is on me!"
fini
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
His eyes flickered open and he could see the clear blue sky above him. He felt a little woozy and he sat up as a cool, late spring breeze caressed his skin. He let out a big breath and glanced around the park.
"Well, look who it is," Aqua stated as she approached.
"C'mon Max," Suki said. "We're heading to Kelly's to meet up with the gang and get some grub."
"You girls okay?" Max asked of them as Aqua helped him up.
"Yeah," Aqua said. "I had this strange dream this morning though..."
"Tell me over breakfast," Max said as they began to walk across the park.
"Yo Max," Suki said. "I think you forgot something."
Max looked back and saw the pack of smokes on the grass; he walked back and picked them up and looked at them. It was a brand new pack, unopened. He looked up at the skyline and back at the girls and to the surprise of the girls he crushed the pack in his hands.
"Well, now," Aqua said. "I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks."
They headed to the gateway and Max tossed the cigarette pack into a garbage bin.
"Today is a new day," Max said. "Breakfast is on me!"
fini
20150526
Neo Static: The Permutation Particles Polka - End
Aqua was in the middle of the tunnels; she was cut up and badly bruised but she kept swinging. It wasn't long before Suki was with her and she let her know that the job was done.
Darius, Twofeathers and Suki ran through the complex as Ul'ran zombies clambered after them. Wanting them to join the party.
Frank looked at the countdown on his chronometer. Only 18 more seconds to go before they were all aligned.
Angst, Ruffo and Angelissa sat at a table sipping tea as others walked past.
Max hovered off the floor, his fingers moving about seeing the data-streams of timelines before him and shaking his head 'no', dropping a few strings and gathering more and shaking his head 'no'.
Dan picked up the dice once again as everyone around the table waited for what was going to happen. It all resulted in this dice roll. It was all or nothing on this one.
"It's about time you joined the fight," Aqua shot at Suki.
"Sure thing, girlfriend," Suki said. "You think what I was doing was a picnic?"
"Yeah," Aqua replied. She took out a huge beastie with a punch, sending it sprawling back into its buddies. "Now, let's see if we can hold them off!"
"Madness," Twofeathers replied. No matter what corner they turned or what room they entered it seemed that the Ul'ran were already there. "This is madness."
"You don't know the half of it, sister," Suki said. She was rubbing her elbow; her arm was sore after dispensing a lot of charges with the Godhammer. She hoped Max was correct with whatever he was doing since it seemed like it was going to be the end.
Darius took out his cross necklace and gave it a kiss for luck. Twofeathers did a double-take at him and then she let out a chuckle.
Darius, Twofeathers and Suki ran through the complex as Ul'ran zombies clambered after them. Wanting them to join the party.
Frank looked at the countdown on his chronometer. Only 18 more seconds to go before they were all aligned.
Angst, Ruffo and Angelissa sat at a table sipping tea as others walked past.
Max hovered off the floor, his fingers moving about seeing the data-streams of timelines before him and shaking his head 'no', dropping a few strings and gathering more and shaking his head 'no'.
Dan picked up the dice once again as everyone around the table waited for what was going to happen. It all resulted in this dice roll. It was all or nothing on this one.
"It's about time you joined the fight," Aqua shot at Suki.
"Sure thing, girlfriend," Suki said. "You think what I was doing was a picnic?"
"Yeah," Aqua replied. She took out a huge beastie with a punch, sending it sprawling back into its buddies. "Now, let's see if we can hold them off!"
"Madness," Twofeathers replied. No matter what corner they turned or what room they entered it seemed that the Ul'ran were already there. "This is madness."
"You don't know the half of it, sister," Suki said. She was rubbing her elbow; her arm was sore after dispensing a lot of charges with the Godhammer. She hoped Max was correct with whatever he was doing since it seemed like it was going to be the end.
Darius took out his cross necklace and gave it a kiss for luck. Twofeathers did a double-take at him and then she let out a chuckle.
Frank checked the shotgun and was about to join Suki and Aqua in the tunnels.
"There's nothing you can do there," Max said to him.
"What?" Frank looked at him. "You're kidding right?"
"Frank, when have I ever misled you?" Max asked.
"The question is when haven't you misled me," Frank said. His impulse was to go and help the kids out in a overwhelming battle. But he trusted Max to the very end of his life.
"Can I get you ladies anything else?" the waiter asked.
Angst nodded and flashed him a smile and the waiter turned a little shade of red.
"There's nothing you can do there," Max said to him.
"What?" Frank looked at him. "You're kidding right?"
"Frank, when have I ever misled you?" Max asked.
"The question is when haven't you misled me," Frank said. His impulse was to go and help the kids out in a overwhelming battle. But he trusted Max to the very end of his life.
"Can I get you ladies anything else?" the waiter asked.
Angst nodded and flashed him a smile and the waiter turned a little shade of red.
"Mom," Angelissa said.
"I'm not your mother," Angst said to her, "Well, I... I could be your mother... Wait... I am your mother?"
"What are we doing waiting here?" Ruffo asked. She had a sound of agitation in her voice. She didn't know where they were and what they were doing but it was nice just to sit and catch their breath for a little while. "What are we suppose to be waiting for?"
"You will know when you see it," Angst said. She leaned over and gave Angelissa a kiss on the cheek, letting her know full well that she would be the mother she would never know.
Max's fingers were moving across like he was playing a huge harp. That's when he noticed blood on the tips of his fingers.
"Now you know how Bryan Adams felt," Maggie whispered.
Max noticed that his fingertips had thin slices like papercuts but it wasn't stinging at all.
"... and that's when you notice the cuts on Max's fingertips, each finger that he's been weaving with has left tiny droplets of his blood in it..." Tim said.
Dan's mouth dropped and everyone around the table looked up and he added, "You mean?"
"Yep," Tim stated with a sly smile. "Exactly. Now make your roll and let's just see how well the code was written."
Dan shook the dice in his hands and let them drop onto the table. They did their dance: the negative dice landed on a 1 (which was good to see) and the positive dice landed on a 6 and this meant he rolled it again and added it to the total.
Dan picked up the die to roll, Tim turned his attention to Peyton.
Aqua had taken a critical wound to the neck. Blood was pumping out due to her adrenaline being pushed to the limits, but she cracked a smile since she was going out on her own terms. She grabbed the huge beast in front of her and with all her might snapped its neck like a twig, letting out a primeval scream of victory before she staggered back.
A wall of beasties swarmed toward her.
"Nooo!" Suki screamed and that's when her face changed from a tween to a woman of rage. Mustering every ounce of strength she had she took the Godhammer in her hands and snapped it in two. "She you losers in hell!"
The explosion ripped through the tunnel.
"What is it?" Darius asked of Suki. She stood still for a second and let out a gasp.
"I don't know," she replied honestly. "It just .... I don't want this to sound corny... but I felt like something bad happened."
There was the sound of an implosion echoing off in the distance. A ripple and a wave of energy began washing through the area.
"Sweet," Twofeathers said. "Now what!"
Frank let the shotgun drop to the floor and he hung his head in shame. "Was this all for naught?"
The waiter placed another round of ice tea in front of the ladies, and they all smiled and raised their glasses in a toast.
"Ha! I win," Morganfokker whispered. "You lose, like the failure that you are!"
"Would it kill you to know that this was the game plan all along?" Maggie said with a knowing smile. "A sleight of hand so simple that you'd not be paying attention to what the other hand was doing."
"What?" Morganfokker said. "No, it can't be."
Max let the strings go from his bloody fingertips and let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm not your mother," Angst said to her, "Well, I... I could be your mother... Wait... I am your mother?"
"What are we doing waiting here?" Ruffo asked. She had a sound of agitation in her voice. She didn't know where they were and what they were doing but it was nice just to sit and catch their breath for a little while. "What are we suppose to be waiting for?"
"You will know when you see it," Angst said. She leaned over and gave Angelissa a kiss on the cheek, letting her know full well that she would be the mother she would never know.
Max's fingers were moving across like he was playing a huge harp. That's when he noticed blood on the tips of his fingers.
"Now you know how Bryan Adams felt," Maggie whispered.
Max noticed that his fingertips had thin slices like papercuts but it wasn't stinging at all.
"... and that's when you notice the cuts on Max's fingertips, each finger that he's been weaving with has left tiny droplets of his blood in it..." Tim said.
Dan's mouth dropped and everyone around the table looked up and he added, "You mean?"
"Yep," Tim stated with a sly smile. "Exactly. Now make your roll and let's just see how well the code was written."
Dan shook the dice in his hands and let them drop onto the table. They did their dance: the negative dice landed on a 1 (which was good to see) and the positive dice landed on a 6 and this meant he rolled it again and added it to the total.
Dan picked up the die to roll, Tim turned his attention to Peyton.
Aqua had taken a critical wound to the neck. Blood was pumping out due to her adrenaline being pushed to the limits, but she cracked a smile since she was going out on her own terms. She grabbed the huge beast in front of her and with all her might snapped its neck like a twig, letting out a primeval scream of victory before she staggered back.
A wall of beasties swarmed toward her.
"Nooo!" Suki screamed and that's when her face changed from a tween to a woman of rage. Mustering every ounce of strength she had she took the Godhammer in her hands and snapped it in two. "She you losers in hell!"
The explosion ripped through the tunnel.
"What is it?" Darius asked of Suki. She stood still for a second and let out a gasp.
"I don't know," she replied honestly. "It just .... I don't want this to sound corny... but I felt like something bad happened."
There was the sound of an implosion echoing off in the distance. A ripple and a wave of energy began washing through the area.
"Sweet," Twofeathers said. "Now what!"
Frank let the shotgun drop to the floor and he hung his head in shame. "Was this all for naught?"
The waiter placed another round of ice tea in front of the ladies, and they all smiled and raised their glasses in a toast.
"Ha! I win," Morganfokker whispered. "You lose, like the failure that you are!"
"Would it kill you to know that this was the game plan all along?" Maggie said with a knowing smile. "A sleight of hand so simple that you'd not be paying attention to what the other hand was doing."
"What?" Morganfokker said. "No, it can't be."
Max let the strings go from his bloody fingertips and let out a sigh of relief.
"Game. Set. And Match, Morganfokker!"
It was a sound like someone receiving a call on their cellphone, a little ding that seem to echo about the realms. Max hovered off the ground, light shining around him like beams from multiple lighthouses as cracks began to appear across his body. The ultimate sacrifice, he turned to the apparition of Morganfokker and lifted up a hand and simply waved at him, like he was waving to a friend who was moving away... and that's when Max seemed to implode on himself... creating a black hole sucking in the streams, data, and other realities with him.
Before everything went dark...
It was a sound like someone receiving a call on their cellphone, a little ding that seem to echo about the realms. Max hovered off the ground, light shining around him like beams from multiple lighthouses as cracks began to appear across his body. The ultimate sacrifice, he turned to the apparition of Morganfokker and lifted up a hand and simply waved at him, like he was waving to a friend who was moving away... and that's when Max seemed to implode on himself... creating a black hole sucking in the streams, data, and other realities with him.
Before everything went dark...
20150524
Neo Static: The Permutation Particles Polka IX
Long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
Suki slipped the flash drive into the slot. Her fingers danced over the keypad like a spider crawling across hot pavement. Aqua activated her gloves as she heard the sound of ripping and space and time began to fold down the passageway.
"Max was right," Aqua muttered. "It wasn't too long before they'd be onto us!"
"You do what you are paid to do, Aqua," Suki said. "I just need to finish coding and I will join ya."
"I got this," Aqua said as she made her way up the passageway.
Shooting stars never stop even when they reach the top
Shooting stars never stop even when they reach the top
Beads of sweat ran down from Frank's forehead as he closed the laptop.
"Done," he said to Max.
Max let a few strings go while grabbing a few more and moving them about his fingers like someone weaving a tapestry would do. Max could see the results unfolding in the infinite as his fingers were working, creating a better possibility.
There goes a supernova what a pushover-yeah
There goes a supernova what a pushover
Angst, Angelissa and Ruffo were rushing through the complex. Ruffo had thought it was her base of operations but it wasn't actually her base. It looked like everyone there was going about their business and paying no heed to her as she ran through the corridors with two cheerleaders.
It looked like they were late going to the prom. Ruffo was trying to fathom what was going on and how what they were doing was related to her own homeworld being invaded by an alien race, and how that seemed to be of no significance at all.
"Is this always like this?" Ruffo asked.
"And then some," replied Angst.
We're a long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
Suki, Twofeathers and Darius where in the middle of a huge battle with 13 foot tall mechanical robots. There was a dozen of them still left while a huge pile of scrap metal was scattered about. Suki's Godhammer made it very easy but it was still a nuisance, like mosquitoes at a summer camp as you try to enjoy the campfire.
"GOT IT!" Darius shouted. He threw the item into a rucksack and then lifted his weapon.
"It's about freakin' time!" Twofeathers said. She was tired of being swatted around.
"SUKI, WE ARE LEAVIN'," Darius shouted.
"Awww." Suki seemed saddened by the fact that she had to break from battle. "Just one more?"
20150522
Neo Static: The Permutation Particles Polka VIII
Max could see the six-sided dice through the data stream and he smiled.
Hovering about with a lot of strings he looked like a little kid holding balloons and was afraid to let go. The techno-trance song Suki was playing was getting louder as it began to bleed through the versions, realities, what-if's and what-could-be's. It was the signal he was waiting for.
"Okay Frank," he said. "Let's rock."
"Okay Frank," he said. "Let's rock."
20150520
Neo Static: The Permutation Particles Polka VII
"'This transmission is coming to you', why is Maggie constantly saying that?" Chance asked. He pick up his coffee mug to take a sip. Spilling a little on his character sheet. So far this session had been pretty interesting and intense considering that he had shown up late to the session to begin with. "Is it a code of some sort? A clue maybe?"
Dan had been sketching out the scene Tim had described. It was in ink and looked like a quick sketch of Max hovering off the floor in a futuristic bunker with his arms outstretched and his hands picking at data threads around him. With the face of Morganfokker at his right ear and Maggie at Max's left ear.
"I think Tim is trying to give us a clue, that's why Maggie keeps repeating it," Amanda chimed in. She had written out the phrase on a sheet of paper and was also using an anagram app on her cellphone to work out the phrase. "I really don't understand the whole Morganfokker thing though."
"That was before you joined," Dan replied.
"Ah," Amanda said.
Dan looked down at Max's character sheet and then picked up his six-sided dice. One was red with white pips, which was the positive die, and the other was black with red pips, and this was his negative die. "Okay, here's what I'm gonna do. I'm going to pour all my Fu points and Fortune points out of the pool and add them to my Intrusive Skill."
Since Max was using the strings of data like a keyboard he figured it might just work. He had a hunch what Tim was getting at and he could see the look of approval on the Game Master's face as he had seen it before, knowing that he was write on track.
Dan rolled both dice. Chance, Amanda, Peyton and Mark all waited for the dice to stop rolling. The red die rolled a six and the black die came out a two.
The players around the table erupted because a positive six meant that Dan could roll again and add that to the roll...
Dan had been sketching out the scene Tim had described. It was in ink and looked like a quick sketch of Max hovering off the floor in a futuristic bunker with his arms outstretched and his hands picking at data threads around him. With the face of Morganfokker at his right ear and Maggie at Max's left ear.
"I think Tim is trying to give us a clue, that's why Maggie keeps repeating it," Amanda chimed in. She had written out the phrase on a sheet of paper and was also using an anagram app on her cellphone to work out the phrase. "I really don't understand the whole Morganfokker thing though."
"That was before you joined," Dan replied.
"Ah," Amanda said.
Dan looked down at Max's character sheet and then picked up his six-sided dice. One was red with white pips, which was the positive die, and the other was black with red pips, and this was his negative die. "Okay, here's what I'm gonna do. I'm going to pour all my Fu points and Fortune points out of the pool and add them to my Intrusive Skill."
Since Max was using the strings of data like a keyboard he figured it might just work. He had a hunch what Tim was getting at and he could see the look of approval on the Game Master's face as he had seen it before, knowing that he was write on track.
Dan rolled both dice. Chance, Amanda, Peyton and Mark all waited for the dice to stop rolling. The red die rolled a six and the black die came out a two.
The players around the table erupted because a positive six meant that Dan could roll again and add that to the roll...
20150518
Neo Static: Neo Static: The Permutation Particles Polka VI
No matter how much tried to manipulate the strings the outcome was virtually the same: very bad. There was a solution to the task at hand and he was simply winging it as he went along. It was all gut instinct.
"Just let it go, Max. You've done as much as you can do," Morganfokker whispered.
"Don't listen to him," Maggie said. "He's still holding a grudge after having his head blown off."
Max chuckled.
A bead of sweat streaked down his cheek as he was playing the strings and working a tangent. He now knew how DJs felt on the stage working their magic from other peoples' sounds to make music. It was skill, inspiration and all heart. Max could see himself floating in a tube; he could also see many versions of himself aware of what is happening around him.
That's why I stopped for a fraction of a second in Rio. He knew that pieces of the puzzle were still missing but a large chunk of the picture was there. That also explains the hiccup in ... Why didn't I see this before?
It's so simple that children see it and when they get older they are blinded by the cold world around them, Maggie said. Now, you are seeing it... you can see it... since this
This Transmission Is Coming To You.
"Just let it go, Max. You've done as much as you can do," Morganfokker whispered.
"Don't listen to him," Maggie said. "He's still holding a grudge after having his head blown off."
Max chuckled.
A bead of sweat streaked down his cheek as he was playing the strings and working a tangent. He now knew how DJs felt on the stage working their magic from other peoples' sounds to make music. It was skill, inspiration and all heart. Max could see himself floating in a tube; he could also see many versions of himself aware of what is happening around him.
That's why I stopped for a fraction of a second in Rio. He knew that pieces of the puzzle were still missing but a large chunk of the picture was there. That also explains the hiccup in ... Why didn't I see this before?
It's so simple that children see it and when they get older they are blinded by the cold world around them, Maggie said. Now, you are seeing it... you can see it... since this
This Transmission Is Coming To You.
20150517
Neo Static: The Permutation Particles Polka V
Darius skateboarded down the ramp with Twofeathers flying a little ahead as a scout. Suki kept up with them as she jogged, making sure the Godhammer was on and ready to sing a song of death or two. Darius held a three dimension projection of the area in his hands, casually pointing to the direction they needed to go.
"Why is this Ul'ran invasion important?" Twofeathers asked as she flew back. She was bored and just wanted to talk. "We've seen a few timelines crumble in our journeys - what makes this one special?"
"Everything and nothing," Darius replied. "It's all part of the plan. What we are doing has to be of great significance or.... it could be a set point in time as well as..."
"I've learned a long time ago to just go with the flow," Suki chimed in.
Twofeathers drifted over to Suki and looked her over, as if checking for defaults. After all, hadn't they been talking with another version?
"I never thought there were any other versions of me out there," Twofeathers said. "Maybe I'm a mighty dragon in one of them."
"Or a bug on a windshield in another," Darius quipped.
"Why is this Ul'ran invasion important?" Twofeathers asked as she flew back. She was bored and just wanted to talk. "We've seen a few timelines crumble in our journeys - what makes this one special?"
"Everything and nothing," Darius replied. "It's all part of the plan. What we are doing has to be of great significance or.... it could be a set point in time as well as..."
"I've learned a long time ago to just go with the flow," Suki chimed in.
Twofeathers drifted over to Suki and looked her over, as if checking for defaults. After all, hadn't they been talking with another version?
"I never thought there were any other versions of me out there," Twofeathers said. "Maybe I'm a mighty dragon in one of them."
"Or a bug on a windshield in another," Darius quipped.
20150516
Neo Static: The Permutation Particles Polka IV
Frank's fingers danced over the keyboard; he was coding as fast as his brain would let him. The laptop that Max had given him was way beyond the years that it should be from. But he didn't question where he had gotten it or how; he knew that didn't matter when you finally looked at the whole situation at hand. He keyed the mic.
"Aqua," he said. "You girls are in position?"
"Oh hell yeah," Aqua replied. She was knee-deep in water in a tunnel beneath a facility in some remote city. The transmission seemed to be coming from a billion light years away; there was heavy static and Frank's baritone voice was coming in tinny. It also didn't help matters that Suki, who was at a juncture box, was listening to a techno-trance track as loud as can be. "We're ready to kick the tires and start the fire, Old Man."
Suki gave Aqua the thumbs up.
Aqua didn't know where they were at the moment, just that Max had brought them here and told them to be here when the signal was given. She had given up trying to fathom just how many realities they were away from the prime. Or if there was even a prime and they were just part of an ongoing simulation.
"I'm sending you the code now," Frank stated.
"Got it," Aqua replied. She took the flash drive from her wrist device and handed it to Suki. "Here ya go, j-pop!"
"Thanks, Rhonda Rousey," Suki replied.
"Aqua," he said. "You girls are in position?"
"Oh hell yeah," Aqua replied. She was knee-deep in water in a tunnel beneath a facility in some remote city. The transmission seemed to be coming from a billion light years away; there was heavy static and Frank's baritone voice was coming in tinny. It also didn't help matters that Suki, who was at a juncture box, was listening to a techno-trance track as loud as can be. "We're ready to kick the tires and start the fire, Old Man."
Suki gave Aqua the thumbs up.
Aqua didn't know where they were at the moment, just that Max had brought them here and told them to be here when the signal was given. She had given up trying to fathom just how many realities they were away from the prime. Or if there was even a prime and they were just part of an ongoing simulation.
"I'm sending you the code now," Frank stated.
"Got it," Aqua replied. She took the flash drive from her wrist device and handed it to Suki. "Here ya go, j-pop!"
"Thanks, Rhonda Rousey," Suki replied.
20150515
Neo Static: The Permutation Particles Polka III
Munson and Hyllensen, along with a few other scientists, were in the Clean Room. Eyes on the monitor as they witnessed the base slowly rotting from within. A cancer eating away at the cells that were healthy and turning them dark.
Munson looked at his pistol like a man dreading what he was going to do next.
Hyllensen looked around at the staff. Some of them were monitoring what was going on in the chamber.
"I don't frakkin' believe it!" someone stammered.
Munson looked at his pistol like a man dreading what he was going to do next.
Hyllensen looked around at the staff. Some of them were monitoring what was going on in the chamber.
"I don't frakkin' believe it!" someone stammered.
"What is it?" Munson asked.
"Max's got company," the intern replied. "I don't know where they came from!"
"How is this possible?" Munson asked.
"Max's got company," the intern replied. "I don't know where they came from!"
"How is this possible?" Munson asked.
Hyllensen heard something and tilted his head as if he was fine-tuning a station. He was listening to the klaxon wailing away like a banshee in the night but he thought he could hear some type of rave music with it.
20150428
Neo Static: The Permutation Particles Polka II
Ruffo was down to her last clip, her anti-biotic pin had reached the maximum limit and she knew her time was going to come. She would save a last bullet for herself since she didn't want to be a drone in the Ul'ran horde.
She was in the meat locker, secured in the confined space with a few other souls that had managed to escape the chaos. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something wonderful was going to happen; she got this feeling once in a blue moon and she attributed it to just plain dumb luck.
Could there be someone pulling the strings? she wondered. Could this be just a game of some sort and I'm just a ...
Nope... Well, maybe.... or it could be a movie... a voice entered her head. It was Max. Well, one cannot answer that question honestly though, since it's only a matter of how you look at things.
"Cap, are you alright?" Denmark asked. He raised the gun on her in a precautionary manner and he was ready to put a bullet in her brain-pan if she was infected.
"Yeah," she said. "Save your bullet for when you truly need it."
Denmark cracked a wry smile; she was okay.
You can open the door in about 30 seconds.
Outside the hammering and pounding on the steel door stopped and she could hear the rattle of Uzis and the sound of shells dancing on the floor like an erratic drummer at a punk concert. Then all was silent.
Ruffo looked at the others in the freezer and she went to the door and pulled a tie from the handle.
"What's going on?" someone asked. "Did they send a rescue unit?"
"I don't know," Ruffo said. "But, I think whoever it is ain't takin' no crap from Ul'rans."
The door opened and Ruffo looked and saw two young ladies in different cheerleader outfits. Why they could be twins. She didn't know who they were or why they were here but she was glad to see them.
"Max needs to see you now," one of the cheerleaders said.
She was in the meat locker, secured in the confined space with a few other souls that had managed to escape the chaos. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something wonderful was going to happen; she got this feeling once in a blue moon and she attributed it to just plain dumb luck.
Could there be someone pulling the strings? she wondered. Could this be just a game of some sort and I'm just a ...
Nope... Well, maybe.... or it could be a movie... a voice entered her head. It was Max. Well, one cannot answer that question honestly though, since it's only a matter of how you look at things.
"Cap, are you alright?" Denmark asked. He raised the gun on her in a precautionary manner and he was ready to put a bullet in her brain-pan if she was infected.
"Yeah," she said. "Save your bullet for when you truly need it."
Denmark cracked a wry smile; she was okay.
You can open the door in about 30 seconds.
Outside the hammering and pounding on the steel door stopped and she could hear the rattle of Uzis and the sound of shells dancing on the floor like an erratic drummer at a punk concert. Then all was silent.
Ruffo looked at the others in the freezer and she went to the door and pulled a tie from the handle.
"What's going on?" someone asked. "Did they send a rescue unit?"
"I don't know," Ruffo said. "But, I think whoever it is ain't takin' no crap from Ul'rans."
The door opened and Ruffo looked and saw two young ladies in different cheerleader outfits. Why they could be twins. She didn't know who they were or why they were here but she was glad to see them.
"Max needs to see you now," one of the cheerleaders said.
20150425
Neo Static: The Permutation Particles Polka I
"... now you understand what must be done," Max said to them all. He had turned to the three-dimensional projection of Suki and Aqua hovering before them. "Time is of the essence, though the essence of time is not up for question. Comprehend?"
Aqua nodded as if she understood. She banged the battle gauntlets she was wearing together to activate them.
Suki just shrugged, lifting her hands in a 'comme ci, comme ca' motion. Her 13 year old brain was still trying to wrap around the fact of seeing herself, or another version of her, in the room with Max while he was giving them their task to do. And she was still trying to figure out if this Max was the Max.
"You got it, dude," she finally said. Then the holographic projection disappeared.
Max turned to the others he had gathered; a cup of coffee materialized before him and he took a sip of the elixir.
Suki glanced up at Max and smiled; same old Max. Then she looked at the others in the room where they had gathered:
Darius and his sidekick, Twofeathers, resting on his shoulders.
A much older version of Frank, his hair grey and his face clean shaven standing with what she had first thought was a version of Angst but turned out to be her daughter, Angelissa. Suki presumed the various strings in the plex intertwined and changed and off-shoot to various other alternatives which were endless and constantly changing like waves on a beach.
Aqua nodded as if she understood. She banged the battle gauntlets she was wearing together to activate them.
Suki just shrugged, lifting her hands in a 'comme ci, comme ca' motion. Her 13 year old brain was still trying to wrap around the fact of seeing herself, or another version of her, in the room with Max while he was giving them their task to do. And she was still trying to figure out if this Max was the Max.
"You got it, dude," she finally said. Then the holographic projection disappeared.
Max turned to the others he had gathered; a cup of coffee materialized before him and he took a sip of the elixir.
Suki glanced up at Max and smiled; same old Max. Then she looked at the others in the room where they had gathered:
Darius and his sidekick, Twofeathers, resting on his shoulders.
A much older version of Frank, his hair grey and his face clean shaven standing with what she had first thought was a version of Angst but turned out to be her daughter, Angelissa. Suki presumed the various strings in the plex intertwined and changed and off-shoot to various other alternatives which were endless and constantly changing like waves on a beach.
And standing beside them was the Angst that she knew and loved but it wasn't her Angst, or maybe it was but it was not too easy to tell these days.
And then there was the Suki and Aqua which Max had contacted, wanting them to...
"You sure you are up to this, Suki?" Max asked her.
"You got it, dude," she told him.
And then there was the Suki and Aqua which Max had contacted, wanting them to...
"You sure you are up to this, Suki?" Max asked her.
"You got it, dude," she told him.
20150417
Neo Static: What May Be, What Might Be, What It Is IX
"So what you gonna do?" Suki asked Aqua. "Do you wanna go or not?"
Aqua sat in the booth and picked at the plate of fries in front of her. She didn't know what she wanted to do with the spare time that she had; she was used to being on the go, one minute battling a gazillion robots, the next battling giant mutant wasps in some secret lair of some mad scientist. Now the biggest decision of the moment was whether to go to an Anime Convention uptown or to just rest her bones. Suki wanted to go ever since she saw the signs and she didn't want to go alone, and she had been hounding Aqua for the better part of an hour now.
"Please," Suki said, pouring on the charm. "Pretty, pretty, pretty please."
"Okay doke," Aqua said. "But if we are going to do this, let's do this right. We need to pick up some cosplay outfits!"
"Done," replied an excited Suki. "I checked MapsApp for some shops and there just happens to be one around the corner! 'Mally's Manga Mall'. They have a whole slew of styles from The Reverend..."
As the girls got out of the booth they saw Max hovering there before them.
"Max?" Suki said. "What's the deal?"
"I can't take you with me but I do need you girls to do a big favour for me. I need someone I can trust for this task," he said. "You ladies are my ace up the sleeve. Everything depends on it."
"Sure thing, Boss," Aqua replied. She was leery, seeing that the Max before her was Max but not the Max that left with Goner, Frank and Pretty George to see Clipboard Jones at a club for some items. "What's the task?"
Max took something out of his pocket and held it open-handed before the girls.
"甘いイエス·キリスト" Suki said.
Aqua sat in the booth and picked at the plate of fries in front of her. She didn't know what she wanted to do with the spare time that she had; she was used to being on the go, one minute battling a gazillion robots, the next battling giant mutant wasps in some secret lair of some mad scientist. Now the biggest decision of the moment was whether to go to an Anime Convention uptown or to just rest her bones. Suki wanted to go ever since she saw the signs and she didn't want to go alone, and she had been hounding Aqua for the better part of an hour now.
"Please," Suki said, pouring on the charm. "Pretty, pretty, pretty please."
"Okay doke," Aqua said. "But if we are going to do this, let's do this right. We need to pick up some cosplay outfits!"
"Done," replied an excited Suki. "I checked MapsApp for some shops and there just happens to be one around the corner! 'Mally's Manga Mall'. They have a whole slew of styles from The Reverend..."
As the girls got out of the booth they saw Max hovering there before them.
"Max?" Suki said. "What's the deal?"
"I can't take you with me but I do need you girls to do a big favour for me. I need someone I can trust for this task," he said. "You ladies are my ace up the sleeve. Everything depends on it."
"Sure thing, Boss," Aqua replied. She was leery, seeing that the Max before her was Max but not the Max that left with Goner, Frank and Pretty George to see Clipboard Jones at a club for some items. "What's the task?"
Max took something out of his pocket and held it open-handed before the girls.
"甘いイエス·キリスト" Suki said.
20150415
Neo Static: What May Be, What Might Be, What It Is VIII
They were sitting around a campfire, relaxing and taking it easy. It seemed like months since they had had a break in the action, that's for sure.
Max and Maggie were lying by the fire, Maggie enjoying the summer breeze as Max sipped coffee from one of those old tin can coffee mugs they had picked up at a flea market a few days back.
Angst sat cross-legged on a blanket field-stripping the Uzis, which made Frank shake his head and chuckle. Here they were on a beach in North Carolina admiring the summer evening.
Goner was picking stones and seeing how far he could toss them into the water; well, after what had happened in North Africa with the grenade he could use a little practice on throwing.
Aqua and Suki sat on a log reading Manga and both were fan-girling on how different and vastly improved the series The Reverend was in this version of Earth.
Akimoto sat away from the group, sitting on a rock and meditating as usual.
All was quiet and peaceful for the moment, a time to catch one's breath and enjoy the scenery for a change of pace.
"You there yet?" Maggie asked of Max.
"Huh," Max replied.
"Nope, not yet," Maggie stated and she turned to kiss him.
"What brought that on?" he said, as if she needed a reason to.
"Just saying hello to an old friend," she replied. Then she saw the sparkle in his eyes, as if an ancient door was opening, letting light into a room that was completely dark.
"Dammit," Angst said as she looked around the blanket.
"What?" Frank inquired.
"Nevermind," she replied. "I think I left it in the car."
"Want me to get it?" he asked.
"No, I'll do it," she said, getting up. "Besides, I think I have a kink in my leg to work out."
"Well, considering you've been doing that for a while now it would kink up," Frank joked.
Angst stood and headed for the car.
Max had glanced over and then he looked back at Maggie and she just smiled and nodded. "You see it now, don't you."
Angst headed to where the vehicles were parked and she heard a noise and looked to see Max, hovering off the ground.
"What the hell, Max," she said. "You scared the bejesus out of me."
"Angst, you're needed," Max said to her.
"Well, no guff," she chided.
"Take my hand and we'll go," he said as he reached out. "You'll only be gone from here a fraction of a micro-second."
Max and Maggie were lying by the fire, Maggie enjoying the summer breeze as Max sipped coffee from one of those old tin can coffee mugs they had picked up at a flea market a few days back.
Angst sat cross-legged on a blanket field-stripping the Uzis, which made Frank shake his head and chuckle. Here they were on a beach in North Carolina admiring the summer evening.
Goner was picking stones and seeing how far he could toss them into the water; well, after what had happened in North Africa with the grenade he could use a little practice on throwing.
Aqua and Suki sat on a log reading Manga and both were fan-girling on how different and vastly improved the series The Reverend was in this version of Earth.
Akimoto sat away from the group, sitting on a rock and meditating as usual.
All was quiet and peaceful for the moment, a time to catch one's breath and enjoy the scenery for a change of pace.
"You there yet?" Maggie asked of Max.
"Huh," Max replied.
"Nope, not yet," Maggie stated and she turned to kiss him.
"What brought that on?" he said, as if she needed a reason to.
"Just saying hello to an old friend," she replied. Then she saw the sparkle in his eyes, as if an ancient door was opening, letting light into a room that was completely dark.
"Dammit," Angst said as she looked around the blanket.
"What?" Frank inquired.
"Nevermind," she replied. "I think I left it in the car."
"Want me to get it?" he asked.
"No, I'll do it," she said, getting up. "Besides, I think I have a kink in my leg to work out."
"Well, considering you've been doing that for a while now it would kink up," Frank joked.
Angst stood and headed for the car.
Max had glanced over and then he looked back at Maggie and she just smiled and nodded. "You see it now, don't you."
Angst headed to where the vehicles were parked and she heard a noise and looked to see Max, hovering off the ground.
"What the hell, Max," she said. "You scared the bejesus out of me."
"Angst, you're needed," Max said to her.
"Well, no guff," she chided.
"Take my hand and we'll go," he said as he reached out. "You'll only be gone from here a fraction of a micro-second."
20150413
Neo Static: What May Be, What Might Be, What It Is VII
Frank sat at the kitchen counter, reading the paper and sipping away at his coffee. The television was turned on at a low volume, just enough to provide background noise. He glanced at the clock and noticed the time.
"Sweetheart," he called. "We've got to go."
"In a minute," came back the reply.
He took the last sip from his coffee and folded the paper neatly and put it on the counter. He brought the cup to the sink and ran the water over it, gave it a good rinse out and then set it in the sink.
"How's this?"
Frank turned and his mouth fell open.
She stood before him in a cheerleader outfit and her hair in ponytails.
"Oh... my..." he stammered. Seeing his daughter, Angelissa, in her school uniform showed that she was the spitting image of her mother.
"Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry," Angelissa said. She approached him to give him a hug. She could spot the tears building in his eyes. They had lost her mother ten years ago to cancer.
"No, Angel, it's okay," he said. "I wasn't prepared to see you in your new outfit, that's all. I will be there this evening for the game. It's your first performance and I wouldn't miss that for the world."
"Dad? Whose your friend?" Angelissa said as she looked at the counter. Frank turned to see Max there on the other side.
"Jeeze Frank, just how old are you?" Max asked with a sly smile. "The grey in your hair suits you."
"Max!" Frank said. "What the hell? I thought... I thought..."
"Well, that's another Max," Max said. "Or I'm that Max but just not the same Max you knew."
"Dad?" Angelissa questioned.
"Sweet Mother of Mary, she's the spitting image of her mother!" Max said, looking at Angelissa.
"What's happening?" Frank said, snapping Max out of the flashback moment of Angst in his mind.
"I need your magic, Frank," Max stated. "Of all the Franks in the Plex you are the one with the edge."
"Sweetheart," he called. "We've got to go."
"In a minute," came back the reply.
He took the last sip from his coffee and folded the paper neatly and put it on the counter. He brought the cup to the sink and ran the water over it, gave it a good rinse out and then set it in the sink.
"How's this?"
Frank turned and his mouth fell open.
She stood before him in a cheerleader outfit and her hair in ponytails.
"Oh... my..." he stammered. Seeing his daughter, Angelissa, in her school uniform showed that she was the spitting image of her mother.
"Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry," Angelissa said. She approached him to give him a hug. She could spot the tears building in his eyes. They had lost her mother ten years ago to cancer.
"No, Angel, it's okay," he said. "I wasn't prepared to see you in your new outfit, that's all. I will be there this evening for the game. It's your first performance and I wouldn't miss that for the world."
"Dad? Whose your friend?" Angelissa said as she looked at the counter. Frank turned to see Max there on the other side.
"Jeeze Frank, just how old are you?" Max asked with a sly smile. "The grey in your hair suits you."
"Max!" Frank said. "What the hell? I thought... I thought..."
"Well, that's another Max," Max said. "Or I'm that Max but just not the same Max you knew."
"Dad?" Angelissa questioned.
"Sweet Mother of Mary, she's the spitting image of her mother!" Max said, looking at Angelissa.
"What's happening?" Frank said, snapping Max out of the flashback moment of Angst in his mind.
"I need your magic, Frank," Max stated. "Of all the Franks in the Plex you are the one with the edge."
20150411
Neo Static: What May Be, What Might Be, What It Is VI
Darius and Twofeathers were resting against a tree; well more like Darius was resting while Twofeathers seemed to fly from branch to branch looking for a particular roost that seemed comfortable. It was spring in New York City and Central Park was lovely this time of the year. Darius had only been here once before but that was New Year's and he really didn't have time to enjoy it due to the circumstances that were happening at the time.
"Damn it to hell," Twofeathers replied.
"Damn it to hell," Twofeathers replied.
"Just get some shut eye will ya," Darius told her. '"We've got a big job to do tomorrow."
"How bout a big job right now," Max said, sending Darius out of his slumber.
"What the hell?"
Max was hovering one metre off the ground before them. "I got a job for you guys."
"Sweet!" Twofeathers stated. "But, who the frak are you?"
"This is Max," Darius told her.
"Max?" she repeated. "You mean the Max?"
"The one and only," Max answered. "And I need your help... Well, not me but some people that are going to need some help."
"You don't need to explain anything to me," Darius stated. "I'm in."
"How bout a big job right now," Max said, sending Darius out of his slumber.
"What the hell?"
Max was hovering one metre off the ground before them. "I got a job for you guys."
"Sweet!" Twofeathers stated. "But, who the frak are you?"
"This is Max," Darius told her.
"Max?" she repeated. "You mean the Max?"
"The one and only," Max answered. "And I need your help... Well, not me but some people that are going to need some help."
"You don't need to explain anything to me," Darius stated. "I'm in."
20150409
Neo Static: What May Be, What Might Be, What It Is V
Suki sat there on the subway car, sipping a soda and watching the darkness blend with neon signs as the subway continued onwards. She was unsure what was going on but she knew she was going somewhere where she was needed.
The newly acquired Godhammer rested in her lap; the weapon was as big as her forearm. But it felt natural to wield in her tiny hands. Her new friends were resting as well as the train moved on and that was okay, it was giving her time to think.
Her old life was behind her and she was going to forge a new one in this weird thing called life that she was at. She glanced at Max who had closed his eyes and apparently nodded off, and she knew that she could trust him with her life. Her new life, riding a subway car and visiting various stations where their particular skills were needed.
She took a sip from the soda and thought about maybe catching forty winks herself - that's when Max tapped her on the shoulder.
"You're wanted," he said.
"For?" she asked.
The newly acquired Godhammer rested in her lap; the weapon was as big as her forearm. But it felt natural to wield in her tiny hands. Her new friends were resting as well as the train moved on and that was okay, it was giving her time to think.
Her old life was behind her and she was going to forge a new one in this weird thing called life that she was at. She glanced at Max who had closed his eyes and apparently nodded off, and she knew that she could trust him with her life. Her new life, riding a subway car and visiting various stations where their particular skills were needed.
She took a sip from the soda and thought about maybe catching forty winks herself - that's when Max tapped her on the shoulder.
"You're wanted," he said.
"For?" she asked.
"Not here," Max said; his eyes seemed to have aged a million centuries and he looked at her as if he had known her for decades (when in fact they had just met days before). "Do you trust me?"
"Yes," she told him.
"Okay," he nodded as he reached up his hand and touched her shoulder. "Blink!"
"Yes," she told him.
"Okay," he nodded as he reached up his hand and touched her shoulder. "Blink!"
She blinked and in the moment of time she was not in the subway car but standing before a hovering Max.
20150408
Neo Static: What May Be, What Might Be, What It Is IV
Max could see it all and everything, his mind alert to all possible realities and situations that unfolded in the now. Even though it seemed like eternity it was only mere seconds in his mind. Relaying images from various possibilities and situations that were related to what was happening in this particular thread he was in.
He took in a deep breath and let it out as gently as a summer breeze; he could hear the klaxon going off and he could sense the imminent threat that was going on around him in this tiny fabric.
"Just let it go," a voice told him. "This teeny tiny micro-thin slice of a world is of no significance what so ever upon the billions and billions of others that are going on."
That voice, Max thought. I've heard it before.
"Max, my old friend," the voice continued. "Just let this one fade with the other lines, it will make no difference if this is lost amongst the timelines."
Oh fuck no, Max thought.
Morganfokker!
He took in a deep breath and let it out as gently as a summer breeze; he could hear the klaxon going off and he could sense the imminent threat that was going on around him in this tiny fabric.
"Just let it go," a voice told him. "This teeny tiny micro-thin slice of a world is of no significance what so ever upon the billions and billions of others that are going on."
That voice, Max thought. I've heard it before.
"Max, my old friend," the voice continued. "Just let this one fade with the other lines, it will make no difference if this is lost amongst the timelines."
Oh fuck no, Max thought.
Morganfokker!
20150407
Neo Static: What May Be, What Might Be, What It Is III
Even though this might be the end of everything Ruffo was having the time of her life. She had never felt more alive than right now, her thoughts were crystal clear and her actions were smoother than silk on satin. She realized that this feeling had been building up inside of her since they discovered Max in the chamber.
"What the hell are you smilin at?" Anderson asked. Anderson had dispatched three of the creatures that used to be good friends only moments ago and now they were lying at her feet twitching like bugs on a hot windowsill.
"I really don't know," Ruffo confessed. "At first I was filled with dread and then a few moments ago I got this feeling inside that something good will come of all this."
"Well," Anderson stated. "I hope whatever the hell it is you're feeling is coming soon... or we're all Ul'ran drones."
"What the hell are you smilin at?" Anderson asked. Anderson had dispatched three of the creatures that used to be good friends only moments ago and now they were lying at her feet twitching like bugs on a hot windowsill.
"I really don't know," Ruffo confessed. "At first I was filled with dread and then a few moments ago I got this feeling inside that something good will come of all this."
"Well," Anderson stated. "I hope whatever the hell it is you're feeling is coming soon... or we're all Ul'ran drones."
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