Post by Destecado on May 10, 2004 17:23:12 GMT -5
Following is the first chapter of a story idea that I have been working on for some time. It was sort of pushed to the back of the pile of things that I was working on till Komrade put forth the idea of the Dakar prison world. With some change, it might fit this world well.
The basic premise behind the story is a penal world where no one born on the planet ever leaves. Before I had trouble coming up with a reason why, but with the world under interdiction by the imperium and designated Perdita by the Inquisition we wind up with a very good reason.
The Marshal is there to try a different tactic at routing out the vestiges of chaos that continuously assail the inhabitants. he is in the process of build a new force, but needs to locate just the right commander.
“Let’s take it from the top,” the guard said leaning down over his shoulder.
Bruner groaned. He had been answering the same questions over and over for the last six or seven hours. Being trapped in a 3 x 5 meter room with two no necked brutes whose disposition was as sour as their smell was not how he imagined a debriefing session would be. Bruner had not thought to ask their names when they had escorted him here from the barracks. Since arriving, neither had bothered to respond to any of his questions. They usually responded with questions of their own.
What was the enemy’s strength? What happened to captain Tyler? Who had placed him in command? Who had issued the order to withdrawal? The questions kept coming one after another. First one the then the other would ask the question. They would also rephrase the questions trying to mix him up. Bruner’s head began to swim trying to keep track of all the questions and the two men grilling him. Since neither would give his name, Bruner named them himself.
Ugly one was currently hanging over his shoulder reminding him for the tenth time of the penalty for lying to them. His fetid breath fell hot and heavy on Bruner’s neck. Ugly two leaned against the far wall; his arms crossed glowering at Bruner. The bunched muscles of his forearms and biceps quivered, barely contained by his jump suit. Both of the Uglies were giants. Each towered to a height of about two and a half meters. Their shoulders were broad. When entering the room, they had to had turn sideways to fit through the door frame. Bruner had looked like a small boy walking between them. There was no sculpted beauty to their massive frames. It was as if the artist had hacked out the rough outline of a man, but had never had a chance to smooth out the lines. Their shear size made the already tight quarters of the room seemed claustrophobic
If they were hoping to make him sweat, they need not have bothered. The room was like a blast furnace. A sheen of sweat covered Bruner from head to toe. His hair was matted and felt five pounds heavier. A river of warm sweat wended its way down the center of his back. The Uglies weren’t faring much better. Their uniforms, which had been of a light grey when they had first entered, were now as dark as slate. The half circles of sweat that had started at their armpits had long since joined forces plastering the front of their jumpsuits to the underlying skin.
The only one that seemed unaffected by the heat was the gentleman that sat calmly in the corner reading from a data pad. Bruner really had no fear of the Uglies. He had dealt with bullies before. The man in the corner was a different matter. He made Bruner nervous. He had been sitting in the corner when the Uglies had escorted him into this oven. No wait….the room had been cooler then. Were the thermal sensors in the room functioning? Bruner’s mind wandered. The Uglies incessant questions and the heat were taking their toll. What had he been thinking about ….yes the man in the corner.
Although he had not seen him standing, Bruner judged the man to be about the same height, if just a hair shorter than the Uglies. He shared their stature, but not their frame. Thin would be a kind description. It looked as if he suffered from some wasting disease or had been a prisoner for a good number of years. His skin was pale like the color of fine ash. It hung loosely at the jaw line and bunched up at his neck. The man’s hair was color of spider silk. Thin strands of the whitish grey locks hung lifelessly from his cadaverous head. The light color against his sickly pale skin gave him an almost bald appearance. There was decidedly ghoulish quality to this man.
Worse than his frail frame and almost colorless features, were his eyes or lack of eyes. He had been staring into the data pad since Bruner and the Uglies had entered. The flickering display reflected against the round lenses of his glasses. His true eyes were hidden, replaced by glowing luminous orbs. Inhuman eyes that if one dared gazed into them would be lost forever. Bruner shuddered trying to look away. Those lifeless eyes, so like those of the creature that had killed Werner and Kyle and had been coming for him…..Even in the sweltering heat of the room a cold chill ran down his spine.
A sharp pain brought Bruner back to the moment. Ugly one had cuffed him across the ear for not responding quickly enough to a question he already knew the answer to. Bruner finally had had enough. He tried to jump to his feet in order to protest, but Ugly one’s hand closed around his shoulder and pushed him back down into the chair. He hit the seat with such force that the legs of the chair screeched in protest. The hand remained on his shoulder.
‘You have no right to treat me like this,” Bruner yelled. I’m not some criminal you can push around.”
“But you are.”
Bruner was shocked into silence. All thoughts of continuing his angry tirade disappeared with those three simple words. The man in the corner had spoken. It had not been the voice he had expected to hear. Instead of a quavering falsetto the voice was deep. It had strength. More strength than his body suggested. It was a voice of authority; a voice use to giving orders and expecting them to be followed.
Bruner could feel the weight of Ugly one’s hand leave his shoulder. The Uglies drew back away from him like two hounds called to heel by their master. They took up station on either side of the door behind Bruner. He was left to face the man in the corner alone.
“What” was the only response that Bruner could muster. The rest of his brain was frantically trying to imagine what he could be guilty of.
“As I said,” stated the man in the corner looking up from the data pad, “You are a criminal and will be treated as one.”
The eyes that stared through the thin lenses were far worse than the luminous orbs. Each was a dark ember that seemed to sizzle in a cold fire from the reflected data display. They were without pity or compassion.
“What am I guilty of,” Bruner asked still at a loss.
“Gross negligence, dereliction of duty, deserting your post, …..being born”
The last charge Bruner thought he had meant as a joke, but there was no humor in those eyes.
“I…I’m being charged for saving the remainder of my company.”
The man sighed pushed a key on the data pad and slid it onto the table in from of Bruner. The display showed a scrolling list of names. “These are the names of the men in the companies to the right and left of the position you deserted. By abandoning your post, you caused these two companies to be wiped out. I was tempted to charge you with 348 counts of murder, but the existing charges already carry a death sentence”
Bruner could not pull his eyes from the scrolling names. He had not known them personally but here or there a familiar name scrolled past on the display. All dead? Bruner had never wanted a command. He had been perfectly happy letting others lead. Attrition had brought him to the rank of sergeant, but still others were giving the orders and he was simply carrying them out. The only reason he had taken charge was because everyone else in command had been either dead or incapacitated.
“All actions have consequences. These men paid the price of your cowardice.”
Bruner’s eyes snapped up and locked with those of the man in the corner. “I am not a coward,” Bruner barked. The man’s words had hurt more than when Ugly one had cuffed him on the ear.
“Really, then what is a man that runs from his past?” The man asked taking the data pad from the table top. Pressing a series of keys, he began to read aloud from the display.
“Bruner Kessel, born Bruner Cassel. Birth date 317210.40. Third son of Mordin Cassel, current Commissioner to the Board of Public Safety and Planning. Mother, Vivian Cassel, deceased.
Brother, George… Magistrate Alpha 3 District. Brother, Vincent ….Owner and CEO of Cassel Inc. Sister, Rena……Aide to Vice Commissioner Anton Kylor Board of Public Safety and Planning.
Family residence, Tier 3 North Pinnacle Stygian Hive. Your family all appear to be rather successful. So, what brings a member of the upper hive down into the ranks of the forgotten?”
Bruner could not speak. How much more did this man know about him. He could tell him the reasons he had devised in his head to use if he was ever caught in his charade. He wanted to make a life for himself, not by his fathers name but by his own initiative. He was better than the petty lives that his family lead and he sought adventure beyond what those of his station are allowed. No, he could use these excuses to lie to himself, but this man would not believe them. He had to change the subject.
“So you know who I am, but who are you to accuse me,” Bruner tried put as much of an imperious voice as he could muster.
“Who I am is not important at this time,” the man said with a dismissing waive of his hand.
The basic premise behind the story is a penal world where no one born on the planet ever leaves. Before I had trouble coming up with a reason why, but with the world under interdiction by the imperium and designated Perdita by the Inquisition we wind up with a very good reason.
The Marshal is there to try a different tactic at routing out the vestiges of chaos that continuously assail the inhabitants. he is in the process of build a new force, but needs to locate just the right commander.
BLACK GUARD
CHAPTER I
“Let’s take it from the top,” the guard said leaning down over his shoulder.
Bruner groaned. He had been answering the same questions over and over for the last six or seven hours. Being trapped in a 3 x 5 meter room with two no necked brutes whose disposition was as sour as their smell was not how he imagined a debriefing session would be. Bruner had not thought to ask their names when they had escorted him here from the barracks. Since arriving, neither had bothered to respond to any of his questions. They usually responded with questions of their own.
What was the enemy’s strength? What happened to captain Tyler? Who had placed him in command? Who had issued the order to withdrawal? The questions kept coming one after another. First one the then the other would ask the question. They would also rephrase the questions trying to mix him up. Bruner’s head began to swim trying to keep track of all the questions and the two men grilling him. Since neither would give his name, Bruner named them himself.
Ugly one was currently hanging over his shoulder reminding him for the tenth time of the penalty for lying to them. His fetid breath fell hot and heavy on Bruner’s neck. Ugly two leaned against the far wall; his arms crossed glowering at Bruner. The bunched muscles of his forearms and biceps quivered, barely contained by his jump suit. Both of the Uglies were giants. Each towered to a height of about two and a half meters. Their shoulders were broad. When entering the room, they had to had turn sideways to fit through the door frame. Bruner had looked like a small boy walking between them. There was no sculpted beauty to their massive frames. It was as if the artist had hacked out the rough outline of a man, but had never had a chance to smooth out the lines. Their shear size made the already tight quarters of the room seemed claustrophobic
If they were hoping to make him sweat, they need not have bothered. The room was like a blast furnace. A sheen of sweat covered Bruner from head to toe. His hair was matted and felt five pounds heavier. A river of warm sweat wended its way down the center of his back. The Uglies weren’t faring much better. Their uniforms, which had been of a light grey when they had first entered, were now as dark as slate. The half circles of sweat that had started at their armpits had long since joined forces plastering the front of their jumpsuits to the underlying skin.
The only one that seemed unaffected by the heat was the gentleman that sat calmly in the corner reading from a data pad. Bruner really had no fear of the Uglies. He had dealt with bullies before. The man in the corner was a different matter. He made Bruner nervous. He had been sitting in the corner when the Uglies had escorted him into this oven. No wait….the room had been cooler then. Were the thermal sensors in the room functioning? Bruner’s mind wandered. The Uglies incessant questions and the heat were taking their toll. What had he been thinking about ….yes the man in the corner.
Although he had not seen him standing, Bruner judged the man to be about the same height, if just a hair shorter than the Uglies. He shared their stature, but not their frame. Thin would be a kind description. It looked as if he suffered from some wasting disease or had been a prisoner for a good number of years. His skin was pale like the color of fine ash. It hung loosely at the jaw line and bunched up at his neck. The man’s hair was color of spider silk. Thin strands of the whitish grey locks hung lifelessly from his cadaverous head. The light color against his sickly pale skin gave him an almost bald appearance. There was decidedly ghoulish quality to this man.
Worse than his frail frame and almost colorless features, were his eyes or lack of eyes. He had been staring into the data pad since Bruner and the Uglies had entered. The flickering display reflected against the round lenses of his glasses. His true eyes were hidden, replaced by glowing luminous orbs. Inhuman eyes that if one dared gazed into them would be lost forever. Bruner shuddered trying to look away. Those lifeless eyes, so like those of the creature that had killed Werner and Kyle and had been coming for him…..Even in the sweltering heat of the room a cold chill ran down his spine.
A sharp pain brought Bruner back to the moment. Ugly one had cuffed him across the ear for not responding quickly enough to a question he already knew the answer to. Bruner finally had had enough. He tried to jump to his feet in order to protest, but Ugly one’s hand closed around his shoulder and pushed him back down into the chair. He hit the seat with such force that the legs of the chair screeched in protest. The hand remained on his shoulder.
‘You have no right to treat me like this,” Bruner yelled. I’m not some criminal you can push around.”
“But you are.”
Bruner was shocked into silence. All thoughts of continuing his angry tirade disappeared with those three simple words. The man in the corner had spoken. It had not been the voice he had expected to hear. Instead of a quavering falsetto the voice was deep. It had strength. More strength than his body suggested. It was a voice of authority; a voice use to giving orders and expecting them to be followed.
Bruner could feel the weight of Ugly one’s hand leave his shoulder. The Uglies drew back away from him like two hounds called to heel by their master. They took up station on either side of the door behind Bruner. He was left to face the man in the corner alone.
“What” was the only response that Bruner could muster. The rest of his brain was frantically trying to imagine what he could be guilty of.
“As I said,” stated the man in the corner looking up from the data pad, “You are a criminal and will be treated as one.”
The eyes that stared through the thin lenses were far worse than the luminous orbs. Each was a dark ember that seemed to sizzle in a cold fire from the reflected data display. They were without pity or compassion.
“What am I guilty of,” Bruner asked still at a loss.
“Gross negligence, dereliction of duty, deserting your post, …..being born”
The last charge Bruner thought he had meant as a joke, but there was no humor in those eyes.
“I…I’m being charged for saving the remainder of my company.”
The man sighed pushed a key on the data pad and slid it onto the table in from of Bruner. The display showed a scrolling list of names. “These are the names of the men in the companies to the right and left of the position you deserted. By abandoning your post, you caused these two companies to be wiped out. I was tempted to charge you with 348 counts of murder, but the existing charges already carry a death sentence”
Bruner could not pull his eyes from the scrolling names. He had not known them personally but here or there a familiar name scrolled past on the display. All dead? Bruner had never wanted a command. He had been perfectly happy letting others lead. Attrition had brought him to the rank of sergeant, but still others were giving the orders and he was simply carrying them out. The only reason he had taken charge was because everyone else in command had been either dead or incapacitated.
“All actions have consequences. These men paid the price of your cowardice.”
Bruner’s eyes snapped up and locked with those of the man in the corner. “I am not a coward,” Bruner barked. The man’s words had hurt more than when Ugly one had cuffed him on the ear.
“Really, then what is a man that runs from his past?” The man asked taking the data pad from the table top. Pressing a series of keys, he began to read aloud from the display.
“Bruner Kessel, born Bruner Cassel. Birth date 317210.40. Third son of Mordin Cassel, current Commissioner to the Board of Public Safety and Planning. Mother, Vivian Cassel, deceased.
Brother, George… Magistrate Alpha 3 District. Brother, Vincent ….Owner and CEO of Cassel Inc. Sister, Rena……Aide to Vice Commissioner Anton Kylor Board of Public Safety and Planning.
Family residence, Tier 3 North Pinnacle Stygian Hive. Your family all appear to be rather successful. So, what brings a member of the upper hive down into the ranks of the forgotten?”
Bruner could not speak. How much more did this man know about him. He could tell him the reasons he had devised in his head to use if he was ever caught in his charade. He wanted to make a life for himself, not by his fathers name but by his own initiative. He was better than the petty lives that his family lead and he sought adventure beyond what those of his station are allowed. No, he could use these excuses to lie to himself, but this man would not believe them. He had to change the subject.
“So you know who I am, but who are you to accuse me,” Bruner tried put as much of an imperious voice as he could muster.
“Who I am is not important at this time,” the man said with a dismissing waive of his hand.