Sanctuary

Discussion in 'Archive' started by Darkthought, Sep 26, 2008.

Tags:
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. AllWrite

    AllWrite Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2008
    Messages:
    41
    Likes Received:
    2
    Wow...
     
  2. Foxee

    Foxee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 2, 2008
    Messages:
    2,663
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    Pennsylvania, USA
    V was still trying to decide who she'd have to crowd in with when a dark-haired guy stood up and walked right over to her as though he knew her. He was horrendously nervous, his blue eyes a little desperate.

    "Do you have a printer by any chance?" he asked.

    He took a ragged breath as though that question had really cost him and for a moment she thought he might run away.

    "Hi, the weather is nice," Artemis said with this careful smile.

    "Weather...?" V stood wondering what he was talking about for the second time in one minute. Why would he ask her for a printer? And what did weather have to do with anything here in Sanctuary?

    She didn't have time to figure out what was going on and to reply, though, before he walked away again and began talking to someone else. She thought she heard the word 'printer' again and she shook her head. It took all kinds, she supposed.

    A brown-haired man with a pleasant face stood and approached them.

    "I'm done with my terminal," he told her, "she's all yours."

    V started to say thanks when he turned to go talk to Printer Man. The word kind of drifted out into the space over everyone's head and she shrugged before squeezing thankfully into his vacated place before someone else could take it.

    She settled in, took a small bite of the muffin, and logged into her account.
     
  3. sprb_skrbblz

    sprb_skrbblz Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2008
    Messages:
    592
    Likes Received:
    7
    Location:
    I'm in the picture... look close...
    Darmetrius wanted to laugh at the printer question he was asked. It was a little odd to ask a random stranger for a printer. He gave the man kudos for managing to get the question out without twitching. He held in his laugh and looked around the cafe for any other "colorful" personalities that might frequent this cafe. Everyone else seemed to look normal, which really made the guy seem loony.

    "Hot chocolate, huh? Maybe you should drink coffee from now on. You look like you either have to take a dump, or kill somebody." he said, shaking his head.

    "And sorry to say, but I don't have a printer, fella."
     
  4. Rem Nightfall

    Rem Nightfall Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2008
    Messages:
    123
    Likes Received:
    2
    "Hot chocolate, huh? Maybe you should drink coffee from now on. You look like you either have to take a dump, or kill somebody." he said, shaking his head.
    Artemis stared at the man with flavor and then stared at the table. He wasn't sure how to respond so he took a sip of the hot chocolate. He took in one long deep breath and let it out slowly and stared at the man.
    "I'm no killer," Artemis said.
    He felt a little awkward just spitting that out, but he truly hated death. Thanks to his father of course, his father was a soldier and he was not. And he would never follow in his father's footsteps never. And that would mean he wouldn't take a man's life. He didn't want to become a soldier and no one was going to make him become on either. Even if it were a life and death situation. A man got up from a chair and said: "As to your printing," He said, turning to the gent. "What did you have in mind?"
    Artemis got up and stared at the man.
    "I have this ten page..."Artemis paused.
    Ten pages was a lot and what if that was ten pages that person need to send their daughter a letter. What if that was a ten pages that they needed to use to write to their sick grandmother.
    "Never mind, its not as..." he paused he really was going to start looking insane if he kept on stopping in the middle of his sentences.
    It was important, just as that person was important. Maybe that person would give up ten pages if it were to save his daughter. Maybe that person would give up ten pages if it were for the life of children. The young generation was just as important.
    "This ten page article I wrote," Artemis said, "I need a printer to print it out...I have it on this USB drive."
     
  5. Teele

    Teele New Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2008
    Messages:
    1,330
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
    The man revealed a small jump drive. He still seemed rather nervous, and looked about to change his mind, but went on anyway.

    "No problem. I got a coffee to finish, but I can get into my personal network from here and get it done. After we finish up, I'll swing by HQ and snarf it for ya." The seat next to the one he had previously vacated opened up, and he took a seat next to the girl he had given his last chair to.

    He called up a prompt and tried to start up a remote shell.

    Access Denied: administrator privileges needed...

    "Hm." Jack said. Well, they wouldn't mind. They knew he wouldn't do anything illegal. His hands flew over the keyboard as he tried to poke his way into an admin account. Eventually it worked. He started up the limited remote shell he had set up for the network. He then held out his hand for the gentleman's USB stick. He then stuck it into the unit, and sent the appropriate file to the printer.

    As the job was being scheduled he leaned back and looked to the girl sitting next to him.

    "Haven't seen you here before." He said, smiling. "You live in the Rows?"
     
  6. Rem Nightfall

    Rem Nightfall Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2008
    Messages:
    123
    Likes Received:
    2
    Artemis was a little surprised at how fast the man worked, taking his USB, issuing a print of his documents, and fighting the fussy administration. Artemis said nothing just stared at his hot chocolate. The man used odd words like "snarf". He tried to wrap his mind around a word like snarf and ended up giving out a nervous laugh that many probably heard. He stared more deeper at the table and was looking to see if the table had rings.
    "I wonder if you can tell the age of the table by how many rings it has," he said out loud to himself.
    He realized what he had done, he really needed to be detained at the moment. Or at least drunk, cause right now he appeared suspicious and being drunk would at least give him an excuse. Normal people don't act like him.
    I am a human, I am a human, I am just like everyone else, he mediated in his head. He was trying to blend again with everyone in the cafe, but it wasn't working. He saw one of the stuffy suits leave a terminal open, he went over to it. It was somewhat in the middle, he would be sandwich between some stuffy people, but they got up and left. Of course no one would want to sit next to a loony. He was about to begin to do something on the computer, but nervously he went back to his seat. And began to fidget a bit, his palms were becoming sweaty.
    He stared at the colorful man getting himself something else.
    "Do you think we'll get snow down here?," he asked.
    He stared back at the table he just said something that just seemed a bit odd. He went back to the computer maybe to keep himself busy, but just sat back down to were his hot chocolate was and place his head in his hands like if he were playing Heads Up Seven Up.
     
  7. Foxee

    Foxee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 2, 2008
    Messages:
    2,663
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    Pennsylvania, USA
    V was poking through her messages, deleting the spam ones and morosely thinking that the whole exercise was pretty much a waste of time. There were a few alerts from work, mostly which she already knew, and one from Robert. She rolled her eyes and deleted it unread.

    She took a sip of her coffee and a voice next to her spoke. It was the pleasant-faced man who had given up his seat to her.

    "Haven't seen you here before." He said, smiling. "You live in the Rows?"


    "Yes, I do," she said, noticing that he had Printer Man with him. Apparently the nervous guy's dreams had come true, "how about you?"

    There were a lot of people who lived in the Rows but she was pretty sure that she'd never even seen his face before.
     
  8. Teele

    Teele New Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2008
    Messages:
    1,330
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
    Jack studied her face. She was certainly pretty. Her eyes especially; open and alert and alive with brilliant blue-green. She had beautiful honey-colored hair. She looked classy; something that seemed to be getting rare among women here in Sanctuary.

    "Naw, I live with the suits up at HQ." He sipped his coffee.

    "Good bunch, if you don't count the droids."
     
  9. Foxee

    Foxee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 2, 2008
    Messages:
    2,663
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    Pennsylvania, USA
    V smiled at the image that presented.

    "You keep interesting company. I haven't been around droids other than the two very old ones at the hospital. My dad was..."

    Just then her account logged her out and went to a blank screen. She ran her fingers over the keys, trying to get something to work but got nothing.

    "Okay, what just happened?" she asked, wondering if he might have some clue how to fix the recalcitrant computer.
     
  10. Teele

    Teele New Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2008
    Messages:
    1,330
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
    Jack reached over and tapped a couple of keys. He checked her monitor light. It was on, but dim; like the thing had spontaneously dropped into standby mode.

    "Hm." He returned to his own terminal. While he had admin access, he may as well check what the issue was. He brought up the network management software. Looked like it was being updated.

    "Oookay. That's wrong. They shouldn't have to shut you down to do software updates." He got sent a command over to her terminal to restore her session, making sure everything was there. Her screen popped back to life. He then took a peek at the scripts, and wrote a quick hack that allowed them to update the terminals and keep them running.

    "That should fix it." He said. "Just a little script-fu."
     
  11. sprb_skrbblz

    sprb_skrbblz Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2008
    Messages:
    592
    Likes Received:
    7
    Location:
    I'm in the picture... look close...
    Darmetrius looked around the cafe at all the internet freaks working frantically at their computers. He forgot what he came into the cafe for in the first place. He listened briefly to various conversations going around, none really catching his interest. He was snapped out of his zone by a cute register girl.

    "Can I get you something, sir?" she asked with a smile.

    "How about a coffee?" he said with a smile of his own.

    "Coming right up." she replied with pep in her voice.

    He took another look around waiting for his special brew to be prepared.
     
  12. Foxee

    Foxee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 2, 2008
    Messages:
    2,663
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    Pennsylvania, USA
    "Oh...thanks!"

    V was startled and pleased when everything came back up exactly as it had been before it disappeared.

    "Generally when that sort of thing happens I just go do something else. You're quite a wizard."

    She held out a hand for the greeting brush of fingers.

    "I'm Varenna but everyone calls me V. And you are?"
     
  13. Rem Nightfall

    Rem Nightfall Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2008
    Messages:
    123
    Likes Received:
    2
    Artemis twiddle his thumbs, everyone was having a good time. He could feel it, it was in the air. If he left the cafe, the outside would consume him again. He wish he could live in a cafe, it was sure more calming. Artemis got up suddenly and walked up to the man who had helped with his printer issue.
    "I hate to interrupt your..." he paused and played with his fingers, "But may I have my USB?"
    Artemis felt safer with it on rather then forgetting, he was starting to relax a little more and he stared at the woman.
    "I'm sorry if I seemed like a loony," he told her, "I'm not use to you know walking into new places and talking to strangers, especially strangers in a stranger place...I'm just going to go back and sit over there."
    He had an awkward smile, a clumsy smile. And the man gave him back his USB and he took it back to his seat not before almost tripping over another chair. He didn't want to seem rushy, nervous, or fidgety so he gave them their space. It was obvious the man was into her or was trying to show off to her. In way it was a light of hope people could still love each other and in another way it was a very narrow light. Should you really be trying to pick up girls in such a dark and heavy time. he wondered to himself.
     
  14. Jade

    Jade Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    Messages:
    228
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    England, UK
    Jess watched him salute her with curiosity. Maybe he is military then, she thought. His father’s name certainly sounded familiar to her.

    “I’m Jessica Bennet, you can call me Jess if you like.’ She stared him, wondering if the smile was genuine. It was always hard to tell. Smiling one minute, stabbing you in the back the next. She thought about his other request. What could she tell him? What did he want to know? After a few moments she spoke. “I can shoot a Dragoon from two hundred yards away.” He did say he wanted someone with good eyes. Perhaps that was the right answer.
     
  15. Thanos

    Thanos New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2008
    Messages:
    101
    Likes Received:
    1
    I slowly crept out of sight into the darker and deeper parts the of the Junkyard. A that laid waste here were things that were not recyclable, badly damage vehicles, and just old stuff. I looked around and check to make sure no one was around. I stood 100 feet away from a wall of old smashed vehicles. I laid the black duffel bag down on the ground and pulled out the container that had the Rail Gun in it. I reached farther in my bag for my Cestuses so I could use as gloves. I pulled them on and grab a hold of the gun. I tuck the butt under my arm and flip the switch for the laser. I aim it at a door of a broken down car. I turn the knob to level 1 charge and let it heat up.
     
  16. Teele

    Teele New Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2008
    Messages:
    1,330
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
    Jack chuckled slightly.

    "All in the line of duty." He said with a wink. He met her greeting with his own hand.

    "Jack Cyrus, at your service. Though if you were from the HQ, I'd have to introduce myself as 'Lieutenant'." He paused for another sip of his coffee.

    "I have no clue how I made the military. I can't stand formalities."

    The gentleman approached and asked for his jump drive back. Jack withdrew it from the computer and handed it to him.

    "Before you go, where would you like me to bring that printout?" He asked.
     
  17. Foxee

    Foxee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 2, 2008
    Messages:
    2,663
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    Pennsylvania, USA
    V smiled and nodded, "My father was a lieutenant. I'm guessing that you're a communications officer of some sort. Unfortunately, the military's a little short-sighted when it comes to handing out titles like 'wizard.'"

    She sipped her coffee again, her attention drifting to her screen just as another message popped up.

    Robert again. She deleted it immediately.

    When she looked up Jack was involved in conversation so she finished her muffin.
     
  18. CommonGoods

    CommonGoods New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2008
    Messages:
    121
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    That small dark corner of your mind
    “I’m Jessica Bennet, you can call me Jess if you like.’ She stared him. After a few moments she spoke. “I can shoot a Dragoon from two hundred yards away.”

    Josh' draw somewhat dropped. 200 yards... he couldn't hit a the Wall from 2 yards away. He took a deep breath, and studied her face as he spoke again. "That is... impressive. I though you where a soldier, not a Special Ops."

    The smile returned to his face. "It is very nice to meet you, Jessica Bennet." He looked around. Some of the personnel where staring at them, or actualy, staring at her, then at him. He shrugged, and once again offered Jess his arm. "Well then, my guide, where do you want to go?"
     
  19. Thanos

    Thanos New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2008
    Messages:
    101
    Likes Received:
    1
    The Rail Gun opened up and gathered energy that look liked electricity. I hope this doesn't blow up on me. A beep rang once and I pulled the trigger. A straight bolt of pure electricity shot out of the gun and slammed into the side of the car melting the door off. I stumbled back as the I shot the gun. I need to work on the recoil on this thing. I checked around again to see if anyone was coming and then watched the energy level of the gun fall back to zero. I twisted the knob to level 2 and let it charge.
     
  20. Rem Nightfall

    Rem Nightfall Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2008
    Messages:
    123
    Likes Received:
    2
    "Before you go, where would you like me to bring that printout?" He asked.
    Artemis stared at him, his hands becoming sweaty again. Was it okay to tell a stranger where you lived? Well he told the lady with this grace. Then again he may sound like a drug dealer or someone suspicious. He honestly forgotten the stranger might catch a glimpse of his article. Maybe he would burn it or maybe he would use it as his own. Then again these were his paranoid thoughts.
    "You said you lived in the Rows, right?" Artemis paused, "If its possible we could meet up in the hallway and you can hand it to me...its nothing suspicious like blowing anything up or how to hunt the enemy or drug trafficking plans, just something very normal."
    Why did he just blurt that out? He stared out the window. He didn't even introduce himself, he had forgotten about that.
    "Hi, I'm Artemis," he said.
     
  21. Teele

    Teele New Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2008
    Messages:
    1,330
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
    Jack cocked an eyebrow at the apparent mishap of his brain's sort function.

    "Well, I live up at HQ, actually. If you'd like, you can tag along, though I can't let you into the base. Droid's orders. It'd probably save us both another trip."

    "My father was a lieutenant. I'm guessing that you're a communications officer of some sort. Unfortunately, the military's a little short-sighted when it comes to handing out titles like 'wizard.'" V said. Jack gave a chuckle.

    "Too true. Actually, I don't know what I am anymore. I'm the security guy, I guess. The white hat." He paused, and looked into his empty coffee cup.

    "Hey, ah. It looks like I gotta run for now. But, we should do this again sometime." He looked up and gave her a smile.
     
  22. Foxee

    Foxee Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 2, 2008
    Messages:
    2,663
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    Pennsylvania, USA
    "Right." She gave him a small wave, "It was nice to meet you." She looked beyond him to Nervous Printer Man. "Good luck with your printout!"

    She should be moving on herself soon. The third shift was beginning to catch up with her.
     
  23. Rem Nightfall

    Rem Nightfall Banned

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2008
    Messages:
    123
    Likes Received:
    2
    "Well, I live up at HQ, actually. If you'd like, you can tag along, though I can't let you into the base. Droid's orders. It'd probably save us both another trip."

    Artemis stared, go into an area that his father has probably set foot in. Well at least he was going to make something of his life. They would tell about how he put forward thoughts on the children and their exposure here.
    They would, but it wasn't word or fame he wanted. He wanted basically, when he died, have that "I told you so" look at his father.
    "All right I'll come along," Artemis said, "I wouldn't want to come in anyway...not that I mean anything by it, I mean I not a wanted person or an enemy spy just you know don't want to...I'll be quiet now."
    He made himself uncomfortable when he just blurted things out like that. But it was just an impulse he couldn't control. And he knew it would lead him to big trouble.
     
  24. Jade

    Jade Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    Messages:
    228
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    England, UK
    A strange expression crossed his face.
    “I’m a guide now,” she said in reply to his first statement, looking down to her empty jacket pocket and then at his arm which he had linked with hers. She adjusted the strap of her rifle. He watched her, expectant, and Haven’s warning echoed in her ears. “Tour, okay.” A nearby group of soldiers stared at them, nudging and laughing. Jess walked around, pivoting Josh in a circle, and then started in the other direction. "I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing," she said after a while. Haven had been unspecific about her duties as a guide. "Ask me about things if you want to know."
     
  25. Blossom

    Blossom New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2008
    Messages:
    0
    Likes Received:
    4
    Location:
    A dreamworld of starshine
    Street kids all had their own private haunts and hangouts which they were fiercely territorial about, but there were one or two places were they clustered in groups. Zefie made her way to one of these now – a two-floored shack cobbled together from the remains of a sleazy bar, a trailer and an unsalvageable tank.

    She hammered roughly on the door, the hollow ring of her fist hitting the metal echoing through the streets. The Junkyard was always full of echoes; the Rows were deathly quiet by comparison.

    A suspicious voice called out, “Who is it?”

    “Zefie.”

    “Wha’s’a password?”

    Zefie scowled. “Open the door Cooper or I’ll knock your bloody teeth out!”

    There was a petulant silence, then the scraping of bolts being drawn back. The door opened to reveal a small, skinny boy with a shock of dark brown hair and insolent black eyes. Cooper was a loudmouth fifteen year old, who had taken on the role of gang leader since Spikey’s death. His hooked nose had a bump in the bridge where it had been broken several times, more than once by Zefie herself. If he hadn’t been such a damned good thief his cockiness wouldn’t have been tolerated.

    He glared sullenly at Zefie. “You did’n giv’a password,” he muttered darkly.

    “Prat.” Zefie cuffed him round the head and pushed past him into the room. There was a small group of kids huddled in a corner, most of them under ten, and a few teenagers mock-fighting and playing cards. Zefie was by far the oldest.

    The last time she’d been here there’d been twice this number of kids, and the place had been alive with Spikey’s cheer.

    “Wha’d’ja wan’?” Cooper demanded with a scowl, coming round to stand in front of Zefie and reassert his authority.

    Exasperated, she sighed and held up the packed food V had given her. “Breakfast.”

    The affect that single word had on the half-starved street kids was amazing. She was surrounded by them in a second, all clamouring for a bite. Even Cooper forgot his grudge.

    Pushing them back, she divided the loaf up amongst them. The soup was poured out into chipped, broken bowls that were shared out and the eggs spooned onto equally cracked plates.

    Zefie managed to get a few mouthfuls for herself, but gave most of it to the kids. She watched them eat with a smile, but her attention was caught by a faint sound from the open door. It had sounded like a small explosions – but hadn’t been loud enough for her to be sure.

    Warily she looked out of the door, but the street was again silent. She frowned, thinking must have been hearing things, when she saw faint wisps of black smoke drifting over the shack roofs.

    There had definitely been something. Zefie looked back at the kids all eagerly stuffing their faces, and decided to go and investigate.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice