Only One

[Grudge]

 

 

 

The only thing Samuel felt while he was alive was not something he enjoyed remembering. Being helpless. Being distracted. Having emotions. Floating above the Rina, he wasn't angry, he was curious he did understand the violation he made. But her answer...She knew about his kind, the fact that she couldn't kill him right now mattered little, she was righteously pissed off because some meeting with some of his kind was a disaster, and now it was on his back. Unfortunately for her, he died once and did not like it. He just thought as she screamed, "What can hurt a little mechanical bird, so deeply?" The sight of his creator fluttered in his mind. He frowned, surely not, still his own lying tongue was dry. He was more than just a Vampire, not earthshaking more. Just MORE.

He felt little animosity for his creator...until now.

 

Edited February 18 by Grudge (see edit history)

[Grudge]

Well, those were interesting pieces of information, although a bit stale for his taste. Armies and civil wars, lost the luster while he was in SiM. He might be Both a General and a Monster, but he was a Doctor before both of those. His mist form rises higher and looks at the gauge their ship tore and as the cloud carried by wind decides to follow it.

 

 

[wrathgon]

You follow the overgrown scar of the island to the destroyed power station and the impact crater where the ship hit the island. How Jake missed the island is anyone's guess but the hole is deep enough that it was a hard hit indeed. Following it the other way it goes across the island through the ruins of another building overgrown. You continue which takes you hours till the end of the island and the line goes right off the island into the cliffs and water below. Since the island moves the ship can be anywhere.

[Grudge]

  

"Others will be thrilled." goes through Samuel's mind before looking around and scanning the surroundings. Then he lands before morphing into a wolf to gain speed and runs back as fast as he can. As soon as he is near the city he mists again in and knocks on the door of the ambulance hud where he worked all day. Sister opens and recognizing him seems a bit surprised. "Doctor...I believe you don't have to knock to come in." Samuel smiled as charmingly as he could when he wanted. "My apologies, I'm still a bit new to this position, I don't want just to prance around as I own the place." Obtaining the annoying invite he enters "I left some sequencing to be done that lasts a while so I came up to check on it. Don't mind me."

Sister nods and closes the door "Sure, call if you need assistance your private nurse left a while ago." He nods still smiling before entering his office, and his amicable facade falls off like a mask, he places the troll blood that almost got him incinerated while obtaining into the sequencing machine and starts it over, and then cogs start turning. Even if this precaution with a weakened immune system is a waste of time. Metas are trying to find antidote. If he's able to help there it might make Rina's trigger finger less itchy. He carefully takes a few drops of troll blood and finds one sample of Human blood placing them side by side under an electronic microscope. Sequencing will reveal more there too but this is all he can do for now. Observing the samples he starts taking notes about similarities and differences.

He taps his communicator on a wide frequency so anyone from the crew can hear. His lip quirks as he remembers a scene he made with Jake's wife before talking. "What everyone thinks is a chance Jake will be less punch happy next time he sees me if I say I know what happened to our ship?"

 

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by Grudge (see edit history)

[darlis moonbeam]

Jakes voice comes over the comms with a very menacing note to it. "I don't really like your chances to be honest."

[Grudge]

"Jake, Jake. You choose your friends AND your wife, it's not my fault it happened both to be snobs of their own kind. And no matter the species snobs rarely like each other. Besides I wouldn't trust you to miss an island yet here we are. Our beloved ship skidded off this forsaken island, moving island mind you. How to know how long ago, or how far the island moved, and in which direction is anyone guessing? Less wordy for those easily bored. Our ship has gone underwater. Possibly the entire time while we were at SiM. I think finding it just gone from slightly annoying to near impossible, without a lot of data. And the crater is enormous, so we punched with quite the speed. Our space tub is sturdy but after such collision and in salt water for a few decades... I'm not sure it's worth looking."

 

 

Edited December 31, 2023 by Grudge (see edit history)

[darlis moonbeam]

"She is a noble you jackass, of course she is going to come across as a snob. Also she is our best chance of surviving on this planet for the years we need to stay here, so maybe take that into consideration before you insult someone who has a lot of power on this planet. The power to make even your life miserable I might add. You might be hard to kill but not impossible, and she has a lot of resources available to her, she is the leader of an entire province."

He takes a deep breath before he continues to speak. "As for landing the ship on the island, that was damn near impossible at the speeds we were going when we got pulled into this planets atmosphere, I was lucky to get us here alive at all. As for time, it has not been that long, I thought as a doctor you would have realized that the time in the sim, was mostly just that, simulated. My understanding that while we may have been in there for decades its only been a few years out here. Also that ship is still very valuable to us, if for no other reason its white hole power source that is not something that is just lying around that we can easily replace on this planet. Pretty sure the captain will want to recover that at least, though I think the old girl will surprise you on what she can withstand." There was definitely fondness in his voice as he spoke about the ship he had piloted for so long.

[Grudge]

"Jakey, what would your wife think talking about another girl with such fondness." Samuel copies another set of enzymes and their counterpart he thought might be of interest "In any case, I know who she is and I was dead once, so I'll tell you from experience, while dying sucks, death is not all that's hyped up to be. As for making my life miserable, you mean like this bed of roses I'm living in now? Threats are becoming tiresome, I had given it a try, but it did not go well. I'm done with your wife. Don't ask me to like her or not make fun of her behind her back, but my shadow will not darken her steps again and I suggest she forgets and forgives as fast as I do since I'm not a cuddly puppy to roll over at the site of newspapers.

His tone lost a friendly joking tone and now perfectly matches Jake's own if not in rage, then in cold calculated menace "At the first sign, she took hostile action against me I'll unleash such a cloud of misery on this dump that it will be remembered while she lives. I don't have to lay my finger on her to leave her so high reputation brought low. You are right, I am hard to kill, but it is perfectly within reach with someone with power, so why would I give them the benefit of the fight at all? Releasing diseases that I was made to make while in SiM...and had some time to manufacture small doses since waking up would ravage the population, and I would make sure Populus knew at whose pleasure endures things that make a Black Plague as the common cold and I'll make sure they know why roughly 98% of people are lying dead before weekends. Because their own blue blood representative could not be stand called names by a man she would never see again. It stung so bad, that she decided to mess with his life, while he was doing his best in the city ambulance, actually putting in impressive unpaid overtime. I don't think she will find much sympathy with survivors. I don't have any further interest in her, I suggest it would be best if the feeling is mutual. As the ruler of the province, I have no doubt she can get rather detailed videos of all 147 chemical weapons they had me make. And modifying to account for their pathetic vaccines was under me, viruses so love to mutate. As for death, Captain will likely burst me at the seams where I am once he sees what I've done, but I'd rather be dead again than domesticated as one of her dogs...or you for that matter. How often is she cooing under your arms sweet nothing just to snap in a commanding position and basically order you what to do? How often have you said no?"

Samuel's tone changes into one of resignation as he changes resolution and marks a new group of interest "I'm aware our relationship will not be the same, you want to stand by your wife's side, do so, but I want these childlike threats to cease. A perfect simulacrum of Jake's voice sounded out of Sam's mouth "You can be killed." went past your lips at least once we heard each other since that night. I am the one who was actually killed. I am well aware of my mortality. So stop behaving like an 11-year-old bullie and move past it or don't. If nothing but threats can leave your mouth when addressing me, keep them shut. Samuel out."

 

 

Edited December 16, 2023 by Grudge (see edit history)

[Grudge]

Third Week:

After Sam was done in the Lab he carefully materialized in the space he chose for the place where he'll spend what little free time for rest he had. It was a horrifying place to be in more ways than one, but it fulfilled his needs, very hard to reach, even harder to find, yet close enough for him to contact someone if he needed. He stretched, throwing a new backpack he obtained with a few suits he also bought and most importantly sleeping bag. He had to keep himself clean and until he is back in his beloved coffin again this will have to do. He remembered the painstaking high-tech adjustment he made to the coffin or asked Enoch for help with stuff beyond his knowledge. Hermetic sealing, computer with holo-projector, cameras for observing outside, high-end communication suit, basic security and defense measures and made himself sigh with longing. @wrathgon

 

Edited December 3, 2023 by Grudge (see edit history)

[darlis moonbeam]

"I am pretty sure my wife understood what she was getting into marrying a pilot." As the talks shifted back to his wife a serious tone came back into his voice  "I honestly don't give a shit if you guys like each other or not, or if you even hate each other, but the snide comments and the veiled threats stop now. It is my wife you are talking about and if you think that does not have consequences think again. I get that for arrogant pricks like yourself, and to be honest the Captain will probably have a harder time dealing with her strong will, and as a noble she does come across as overbearing to some people but you honestly do not know her, and your personalities clashed but there was certainly nothing there to warrant your level of vitriol you spewed to her. Its like you can not control your impulses."

As Samuel begins spewing all the things he could do and the things he had done a sound of horror fills Jakes voice as he responds "What has happened to you? You were never puppy dogs and rainbows, but this is dark even for you, do you even hear yourself talking? If the irony was not lost on you its as if you have lost the will to live, even your perverted form of life is still a life and one that technology and science can help make more meaningful if you let it. "

You can hear the sigh in his voice as Jake responds to the last "You are correct, it will be difficult for us to go back to what we had before, this extra darkness that is inside you now is not something I can agree with. Though if you can agree to have a civil tongue when talking to me and keep my wife out of our conversations, given time we might be able to get to a better place between us." there was a slight pause before he continues, the sound of his voice was a bit strained as he continued "I think you need to talk to someone about all of the things you have had to do before they eat you up inside, believe me I know, some of the choices I have had to make in the wars still haunt me. So if you ever need to talk about it I am here brother."

It was obvious that as angry as he was with Samuel, a part of him still hated hearing what he had endured and how it seemed to have scarred him, it reminded him that many of their wounds did not have visible scars that could be seen.

Edited November 30, 2023 by darlis moonbeam (see edit history)

[Grudge]

There is a longer pause before Jake can see Samuel open the channel but this time private, just between them

"There is something wrong with me, I'm trying to diagnose if is it a medical or a side effect of SiM, or, worst-case scenario, normal progression for my kind, last shreds of humanity dying. I'm prone to sudden short-lived outbursts of anger, completely out of my control. First, when I woke up from SiM I pulverized the mirror to dust just because I couldn't fix my hair. Then outburst at your place, and then I broke the cover in front of Rina because I wanted a blood sample and Troll with her did a lowborn impression of your wife as insults went so I dominated her mind to take the sample. Rina, of whom one should be wary of she is not 100% human either, not only recognized what I did but had good enough weapons to harm me. But not good enough reflexes. Anyway, that was a mistake too. I hope it is some SiM glitch since it can't work on me as it did to others, instead of physically shown psychologically."

"In which case at least I have good news that could put your wife at ease there. Sequencing is done and my fears seem unfounded, it would appear while the immune system is failing it is just a simple and expected body response from moving out of a sterile environment into the filth of the world. They should acclimatize on their own within a few weeks. Those who want to help just should take some daily dose of vitamins, minerals, and stuff to help their body along. I hope my temper issues will be resolved at the same pace."

There is another pause "But I do answer what I perceive as existential threats with before unseen severity, that I doubt is from SiM. The mere fact that I took time to concoct and produce samples of the most horrifying crap imaginable is proof, that is not spur of a moment decision. It's a premeditated plan made if I'm threatened, I took into account the fact that I can be defeated and worked with it. This is an island nation, one whose population is crammed tightly. Diseases are something island nations are afraid of. Because I based my plan on the history of the country, twice the large lethal disease outbreaks ravaged the population. Both times world united to help, but they did something else too they quarantined the island...militarily. Both times governments at the time collapsed, before diseases were through. And those were deadly viral outbreaks with an average 65% mortality rate between them. Mine are much worse, after all impossible amount of money and state-of-the-art facilities were given to the scientists. Quarantine would be worse too. Remember when I quipped that I melted the guy? One of the test subjects, we were given, was what they said were death row inmates when it came to people testing. This time we were supposed to make vaccines and cures for all diseases. The guy had a kind of blood sepsis that was eating at his organs, so I administered the dose that would chemically bind with the disease and make Sodium chloride, table salt basically, and then, since having that much salt isn't healthy either he could be made to pee it out with over the counter medicine." Samuel's voice grows bitter "Three of us worked on it and when it went sideways one who administered the vaccine, took the fall, kinda arbitrary since all three of us work the same job but a fall guy is needed always. I got a nice severance package, an even nicer amount for signing NDA. Do you know why NDA? Instead of a failed vaccine, they presented it as another weapon project, it turned the guy's blood into H2SO4 or sulphuric acid, and every drop of it, he turned into the tub of goo within 15 minutes. We're talking about such kinds of horrors, and I made samples of over 100 of them, some much much worse, like I'm baking a pie."

"Me chastising your wife if she comes out for me is supreme hypocrisy. I'm preparing to do much worse for basically the same reason. I have no leg to stand on, that's not an explosive mood swing that will potentially pass within 2 weeks, it is something much darker that wasn't there before. Sane people don't create seeds of the apocalypse, even in self-defense. The worst thing is that I'm about 70% sure if she came at me with all the weight of her resources I'd likely use it, even now in rare moments of clarity." There is another pause "Issue is not about me liking her, I don't obviously, but that's just another penny in the swear jar. She's your wife, of course, I would never harm her unless she forced my hand. Me taking jabs at her among the crew, and nowhere else for the record, is something else. I don't trust her Jake. That's worse than not liking her. I think she'll use you for her own goals and you have such puppy eyes for her that I think that it would scar you. Maybe worse than I am scarred."

OOC: @wrathgon @darlis moonbeam This conversation is taking between 2-3 weeks before Sam's post above this one

 

Edited December 1, 2023 by Grudge (see edit history)

[darlis moonbeam]

Jake listens as Samuel unburdens himself, "I would say ask the Captain, but I think we both know if you wanted understanding he is not it. Though on the other hand the docs might be able to help if it turns out to be a medical or science issue." Jake takes a deep breath "Look Sammy, I know you are not really that dark. Even when the Captain put you into your current situation, you attempted to come up with a more humane way to sustain yourself. I still believe science might have an answer for you there."

[Grudge]

Sam again takes a pause going through the next slide and continuing to take notes as multitasking comes naturally

"I don't know, I might try to do some literal soul-searching, but unfortunately for that I'll need a Captain's help, I have magic juice but if anyone knows the right rites to perform to find your own soul it's him. In the meantime, I'm trying to balance my infernal tally by doing some good. While escaping Rina I held back listening it would seem they were looking for some kind of cure for Meta's. That's what I started doing at the moment with the remains of Troll's blood, it will take some time to fully comprehend it. I do see possibilities already, not sure about those who already passed through a full transformation but I'm fairly sure I can make Meta change a matter of choice. Vaccine of sorts. It will take some 4 weeks to actually find HOW to do it, but it is possible."

There is another pregnant pause "Actually, it is visible enough that someone with better equipment and scientists, should've been able to see at least the possibility. I'm not one against stroking my ego about how good a mad scientist I am, but it looks like no one even tried to look into Meta problems if I might have a workable prototype of the vaccine in 4 weeks on my lonesome. Jake...I don't wanna ruin your pillow talk but tell your wife that weakening of the immune system is not an issue but keep to yourself that I'm looking to help Metas...Like I said, I don't trust her." There is a wry smile in the corner of his lips "Although I doubt Troll I obtained a sample from, and Rina would trust ME to help them either. A nice circle of distrust we have here. But that can wait until I have something tangible. For now, it is just a theory. Anyway, if you see Rina in the wild be careful, she's more than it seems."

 

 

Edited December 1, 2023 by Grudge (see edit history)

[Grudge]

  

Third Week:

Samuel lays down but before closing his eyes remembers something and opens the comlink. Familiar and unsatisfied with the life voice of Retired General Lionel Voss (C:2, L:6) answers. "Sam! It's been too long." Sam collects energy for the last charm offensive. Lionel was one of the best Computer guys on the island, in SiM they worked together but while Sam made bioweapons, Lionel was working on Cyber Warfare and was damn good at it. The fact that he barely landed the job as an Inventory Management guy, didn't sit well with him, especially unlike Sam who had an impeccable reputation.

"Come on Lionel it's been barely 4 weeks and one was in SiM. I had to situate myself, not all of us left with a perfect record with corpos." The dark tone shows that his pride is seriously shaken "A lot of good did that to me, Inventory Management, such a dull damn job. Making sure everything is in order, at the beginning it was interesting counting all the advanced crap we have, but unless you're in a special branch regular grunts see zilch from it." Samuel chuckles "Well good then I'm about to make your evening a lot more interesting."

There is a brief pause "What do you have in mind?" Samuel pretends to look for the designation "Warehouse 103/C/ Gamma clearance." he hears Lionel checking it and his voice sounds disappointed "These are all mothballed items, still deemed too valuable to recycle but too old for active service." Sam's voice gets a conspirator-like tone. "Come on, Lionel over 50k pieces of armor, sure, they are last seen in battle at 10 years war and the oldest models are about 30 years old. The only reason they keep it is because they don't have nearly enough new stuff, and even if they did cost of fielding the army in it would be astronomical. New stuff will see parade duties and be dealt to low danger sectors in the case of the full scale of war, so what they are keeping 50k pieces of perfectly adequate armor, who can fill such a large group?" There is a dark undertone in Lionel's voice now, things were going as planned "Infantry, our boys will get shafted again." Samuel's voice is reassuring "Not necessarily, they are old frames, and no way they can go toe to toe with new Power and Mechanical Armor but they are adequate in large numbers. Few armies in the world have over 10k latest in armor tech, 50k of good enough, with good soldiers will always win that arithmetic."

"So why are you interested in these fossils?" This was the touchy part "I had some smoke with extra Navy." "Those wankers." "Getting out of SiM did not help their attitude much, I called some of my boys and have a Half Squad, but I need untraceable hardware. 6 pieces of mothballed armor and I'll send you the list of weapons. I'm returning stuff within a week, I just need for you to overlook that discrepancy for 7 days, Can you do that for me." There is a brief pause "Sure Sam, sure. I'll see about armor tomorrow, depending on the weapons you want it might need a few more days." Sam allowed his smile to beam through Comlink "That sounds perfect. I'm too busy these days for bar runs but get to my Ambulance (he gives him address) after closing hours and I have an unopened bottle of that Bourbon you like so much, you can tell me your woes then, maybe I can do to help." Lionel sounds hopeful like he's not the one doing the favor "You think? What am I saying you were always better than me at kissing ass. I'll see to get on Friday." "Sounds perfect, see you soon, as for equipment remember Bry, my Adjutatnt, he'll come for it." "No problem, see you on Friday." "See ya!" Comlink goes quiet and Samuel's cheery mask slips, he checks all traps for his sanctum are still Live, and then he makes himself more comfortable on the sleeping bag and closes his eyes.

 

[Grudge]

  

Samuel rubbed his eyes, the past few weeks were tiring even for his enhanced physique, he looked around his temporary abode, taking the unpleasantness of it all in one glance. Tiring and uncomfortable, he missed his coffin, he missed not having his place of work protected by Bryan's band of thugs, he nearly could feel overlapping reticles of high-powered sniper rifles. And one very well-hidden, but also very messy anti-vehicle energy weapon. He missed feeding properly, a few times almost falling into the temptation to drain some of the multitude of rats that infested his abode.

And all for this... He one last time compared data on several data slates to their paper counterparts to make sure all is there. Once he started to understand basics getting to the final product was not particularly hard. However, understanding the basics was...trying. And all he managed to show for it was an anti-meta vaccine for prepubescent children and a series of painful procedures for those teens still in the throes of transformation. The cure still eluded him as is the reason for transformation. This was an uncomfortable thread to pull, both vaccine and further research, in the wrong hands, it could cause genocide. Forced vaccinations, or even more insidious secret ones, cure could be even worse. Still, in the right hands, it would give Metas one thing for their children they, or he for that matter, never had...choice.

He had exactly one vial of vaccine and he had no intentions to part with it. Too many lies and favors, and ass-polishing went into getting the necessary ingredients. But the paper described everything in such detail that even mediocre scientists with some connections could follow it. He planned to send it to the Troll who served as the unwilling donor, it was only fair, besides she was a scientist of some repute and had a personal stake in the matter. After that...well, he will have to meet Rina again and die, not something he looked forward to. Dying sucked no matter how many times you do it. He did toyed with the idea of striking first, but Jake would whine, he did not like to listen to that. He was the only thing he had that approached to friend. Others would disagree too, that bothered him less. Captain though, even immortality has its limits. But before all that, there was one last thing he had to do.

Samuel sat at a rigged transmitter that Lionel made for him, using his expertise to place in it the last available encryption software, he adjusted settings on private and keyed all frequencies his Master and Creator could be on. He needed info, and if anyone had it Captain did. He spoke, "Captain my Captain could you grace me with a few minutes of your time I have some reporting to do that's best done over private channels."