NEGATIVE SHINE

"get back to the good docto-"

As you finish your words something rips you through the hatch into the spine.
You land on your back; something hard is beneath you and even more puzzling
something pins you to it.

"well, we are off to quite the start." the operator says a little disgruntled.
"first an agent got bad conditioning and now you're pinned to the largest man
made magnet in existence. Things are going smoothly indeed."

It is completely dark and the only light you see is that of the hatch you
entered through. You can tell you fell a good distance from the hatch as it's
now very small. Furthermore, it is moving slowly down; or is it you who is
moving?

"well, I forgot to consider something earlier... Your flashlight uses magnetism.
Everything else on your suit and in your equipment isn't ferrous or metal
based..."

(aside: I'm changing your titanium grapple hook to a different but equally
strong, if not stronger, type of material. A material which is not attracted by
magnetism.)

You hear a quiet clicking and clattering as the hatch you came in through now
appears above you and moving down much more quickly.

"might as well turn it on while you still have it." the operator suggests.

You turn your light on. It's an omnidirectional light and the whole place lights
up. You see the inside of the giant tube called the spine and realize that the
black shaft you are stuck on is the magnet drive. The magnet is slowly rotating
and gaining speed. Movement catches your eye and you turn your head to discover
a horde of tiny robotic spiders marching straight for you.

"this is either fortunate or unfortunate but the flashlight can easily be
ejected from the suit... At the cost of sight. Also, not much time before that
magnet gets to a speed that can kill you. Might want to think about that."

Operator says "things are going smoothly indeed"

I say with a scowl "truth C3PO!"

Operator suggests i turn on my flashlight. I do.

I see the mechanical spiders.

"Spiders why did it have to be spiders!"

(aside I am deathly afraid of spiders mechanical or organic)

I sit up and tug on the flashlight trying to lift it off of the magnetic spine,
but it does not budge. "well that's just great I'm going to be blind at a bat
in here." I look around and take in my whole environment and try to memorize it
in three seconds, all the while thinking to myself "who am I kidding I'm going
to be running into these walls all night"

I whip out my grappling hooks and swing it in circles above my head once, twice,
three times then send it crashing into the horde of robotic spiders crushing
through the the first one head on sending it's pieces flying back into the ones
behind it. It kills about 5 but the others just march over the scraps of metal
and keep coming at me.

"forget this!" I release the flashlight from the suit and fall upward to the
hatch that I fell from in the first place.

Now calm believing that I am safe from the monstrous horde of mechanical spiders
I reach my hand out into the darkness and touch the wall. I guide myself
forward as my eyes adjust to the darkness. Yet I can still barely see due to
the lack of any light.

"anything else I you would like to tell me operator?" I say irritated

I proceed forward toward my goal at the end of this tunnel.

"yeah, didn't expect any of the drives to just turn on like that, but truthfully
it's been chaotic lately. The war is taxing on Halcyon. I'm working on a way for
you to get visuals. I have a couple different ideas but all of them will take
some time. For now, keep an eye out for a red square. Terminals shouldn't be
hard to find."

You are left in the dark. In the still and silent tunnel there is an eerie sense
of emptiness. The entire inner diameter of the tunnel is covered in computer
hardware. Now that your eyes have been given a chance to adjust to the low
light, you see millions of small lights covering the walls. Like stars of the
night sky they dot all you see. Very few of these lights are blinking. As you
examine the ones that are you notice something very useful. They are not
blinking at all but instead something is moving in front of them. It appears to
be protrusions in the otherwise perfectly cylindrical shaft which is the
magnetic drives. With this new information the awareness you have of your
surroundings is fully realized. Though you cannot see the shaft, the strip of
missing dots tells you all you need to know of it. Noises are coming from where
you once were. Looking back, you see small sparks coming from where you landed
on the magnet shaft. It must be those spider bots, but what are they doing? As
it spins and spins, something seeps into your mind; A memory that once was lost.


"we're spinning out of control! Stabilizer must have been hit!"
You hear a voice of terror over your com system say.
You and your crew aboard another ship stare out a window helplessly at the ship
you once called home.
A grizzled old man behind you says with a pirate accent "We're in deep boys..."
"Clyde," a tall strong man turns you around. "cut 'em loose Clyde."
This man, clearly the leader of your crew, hands you a plasma cutter. A large
tool held with two hands and works like a blow torch. Quickly you enter the
airlock and initiate the decompression. Before you know it, you're walking on
the outside of the ship with the help of your magnetic boots. Off a dozen meters
or so is your target. A massive cable connecting the two ships. The cable was
used to attack the ship you now are on but now it's time to cut the losses and
move on. The metal of the cable moans and aches sending tremors into the ship
your on and up through your feet. You begin to cut through the cable hoping it
detaches before it begins to damage anything. As it released, you stare up at
the spinning ship. As it spins, vents of plasma and gas are ejected in a spiral.
The ship giving it's final death throws as the gun batteries fire off all the
energy they have at the few remaining fighter ships still buzzing around it. As
you stand watching the ship fly off away from you, you feel saddened at the
sight but powerful. You are a titan playing with toys on the sandy shores of
infinity. The ship is devoured in a red fury of explosions.

Shaking your head of the memory you turn to move on. You immediately see
something coming from afar. It's fast; on a rail system of sorts. It starts to
move in your direction. Only it's outline is visible as it approaches. Tense as
you are, you hold still hoping it does not see you. It stops about 10 meters
off. A light turns on and is pointed down at a panel. It's a blue light and
looks like the eye of the machine. A robotic arm reaches into view and opens the
panel. It quickly and precisely begins pulling out cables and component
replacing them as it goes. All the sudden, it stops. It takes a long and
suspicious pause. All of a sudden, the light turns to you and illuminates you.
It blinks a couple times like a real eye before turning red and sounding a
voice, "LIFE FORM DETECTED"
Below you, all of the indicator lights within 5 meters from you turn red like a
target.

(aside: first entry was a test of knowledge and understanding which you rocked.
This is a little bit about taking more of the story into your own hands.
Artistic license if you will. Feel free to add more enemies, define the
behaviors of the enemies, add elements to your surroundings, and a lot more.
You're not really limited here but by how well you can write it. Remember,
everything in here is a maintenance and repair bot. They see you as a bug in the
system which needs repaired... to death. Also, old memories shouldn't be altered
by the player. Take it away bro!)

The Operator says"Terminals should not be hard to find"

I squint my eyes leaning my shoulders forward a bit trying to focus on where I
think the end of the tunnel is as to see the red square.
I say kinda low/almost scared "yeah hurry up with my eyes bud."

I lights come into vision.
"Well that's more like it." I look down at the lights and touch my fingers upon
the bumps on the near perfectly smooth tunnel. "hmm.."

A Second later.
"Operator I'm good on the visuals I'm going to follow these bumps to the end of
the tunnel like a blind person follows brail to the end of a book!" I smile in
the dark at my own wit.

I hear the noise and look at the spot where I had landed and rub my back
remembering the pain of the fall. Then I figure the noise is the spider bots
and at the thought of the spider bots and I cringe and shudder.

"They're probably breeding down there or oiling each other ughh." I say
disgusted as i shake my head (a larger faster shake at the end where I say
ughh.)

I GO INTO MEMORY SEQUENCE

"cut 'em loose Clyde." I mumble just before I snap out of it. (aside: I am
taking it as this is just a fragmented memory so it still does not make much
sense to me yet I still have some sort of emotional tie to it)

I start toward the end of the tunnel with my right hand sliding on the wall to
my right, left hand holding the slack of my grapple hook, when I notice the
robot on the rail. I stop dead still in my tracks, and watch as the robot
preforms it's maintenance.

The eye illuminates me. I blink. The Eye blinks. I Blink. Voice says "LIFE
FORM DETECTED"
The red lights go around me. I look at my feet to see the lights look up and
immediately sling my grappling hook in and up and over fashion (not even a full
circle) into the eye of the robot that was preforming maintenance. The hook
goes through the eye of the robot with ease coming out the other side,
immediately estiguishing the light that had been previously illuminating me.
Yet the red target lights still glow beneath me.

I walk toward the robot and notice the target is moving with me. "oh great."

A wretched tone sounds. I think to myself "one only stupid droids would like"
(Aside: Droid is my hate word for robots.)

I put my foot on the droids "face" and roughly yank my hook out of its eye. I
lift my head as two more droids approach. I take a step back as they roll up on
there caster like wheels. They are box shaped and one is carrying some sort of
battle axe looking thing?

I'm about to hurl my hook when the droids stop at the broken rail droid and one
proceeds to sweep the broken parts into the other one.

I chuckle quietly at first then it becomes a regular laugh. "Robots" I shake my
head.

A two foot long steel equivalent blade (not sharp just bladish) comes to a rest
on my shoulder as I'm shaking my head. I turn my head to see a large spider
bot. I quickly turn and melt to the ground at the same time. I am on all four
(crab walk style but not doing a crab walk) and I crawl back hastily all the
while keeping my eyes on the droid. I think "I'm a big virus so let's send the
biggest antivirus"

The droid approaches me walking on six legs swinging it's front two in a lawn
mower type patten. I do a half circle to get behind it and start swinging my
hook. The target follows me and the spiders body rotates so it's front is now
facing me. The back two legs start going to the ground as the front two start
coming up and start rotating in the same lawn mower fashion.

1! 2! 3! i release my hook into the droid. The hook seems to enter a hollow
cavity in the droid and gets stuck.

I tug on the line of my hook but with no avail I don't think I ACT. I run
toward the GSB (Giant Spider Bot) and a foot infront of it I drop and
crawl/slide under it and attempt to climb on its back thinking the whole time
"gross! gross! gross!"

I double fist smash the back of the GSB as it starts lifting it's back two legs
and thy start pinning. One of the legs hits me and I am thrown to the wall. I
get to my feet and run toward the GSB slide under it again to the front of him
and pound on the spot where my hook is stuck. After two good hits i free the
hook. I spider blad comes swiping at me and I put out my hook to block the
blow. I perry it and twist, the leg pops off! I continue slamming the spider
body with the hook until the shell of the body is gone and I see a little
glowing red box "ughh spider droid heart." I hit the box and the spider drops
curling up as a dead spider would.

I brush myself off rub my wounds and yell "LETS GO OPERATOR!!! turn off this
target!"

I grab the wall and follow the bumps walking steadily I start to see a red
square form at the end of the tunnel and I start to do more of a run.

I reach the Red Square which turns out to be a door with and outline of red
lights.

"So I figure right beyond this point is where I need to detonate the first of
these, operator? I pat the three grenade bombs I was given.

I cautiously open the door and step in. Knowing that I still have a target on
my and I don't know what really lies behind the door.


Alright Bro that's what I got. Writing fighting sequences is not fun I think I
will avoid them if I can haha.
-pete

5

(aside: I'm going to add in that the operator set the spine in spin so that it makes sense you can walk and stuff. There is nothing that would keep the spine from spinning so it's all good. Also, we talked about some things over email like the nature of these "grenades" which do not explode but use magnetic force to pull things to the magnetic drives.)

You enter the door. Inside is a small room. The room is dimly lit which by now is a blessing. The room, however, doesn't seem like it was made for humans. Barely enough space to walk around and cables hanging everywhere, the room seems more like a maintenance bot repository. Nothing looks dangerous though. In the center is a console. The red screen of which is what gives the room it's dim lighting. You make your way to the console. Over the consoles screen is a cage that completely bars you from accessing the controls.

(player input)

Now that the cage is removed, you have full access to the panel. There is an assortment of different commands that you browse through. Each command shows three dimensional maps of where each takes place. Only a few you find seem useful. One could help out agent 003. It's a battle zone where he is and anything to help would no doubt be much appreciated. The command would change the priorities of halcyon units in that sector so that they will prefer to target other human factions. Another command seems to be of help to agent 002. This one opens only the first door of the core which requires heavy firepower. The last command is helpful to you. It stops the magnetic drives from spinning. They are still very much magnetized, however. 

(Player input)

The console shows some code on the screen briefly before flickering and shutting off. You leave the room. The target which was following you around seems to be gone.  You begin your journey down the spine yet again Not before long, something so surprising happens that you question if it was real. You hear a mans voice.

"I'm surprised you got this far."

As I walk into the tiny cramped compartment I mutter to myself " Why did I choose this path again? freaking spiders and small spaces."

I brush away some chords that are dangling in my face that are quit possibly the most annoying I have ever had to deal with, and I see the control panel. I crawl forward and try to flip open the cage of bars that is covering the control console. With no success I think for a second and pull out my firearm kiss it and say "thank you!" in a hushed whisper. I try to crawl back a foot and take aim at where one of the bars is connected to the console. My finger tenses and milliseconds before I pull the trigger and unleash the full furry of my Anderson 440 Heavy Duty 50 Cal. handgun (that's the make and model of the firearm I took at the beginning of the game ("Never go anywhere without your an Anderson." is the slogan the brand uses)) my right arm (the one holding the gun) goes limp and falls to my side and my left hand comes up to slap my forehead.

"Haha!!! I almost forgot!" I say with a laugh.

I then proceed to open the case with the magnetic grenades inside. I pull one out and finagle it through the bars and tap the "Initiate Magnetism" button (they most definitely say that). As soon as I tap the button I have just enough time to duck because the the grenade almost instantaneously slams against the barred cage and rips it clean off of the console toward the magnetic drives.

"hmmm... who would of thought guns really don't solve all of your problems, sometimes it's grenades."

I then start glancing over my options within the console ( The following is an internal monologue unless otherwise noted)

Who are these agents? Should I know who these people are? Ok lets think this over... so 003 needs help in battle...seems legit. 002 needs help opening a door?!?! I think he can handle getting a stupid droid door open (aside: remember droid is my hate word for robots). Oh what's this I think as I notice an option that benefits me.

Then I say out loud "Screw it, I don't take short cuts." as I enter the code to help 003.

The console flashes it's code and goes dark. I chuckle "dumb machines can't even power themselves." I start crawling out of the room to continue my journey. I heard the voice.

"I'm surprised you got this far."

I stand still sorta confused, then turn around quickly with my Anderson drawn. I see nothing.

"who's there!?!, show yourself!!!"

/convo

"I swear I've heard your voice before… coincidence maybe."
The mystery man thinks allowed. It's impossible to determine where he is due to the echoing in the spine. You can't even tell how far away he is.
"I'm the guy with the skill to pull this off. You are heading to the core right? Because you see, I can't let you do that."

(aside: we are still in a convo until someone breaks it.)

My knees bend and my hands go to my thighs still holding on my gun "You're going to stop me!" I get out through fits of laughter. I settle and take my right hand and wipe a tear out of my eye (gun still in hand) "that really is rich brother! but you should know the reason my voice seems familiar is either because I'm what haunts you in your nightmares or I fucked yer mom!" (yer is intentional) "So try and stop me by all means." I say calmly as I rise to my feet gun hand on my hip still holding the Anderson. (imagine a gunslinger pose.

(aside: You can end the convo here if he's not going to say anything or I'm ready for an action phase or whatever.)

"No, I definitely know you from somewhere... perhaps another life."
At this moment you notice his voice becoming slightly more distant.
"Once I upload this virus directly, you and your armies can walk the proverbial plank. though, it was nice meetin' ya."
He concludes well within earshot but still getting more distant.

/convo

Just then, the operator jumps on to the comm.
"I think I have something usable for you. I'm going to use an open comm channel like sonar."
Your visor (if you have a helmet on. if not it's just a projection in from of your face) lights up and displays the world around you. however, the image is black and white and barely usable through the static distortion everywhere.
"I had to write a program that sent signals for you to pick up and process. after that it renders the data in three dimensions and spatially corrects the perspective to where your eyes are. the signal was weak however, so I boosted the power to your transceiver. still kind of bad quality but I'm working on that."
You bring your hand to your face. As you do, you notice that as it comes closer the image quality is near perfect. You then look down the spine to your destination and where the man you were just talking to went. however, instead of seeing the man or seeing far at all, static blurs the image. You quickly realize that the closer the object, the better you can see it.