Infected

[Clown_of_God]

December 10, 2108 - Day 18

 

This is *, reporting feedback since outbreak. With my parents and little sister dead, I seem to be the only one left. I wish I knew where Damien, my older brother, was at, cause without him there's not much left for me to strive on for. Last I heard, he was on Eilson, doing some kind of research, guess a physics and matter expert always has a lot on his hands. I just hope he's all right.

 

On to brighter news, Rose is letting me take residence in her little 'house' located in the Dome. Nothing too fancy about this place, lots of construction going on. It's a lot safer here too and let's me concentrate on my project. By the time these logs are read, it'll probably be sometime in the future, so I'll answer the question that's probably running through your mind right now. What project? Well, it's a doll. Yeah, you probably see plenty of them around by now, huh? What're they up to now, the Protoseries IV? Well, my doll is probably far beyond that enhanced defense machine. She's a Series V. I won't go into the big details too much, as I don't want my creation to be taken from me like before. Ivan... that ***, taking credit for what took me years to accomplish.

 

Anyway, you're probably wondering what makes my Series V so great, right? Here's the gist of things, she was especially designed for battle. Her framework is made out of a material that I'll leave unmentioned and is powered by a core that can put out enough energy that it'll put a military nuclear engine to shame. Still, I've incorporated limiters that'll prevent it from producing too much energy. Also, unlike the base models, my doll is guided by an interface system called 'Testament.' This pretty much gives her a free will to deal with any situation as she sees fit. Lastly, her entire structure is capable of mending itself. Again, I won't explain how or what, but if she takes any kind of damage, the Rebirth System, as I like to call it, will immediately begin to mend the damaged area. This will help greatly in accomplishing my next project, I've just got to touch up on some of the finer details and schematics.

 

Now, let me guess, you probably want to know what I have in mind, right? As to what this project is leading up to? Well... if you keep it a secret, I'll give you a little idea. Using the Rebirth System, what if I created a doll that could grow? Like, from an embryonic state to adulthood? It'd be the first of its kind! Through cellular reconstruction and replication, I'd be able to create the first growing doll. It'd be just like a human. Hell, it'd be better than a human. There's a few things I need to workout a bit, but what if the use of either synthetic or human sperm cells, in conjunction with this doll's reproduction functions, could cause the birth of a new doll/human species? I'll let that sink in until my next log.

 

Anyway, this is *, age 19, biomechanic expert and neural technician, signing off. See ya next week.

Edited October 16, 2013 by zakku_uchiha

[Thaelasan]

(( I love it. It also makes sense with how I actually pictured Ivan to be, a commanding and proud man who wanted to take all the credit for the RAIDER program. When it fell down around him, and he realized all of his faults, his ego burst and he fell into a depression. ))

 

Randall frowned as he fired at a group, concerned.

"We stopped them from gettin' anymore in.. but they're still in a pretty large group." he grunted. "Shootin' at 'em isn't gonna do much if they just replace each dead one with two more."

Alan nodded in agreement and began thinking.

"Well we've already used all the excess electricity and that wiped a few hordes out, give or take." he punched one in the face as he spoke, then kicked it backward. "Now that the place is stable, most of the unused wires don't have a current going through them - a safety precaution."

"Safety my ass." Randall gritted his teeth. He had been the one who had implemented that little gem but he didn't want to say anything. He looked over the horde for a moment and sighed.

"We don't have anymore defensive countermeasures for this kind of thing. All the stuff we did have we either used or the military abused when the Omega came. We're sitting ducks." he muttered.

"Not really. We have a good group of combat oriented members. You saw TINA take on a behemoth."

"Yes, but I still think you did a bit of work to it before she did." he turned to him. "I've never seen a doll with that sort of combat capability and neither have you. I'm starting to have doubts about Ivan."

"Why's that?" Alan cocked an eyebrow as he shot another infected down before it hit FIONA.

"If such dolls were possible, ones like TINA, then why hadn't we been buildin' 'em? And have you seen how Phantom looks at TINA? Have you seen how good he is with electronics? He's almost like one of the RAIDER members, and I could believe it."

"Are you suggesting Ivan stole his work?" Alan gaped, firing another round.

"Suggesting? I'm downright stating it. I knew Ivan was no good." Randall grunted, backhanding one of the infected and then grabbing it by the neck. The monster slapped at him, its hands trying in vain to hit him hard enough so he'd let go. He simply slammed the beast into the ground with one arm until it gave up resistance.

"Holy ." Alan stared at the beast and then at Randall.

"What?" Randall asked, confused. "I thought the military trained you before we went to RAIDER."

"They did, but they didn't teach me that move." Alan pointed.

"Oh that? I learned that from my Dad when some *** tried to rob us. I don't think he ever got his career back on track."

"That's... interesting." Alan said, slightly unnerved.

Edited October 16, 2013 by Thaelasan

[Clown_of_God]

((Waiting on Kja... in the meantime, I'll continue with the logs.))

 

June 17, 2105

 

So, today is the big day. Nearly three years and the biggest achievement in my life is about to happen. In all honesty, I'm actually quite nervous. Statistics dictate that only 1/1000000 ever achieve a feat such as what I've done. Sixteen years old and I'm graduating at the top of my class with a Doctorates degree in biomechanical engineering. I'm also earning my Masters in neural technician and computer programming. Quite an accomplishment that I have a hard time believing it myself.

 

Anyway, with an auditorium full of my fellow classmates, my family, and an array of other people, I guess it would be a bit nerve wracking for just about anyone to go up on stage and give a speech. It's funny cause from my standing I can see my Mom seemingly just as nervous as myself and Dad trying his best to ease her nerves. I can also see my brother, Damien, bickering with our little sister, , like they usually do and last, but certainly not least, I can see my wonderful girlfriend waiting calmly in her seat, despite the commotion going on around her. Tina Anderson, a girl that nobody messed with, as she was just as lethal as she was intelligent. Trained in various martial arts and on the varsity track team, despite being only a freshman in high school, not many others can even compare. Let me guess, how did I meet her? Well, to put it quite simply, we've been neighbors and friends since I was around three years old.

 

Now, I can't take all the credit for achieving such a miraculous accomplishment. It's in my blood. My mother, Maria *, is a brain surgeon. Top of the line and constantly busy. James *, my father, he's a robotics expert and renowned across the states for the machines he's built. Damien, five years my elder, is a quantum physicist and a fellow biomechanical engineer. , who is four years younger than I, shows great logistical, cognitive, tactician, and analytical skills. It really helps her in her arguments with Damien.

 

((I'll edit with more later.))

Edited October 18, 2013 by zakku_uchiha

[Thaelasan]

(( Sweet. My turn. ))

 

Ivan Lander: Final Log.

 

It finally came to this. After years of searching and walking, looking for the man who created the robotics that our group produced, I have found only one possible suspect - a creature known as Phantom. Background checks reveal nothing about his former life or who he is now.

I've heard the Dome was destroyed, recently, while I've been down here. It's been... about two years.. since I escaped from the prison and came to this place. I don't know why I did it - it's a futile attempt to reconcile with a man I don't even know.

I was wrong. I attempted to cover it all up, take credit where it wasn't due, steal everything from them. I deserved to be executed but my conscience wouldn't allow it, not without first saying I'm sorry.

But now it doesn't matter. The military has found me. I've already injected a large amount of Caldium and I feel it taking effect. God, my head hurts.

To whoever made those dolls, and to the group RAIDER, to Alan, to Randall... to Destiny... I'm sorry. I'm so.. so sorry. I tried to take all of the credit from you people, I tried to make myself a better man. I don't know why I did it. I don't. It was stupid and foolish. Now I'm suffering for it.

For.. for the record.. Caldium really ****ing hurts.

Edited October 17, 2013 by Thaelasan

[Thaelasan]

(( with the bump bump and the bump ))

[Clown_of_God]

((So... still kind of waiting on Kja. I'm really starting to think this is just a 1x1... possibly a 1x2. Depends on how we play it all out with Kja.))

[Thaelasan]

(( Depressing. I'm really interested in seeing how this all turns out. I even had more ideas with Randall and Alan and the original source of the infection - Sector 1. ))

[Clown_of_God]

Phantom and TINA worked in conjunction with each other, bringing infected down as easy as if they were playing a simple game of checkers. One after another, the infected would be slain and all the while the two looked as if they were in a dance, as if the whole scene had been precoordinated. Of course, the numbers of the infected dwindled quickly with the assistance of Alan and Randall as well. At times, Phantom pondered whether to reveal who he really was and his play in this entire scenario.

 

Of course, now that he had found the being, the person who he thought he had lost for a second time, maybe things in his life would turn around. Still, a concern he had was that female doll with white hair. That was definitely part of his work, but the teleportation system she had was beyond his knowledge. Only person he knew who was in the research process for such technology was his brother.

 

"What do you know about that other doll?"

 

"She definitely was the Class II Series V you were working on, but last time I saw her she was still an embryo."

 

"That's what I remember as well. So, it seems my theory proved to be true. A doll that grows just as a human does. Well, a bit more rapidly, but she still grew up. Anything else you got out of her?"

 

"Her core output is nearly three times greater than what I'm capable of. It dropped rapidly when she left, though."

 

"It's understandable. Such a piece of technology would require tremendous amounts of energy. Let's see what kind of information we can get from the good doctors. Maybe they might have an idea of who developed that system. Of course, we can rule out Ivan, he only stole others work and claimed it himself."

 

TINA nodded and shortly after, the two bounded up to where Alan and Randall were nested as they laid fire down on the remaining infected. Without hesitation, Phantom made his way over to them and decided it was probably best if they knew.

 

"So, I can only assume you two are already aware that Ivan wasn't the true creator. In fact, I believe the two of you, or one of you, has implied that I'm the origin of these creations. Well, I am. Series I doll, EVE was my first creation and she was a masterpiece. As for who I am and the family I was raised in, you might be well aware of the Night family. My old name was Erik Night. Maria Night and James Night are my parents and Damien Night is my older brother. That doll you met earlier is a model based after my deceased sister, Mina Night and has all the perceptive skills she had. My play in all this... RAIDER, the dolls, the infected... most of it can be inferred from a hypothesis I had developed in my junior year of college, nearly nine years ago."

 

((Dun, dun, dunnn. A twist.))

Edited October 19, 2013 by zakku_uchiha

[Thaelasan]

(( When you said nested, I had a funny image in my head of the two doctors sitting in a little sand bag hovel they had made from broken materials in roughly five minutes, shooting anything that came near. When Phantom walked up, they both aimed at him and then realized he was Phantom and were like Oh. ))

 

Alan nodded, but Randall stopped him.

"I'd always suspected something." he rubbed his chin. "A lot of our work was based on a hypothesis, though ya can probably guess Ivan said he'd made it. I can only assume he was a friend of yers in college as well, or in one of your classes, and found your notes or somethin'."

He held up his hand, making a mocking gesture of a pledge salute, and said in a clear voice,

"If humanity is capable of growth and regeneration then it is possible that something humanity creates should be able to reflect this. It should also be possible to amplify the already inherent abilities of mankind and strengthen them, furthering their own powers over physical defense and homeostasis."

He put his hand down, spitting.

"That's a synopsis of it, I think." he muttered. "***. When I first met Ivan, I didn't like him anyway. I still feel like.."

He turned, ashamed.

"Look, Phantom, if it hadn't been for him .. or us, none of this would have happened either. I'm sorry. That's all I can say to you. I've said it before but now it's clear. We worked on that wasn't ours to work on and we tried to do things we never should have done. Ivan convinced us to cut corners, remove data, do I NEVER would have done if it hadn't been for the contract... That ****ING contract."

He turned to Alan.

"I know he did it to you too. The whole 'confidentiality' bull****? Yeah, you know exactly what I'm talking about. He told you if we said anything, he'd keep us for another year or more in that lab, maybe even make our families suffer through legalities. He had that power. It was FIONA wasn't it?!"

Alan looked at the ground, nodding. He didn't want to admit it, but he remembered. Ivan handed him the paper and he signed it. He had put his trust in a corrupt man and he had paid the price. FIONA had paid the price. ALL of them had paid it.

"I wish I could piss on his corpse." Randall turned back to Phantom. "I really do. I really, REALLY do. You can't imagine. You suffered, yes, but you have no idea how I feel right now. I feel USED. I feel betrayed. I was taught by my daddy to never be used by people and I let it happen. I let a self-righteous piece of horse tell me what to do and look where it got us. WE BROUGHT HELL TO THIS WORLD. WE DID. We tried to better it and we broke it and we broke you and-"

He jumped on the nearest infected and began beating the absolute hell out of it, smashing its face into the ground and breaking every bone it still had. He tore off its arm, slapping the back of its head with it until it stopped moving.

When he was done, all that could be heard for a long while was the sound of his heavy breathing. The air had gone silent. The infected had began backing off as they realized many of their brothers had died. They were ruthless but they weren't stupid.

He turned back to Phantom, holding the bloody appendage.

"I wish this was Ivan." he snorted, sincere. "I'd let you have the first punch. I feel horrible knowing he died by his own hand. I should have done it for him."

He walked back over to Phantom, still heavily breathing. He threw the arm to the ground and picked up his rifle, which he had hurled away when he had jumped on the beast.

"There's nothin' I can say or do that would ever make me feel right again, Erik." he said. "There is no cure, there is no juice, and there ain't no amount of damn Caldium which can ever make me feel like I have a heart or a soul again. My daddy, if he's still alive, will beat the out of me himself if he finds out. My mother would kick my behind too."

He placed a hand on Erik's shoulder, his eyes level with the man's.

"I ain't one for speeches. I hate men who talk too much because they tell too much of themselves before I can even digest the first word they said. Alan's an exception-" he turned to him, nodding. "-because he says everything I need to know. Now I'm gonna say somethin' I want YOU to know."

He turned to the battlefield, gesturing.

"This? All of this. I feel responsible for this. Even if Ivan made us do it, we let him make us do it. People died today. Good people. Some of that blood was on my head." he said. A single tear fell from his eye, his face red with anger and boiling emotions.

"I will not rest. I will not be happy. I'm going to make amends for this and the first way to do it is to help out where I'm needed. Right now, I think you need us."

He snorted.

"Now you're not able to refuse this offer, sorry. It's non-negotiable unless you die. You got hurt because of this, and now you have a story to see to the end. You have a fate ahead of you. I may not be a perfect genius but I'm smart enough to know when a story is focused on one man and you've been in the middle of all of this since the very beginning. If happy endings are going to be made, you're gonna be the one to make them."

He motioned to Alan and FIONA.

"We're gonna get that plane and we're gonna find MINA. We're gonna handle this, and then we need to go to the source of all of this - Sector 1. That's where Ivan died." he sneered. "That's where we'll find more answers, maybe even a cure for Caldium. I don't know but I'm not gonna stand around and do nothin', especially if I can do somethin' right."

Edited October 20, 2013 by Thaelasan

[Kjakings]

((Sorry guys. Been kinda a busy week. Will try to get something up today. Also, Erik Night? House of Night fan, Zakku?))

[Clown_of_God]

((House of Night? Never heard of it.))

 

"Don't call me Erik, he died five years ago. I'm but a Phantom of that young boy and I will remain that way until I pass on. As for Ivan and all the he caused, it doesn't matter anymore. There's a greater threat out there and MINA is working for it. Something, or someone, is controlling these monsters and I intend to find out who it is. When I find them, I'm intend to find out how they control these things and find a way to end this madness, whether it be through a cure or destroying every single infected that walks the streets."

 

Phantom looked to TINA and then back at the other doctors. This had to end and they had been taking the blame for far too long, especially with the disappearance of Ivan. With the defense systems back in play, the Dome finally had a standing chance once again. What needed to be done now was getting that plane up and running before the military decided to purge what remained in hopes of ending this catastrophe.

 

"Gear up and load whatever materials you can into the van. There's a faster route back to Sector 4 than what you mentioned, but it's far more dangerous. An Alpha roams the land and even TINA's advances will do little against it. So our best bet is to hope this thing is close by and try to drive straight through, else this thing will crush us like a slug stuck to its heel. Now, let's get going."

 

------

 

MINA sighed, spinning a severed arm in circles as she sat in the bloody mess she left at the fort. Down the hall, her Master was hunched over a body, devouring the carcass until nothing but bone remained and he stood shortly after completion, wiping his face clean. Smiling, she hopped up and skipped over to him, tossing the arm aside and admiring his work.

 

"Satisfied?"

 

"It'll have to do. What's the update on our brother and the rest of his gang?"

 

"It sounds like they're going to attempt going through Hell's Valley where Gabriel is stationed."

 

"Well, I guess I should make sure they have safe passage, huh? Gabriel shouldn't give them any issues. If you want, you can clear up the stragglers that won't listen to my instruction."

 

"Yes, Master. Is there anything else?"

 

"Yeah, go play with the bombers for a bit after your done. Erik might be good in a pinch, but I don't want to risk losing him just because the big boys want to play with their toys."

 

MINA jumped and clapped her hands with glee before nodding and bounding down the hall, stopping momentarily to see if her Master needed to say anything else.

 

"Go on, I'm just gonna clean up this mess and I'll meet you over in Sector 1. Gotta tidy up for our reunion. Oh! Try not to kill all the bombers, they really help keep the numbers within controllable limits."

 

"Yes, Master!"

[Thaelasan]

Randall nodded. For the first time, he felt truly a part of something that was worthwhile, something that meant something.

"Well if he's controlling them.." Alan suddenly sparked up, thinking. "He needs some sort of airborne control mechanism. Radio signals or an infection of his own. He'd have to be able to control the individuals, possibly link them to a hive mind. I think you're right - it's possible. The infected are maddened beings but they're attacking in specific areas - the weakest ones. They're monstrosities but they're also slightly stupid. They'd need a brain to know how to do something like this."

He waved his arm around the field.

"It was a strategic assault. Strangely, they still fought even after the behemoth had died. Normally when the largest zombie in a pack dies they will remove themselves from the danger, regrouping for another strike, quite like most pack animals." he rubbed his chin. "Whoever is leading them must be quite skilled at tactical warfare. If it's true and you have a brother, then he probably has a similar skillset to your own. By my guess - and probably yours - your brother is using MINA to keep the infected and survivors in line. If that's the case then we're up against a mastermind far beyond whatever I originally thought. Phantom, I hope you have a plan for fighting the leader of an undead horde larger than civilization."

He wrapped his gun over his arm and jumped over a pile of rubble. The van awaited them outside of the Dome, an open wall allowing them to easily access it.

"We already had quite a few supplies in here." Alan responded, slapping the side of the car with praise. "Heatville had a lot of food for sale as well as some other survival necessities. However, I'd suggest we bring along some of the other survivors of the Dome. Some of them are military and are pretty well trained. They probably have been looking for an excuse to kill some Infected since the Dome was taken and they won't need much to join us. Since you know a lot of them, Phantom, you head back in there and find the best soldiers you know. Randall and I will outfit this van with a few.. upgrades.." he grinned, pleased.

"Don't worry about it. Just take TINA and go grab us some more supplies and a few more able-bodies. We'll handle this." he finished. He turned to the vehicle and began talking to Randall and FIONA.

[Clown_of_God]

Phantom paused mid stride, his eyes twitching underneath the mask he wore. There's no way his brother could've been involved in all of this. In fact, his brother probably wasn't even alive anymore. Just as TINA placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, Phantom spun around and all but restrained himself.

 

"You don't even know my brother, so how could you possibly believe he's the one behind all this? What clue even led you to thinking it was him? For all I know, he died a long time ago, just like everyone else around me did. Whether it be from the car wreck, the robbery, or the infected, everyone I cared about died right in front of me and there was nothing I could do. Nothing but sit there and watch."

 

At this point, TINA had her arms wrapped around Phantom, not in an embrace, but restraining him from doing so etching he would regret. Were it not for her, there was no telling how Phantom would've handled the situation. Family was a tough subject for him and most of it occurred shortly after his graduation.

 

------

 

February 09, 2106

 

When bad things happen, they happen when you least expect it. Just like today, when we were all sitting at the dinner table. No one thought so etching bad was brewing within our own home, no one thought we were going to lose a loved one, and I certainly never believed I'd lose my sight. Of course, bad things tend to happen when you least expect it.

 

It was already late and dinner was in the process of being cooked. Mother had to run out and grab a few things she had forgotten and Mina had tagged along with her, so it was just dad, Damien and myself munching on some dip. That's when they came in. Four men dressed in black and their faces covered. I didn't know what to do, I was scared, but my dad didn't hesitate to push me under the table. Damien had always been fast, so he took off to get help while my dad did his best to fend off the attack. Unfortunately, a grown man can only take so many stabs before he falls.

 

Lying on the ground, all I could do for what felt like minutes was watch as a pool of blood began to form around my father's body. I hadn't been discovered yet, as the tarp covering the table hid me from being seen. Of course, in fear of my father's life, I couldn't just sit by when one of the men crouched over him and pressed the tip against his chest. Bolting from my spot, I was surprised at the force behind my own punch when my fist connected with the man's jaw, a tooth flying out of his mouth and his body buckling over. A knockout. Unfortunately, this attracted the attention of the three remaining men. From that point, things didn't go too well for me.

 

Being beaten was horrid at first, but then the body grows numb and the mind grows hazy after a little while. By the time they stopped is about the time the man I had knocked out had come to and needless to say he wasn't very pleased. Even as he crouched over me, dangling the knife above my face, all I could think about was hoping my mother and Mina had found out and weren't coming back. That's when I felt thg unforgetful pain of metal carving into my eye, it was indescribable as to what it felt like. All I know was that I could feel it separating the nerves and completely demolishing my ability to focus. When I felt the tip practically poking my other eye is when I heard the gunshots and a storm of people swarming into my home.

 

My father didn't make it to the hospital, died of severe bleeding and massive trauma to the neck and back. Two weeks had passed before I finally came to and discovered my first augment. With my mother's skill and devices of my own design I would still be able to see, but I would never be able to see the same way.

Edited October 21, 2013 by zakku_uchiha

[Thaelasan]

Alan smiled.

"Well, you survived didn't you?" he replied smoothly as Phantom walked away. "If you could survive, what makes you think he wasn't good enough to do so? Oh well. Maybe there could be someone else..."

He pondered.

"Wait, if you could survive, then maybe Ivan... Ivan could.." he muttered, his eyes wide. "Ivan.. IVAN.."

He turned to Randall.

"Ivan could have done that! Ivan could be controlling all of them!" Alan whispered, furious. "If Phantom survived, so could he."

 

 

(( Wait, as part of the plot, did you want Ivan to survive? I had a sub plot planned about him, where he had broken into insanity after Caldium had gone within his veins. Instead of dying, he had become a zombie creature of immense strength and intelligence. ))

Edited October 21, 2013 by Thaelasan

[Clown_of_God]

"I doubt Ivan has the capability to effectively maneuver elements of infected about so strategically. Of course, I'm not saying he might not have acquired such an ability, but the main thing he ever had going was his uncanny persuasive ability."

 

Phantom pondered a moment, trying to pin out any other possible candidates that could take such a role. RAIDER had a few possible subjects, but most had been reduced to bones and strips of flesh, last Phantom had heard. Sighing, he decided that now wasn't the time to debate on such matters. First and foremost, he needed to restock on ammunition and gather a few candidates to bring on this mission. This was the last thing he wanted to do, involve himself in a group, but with their numbers things would be difficult.

 

"The probability of the culprit being your brother is 74.6% and the way you testified against it hinted that you believe it might be too."

 

"Those coordinates MINA left for me, do you know the significance of them?"

 

"It's in Sector 1."

 

"It's where Erik Night began his career as a biomechanic. It's where he studied and practiced for days on end. It's where he developed the prototype, EVE. it's where this mess all started."

 

TINA thought on it a moment and that's when she realized the meaning behind this location. From her data banks and mentall storage devices, this was the last place Erik was with his entire family and truly happy.

 

"Come on, we're gonna recruit Rose and a few of the guys that stay with her. They're really the only ones I trust around here and I know they can stand up in a fight. I mean, they taught me some of the things I know."

[Kjakings]

Walker stared at Phantom, not really registering most of the conversation: here was the creator of the Dolls, the one who installed the Three Laws and made them unto slaves. He advanced on Phantom, not caring about how TINA reacted.

“You created us. You created the Three Laws that bind us to humans, that make us their slaves. Because of you, my people have been damned from birth to eternal torture and eventual pointless death. I swore to myself a great many things if I ever met you.” He all but growled in Phantom’s face, but then took a breath and stepped back.

“But maybe it is as you say. Maybe Erik Knight, the man who damned us, died in the Dome and his Phantom is trying to fix the mistakes. Between a Doll who thinks and one who grows, in one breath I learnt that you destroyed and saved my people.” Walker considered for a moment, then went down on one knee, head bent in supplication. “I will not be your slave, but I pledge myself to you as a Knight of old, in the hopes that what I believe is true and you will aid me in liberating my people from slavery, to live alongside but not under humanity.”

 

[Clown_of_God]

TINA, when Walker aggressively advanced into Phantom's space, was about to repel Walker away as to protect Phantom, but instead was instructed to stand back. Phantom listened to what Walker had to say, being one of the first dolls of his kind to be constructed without the restrictions of the Three Laws. One of the first that Phantom didn't have a hand in his make. It was both intriguing and irritating. Still, this doll seemed to have a misconception as to the original purpose of these laws.

 

"I understand that the original purpose of the Three Laws has been horribly mistreated and misused. However, despite your accusations and some faults on my behalf, the laws were meant to protect humanity from further deterioration. As you can see, with the unbound capabilities that you, TINA, and MINA have can be quite catastrophic, especially in MINA's case. I see dolls as humans, well, as our equals.

That doll you met in Heatville, who had become a pleasure slave, I implemented a loop hole in which she too can freely choose what orders to follow and whether she wishes to follow any of them or not. She is even able to use force, but only under the condolence that it is necessary and required. Yet, she is still under the basic restrictions of the Three Laws.

Now, tell me, what should I have done that would both give a doll freedom and prevent them from taking even more human lives than what the infected have already taken?"

[Thaelasan]

(( Turns side character doll into pleasure slave.

Everyone else continues to refer to her as such.

MY DESCRIPTION WAS CANON! VINDICATION.

(cheers loudly) ))

 

Alan slapped the van with pride, rubbing his chin.

"Well, we've given it what it needs to get back to the plane across the Divide. Phantom was right - that Pass was better than our idea, to be honest. Yet, at the same time, it also could be more dangerous."

Randall leaned over the hood of the van, bored.

"I don't know who you think you're talking to, but I already knew that." he coughed, sneezing at the same time. "****ing sand. I'm getting tired of it, I tell ya."

"Well I couldn't imagine living out here. Thankfully the Dome should be able to support life again now, without sand interfering with vital functions." Alan smiled. "That's a plus."

"Alan, you're being way too chipper for a man who just learned he's returning to hell." Randall responded, placing his head in his hands and sighing.

"I don't know what you mean." Alan shrugged.

"We're going back to Sector 1 - WILLINGLY, may I add, with some sort of messed up super-doll, your cyborg wife, a man who turned our image of Ivan upside down in one second, and another super doll capable of thoughts without worry for the damn Three Laws of robotics!" Randall's voice had increased in volume as he had spoken. "Our current luck isn't really at the top of the mountain, to put it lightly, ya understand?"

"You're overreacting." Alan waved him down. "I see your point but worrying about it won't do anything. Besides, it won't just be us. I'm sure Phantom knows some militiamen in the dome who would be more than happy to help us."

Randall whispered. "They couldn't even stop the Omega when they had rockets, tanks, and a stasis field."

"Now that's just offensive." Alan crossed his arms. "Besides, MINA had sabotaged over half of their defenses."

"BUT WE'RE ABOUT TO GO TO WHERE IT CAME FROM!" Randall pointed frantically in the direction of the Sector. "BACK TO WHERE WE ESCAPED."

"Back to the beginning of the circle. That's sort of theatric, don't you think?"

"You're smoking something out here Alan. I just know it." Randall grunted. "There's no way you can't be at least.. a little bit nervous. C'mon now, man."

"Alright, I'll admit I'm a slight bit anxious but I also feel justified." Alan frowned. "If Phantom is right, we didn't create these zombies, Randall. Don't you understand?"

"What?" Randall blinked.

"Look, if Phantom is right, this was staged all along. Ivan forced us into this, and you know it. Ivan must have been working for this man. Someone with the ability to corrupt the government and get grants for this research. We KNEW Caldium was dangerous. We couldn't have stopped it though."

Randall leaned forward closer to Alan, his eyes wide. Alan saw the realization in his eyes and nodded gravely.

"We could kill the ***." Randall whispered, turning to him.

"Yes."

".." Randall turned back to the van, trying to speak, but silent. His revenge would be absolute. His face immediately curved into a determined one.

"I'm gonna kill him." Randall whispered. "I'm gonna be the one to do it. Even if I die doin' it. I'm gonna be the one to slam his face into the floor until it breaks. I'm gonna end him." Randall turned to Alan, his face gravely serious.

"He's mine." his eyes narrowed.

Then, he went silent, crossed his arms, and breathed in the air.

Then he sneezed.

"****ING SAND."

[Clown_of_God]

TINA had walked over and leaned against the van, while Phantom spoke with Walker, a bit intrigued by the conversation going on between Alan and Randall. Still, with Randall wanting to be the one to kill the perpetrator... Perhaps he could deal the finishing blow? This would be a matter best discovered when it actually occurred.

 

"Frankly, I don't recall seeing that doll outside of her bio tube when the Omega attacked. What I mean by that is Er... uhh... Phantom was still processing her systems and doing some finalizations with her framework when the attack happened. So, do you still believe she was the one responsible for downing the systems or do you think it possible the Omega stripped through the defense systems?"

 

 

[Thaelasan]

Alan shrugged.

"If it wasn't her, it was someone who knew her name. Or perhaps she just wanted to take credit." he sighed. "I don't want to say that it's just human pride that makes me want to believe the Omega couldn't have just busted in, but frankly the stasis fields don't let ANYTHING in. Humans have been fried on the spot on accident. That's why they're normally down."

[Kjakings]

Walker snorted, derisively. “Been good to us? Made us want to help you? Tell me, Phantom; would you allow me to restrict the humans, so that they may only harm a Doll when something I programmed deemed it ‘necessary’? Or the original version, in which they just have to stand there and take it, whilst Dolls roam around free and completely unrestricted? Or would that be a horrific attack on your rights as sentients?” Walker shook his head, standing up from his position to face Phantom again.

“Of course not; you would not even consent to an even playing field. Look at the world today, look at the unrestricted capability of humanity for destruction; the power of the Dolls falters in comparison. Your people need the power of a free Doll people who chose to aid you to right what wrongs you’ve done to the world, and I will not settle for a paradigm where only the special few get to be truly equal. Tell me; if you’re the Phantom of Erik Knight, whose ghosts are TINA and MINA? What facets of your past are you desperately trying to cling onto? It was not through compassion for the new form of life that you created that you made them different; it was your selfish desire for something that will never truly return to you. If Erik Knight is dead, then right his wrongs: I will liberate my people, and how much blood is shed in that revolution is down to humanity. Aid me, and together we could rebuild the world into a truly beautiful place, with Dolls and Humanity side by side.”

 

[Thaelasan]

(( Walker doesn't sound like a really good dude. He sounds kinda anarchist. :I ))

[Kjakings]

((Walker's always been an anti-hero; if you agree with him he's a visionary, if not he's an anarchist. Although however much I'm enjoying it I think we need to stop debating the nature of intelligence and free will at some point ))

[Kjakings]

((Bump? Monsieur Zakku?))

[Clown_of_God]

Phantom sneered under his mask when Walker asked what he was compensating for by creating TINA and MINA. Why had he created the dolls in the first place? It wasn't like the human race had lost the capability of reproduction, so why create a machine that could do it? Of course, they had been altered from their original purpose, becoming battle machines and defending what remained of the human population.

 

"You asked why I laid such a restriction, such as the Three Laws, on a being I see as our equals? Why didn't I give them the free will that I did with my own personal creations? I have no answer to accommodate for my own selfish desires. Yet, if I had given them all a free will, what would keep them from rebelling against us? If we lived in a world where dolls had free reign of their lives and not bound by any sort of law, what would keep them from annihilating what remains of the human population? We wouldn't stand a chance, especially in our crippled state. "

 

Phantom paused a moment, looking through the hole atop the Dome and peering at the dust covered sky. When would he see blue again? When would this carnage end and humanity could finally settle down? Sighing, he looked back at Walker and rubbed the back of his head as he began to group his wording again.

 

"I understand you wish your kind to have a free mind, to choose what they want to do without the limitations we burden them with. As a doll, you might not understand the belief in a particular religion or that of a God. However, under the strong assumption that you are aware of such things, wouldn't I be the God that created a race under my image and gave them life and purpose? I instilled three simple rules I wished you to follow and yet, here is the sinner who lives outside those rules. Yet, maybe I'm the devil who built something stronger than what God created and all I got to do is give the one command and the human race will be annihilated."

 

These matters had been trivial for Phantom ever since humanity had regained their foothold in this world. How they treated the dolls, the ones meant to protect them becoming tools and being misguided. Yet, he had seen some of the more free spirited dolls revolt, dolls he had unbound so they might protect themselves from man's bitter reign turning into slaughter houses and needing to be put down. It was sad having to dismantle an insubordinate doll.

 

"I won't restrict your cause and you may continue to recruit dolls that wish to follow, but if I ever meet one that wishes to end humanity all together. One that wishes not to coexist with us, I will come for you and you alone. You have the knowledge to pass to dolls that allows them to bypass the laws, I have the knowledge that could entirely bind or free them. When this madness is over and you can prove to me that all dolls are willing to coexist, then I will give you the knowledge that will truly set them free."