"His strange mannerisms and inability to sustain an erection can be directly linked to the fact that he lives so damn close to Canada, but we won't hold that against him."
- mattzarella's The Pentagram Paradigm
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| Ergastulum: Back Story | | | Author: | | | IP: | c-24-0-1XXXX | | Date: | 11/22/03 04:11 | | Game Type: | Other | | Labels: | none | | Report Rating: , # of Ratings: 0, Max: , Min:
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Warning: Text heavy. Do not expect pictures. Very little humor, if any.
Disclaimer: I own not EV:N or the Vell-Os. Both are owned by Ambrosia.
So you want to hear my story?
My long story of ups and downs?
Of my personal hell I managed to escape?
No, don’t answer. I can all ready tell. How? I’m not even there with you, yet how can I tell you want to hear a story of war? You wouldn’t be reading this otherwise. Is this a personalized message imprinted in the book that I knew you’d buy? Who knows? Maybe every book has its own little message hidden some where, for each and every one of you. Maybe there’s a fate that you can fulfill, and the message sent will stir you from your sleepy quarters and set you fourth into a universe unknown.
Or maybe you just want a story of another man’s life? Very well, I’m willing to entertain you and let you step into my shoes for a bit. Unlike myself though, you can leave the life you’re reading at any moment to do other things with your life. To enjoy time with your family, maybe that special one, possibly even just a friend you met recently.
But you’re not here for my rant, so I think it’s time to end this little foreword and get on with the story. I will not exaggerate nor will I hide the ugly facts. Welcome to my old hell.
I grew up in Ryll, old Ryll with its wonderful tourist traps and extensive oceans of biologically engineered creatures, with its expansive plains and its beautiful freighter ships. I grew up wishing to be a crewman on one of those ships. To journey deep into the stars and make myself a name in history, to leave an inerasable mark on humanity some how. Sure, I had high dreams, but all I needed was a high initiative and will to accomplish that dream. At a young age I watched the mechanics work in the ports, fixing damage done to ships in battles and loading cargo on. I curiously watched the captains of the ships go about their business hoping that I may gain some knowledge before hand on how to make myself one of them. I had seen all kinds of ships, ranging from pirate mod Starbridges to the deadly Federation Carriers. Terrapins were as common to me as air and I don’t believe I could count the times I’ve seen a few vipers slide down beside freighters and warships alike. On occasion I’d sneak onto the rooftops and watch the massive Leviathans land in the ports. Every time I saw one of those behemoths I swore that I had some angel gracing me with the gift of seeing these things.
It was only a matter of time before a captain caught my interest in the ships, of course. A barely fourteen year old boy with chin length brown hair is hard to miss, especially with my hazel eyes darting rapidly across the ships. The man who had caught me was a well tanned ship captain, his face filled with kind features. His ebony black hair mixed well with his black eyes, and a smile was on his face as if it was always there. He wore the standard federation suit, his blue Federation Patrol Boat behind him. I nearly died on the spot as he walked my way, obviously having noticed how I caressed the ship with my eyes.
“Studying my ship rather hard I see,” He commented as he came close to me. My throat clenched, afraid I might have offended him. I nodded quickly, hoping he wouldn’t yell at me. The smile on his face grew larger, his eyes picking up on my nervousness.
“Not planning to try and hijack it, are you?” He questioned jokingly. I quickly shook my head swallowing back some collected saliva.
“Heh. Loosen up a little. I’m just screwing with you. I’ve actually been watching you for a while, and I must say you seem rather interested in these ships,” He replied, turning a bit to motion at all the variety of docked ships. I paused a little before nodding, beginning to get my nerve back a little.
“I was like you at one time, always dreaming of the day that I would venture out amongst the stars. I can understand the feeling, and I’m willing to let you onto my ship for a few days and explore around. I have to wait here for a bit, so you can stay on for that time. I’ll guide you around and maybe teach you some of the basics if you haven’t learned yourself,” He offered. I quickly shook my head, eager to be on any kind of ship.
“So tell me, do you speak and have a name?” He asked, his smile becoming smaller but still casual.
“L… Liras Tylas, sir,” I spat out nervously. Something sparked in his mind and he offered his hand.
“Old Tylas’s son? It’s a pleasure, really. I owe your father my life,” He replied as I placed my hand in his. He pumped it up and down almost as if I was an old friend to him. He then guided me to his ship and began to run over the basics with me. It was a week until he had to leave for Tichel to deal with a possible raid, but it wasn’t long until he came back to teach me. Over the years we formed quite a friendship, regardless of an age gape of at least twelve years. He’d often land with my father’s Federation Destroyer coming down near by, both teaching me how to handle a ship. I spent seven years under the guide, managing to keep a some what average grade point average in school while learning about the many types of ships that roamed the known universe. My social life suffered due to the amount of time I spent learning both my father’s trade and general knowledge, but I was happy regardless. I soon picked up a job at the ports, not minding the low pay as long as I was near the beautiful beasts known as space ships.
It was upon the day that I turned twenty one that my story really began. I was having a rather small party with a few close friends of mine at the bar when my father stepped through the door. He was hard to miss amongst the crowd with his posture and height. He held about him an unshakable air of respect, and his eyes could almost pierce into one’s soul. He was the stereotypical, harsh, unstoppable, and respect demanding captain, but he did it better than any others I had seen. His voice alone could stir people who didn’t even know him to action for his cause, and his choice of words could help stop a battle before it happened. The man I had admired since boyhood and wished to be like.
“Wait… isn’t he on duty?” One of my friends commented as they watched him confidently stride through the people. I couldn’t help but smirk as a few people murmured about the number of medals he had, obviously impressed that a person of such rank was visiting this meager little bar. He smiled to me, obviously noticing the people’s looks himself as he drew up to me.
“Father?” I questioned, wondering why he was here, but he quickly raised a finger to his lips. He handed me a piece of paper and went off just as strangely as he came. I quickly opened the paper, not needing my friends to urge me on. My eyes rapidly scanned across it as my heart began to swell.
“Well…? Not gonna leave your good old friends in the dark, are you?” I heard one of my friends inquire. I nodded a little as I finished the letter, my heart bursting in joy. An uncontainable smile came across my lips.
“He’s giving me a shuttle…” I murmured, trying hard not to laugh in my joy. I swore that if I opened my mouth too much my blood would rush forth. Even through that though, I’d probably have still been a happy man. The friend nearest to me smiled, slinging his right arm over his shoulder.
“It’s no carrier, but it’s definitely a start. You can do your maiden voyage later… first, you’re going to sit in this bar until we’re all so damn drunk we’ll make a porn flick involving you and that shuttle.” He replied, laughing a little as another friend ordered up a round of drinks. I knew in the morning my head would hurt like a bitch, but I was too blissful to care about the consequence of an all night drinking party. Round after round came as our sentences became more and more incoherent, sometimes coming out completely different from what we meant. That particular night to me was a blur, but the whole time I was thinking about that shuttle and what it meant… that or seductively rubbing the door. It was probably both at once.
After an unknown amount of time I found myself back in my apartment with one of the worst hangovers I’ve possibly ever had. I groaned as I slipped out of bed, only my gray boxers on. I stumbled my way into the bathroom and barely managed to make it to the toilet before I vomited. I groaned before vomiting some more. I finally managed to get away from the toilet, my head pounding with every simple noise. I quickly flushed it and headed back into the main room. My foot steps were a little unsure as most my focus was on the migraine I had. I almost literally slipped into the kitchen before I began to fumble with the cabinet door. After a few unsuccessful tries I managed to get it open and grab a glass. I went over to the medicine cabinet, tried a few times to open the door before finally getting it open, and grabbed some Advil. My hands slipped across the cap a few times before finally gripping it and taking it off. I tilted the bottle, shaking out two pills before putting the cap back on and slipping it back into the cabinet. I forgot to close the door, but at the time it didn’t mean too much.
“A spoonful of sugar my ass…” I grumbled under my breath as I filled my cup with water from the faucet. Medicine never seemed to taste good, regardless of how many leaps and bounds humanity made in medical research. They could cure thousands upon millions of diseases but couldn’t make pills taste better. I popped the pills in my mouth and took a mouthful of water. I swallowed back the pills, emptying the glass and almost dropping it into the sink. I rubbed my eyes the lights beginning to really get to me, but luckily it was peaceful outside. The usual hustle and bustle of Ryll seemed to have taken a vacation. The only noise was the ringing in my ears, unused to unshaken silence. I looked over at the clock. Its green digital letters read twelve PM, a time when the activity was at its peak.
I passed it off as a blessing, maybe a holiday of some kind, and went back to my room. Pictures of all kinds of ships, of my family, of group photos, of friends, and of the inner workings of ship dotted the otherwise barren room. I opened up my closet, a few dirty sets of clothing hanging on the bar. Some of it had fallen, hangers scattered on top or below jeans and T-shirts. I groped around before finally grabbing a pair of black jeans, a black coat, and a white shirt. I quickly slipped them all on, pulling down the coat’s large collar and revealing the gold lining on the inside. The long sleeves covered the short sleeves of the white T-shirt, but the front of it was still visible. I decided to keep the coat unbuttoned, finding that a little more comfortable. I grabbed a pair of black tennis shoes and went outside.
The lights in the hallway were dimmed for some reason. I just figured the lighting was screwing up. It was strange that no one roamed the hallways, that no couple was leaning against the wall and making out, but again I brushed it off. Maybe some fair had come into the near by area. I never kept track of them, but right now I didn’t care. I had my shuttle to look forward to, and I was fully ready to resign from my old job. I shook my coat a little as if it’d drive away the encompassing silence and continued on. The red rug was rather clean, and it seemed the once slightly yellow walls had been cleaned recently, glowing white under the dim lights. I clicked the worn plastic button for the elevator, slightly surprised it wasn’t all ready moving. It quickly rose up the shaft, reaching my floor. The doors opened without a creak, something also foreign. I stepped into the tiled elevator, hitting the first floor button. On the way down, no one stopped the elevator to get on. It was if everyone had all ready left for some communal errand or event.
How close I was to knowing the truth, I didn’t know at the time. Regardless, I brushed it off once more as the elevator stopped. The receptionist was gone, only a reluctant security guard leaning back in a chair. I nodded to him before heading out, the street empty save a few cars. I shrugged it off again, heading to my own car. The desolate parking lot held only my dark red car, the sun gleaming off of its recently washed exterior. Its shape was like most others, well rounded at the edges with its bottom only coming slightly off the ground. The tires were worn, often in use without being switched out. I pulled out my keys and hit the unlock button, the light turning red to confirm the change. I opened the door, thick and faded blue plastic covering the seats. I eased in to the driver seat, turning on the ignition and backing out. Multiple apartment complexes surrounded the street, the major highway cutting between the buildings. Stores of all kinds dotted the place.
All were closed. Every one of them was closed. From the family businesses to the corporate machines were closed. My suspicions were rising a little, but again I brushed it off as some sort of holiday I forgot about. I pulled up the on ramp, surprised that there were only a few cars on the highway. Finally I was beginning to worry. Almost every holiday had a surge of people. The sounds of sirens suddenly picked up the farther down the highway I went. I gnawed on my lip, growing nervous and even afraid. I finally pulled up to where the sirens were coming from. I stopped my car, seeing a few others all ready there. I got out and went over to the side of the highway. I saw but one thing.
Genocide. It was if the angel of death had visited and decided to work overtime. I bit down on my lip so hard I drew blood as I looked out across the city, seeing the large hull of a Manticore that had dug itself into the city. Federation Vipers, Pirate Vipers, Mod Starbidges, Pirate Argosies, Federation Destroyers, a Rebel IDA Frigate, and even a Federation Carrier littered the place. Thousands of ambulance ships and prison ships were speeding across the place, getting people in and out. Hydro ships sped around, dousing fires. I looked down the highway, seeing hundreds of cars all stopped. Some were even flipped over. A large hole in the concrete pathway was not far, support beams jamming into the corpse of a civilian Valkyrie. Power Sled vipers were being used to transport the severely wounded quickly to the hospital. Some Terrapins were collecting up the rubble, but a large amount were being used a mobile hospitals… and jails. This was so much more than just a simple tragedy, this was a catastrophe. Thousands… no, probably millions of innocent civilians would have died, not to mention the thousands of soldiers that ran the federation ships. Billions upon trillions of dollars worth of damage to the city, multiple sky scrapers and city blocks alike torn down. An area that had taken years to build had fallen almost completely within what was possible a few hours of battle.
My hangover was long forgotten as I looked directly down, seeing what looked like a person under a support beam. Who ever it was, the person was dead. Dry blood was all over the place. I turned my head away quickly, taking a deep breath and swallowing some of my blood. Tears ran down my face as I began to walk back to my car. It took all my will power not to throw up, but I managed. I shakily walked to my car, opening it and collapsing in the driver’s seat. I took a deep breath, righting myself in the seat. I turned the ignition on and looked straight ahead, beginning to drive. I took a detour, the main part of the highway hastily closed. I looked up into the sky for a moment and wondered how I had missed the black smoke. How had I missed the lack of people? I shook myself for a bit, steadying my stomach and turned my eyes back to the road. The space station wouldn’t be shut down. Federation ships would be watching closely though, but it wouldn’t be shut down. Medical supplies, soldiers, police reinforcements, and all that, would find its way quickly to the area by use of the hyper gate system and Sigma’s engine upgrades. It would only take a day or two before a flood of reinforcement for the medical teams and caskets would be carried off the planet.
The drive to the space station was interrupted only by my stomach and the constant shouting. I had stopped crying for the moment, having forced back the scenes. I pulled up into the parking space, official Federation cars and ambulances dotting the place. Police cars mingled with civilian cars. I stepped out slowly, taking a deep breath to stop my constant shaking. I looked off to the employee entrance, slowly walking there. I wasn’t sure at the time how I managed to not break down there, and even now I don’t know how I held out and kept so calm, but I managed. I slowly opened the employee door, seeing a few people watching the news. I walked past them, knowing if I didn’t resign now I’d not resign until a few months later, and that’d leave my shuttle in disuse. The space would probably also be needed for federation ships anyways, so it’d probably be for the better if I moved it off. I began to walk up the stairs, hoping the manager would be in.
My resignation went smoothly enough, the manager seeming immensely calm even through this disaster. He understood for the most part, and with that I was down near my shuttle.
Such began the first leg of my journey into hell, from an open catastrophe to a hidden disaster, both which were orchestrated by the Federation.
Here is a good of a place of any to stop and leave you to dwell over this back story before I guide you through the major part of my life. Go ahead, get a glass of water. Get some snack food, anything. You might need something to comfort you.
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