The Bio Age

[JoshuaDurron]

Just to note: This story has only a little to do with RPGWW, only being connected to the pair of characters in the Trancendance. Once said SL is over, they will not return. Never the less, I would appriciate it if someone took the time to read it, so...

The Bio Age

There are some weapons that should never be used. Not merely for moral of philosophical reasons. Though they do exist, I do not have time to convince you of them here.
No, the simple fact is, when a weapon reaches a certain point it must be able to think for itself. And if something can think, it can feel. And if it can feel, it will be gin to resent your control over it. And once it begins to resent, it is only a matter of time. Before it turns on you…

Chapter One
“No, I don’t have an appointment to se Mr. Royce.” The speaker was a six-foot-two man with a wiry build, well dressed in a light blue sport jacket and khaki pants. His amiable face was only slightly darkened by a scowl as he stared across the desk at the secretary who was causing him so much inconvenience. “The matter is urgent and I have to speak to him now.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but Mr. Royce is in an important meeting with the Olympus security board. He’s never mentioned a “Stave Jarren”, so I have no one’s word but yours that you two know each other. You have no appointment. I can see no reason to- sir, you can’t go in there!”
Stave continued to ignore the pen pusher as he moved down the hall towards the conference room door. A half second later, he had swiped an ID card through the slot next to the door, grabbed the knob, and stepped into a room of surprised looking Martian Security officers.
A middle aged man at the far end of the room looked up, started in recognition, and then quickly began excusing himself from the meeting. He reached the door at the same moment the secretary did.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Royce,” she began, but Royce cut her off.
“Go back to your desk, Erica.” The secretary protested some more, but finally complied. When she left, Royce motioned for Stave to follow him down the hall. A few minutes later, they stepped into an office. Royce sat down behind the desk, and motioned for Stave to do the same. The walls of the office were covered with still holos of Royce with his family, at formal dinners, and in other situations typical to the duties of a city’s Security Chief. On the whole, the office felt quite welcoming. Except for the several minute silence that fell as the two men faced one another.
It was Royce who finally broke it. “Well, Stave, I’d say that it was good to see you again, but a visit from the Genetiforce Elites usually means bad things around here.”
“What are you saying, teach?” Stave leaned back in his chair, grinning widely. “That a student can’t drop in on his old mentor just to say ‘hi’?”
Royce matched the grin. “It’s not too likely, especially when his mentor almost fired him the last time he interrupted a meeting with no good reason.” The grin faded. “I know you, Stave, and I can see that the Elites haven’t changed you much. You’re as brazen and cocksure as ever. Just better at hiding it. But I also know that the Elites wouldn’t have let you come here without orders, and you’re far to smart to come here without permission. So, Stave, why are you here?”
Stave sighed. “You win, teach. In the past month, seven separate hospitals have been attacked by unknown parties. Not much was damaged, but data was stolen from the genetics research departments at every site. Evidence leads us to suspect that the attackers had inside help, and that they also had skilled Genetiforce wielders. Two days ago, a government transport disappeared about two hours away from Mars. Three top geneticists were on board. We think that all the attacks are linked, not merely random terrorist strikes, and that whoever is behind them is trying to advance some form of outlawed research in genetics and the creation of Genetiforces. The vessel was located a few days later. An copy of the interview with the sole survivor is on here.” Stave handed Royce a Personal Data Access.
Royce hefted the PDA and then put it down on his desk. “How ‘bout you just summarize for me?”
“The survivor was a doctor. Or more accurately, a field medic from the Elites. She was assigned to look after one of the researchers, who is rather old at this point. She reported that the vessel was boarded, the researchers kidnapped, and then the crew was… executed.”
Royce looked at Stave sharply. “Executed? What is that supposed to mean?”
“What it means,” Stave answered quietly, “is that they were killed in cold blood, with no provocation, after they had surrendered.”
“What?” The question exploded from Royce’s lips. Then he was quiet for a moment. “Why?”
“We don’t know. But the Elites have decided to take on the situation as a priority one case. We believe we have a trace on the ship used in the hijacking. I’m here to investigate it.”
Royce nodded. “I can understand most of this. But why haven’t I heard of any of this yet? The hijacking I can understand, because it’s so recent, but the hospital attacks?”
Stave leaned forward, placing his forearms on Royce’s desk. “Teach, think about it. Illegal genetics research? Do you know how many people would love to use this information for rabble rousing purposes? The government was considering releasing the news to the public until the hijacking. But when the hijacking happened, the investigators noticed one thing right off the bat.”
“What’s that?”
Stave hesitated a moment, wondering if he should tell Royce. A moment later, he reached his decision. “The twenty five crew members who were killed were all without Genetiforce potential. Lieutenant Brandon, the survivor, was a Genetiforce Elite. Think about that.”
Royce’s eyes widened. “You’re worried about more Bio Enhancement riots.”
Stave nodded. “Exactly. We believe that if we can locate where their ship went, we’ll have traced down a sizable portion of the group that’s responsible for this mess. It’s a very important mission to the Elites.”
“So naturally,” Royce interjected, “they send a single agent, who has a track record of mildly unbalanced behavior.”
“Of course. The send the person who gets things done. Besides, I’m supposed to have a partner. The Elites have so many people out investigating the rash of attacks that he had to come via a different flight. He should be here soon.”
Royce smiled slightly. “That would explain this.” He held up another PDA.
Stave looked at it questioningly. “What’s that?”
“This,” Royce answered, “is a set of orders I received from Dispatch Central this morning, informing me that a member of the Genetiforce Elites would be coming here to conduct an investigation, that his partner would be held over as his previous investigation had just taken an interesting turn, and that I should assign him a partner from my own staff, someone reliable and by the book. I was also told the visiting investigator did not know about this. It didn’t take me much to piece it all together.”
Stave glared disgustedly at Royce. “You pompous, self satisfied… you let me burst into that meeting on purpose, just to show me up by not going ballistic.”
Royce smiled a devious smile. “You know me well, Stave Jarren. Do you know me well enough to trust my choice for your partner?”
Stave’s own glare dispersed into a grin to match Royce’s own. “Why not? What’s his name?”
“Barnac Ericson. He’s a Master Sergeant, and a crack shot. I’ll take you to meet him. Then you can brief us both on the details.”
Stave nodded. “Alright then. Let’s go.”



No, it's not over yet. Just one chapter, as you may have noted.
This story is dedicated to:
My older sister, who is a great encuragement in all my endeavors
The Bio Age Design Team (you know who you are)
Steve, AKA the Krakdmonk, who engaged me in my first truely epic roleplay
Jason, AKA Cornfed Confed, who has also encuraged me alot in my writing, and always been willing to work with me in my RPs
All of you, for taking the time to read my truely wretched crap

Thanx!
Lorr

[ChristianC]

Mmmmmm.... bio-technology... <p><div style="text-align:center">

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" I did it! I won, Your just a stupid horse and I'm a human being, get down on your hooves and worship me, for I am man, the pointy end of the food chain</div></p>

[pd Rydia]

Line breaks, please. @_@


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"On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...an F.N.W.C.!"
-- VampireJesterJinx (VA by...Dia! :D!)</div></p>Edited by: pd Rydia&nbsp; at: 6/10/05 17:16