|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 1:22 pm
Kinzokusei: The home planet of Elleresse, Eziuur, Ezia and Ensautra it is a planet of science and technology. Philosophy exists but their is no religion human or rather Kinzoku-Jin rights exist thus in many ways it mirrors the earth but in others it is different.
The latest development are Nanobots things such as weaponry lasers, battle suits and space ships and even combat mecha are all very common. They are ruled by a single royal family which holds dominion over the entire planet. The only shame the royal family possess is a spark of magic! Once every century or two a member of the family awakens the power to use magic. Because such a thing is so rare and breaks the laws of reality it is abhorred and feared.
To eradicate the chance of being over thrown the Kinzokusei Royal family outlawed all of the magical arts. To show the people they meant what they meant the first king had his own mother (until then the queen) burnt at the stake as a witch. Since then any who are believed to possess magic are put on trial and eventually executed.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:21 am
“Ellaresse?” Ellaresse looked up from her bed to see her father standing in the doorway, a box in his hands. She rolled onto her side, smiling slightly at the feel of the soft fabric against her bare arms and legs.
“Father,” she responded, fondly as she studied the man. He was growing old, the crows feet in the corners of his eyes were spreading to his temples, and his once-jet-black hair was now the colour of clouds ready to burst. “Was there something you wanted help with?” she asked, but he shook his head.
“I just wanted to look at my daughter one last time before she turns sixteen,” he said, smiling weakly as he took three graceful steps towards the bed and perched down upon the edge. Ellaresse sat up to meet him.
“I'll be no different, father. I'll merely be one day older than I was today, and today I'm merely one day older than I was yesterday,” she said, with a laugh, but he didn't join her. Her smile dropped. “What is it?” she asked.
“I brought you an early present, Ellaresse,” he said, handing the box to her. She looked at him to confirm it was genuinely fine to open it, before lifting the ornate lid. Inside lay a dress. She forced a smile.
She was not fond of dresses, and chose to not ever wear them, but if this was her father's birthday present to her, she supposed she had to at least pretend to like it. She looked at him, with a feigned look of delight. “It's beautiful. Did you want me to wear it tomorrow?” she asked him, but he shook his head.
“No. Not tomorrow. In a week, we are holding a ball in your honour. I would very much like to see you wear it, then,” he said, and Ellaresse's eye twitched. Wearing it inside the palace with her family was one thing, but now she was to be seen by every man and woman of power in the kingdom wearing a dress? She was less than pleased. “Please don't look at me like that, Ellaresse... This ball will be more important that you could understand right now,” he sighed and Ellaresse sighed with him, averting her gaze. “Under the dress, there is one more gift.”
Ellaresse looked down at the box and lifted the dress entirely out of the package. Sure enough, there was another small package wrapped in a fine material. She took it out and unveiled a beautifully ornate piece of jewellery. “This isn't a... is it?” she asked, eyes wide as she turned her attention back to her father, stealing one last glance at the piece of craftsmanship before she allowed her gaze to settle upon her father.
“It is unique... handmade. Made from Rhodium harvested from a distant planet in another galaxy. I want you to wear this crown from now on, Ellaresse. At the coming ball, I will present you as my heir and you will start training from that day forth so that you may take over my throne when I am gone,” he explained and Ellaresse felt her stomach turn over. She was honoured, but she wasn't sure she wanted it... let alone ready to take on such a responsibility.
She looked at him with concern. “Father... why me?” she asked, brows furrowing. “Eziuur is the obvious choice. He's far more... refined than I am, and he knows how to give orders and...”” she trailed off as her father lifted his hand to silence her. “He's a natural born leader!” she blurted before she could stop herself.
Her father nodded. “You are correct,” he grunted affirmatively and Ellaresse sighed in relief until he spoke again. “However, Eziuur only understands one part of being a leader,” he added. “The kingdom is a symbiotic relationship comprised of its leader and its people. However, I am the people of my people and my decisions are led by the people. I am their servant – I act upon their wishes, for without them I would lead only myself. Because of this servitude, they listen to me when I ask things of them,” he explained. “Your brother does not understand this. He is too much like me. You are like my mother. I feel confident that you will do a much better job than I ever have done.”
Ellaresse could only stare at him. “Father, I really don't know what to say... I... I trust your decision, I just hope it's the right one,” she murmured beneath her breath as she lifted the tiara to study it. It was beautiful, but she wasn't convinced that it was her, or that this was even such a smart idea. She glanced over at the clock on her bedside table and her father followed her gaze.
“It's late,” he said rising to his feet. He bowed his head. “Goodnight, future queen. The next time I see you, you'll be a young woman,” he said, his smile warm now. He backed off towards the door blowing her a kiss goodnight before shutting the door behind him. It was a few moments before she heard footsteps lead away from the door, and she stared down at the tiara, a pit in her stomach.
With a long sigh, she threw the dress back into the box and rose to her own feet. She knew she ought to go to bed – it was nearing midnight, and her father had always told her it was bad luck to be awake the moment it turned ones birthday – but she was no longer tired. Instead, she headed to the mirror, the tiara in her hands, and lifted it. The mirror was old and wood – a rare material on Kinzokusei. It was a heavy piece of furniture, but Ellaresse had fallen in love with it the moment she'd laid eyes on it some years ago. She was procrastinating, wasn't she? With a sigh, she stared herself in the eye placing the tiara down upon her head the moment the clock struck twelve.
The room began to spin, and Ellaresse felt light headed. She could barely focus on her reflection, seeing double... no, triple of herself. The next thing she knew, she was vaguely aware that she was on the floor convulsing, feeling fire pulsing through her veins. Her fingers dug into the carpet as the fire spread to her lungs. She gagged, coughing, heaving for breath, but it never came. She could feel herself slipping in and out of consciousness, until eventually she left her body.
It pained her that her first thought went immediately to the tiara. Had her father poisoned it? Had he tried to kill her? All that talk of ruling the kingdom... had that been merely to make her last moments ones of happiness. But wait... if she was dead... how was she still thinking?
She opened her eyes and sat bolt-upright, but she wasn't in her bedroom. Come to think of it, she didn't know where she was at all. She was in a wind-tunnel from what she could see, but she had no idea how she had managed to get there, or where 'there' even was. The walls of the tunnel looked organic, like the inside of a body, and reacted to her touch beneath her.
Picking herself up, weakly, a gust of wind hit her head on. She brought an arm up in front of her but was still forced back to the ground, her arm now bleeding profoundly. The sight of the blood was enough to bring her to.
She woke up to find a dark-skinned woman, with short pale hair tucked behind the one ear leaning over her, holding her body down. “Xanthia!” she slurred. “Where am I? What happened?”
Xanthia stared down at her cooly. “You were seizing,” she said, calmly, her gaze not budging from Ellaresse's eyes that seemed to be – if she was not mistaken – glowing. “Your arm is bleeding,” she added, nodding to Ellaresse's arm, but her eyes stayed locked on the brunette's.
Ellaresse looked down at her arm, her brow furrowing. “But that was just... just a... a dream!” she remarked in disbelief, shaking her head briefly, she lifted her hand to her head to hold it. That had been painful, and her tongue was in agony.
“Evidently not...” Xanthia remarked, studying the bloody handprint left on the girl's face. “You should get into bed. I don't think you'll die from blood loss. They're small lacerations, there are just many of them. They should clot and scab by the morning and you wouldn't want to be tired on your sweet sixteenth, would you, Ellaresse?”
Ellaresse looked at Xanthia hazily. She found it hard to argue with Xanthia; she was always calm and authoritative, and she wasn't feeling up to it, anyway. Slowly and with the woman's help, she pulled herself to her feet and stumbled over to the bed, before climbing under the covers.
Xanthia moved the box containing the dress from the bed onto the bed side table, and bent down to pick up the circlet. She studied it for a moment and Ellaresse almost felt like Xanthia wasn't going to give it back, but she did. Placing it atop the box, she stared coldly at Ellaresse.
“What a beautiful tiara. You must be absolutely thrilled, your majesty,” she said bitterly before plastering a bitter smile onto her face and leaving swiftly.
Xanthia headed straight down the long corridor. Well, there was only one person to tell about this. She knocked on Eziuur's door. “Open up, I have something you're dying to hear,” she said, a sinister grin creeping over her lips.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:24 am
Though it was close to midnight in the castle their were many people still awake. One of those people was not a person at all, it was an A.I. that will one day be named Akito, for now it has no name nor gender it is a tool and thus never sleeps, always awake and concious the A.I. It is linked to mechanical arms within certain area's of the castle primarily the laboratory. It could see through a number of camera's each placed strategically about the castle granting him a wide view. Only the living areas of the royal family were left unobserved, that was until the king's personal chief demanded all camera's be removed from his kitchen threatening to quit in protest.
The A.I. however didn't care about the limits the Kinzoku-Jin put on it, it only cared about it's job and it's job was to assist it's creator and his young apprentice. It was currently observing the small girl, she appeared to be in shut down mode, her eye's were closed and her breathing was steady, she also appeared to be leaking a clear liquid. The A.I was about to investigate when it's creator and a woman wearing the uniform of a castle staff entered the room. They were speaking quietly but from the tone of the woman it was clear, the professor had done something wrong. The A.I.activated it's recording function as the heated discussion continued.
"Professor I understand she is your apprentice, however milady Ezia is still a princess and must act like one. She must also act like an eight year old girl and be in bed by nine. Am I clear on this professor?" The older gentleman cleared his throat, he was tall by Kinzokusei standards and was as tall as both Eziuur Senior and Junior. However though he towered over the woman he still flinched, he was a meek man and this woman was to him incredibly abhorrent and almost a poor choice but that was only his opinion. He sighed "Yes I understand however I am in charge of her education in this field, so I reserve the right to allow Ezia to work as long as required."
-----------------------------
When Xanthia knocked on Eziuur's door he had just finished with his latest conquest, she was a daughter of another minor noble and if he was honest she'd been far to easy to woo and barely satisfied him. For the last hour he'd been lying awake the woman next to him clinging to to him in her sleep. The knock at the door and the voice of his co-conspirator was well timed, he got out of the bed, made his way from his bedroom to the outer apartments throwing on a fine silk robe as he walked. He opened the door "Tell me I have time" he said before making his way to his drinks cabinet to poor himself a drink."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:11 pm
Xanthia's grin grew when he opened the door. She cocked a brow at his attire – or lack thereof, but said nothing of it. He was easy on the eyes and that most certainly wasn't something to complain about.
“Another one, sire? That makes three this week. Are you aiming for a new personal best?” she asked, teasingly, as she followed him over to the drinks cabinet. She perched on the sideboard and watched him as he poured himself a drink, but before he could drink it, she swiped it from his hands. “I shouldn't – I'm on shift, but if you insist,” she said, smoothly as she poured the liquid down her throat.
“So... where was I? Oh! That's right. I have good news and bad news. I'll start with the bad news and get that out of the way, then we can lighten the undoubtedly downed spirits of yours with some very interesting observations I made tonight,” she said.
She glanced around the room pretentiously. “I was just making sure, but it's exactly as I thought, my darling,” she said, pouting in feigned sympathy. “Daddy didn't deliver you any crown – you'd be wearing it if he had, though, I imagine. So unless daddy decided to present you all with beautiful headdresses, your skill at manipulating the ladies has failed to work on your precious father, because one child of his did receive a tiara tonight. One guess who. You'll only need one guess. We both know who it is,” she said. “How do you feel? Angry? Crushed?” she asked, grin growing a little wild.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:47 pm
"It would be four this week but that one isn't worthy, she was a bad lay no initiative. No fun she's already broken" he said turning as his drink was taken from his hands. Eziuur narrowed his eye's had it been anyone else he wouldn't have taken it, but Xanthia she was something else. She hadn't fallen to his charms at least not to the extent where she'd laid with him like the woman he was likely to discard before the night was out. Though if this news intruiged him enough he might grant the woman permission to stay on perhaps as a maid for his youngest sister or even Ensautra.
"Go on tell me" he said pouring himself this time a drink, it was fine gin from a planet quite distant from Kinzokusei. It was said the native were enormous, a planet of giants with technology so low it was pre industrial, it was practically medieval.* When Xanthia spoke the news Eziuur, gritted his teeth and squeezed the glass until it shattered. "This other news better be good" he said walking away from his bar and punching button or two on a console in the room. He stuck his hand into a slot on the console, and the healing liquid within soothed both his lacerations but also his mind. He turned "I think you know how I feel" Eziuur said darkly before returning to the cupbord and making himself a drink, which he downed in one gulp. He poured himself a fourth drink then strode over to the sofa's in the centre of the room, sitting in the high backed chair in the centre.
(*Which it is : D
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 6:05 pm
Xanthia's smirk only grew at Eziuur's evident frustration. As calm as her may have seemed, given the circumstances, she had known him for many, many years and she knew all too well that this was not Eziuur's 'calm' at all. She was enjoying this all too much.
She glanced from the broken glass on the floor to Eziuur, reaching to a keypad on the wall, where she tapped a few keys. It beeped, and a small roamer revealed itself from under the sideboard, from where it moved to tidy up the broken glass and spillage. Meanwhile, Xanthia's eyes were locked on where Eziuur had placed his hand inside a cavity located on the console, watching him relax a little.
He returned to her, only to pour himself a few more drinks, and then he relocated himself to a large, ornate chair stationed in the centre of the room. She watched him for a moment – evidently seething, before sliding from where she had been perched on the sideboard, placing her heels on the floor. She slipped them off and let the carpet caress her sinking toes as she strode over to him.
“Oh, my sweet, sweet prince. Now, now, now... Why the long face?” she asked. “I hope you trust me more than you appear to. Of course this news is good. If it hadn't been good, I'd have allowed someone else to tell you the bad news, and then you'd be angry with them and not me. I may be an instigator, my lord, but at least I'm an instigator with brains,” she chuckled, circling the chair, until she was standing by his left.
Standing by his left would show him that she wasn't putting herself above him, and that might calm down his mood with her. Even after the 'good' news, he was still bound to be angry... Angry that his father had still favoured his eldest daughter enough to break tradition. Most fathers seemed thrilled to have a first-born son, but that had changed once Ellaresse had been born. Xanthia remembered it clearly.
“I was heading to your room to discuss my plans to engage in... future endeavours, with you,” she said, ambiguously. “When, heading past your sisters room, I smelled burning and heard the girl calling out in a tongue I am unfamiliar with.” she put a hand on his shoulder, massaging it slightly.
“Naturally, I wondered if there was anything I might do to ease her passing – if she was dying of course – and fortunately she was not dying.” It was unclear whether Xanthia actually had said 'and fortunately', or whether she had said 'unfortunately'. “She was having a seizure. Curious thing, that. There hasn't been a recorded seizure in the whole of this kingdom for... well I wouldn't want to be too specific, but about four hundred and twenty years and sixty three days. You know, since we developed that old drug Synchroneurtron. Remember? The one injected into every woman for one hundred years that completely eradicated epilepsy on our planet?” She snorted unattractively and shook her head with a roll of her eyes.
“Furthermore, darling, I wasn't aware that eyes glowed during a seizure... or that wind buffeted those who tried to intervene – or that fire was even present – or any other state of matter, for that matter. What begins with with a 'W' and rhymes with 'b***h'? Which*, might I add, your sister most definitely is growing into a most fine example of,” she asked, leaning into his ear to whisper her question. “I don't think she knows that I am aware. Her arm is lacerated, I used her station to heal myself before approaching her once the party surrounding her came to its end.” she pulled away from his ear, but remained close enough for him to clearly see her smirk.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:16 pm
Eziuur listened to Xanthia's report at first he was only vaguely listening as he was too enraged to do otherwise. However as soon as she mentioned his oldest of three younger sisters Eziuur's ears perked. She described in full a phenomena that he had studied previously as was his requirement as heir at least until now. His frown be came a grin then a fiendish smirk as each piece of the puzzle fell into place. "So Elleresse has it, that magic that has long been a curse on the blood line. This is excellent." Eziuur finished by letting a laugh, he wasn't aware but if it had come from a drama anyone would have recognised his villainous laugh.
(Blarg!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:31 pm
Xanthia just grinned. “You don't love me for nothing, you know,” she said, tucking her cropped hair behind her ear. “I'm really not just a pretty face and to further prove it, I've had an astounding idea, my lord. Everything we've been working on. The nanotechnology... The gift you had made for your dear sister's birthday, tomorrow.”
She straightened her back and walked around to the other side of the chair before leaning down low, once more. “Well, if one was to... say... stay up until the sunrise, one may well be able to implant a tracking device into it. The king is blinded by favouritism, isn't he, sire? And he would never believe his son blaspheming about his favourite daughter, would he, sire?” she asked. “So... if we were to gather some... evidence of your sister's little anathema it would be quite beneficial to you, wouldn't it, sire,” she added.
“Of course, such an act... Invading the princess' privacy like that would be high treason. Whoever did such a thing would be executed for certain. Such a shame, don't you think, that you only know one person capable of doing such an operation on that beautiful armlet? If only you could persuade her to risk her life like that for you,” she said, eyes narrowing as he smirk grew. She had him where she wanted him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 11:24 am
A grin appeared on Eziuur's face and he nodded "Indeed perhaps a guaranteed increase to her funding, and the honour of chief scientist would be enough to tempt the kind lovely lady I know" He was sure Xanthia had something else in mind, but usurping his father and exiling his sister would require a few risks in this case it would be worth the risk to ensure the throne was his.
----------------------
-Episode 2 next day*
(* Though I guess episode wise there wouldn't be as much cutting to a fro)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:03 pm
Ellaresse was up early. In truth, she'd been unable to sleep the entire previous night. Thoughts echoed around her mind, circling and circling. What had happened last night? What had happened to her?
She stared down at her arm. She had healed it in the console on the wall, but it still tingled beyond belief. She sighed and stepped out of the shower, having just finished its drying cycle, and headed to the closet. She pulled out a dress. She wasn't keen on it, but she knew it would make her father happy to see her wearing one.
Slipping into it, she held up a machine to her face and twiddled with a slider on the top. Removing it, her make up was done. She was often told it would look better if she did it by hand, but she had no idea how to do that kind of thing. She then attempted to brush the thick tangles of her hair into any kind of style, before placing the circlet atop her head. She stared at herself in the mirror, studying herself.
“What's wrong with me?” she asked, stepping up to the mirror. She placed her hand on the reflection, staring herself in the eye. She didn't recognise herself. It wasn't just the clothes, or the hair – or even the makeup. It was something in her eyes. “What happened last night?” she asked her reflection.
She moved her free hand and touched the tiara on her head. “Was... was it...” she couldn't bring herself to ask. She knew well of the curse that haunted her family. “Do I have... magic?” she whispered.
The mirror around her fingers rippled and her reflection became momentarily animated. 'Yes', it mouthed, back at her, though the voice she did not recognise. She screamed.
There was a blackout across the entire kingdom. Xanthia strode into the laboratory, bypassing security and failing to fling on her coat. “Status report!” she roared. “NOW!”
“Xanthia, ma'am!” One of the scientists in the lab responded. “The power is out!”
“Then get the backup generator going!”
“Ma'am! The backup generators are down! All of them!”
Xanthia's eyes widened. “Not possible! What happened? What about the data?!”
“Unconfirmed until the system are... Systems back up!” the man said as the power flickered, then came back on for good. “Checking data now. It's showing signs of damage ma'am.”
Xanthia let out a roar of anger. “How damaged?! And how much of it!?” she demanded.
“Assessing presently, ma'am. Automatic saving salvaged most of the date collected over the past twenty four hours. Anything earlier is saved. Project Eden is corrupt. Unreadable.”
“What cause this to happen!? I want answers!”
“Electromagnetic forcefield.”
“Impossible. The planet is protected from such things occurring in the atmosphere!”
“Then, ma'am... it must have come from inside.”
“Again! Not possible! U-Unless...” She stormed out of the lab without another word.
Ellaresse scrambled away from the mirror, before rushing out of her bedroom, and subsequently out of her living quarters to go find her family.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 1:25 am
Eziuur awoke early with the same woman he'd slept with the night before, he got out of bed bathed and prepared himself for the day. By the time he was done she'd awoken, "I hope his majesty is pleased with my performance" she purred clearly it was practised and thus she shouldn't have bothered. He turned on her with a cruel smile "No I was not Elexia however I am not a cruel man usually and as I am in a good mood this morning, I shan't cast you out. In fact I shall give you the position of my youngest sisters maid, that old bat can't handle her. "He drew a note from his breast pocket and handed it to the girl. "Get dressed and get out if you don't except the job I want you out of the castle in the next five, no ten minutes."
Once he'd finished Eziuur swept out of the room making his way for Xanthia's laboratory. He didn't care what that woman did so long as she didn't expect any higher favour, though it was amusing to see if those he cast out would attempt to damage or steel something from him. It was a mistake only two had made previously, their families had paid for it dearly. It was of no consequence he would have another new flower on his arm in less then a week.
------------------------
Ezia awoke to shouting, the sound of her wretched Governess was shrill and screech, and it was to early in the morning for such sounds. She was roused fully by her curtains being wrenched back and young woman letting out a squeak as the Governess turned on her "You have excepted this handed out Job and you will work it as if I had chosen you for being skilled at more then being a wretched Trollop. I will give you one chance and if you don't foul that up I will take you on officially. Mark my words should I hear any implication that Ezia know's how you got this job. I'll have you flogged and paraded about the palace like the whore you are." Elexia squeaked "Yes Ma'am" she said curtsying and already regretting taking the job, as her new employer had not taken to kindly to her being appointed.
Once the old bag had gone the newly appointed maid took a deep breath then turned to the bed that was to large for the tiny little girl. She let out a squeak as said girl sat up suddenly and directed pleading eye's as if she thought she was going to be in trouble. "I don't want to get anyone flogged, so she'll never know I heard her shouting. Though I don't know what those mean words she called you mean. They sounded very mean and that sounds very odd doesn't it?" she asked hopping out of bed. The little girl had slept peacefully which for her meant her hair was incredibly tousled and the bed sheets were all over the place. Elexia despite herself merely smiled "Shall we prepare you for the day princess" she said curtsying before guiding the child to a very small table and mirror. As she walked she had to be careful not to catch her foot on any of the heaps of metal on her bed. She was very surprised to note that Ezia didn't even seem to look as she wove through the mess that was her room.
---------------------
Eziuur arrived in the Laboratory to find Xanthia not present but his search was halted by being hailed by his fathers chief Science officer. "Ah Xael you haven't seen Xanthia this morning have you?" The old man merely shook his head "No I haven't though her latest project appears to be having problems I must admit it is a shame." The old man hid his satisfaction, he wasn't a vindictive man in fact he can remember Xanthia from years ago, how when he was still young, she had appeared as if by magic if such a thing could exist on in his path when he was out in one of planets Bio-Domes. She hadn't known what was going on when she appeared and it had taken him a few hours to get her to understand her current whereabouts.
Since then he'd watched her grow unfortunately into the woman she now was, a cruel and opportunistic person. He had long wished he'd never taught her as much as he had, however if he hadn't his rivals for the his current position would have done the same.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 2:29 am
“Sire!” Xanthia barked as she finally found him. She had been looking all over for him, and had resigned to returning to the lab to get back to work. As it would happen, that's where she'd found him. Typical, really. “I have important matters to discuss immediately,” she added as she strode up to both Eziuur and Xael.
She glared coldly at Xael. The man had taught her and he had taught her well. He'd been like family to her and although he had kept his mouth closed tight on several occasions, his disapproval and aversion to her work and interests was apparent to her. He didn't have to voice it – she had seen it in his eyes on more than a handful of occasions.
She had made it a priority to keep him close, and to never offend the man beyond necessity, after all, he was the only one who knew anything about the day she had arrived on the planet, even if he did not know where she had arrived from. It was under his protection that she had been able to remain under the pretence of being a native. However, she also made it one of her priorities to keep him aware that should he ever cross her, she would unleash her wrath upon him.
The man, in her eyes, was a pushover. She highly doubted her would ever out her, or give anyone any reason to suspect she was not who she claimed to be, but she couldn't take risks like that. She knew that all too well. She couldn't do that until she had power beyond anyone opposing her. She broke off her challenging gaze to glance at Eziuur.
“I'm sure our prince here is nothing short of captivated by your riveting tales, Xael. I'm sure that any other time he would be simply heartbroken to be torn from your side so unmannerly, however I have important information pertaining to a task he entrusted me with and so you will have to excuse us,” she said, stealing one final glance at her old mentor before grabbing Eziuur's arm and pulling him away from the other man with force.
She didn't let go as she stalked the hallways, not until she'd reached a supply cupboard, which she pushed him into, following him in and slamming the door behind them. She did not turn on the light. She did not want any possible cameras in the storeroom to have any reason to activate. No one needed to know about them being in there.
Finally letting go of Eziuur's arm, she folded her own tightly, obviously in a foul mood. It was incredibly rare for Xanthia's face to show anything other than a calm, cool, and collected look. To see her so livid was possibly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, although she suspected Eziuur had perhaps seen this side of her a few times in all the years they had known eachother, even if she had tried to conceal it. “She... she... my data... She!!” Words would not form.
Grabbing at a chunk of her hair, she took a deep breath to calm down. “It is impossible for an electromagnetic storm to come from outside this planet. I know this for certain, because I was the one who led that project and it was a success! We have had no electromagnetic storms from outside ever since!” she growled.
“And yet, only this morning, there was a blackout across the entire kingdom! A few minutes only. A storm of such a size would be easily noticed and there was no storm. Which means it wasn't a storm. It was her! I know it was! And now all my data on Project Eden is gone, Eziuur!” she roared in frustration using his first name onl – yet another rare occurance.
“I bet the little b***h did it on purpose. Well I promise this – she will regret the day she was born! Project Eden was my greatest venture! My greatest enterprise! It's gone. All of it. I have to start from scratch because that stupid... that ignorant... that...” she paused to shriek again in frustration, “that little witch decided to take out not just the generators for the lab, but the entire kingdom! And the backups! And their backups!” She grabbed him by the shoulders to look him in the eye.
Suddenly her anger seemingly dissipated and was replaced with a numb look as she leant her head forwards and rested her forehead upon the centre of his chest, to all intents and purposes no longer in possession of enough energy to keep herself standing on her own. “It's all gone...” she muttered, numbly. “All gone... All gone. All gone. All of it. Gone.”
She let out a long sigh and let her arms flop down to her sides, her head still propped up against his chest. Her anger seemed to have drained her of any vigor and now she seemed almost lifeless, with her arms limply hanging and her breathing shallow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 3:33 am
Eziuur's brow's raised at Xanthia's statement "Gone, it can't be gone the bracelet! Tell me the bracelet wasn't effected. If we don't have that we can't out my sister legitimately. If she is accepted as the heir this coming Feastsday* not even my right as true heir will be enough to break her hold on the kingdom. "We are heading to your lab right now. Then I will take the bracelet to my sister and this coming week we'll have more then enough evidence." Eziuur now spoken took Xanthia's arm in his and lead her out of the closet.
He lead her back to her own laboratory where her three assistants were busy at work. "Now show me it." He urged letting Xanthia's arm go."
------------------------
Ezia and her new maid Elexia made there way to the lab in time to pass Eziuur and Xanthia as they left. Ezia waved at her brother but found he didn't return the favour while Elexia lowered her head. She no longer wished to be seen by the man she thought she loved. A man she had given herself to wholly only to be cast aside as if she were of poor quality. As if she were a scrap of meat to him rather then a living being with feelings.
As the pair walked into the lab they found mild carnage and Ezia immediately had a bad feeling. "Proffessor Xael! What happened?" she asked no longer shy now that she was in her element. The professor turned at her voice, the lab no the entire planet suffered a huge power short. We've lost almost everything." Ezia's eye's widened suddenly "No not the A.I!" she said gasping. Xael turned away "Yes they are all gone, my lifes work destroyed in an instant".
It was at this moment that the A.I soon to be dubbed Akito spoke "I am afraid that is incorrect Professor. I am still here and I am mostly in tact. I believe much of my memory has been deleted however. As my home on Ezia's wrist is limited and I require a large amount of data to maintain myself. If I may I would like to reacquire my data and maybe have some time to think about my..... loss."
(*Feastsday = Saturday)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 4:01 am
Xanthia sighed as Eziuur spoke to her. She hadn't dared ask of the bracelet to her lab monkeys. She hadn't told anyone about it. In truth, she had no idea if the bracelet was in tact or not. It was the least of her concerns.
She allowed Eziuur to walk her to her laboratory, but remained silent for the duration of their journey, for fear of having another outburst of her lividity. They arrived shortly.
“All of you,” she grunted to her three assistants who looked up immediately. “Out. Now. And make sure we are not disturbed, got it?” she asked. “Put security check nine on the door. The only one overriding that lock shall be myself. Is that clear?” she demanded and they all nodded.
Knowing her too well, they didn't even waste time to gather their tablets, and instead left everything where it lay. She headed over to the main screen – a large monitor hanging down from the ceiling – and waited for the door to lock before speaking directly to it.
“Monitor Alpha, show me a status report on Echo seven nine three,” she instructed and the data appeared on the screen in a code that she alone would be able to decipher. The code, itself, reset itself every time and thus required decoding every time it was called forth. Xanthia was one of the few people on the planet with such an understanding of language, so she wasn't too worried about it being decoded.
“The bracelet is fine. The data was saved onto the bracelets chip, and it was wirelessly streaming data, so the streamed data is lost, but that hardly matters considering there was nothing for it to stream. We got lucky, Eziuur, but we need to keep a closer eye on her than we thought. I know in my gut, that this was her doing. I know it,” she said, shooting him a serious glance.
“We lost all of Project Eden. It's gone. All of it. The blueprints for the prototype – everything. The only things I have left of it are scribbled notes in my sketchbook. We're starting from scratch. But perhaps this could work to our advantage. Perhaps the data from this bracelet will provide us with some insight into how we go about making Project Eden everything-proof,” she said, but quickly decided she didn't like the tense atmosphere surrounding them. “Well, it won't stop my strikingly good looks and charms from getting to you, of course, but it will be mostly-everything-proof,” she added with a cheeky smirk.
She headed over to a safe where, she placed her hand on a gel pad. It scanned her prints, before a needle pricked her finger and sampled her DNA. Next, she leaned in and had it scan her iris before deciding that it was legitimately her. The door swung open and she muttered a password under her breath, causing another door to open. Finally, she produced the piece of jewellery from the confinements of the safe.
She looked Eziuur in the eye as she held it out to him with one hand – her free hand shutting the safe before he had a chance to look at anything else in there. “Perfect replica of the bracelet you had already bought for her. Crafted and chipped it myself. This is technology on an entirely new level, Eziuur. No one is to ever know of what this bracelet means for science. No one must ever know the degree we reached last night with this very creation. It would mean the end of the royal family for certain. If they knew that we could spy on them undetectably, we would both be executed and the royal family ostracised,” she explained, letting him take it. She muttered to the screen and the data scrambled before disappearing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:45 am
Eziuur grinned as he took the bracelet in his hands and held it up the the light. "A fine piece of work this is" he said comparing this bracelet to the one he'd had made by the finest jewellery maker in the capital. A fine piece of work my dear such a thing of beauty and I believe only the jeweller himself will be able to tell the difference. However such a thing is easy to avoid by merely avoiding having her prescience at the ball. "Now to get this back to my room and seek out my dear sister." A cruel smile twisted onto Eziuur's lips "The throne shall be mine only to soon."
--------------------------
The A.I. announced it was done suddenly and both Xael and Ezia gathered before it. "I have re-obtained the data I sought and also found something more. A distant planet in the Milky Way as they call it. I think I wish to see it, see it with eye's of my own." Ezia didn't laugh she merely looked down dejected, there was no way such a thing could be done not even for her dear friend. Something had changed in it during that transition, it's wants and desires though Ezia couldn't place it.
Xael however was already thinking, he knew how his creations no his son's desire could be fulfilled. It would be tricky and would likely take some time but if given the time it could be done. The creation of a body, all it required was DNA and fortunately he had some. It wasn't from Kinzokusei, it had been obtained by a long range probe one of fifty the only one to return. It had found a dead young man on the planet earth, around the area they called the pacific ocean. He waited until Ezia was called away which came swiftly, then he spoke "My child, my son your desire can be and will be done. But it will take time I hope you can wait." The A.I. considered this a moment then replied "Yes I can father I can wait."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
