Dr. Kent Rules the Realm

Dr. Kent Rules the Realm

Main Character: An incredibly wealthy concert violinist who is extremely handsome

The setting: In a suburban home where births are arranged by the state

Plot: A tragic murder

                The dashing Dr. Kent showed up to the crime scene early. He walked around the suburban home living room and studied the body. The corpse was that of a prestigious dentist who revolutionized dental implants, his death was felt throughout the country. However, his death was not of natural causes, there was a single gun shot wound to his chest, blood surrounded the body. The cleaning lady found the dentist on the floor this morning. He was a caring man, father of three and grandfather of two. But who would want to kill this man? He apparently had an enemy.

                Kent was striving to find that enemy. He spent his free time playing the violin for the Boston Pops and at night he was a well respected detective. He worked pro bono because he didn’t need the money. He was a wealthy man with million dollar looks too. Many people who first lay eyes on Kent believe he is a model or a movie star, but alas, he is just a mere violinist and successful business owner. Yes, Kent has it all, but he worked hard for his wealth.

                He continued to walk around the room. A bullet was lodged in the couch just waiting for Kent to find it. He soon left the living room and made his way into the child’s room where, it must have been one of the dentist’s grand children who was abducted by the state. He or she was part of a new program rolled out to provide soldiers for the country. The births were arranged to produce only the strongest and smartest individuals who were raised by the government collective. It was a controversial program generating much opposition but it was necessary.

                Kent made his way back to the living room and looked curiously at the couch. He bent down and with his gloved hands, removed a bullet from the cushion. “So we’re dealing with a .38. Interesting, not very professional to fire a shot point blank and miss. Also, considering the killer dug around in the body to extract the bullet and remove evidence, he didn’t spend time removing the missed bullet. Sloppy, yet careful. This does not match the personalities of many killers, so maybe this was his first kill. But why? What’s the motive? Let’s think about this. The dentist was incredibly wealthy, being a pioneer and all. Maybe this was a robbery gone wrong. Perhaps. Or maybe a pissed off family member or patient. I’m leaning toward a robbery, but the house was not ransacked. This is quite perplexing.

                Kent pondered these possibilities, but didn’t feel strongly one way or the other about who could do this. He stood over the body contemplating when his colleagues walked in the door. “Good morning fellas, coffee?” Kent said.

The Future Now

The Future Now

                Three metal beings approached me from behind and asked me some questions, but I couldn’t tell what they were saying. I continued to walk and they soon left me alone. The city surrounding me is amazing, high buildings and flying cars, simply amazing. I walked into one tall building, the door slid to the right as I approached it. I don’t remember such technology before, or maybe I’m dreaming, I’m not sure. I was greeted by another metal creature but her English was superb, I understood everything she was saying to me.

                “You are early for you appointment Mr. Smith.” Said the android. She knew my name! Apparently I have an appointment, but to see whom and for what reason? I can’t seem to remember, my brain is all foggy.

                “Oh, ok, which floor?” I responded, a little unsure about what is going on.

                “Are you being serious? You’ve been here dozens of times. Forth floor you joker.” Said the android with a bit of humor. I walked to my left and approached a strange device. I stepped into it and was soon teleported to the fourth floor, simply amazing. When I materialized I looked at me hands to see if I had all my fingers. All ten, I’m okay. Soon another android approached me and she knew my name too.

                “Mr. Smith, right this way. How was traffic?” She asked.

                “Oh, I walked.” I said.

                “No you didn’t, your flying machine is parked out in front.” She said with a little smirk showing in her metal face.

                “Oh right, I guess I did.” I said.

                I suddenly found myself on an operating table with three men in white coats standing over me.

                “Mr. Smith, do you remember anything from the last hour?” Asked one of the men.

                “Yes, I remember walking here, three robots approached me then I noticed all the strange tall buildings and flying cars. I walked into the building, an android greeted me, and took a weird teleporter to this floor. Then another android greeted me. That’s all I remember.” I said.

                “Hmm, interesting. You see, what you described, the robots, tall buildings and flying cars don’t exist yet.  The three robots are the three researchers you see in front of you. The androids you mentioned are our receptionists. You did walk here, that part is true.  You’ve been lying on this table, talking to us for the past three hours. It appears that you have an unusual ability.” Said the researcher.

                “But, I can’t control it, it just happens.” I said.

                “That’s what we’re here for. We want to understand what allows you to see into the future. Maybe we can learn to harness it, with your help of course. Do you want to help us?” Asked the researcher.

                “Yes, definitely. I want to help.” I answered.

The Skeleton Crew

The Skeleton Crew

                We set off from the desert planet of Sol, named after the intense sun that beams down upon it. Our crew was light, only four men. Our mission, to explore new settlement options and report back about whether or not the new planet was habitable, a seemingly easy assignment. From there, the government would send the TI-909s, massive transport ships, filled with people who were deemed suitable to colonize the new land.

                Our ship was the Intruder, the fastest small transport in the known galaxy. We will reach the new planet, code named Alpha, in one year. We spent the time reading, exercising, playing games and arguing. Some of our crew did not get along very well. How our management chose the final four was beyond our comprehension. They knew that Mark and Bob, in particular, hated each other, but they tried to get along anyway. The year seemed to drag on, everyone was touchy. Maybe, being stuck on a small ship, with no women, and very few entertainment options, left a man feeling agitated.

                Finally we could see Alpha in the distance. We were about two weeks away from the planet. That raised the morale a little bit. Preliminary data readings came back from the probes that we sent out. The surface temperature of Alpha was a comfortable seventy four rumens, about thirty seven degrees Celsius (by the old unit of temperature measurement).

                Those last two weeks were pretty uneventful. Mark and Bob got into an argument about food, eventhough the nourishment dispenser has a near unlimited supply of items to choose from. Their bickering was nearly comical. I pulled Matt aside and said to him:

                “We should send them out first to check out the planet, I can’t deal with their fighting any longer.”

                “I could not agree more.” Proclaimed Matt.

We ran this by the two block heads and they actually went for it! The time came when we were within a mile of the planet and our teleporter was within range. The two suited up and made their way to individual teleporters. The ship’s cameras were zoomed in on the teleportation zone on the planet’s surface. The two soon disappeared and came into focus on the monitors. Something went horribly wrong, their skin and muscles were instantly vaporized, leaving behind two clean skeletons, standing straight up!

                “This can’t be right, the surface temperature is only seventy four rumens! The atmosphere is mostly breathable oxygen.” I shouted in horror. “They should be fine!”

                The two turned around and went back into the teleporters. Soon they came into focus in the ship and slowly walked towards us, bone striking the metal floor. Their eye sockets glowed red. One reached for Matt, who had no where to go, he was backed into a corner. He was touched by the skeleton and soon his skin and muscles were vaporizing, just like Mark and Bob’s. I was the last one left. The skeletons slowly walked towards me, white bones shifting and shuffling. I didn’t know what to do. If I stayed here I would be stripped of my flesh, if I teleported I would most likely meet the same fate. I noticed a moon in the distance…  

Life at Home

Life at Home

                The floating house has been done, it seems as though everyone has one. They’re in high demand seeing how almost every habitable surface of Earth has been covered with some sort of housing structure. Then one year ago the floating house was created; now the skies are riddled with them. People can now float to work during the night, wake up in the morning get ready for the day, float to the landing bays associated with their respective skyscraper and teleport to the office, lab, what have you. They have  virtually eliminated the car, bus, or other land based transportation device. But, the engineers didn’t think of everything. What if two or more people needed to go to a separate destination in the morning? Kids to school, wife to one job, husband to the other. The  floating house is fine for single people and retired folks, but when it comes to accommodating a family..it falls short. Wife and kids would have to take close range tele-porters from some point in the middle of their locations while the husband could float to work, or vice versa. The technology was similar to the hot air balloon, but it could be improved.

                Eventually a genius biologist created the living house; a genetically engineered organism that could contain a living room, dining room, kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms within oversized vacuoles (minus the water). It was part plant and part animal, a hybrid if you will. It also floats through a symbiotic relationship with Helium.

 The beauty of the living house is that it grows along with the resident people. A family of a child, mother and father didn’t need as much room; the living house sensed it. As the family grew, so did the house. It could separate through mitosis into separate compartments, allowing transportation to different locations (school for the children and work for the parents). It was beautiful! The living house was nearly flawless….nearly.

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Paul was a single man who couldn’t wait to own a living house. He had the floating house, but the maintenance needs for it were astronomical. He couldn’t afford it. A well placed tornado or hurricane could rip it to shreds.

The day he purchased the living house was one of the best days of his life. He spent weekends talking to the house (the response was often grunts or low hums). The house learned what time Paul got up in the morning and what time he went to sleep at night. The house would shake right before feeding time (an influx of oxygen, light, water and slurry called gruel) which would excite Paul. He became attached to his house, often calling out of work to spend the day with his new friend. They would float to the beach and hover above the sand, taking in the ocean mist and refreshing sunlight.

Then one day he realized, this house is no more intelligent than a common dog! Sure he learns simple habits and routines but he doesn’t seem to do much more than just..be. I should talk to the inventor and see if maybe we can alter the houses. Make some changes, allow it to be as intelligent as its’ owner. Would that be a good idea or a bad idea? I can’t answer that question right now. Maybe someone else can…

The Zombie Apocalypse

The Zombie Apocalypse

                It finally came, the Hanta virus evolved into the living dead virus and spread across the country. It started in USA first, spreading like wildfire within the highly populated cities then made it’s way through the country side.

Like the few remaining humans, the group searched tirelessly for other bands of the unaffected. Each of the four members was armed to the teeth with guns, clubs, hammers and swords, amongst other weapons.

They sat around the underground bunker that they just discovered yesterday. Feasting on canned goods and relaxing before the next wave of zombies found them. They savored this time, when they could just enjoy each other’s company and tell jokes and stories. But the horde of the undead found them. One of the crew of humans kept watch at night while the others slept. She could hear the moaning coming from the south.

“Hey, Axle, wake up. I hear something.” Said Mona.

“It’s probably just a skunk or something, let me sleep.” Said the huge man as he rolled over in his sleeping bag.

She poked him with her sheathed sword. “Oh crap, here they come.” Mona said as she whistled to wake up the others. She then bolted from the bunker with her drawn katana in hand. A horde of thirty zombies were at the other end of the field as she ran into the center of them, expertly swinging her steel. She cut off three heads with one swing and then crouched down. The zombies got closer and tried to scratch and bite her. But she created a force field surrounding her.

The rest of her companions ran out of the bunker holding their weapons. “Mona!” Screamed Blaze as he lugged his flame thrower. Axle was right behind him with his war hammer held in his massive hands. Snake was the last to leave as he set up his sniper rifle on a tripod.

The zombies piled on Mona. She then quickly stood up and blue energy left her body and pulsated out and into the zombies. Ten of them exploded, sending rotting flesh flying through the field. There were still seventeen remaining as Mona collapsed. A zombie opened his mouth to reveal crooked teeth and went to bite Mona’s neck. The end of a war hammer met the zombie right in his face sending him flying backwards four yards. Axle reached down and picked up Mona with one hand as he swung the war hammer.  The sound of broken bones, smashed skulls and shattered rib cages filled the air as Axle worked his magic. Blazed showed up and toasted five zombies with a jet of fire. After the melee there were six lumbering zombies left. From over by the bunker six shots rang out. Snake executed the remaining zombies with shots to the head.

“You gotta be more careful, you can’t take on thirty zombies all by yourself.” Axle said to Mona as he held her exhausted body.

“I wanted to set a personal record. I’ll see if I can beat it next time.” She says with a grin.    

The Madrol Empire Part Five

The Madrol Empire Part 5

                Neesus begins his day as he usually does with a quill in his dried fingers. This particular day he delves into the legend of Hercules. He was ordered, by Leeana, to re-write the story of the great strong man as Tailon, who is the reincarnation of Hercules. A very ridiculous assignment, thought Neesus, but he must please his requestors as they are the ones who handsomely fund his work, so he abides.

                Earlier in the week Leeana stopped by to receive the scroll of Tailon’s heroic exploits battling the barbarians written, of course, by Neesus. She made a second visit praising the historian’s skillful work, “our emperor was pleased.” She told Neesus. “You did a fine job, please continue. I have a new assignment for you. Tell the tale of Hercules, but instead of the famous legend, describe Tailon’s feats of strength. He is the modern day Hercules. Do you think you can do that?” Leeana asked him.

                “Of course, I’ll make it my highest priority.” Said Neesus with a wry smile.

                “Excellent.” Leeana said as she left the historian’s room.

                Neesus thought to himself once she left: “she really is an interesting woman. I would like to learn more about her. Something doesn’t quite seem right with her…” He continued his work, but quickly got bored. He decided now is the time to work on his research into the deaths of Marcus Madrol I and Alernus. Also he wished to research the attempted assassination of Marcus Madrol II. He stumbled upon the body of the assassin while making his way to Alernus’s quarters that horrible night some seventeen years ago. He assumed the dead man was after young Marcus Madrol II, because Alernus was not in his quarters. Who else was he sent to kill?

                There was a large puddle of blood surrounding the man with stab wounds throughout his body and a laser pistol in his hand. It appeared difficult to figure out what transpired here, but Neesus was an expert. He could tell it was self defense, but who killed the man? This was a perplexing question. Neesus immediately went for help, but seeing that Alernus was gone he went to find Marcus Madrol I or his wife Catherine. Marcus I was not in his quarters but his wife was. He told her that little Marcus was missing along with his servant Abe and there was a dead man in the hall outside of little Marcus’s room. Catherine was hysterical. She ran to his room but couldn’t believe he was gone. The castle guards were alerted, they searched the castle for the boy and his servant. They also noticed that a steel dragon was missing, but they were unable to track it.

                About that same time the guards found Marcus I dead with a laser wound to his head. Catherine was silent from that day forward. She couldn’t recover from the disappearance of her son and the death of her husband.

                Neesus reflected on that night while he tried to piece together the puzzle. He sat in his chair and looked around the room, as if the answer was written on the wall. In fact there wasn’t much on the walls at all. He was a man of few belongings. He didn’t need much. All he asked for were blank scrolls and plenty of ink, but he was quite wealthy. Before being hired by the Gaius’s he was just a common investigator, recording history in his free time. He swore he would never be an investigator anymore but the events that happened that night seventeen years ago were too intriguing. He vowed to solve the mysteries.