Unreachable Star

 (game date: 06/03/2021)

Lightning extended from Gipson's hands, striking the Foxkin full in the chest.  The sparks crackled all over her body, all exposed fur standing on end.

Had anyone else in our party taken that eldritch blast, we'd have been knocked unconscious, possibly even killed.  I know it hurt Katrya, but when the discharge ended, she still stood.

And she was angry.

I've seen the Foxkin in a lot of fights.  I believe I've mentioned before that she participates in Arena battles, the illegal ones.  I've seen her take a severe beating and come out grinning.  

I've never seen her angry before.

Unbeatable Foe

 (game date: 06/03/2021)

Until the mini-concert, I had been on the fence about actually broadcasting our showdown with Gipson.  Now, filled with confidence, it seemed like the best idea ever, and E.R. had just given me the perfect inspiration for how to begin it.  

When the iDoll returned with low-light goggles, Stelita arrived at about the same time.  That confused me, as I thought Ama had said that Parker was close, but I didn't think anything of it.  There was nothing more for us to do but crowd into "Frank" and go.  The tac-van flew from Chystari, straight for the city Core.

We hadn't gone far when the Crystal Pilot pulled up alongside us in the air. The comms chirped, and Hilda's voice asked, "Someone ordered delivery?"

Impossible Dream

(game date: 6/3/2021)

Now that time is not such a pressing concern, perhaps I can collect my thoughts and record events properly.  That last entry was sloppy, to say the least.  

Preparations were frantic, to put it mildly.  

My father's emergency statement had been hijacked.  The transmission ended before he could finish, and was replaced by an image of him in his office, claiming that the prior transmission was entirely falsified.  Under other circumstances, I feel certain that I could have done battle in this arena of high-tek propaganda and emerged the victor, but in the here-and-now, I had neither the time nor the energy to spare.  I satisfied myself with checking with Parker that they were still safe (the vids left their fate in question), and continued our prep work.

Confession (The Revolution Will Be Live-Streamed)

(Game date: 6/3/2021 - Campaign "season" finale)

(A broadcast entreating everyone in the city to shut down their ImagiNet BANlinks is immediately followed by this slam poem, entitled "Confession," was broadcast from a pre-recording, with a heavy techno beat track, during a live feed of a battle which took place within the city's Core Tower.  It was tagged with username "GoldenBoy". 

The livestream continues.  The plea to shut down ImagiNet, and why, continues on a loop throughout the battle.)

My first crime was privilege - born to golden crown and throne.

Second was self-centered youth, blind to all pain save my own.

I convicted my blood of crimes in my mind, without benefit of jury,

Then stole from my future, investing in fantasies, like I had no worries.

Abet a cop-killer, help a terrorist escape,

Corruption of a minor, betray a team-mate,

I've done it all, I have no shame.

Gamed the courts for private gain.  (just like a suit)

Grand theft auto?  Child's play.  I do that in my sleep.  

Give me something worth waking for - like secrets buried deep.

I'll perpetrate it.  Confiscate it.  Automate it. 

So prideful I refused a Dragon to his face.

No moldy blood-sucker put me in my place. (fool)

Faced avatars, demons, immortals, gods,

And still believe that I can cheat the odds.

I'm the biggest mass murderer since the Fall,

Except for the One who betrayed us all.

And this may be my biggest sin:  

I still believe I'm better than him;

That all my crimes are justified.  

Sanctified.  Certified.  Electrified.

Now I agitate at the Core of a corrupt state.

Against Fate, with my mates, we will open the Gate.  

History will judge us all.

For the People to Rise, the Towers must Fall.

The very first Librivox project I was involved in, is finally ready!  Link below

I have a number of chapters in this one, and am (slowly) finishing the rest for my own friends & family.

Black'erchief Dick

Margery Allingham (1904 - 1966)

This is noted mystery writer, Margery Allingham's first novel, written when she was just 18. It a swashbuckling novel of romance and adventure on a British island in the 17th Century - Summary by mleigh

Genre(s): Action & Adventure Fiction

Language: English

LibriVox

Puttin' on The Ritz

(game date: 5/20/2021, 5/27/2021)

(Normally, in these journal entries, I give more attention to each individual, because I have reviewed the events from each camera.  This one is being recorded a bit hastily, as we have little time to spare, so it mostly recounts my own part in the evening's events, and even much of that is copy/paste. 

The Gate must be opened now, and I want these events recorded in case I don't make it.)

Because of all the fuss with the Masques, the day of the 175th Annual Æxalted Fashion Festival crept up on us much faster than I'd expected.  I could scarcely believe it when Parker reminded me of the event the day before.  I hadn't scheduled a pre-briefing the week before, as had been the plan, so as to give everyone ample time to prepare.  Damn vampires, throwing everything off-schedule with their anachronistic ways.

Instead, we had to be satisfied with a quick touch-base the night before, just to be sure that we were all on the same page.  I established a conference link.

Reflections on Æstas Society - an editorial

(The following article is published on the Matrix forums under the handle "GoldenBoy" - as untraceable as Zeke can make it)

In a recent conversation with a respected elder, he conceded that I was "intelligent, but perhaps merely young."  Having acknowledged that I am not an utter fool, he now must explain my behavior in some way that does not require that he admit to any worldview other than his own.  So, he resorts to ageism.

I suppose, for my species, I am young, but it's rather limiting to assume that my outlook and biases will change as I grow older.  It's also a misconception to equate age with maturity, especially considering how brief a lifespan some races are allotted.

For all the diversity which Æstas boasts, we are, in fact, a fractured society.  We have ageism, speciesism, tribalism, ableism, and reigning over all: classism.  We're not even satisfied with these divisions; we have had to invent more factions in which to divide ourselves.  One might think that intelligent beings forced to share limited resources in order to survive would be able to put aside the law of the jungle for the duration.  Instead, we have refined it to an artform.