Yuri: I base jumped! And it was like "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" like "Damn shit!" "Dang it!" then "Woooooohhhhhhhhhhhooooooooooo!" until the parachute was deployed.
It was an indescribable feeling, falling like that. It was awesome. (Maybe I'll write a fanfic about it, haha.) And I survived, hehehe. Stop lighting the dirge candles folks. ^_^
Oh yeah, kinda busy again. Real-world work, eBook near-deadline-ish and I'm just halfway editing, and then there's my good friend Mila who has recently celebrated her birthday.
Been busy writing her a DRRR! fic she requested from me as a birthday gift. I got the inspiration from somewhere in her message, "Say, Yuri-chan, if ever Shizaya eloped and got married, how do you think would that be?"
Well, I've never read nor watched DRRR, really. But I did my research so I can answer her question. Hahaha. Damned interesting. I actually read, watched and immersed in all things DRRR from manga to dj to anime all in one day. Wow. Record.
And I think Mila is happy. Thank gods she didn't ask for a full plot, multi-chaptered story. (The requirement was just snippets and such manner coz she likes that sort of drama.) Although the long one I could have done too. Perhaps after Cinco? ^_^
She was amused with the slight NC and the tonnage of fluff sent her way. Wait. That wasn't fluff at all was it? (wry smile) And that wasn't slight NC either. Far from it! Hahahaha. (I think Shizuo just threw a car at me.)
Anyways, that said, on to our story. It's been a long time coming, don't you agree?
Orphe's office in Eos Two had been converted into a stunning piece of virtual space, everything controlled interactively through a series of solid holograms floating about, the transparent screens and multiple monitoring channels arranged in stacks one on top of the other around a centre chair and its physical platform of controllers, like so many layers, the main terminals and keypads in the same way virtually projected before it. The cables and other such hardware are unseen, with a large processing eye which took care of data storage, retrieval, execution…all manner of procedures pertaining to security which was constantly monitored and directly controlled here.
At the moment, as the Blondie in charge of Eos' defence details, Orphe Zavi sat in this chair and was picking through the network to check if all was in order, double and now triple-checking both Towers particularly the one where Neu-Jupiter resided, the neural gear allowing him to interface and see even the most miniscule of details, keen eyes alert as the ribbons ran past him and about in a seemingly endless spiral of data, of information, calculations. His fingers were busy tapping on the virtual keys, inputting orders and executing the necessary programs, some of which he had re-written in a heartbeat in light of the earlier threat.
Iason was there, but was quietly pacing about, his eyes every now and then moving to look at his feet, noting how the surface seemed to ripple under his weight as if he were walking on water. But this was merely clever illusion. All of Orphe's new office was made in such a way that it tricked the senses into believing that one was somewhere else instead of the normal metallic walls, floor and ceiling particular to a Tanaguran space, depending on its owner's mood, the entire place projecting a seamless, live image in the most intricate and highest definition.
Minimalist, Iason agreed, to be a most inappropriate description. This was a far cry from what things had been a year back. It was a common uncommon change of pace and spoke of nothing but the highest degree of technological accomplishment possible amongst the elite caste…
Right now, it was a sight from above of Tanagura that Iason was looking at, the entire capital visible below, through clouds and more clouds under him, real-time events unfolding. Of course he was aware this was a set of images uplinked from one of the many sentry surveillance bots floating above the city's airspace, capturing even the littlest detail of the actual going-ons beneath them.
The city's lights were already burning like so many candles, flickering flames, the ever-nocturnal neon of Midas far off a contrasting lover to the clean glare of Tanagura.
Hurrying Air cars zoomed just under footsteps, tiny specs headed off to precise yet unknown locations. When the superior Blondie looked above, he could see the moons, and thought that he'd want to enfold his Pet to this view tonight. Perhaps on the open tier to make it more dramatic; the idle clouds lingering, adding a touch of soul that otherwise would not be there.
"It wasn't more of a contamination as it was a diversion, the real attempt was to actually reach through Tower Two.
"They were aiming for the Palace," Orphe had said earlier.
Who wasn't these days? There were tons of threats mounting, and everyone was well-aware that Jupiter had always gotten attacked from almost anywhere since he'd rebelled against his makers. With Iason it would be no different.
But there was an apparent over or underestimation…the Palace had always been a separate locale. It was not connected to Eos Two itself thus any danger sent even from there would be useless. Yet it was still bothersome.
"I sometimes think we have made an error with the construction of Eos Two," Orphe finished a screen and cast it aside with one swipe of his hand, pulling another to check codes and syntaxes. "It should have been somewhere near the centre of Tanagura as Tower One is."
Iason knew there had been a fierce debate on the matter amongst the members of the Council but, as always, Raoul had convinced them that it was a worthy bribe for Iason's return, reasoning that it was also necessary to the godhood.
In a way it was, Neu-Jupiter was in concurrence. But to say Iason accepted the Palace for the prestige or for the sake of positioning well in their new world was another misjudged notion. He accepted it on account of Riki's security, as he had accepted Jupiter's Will for the very same rationale. The Palace was a place fitting for installing himself so he may better look at the world and keep his beloved safe from it.
"Are you actually considering our transfer back to Eos One, Orphe?"
The question made the latter pause, but briefly, casting a quick glance at Iason before resuming where he had been busier.
"That is to your discretion my Lord. I don't believe I have control on your decisions."
Iason laughed. "True. But your opinion counts where Jupiter's safety is concerned does it not?"
The other Blondie was secretly pleased to hear that. At least their dearest head trusted him well enough to consider what he had in mind. But then he knew Iason would not do anything as irrational; these days more circumspect than he had been before. His every move followed a certain path very few were privy to, even he, and everything he did had to consider Riki.
"The Pet is rather fond of your new home is he not? He may not approve of leaving."
"Maybe," Iason mused. "He's been to Eos One then Apathia, the slums and back…he's not so discriminating as to be actually fastidious like other pets."
Orphe eyed the superior Blondie with a slight amusement. In other words Riki would not be so selective once his Master snapped his fingers. Riki was the Pet who followed Neu-Jupiter's will. This was how Iason Mink doted on and at the same time controlled his favourite, both an open declaration of his affections. The other Blondie sighed. He will never understand it of course - who does?- but it was called love, a phenomena they didn't have information they could study on about.
"We'll just need to create a new layer of protection. It will be tedious work, but it's necessary," Orphe informed Neu-Jupiter. "I'll need an access through to the Palace. Can you grant me that request?"
Iason picked from the conversation and pulled up a virtual screen from nowhere easy, willing it to him as he sat down the normal chair Orphe offered before they sealed themselves in.
His interfacing was amazing, not needing a terminal or a holo channel to access what he needed to access, and here now he manipulated his Layer of the System to assist Orphe further, well-aware that the latter will encountered much trouble if he didn't. The Palace was both a fortress physically and digitally.
"I'll give you clearance through to the System on the fourth node."
"Thank you," the other Blondie nodded, fingering the virtual keys which rippled at his every touch.
Then Iason did something, pulling a thinner version of a cyber screen, slipping it beneath his fingertips and getting all the contents to appear in a flash. He gave a head's up, "Orphe."
Neu-Jupiter flung the screen over, sending it afloat and spinning through the air of the room before the other Blondie caught and stood it so he may peer at what's inside. There were files coming up, the impressive credentials of the top hackers in Tanagura and Midas.
"What are these?"
Iason's lips curled in the familiar facial gesture of a smile, leaning back against his chair, fingers making a steeple as he rested his elbows, crossed his legs, simply willing other monitors and cyber terminals to manifest in front of him.
He wanted work to be done. He missed his Pet. He was aware where Gideon and Aisha had taken him of course, and he trusts they would keep their word, but who knew what would happen in the long run?
He wanted Riki home.
This in mind, Iason willed a connection to Katze and the Underground labs. If the Trinity was good to go, he'll send them for his Exclusive. Only before that…
"Those are the hackers I currently have in my employ," said the superior Blondie in response to Orphe's earlier question. "Make use of them as you deem fit."