Lucy
The Ox looked at each of us carefully, almost like he was searching for something. Then he asked,
"Madiza, do you know what the KillCode is?"
Her eyes widened, and I could practically see the gears inside that warped brain of hers turning. She looked up at the man, and nodded.
"Can you tell me?"
"I could, but should I? After all, three can keep a secret, if two are dead. Hee hee hee!"
The Ox nodded, looking slightly pleased. "Good idea. You can reveal it when the time comes."
Seeing our perplexed expressions, he said, "It's a special code that can shut down the Golden Church's Security Drones for at least an hour."
We knew what the Golden Church was. About the same time the Amish had been eliminated, the consumerists created a new church advocating the idea that their wealth was a gift from God, and that they should revel in it. It was very similar to some of the ideas of the tycoons of the early twentieth century. We'd learned about it in school. The Golden Church, or the Church of Golden Light, was one of the main problems the Freegans were facing. Because of the faux religious fervor, they were better able to spread their propaganda against us.
"Isn't the Golden Church full of a bunch of wacko flagellants?" asked Cara, with her typical bluntness.
"Some of them. More importantly, they have a Prison Sanctum, where they store heretics and anyone who opposes them. It is guarded by vicious robot-androids known as Drones, which are controlled by the Sacred Computer and ATM of Light. Madiza happened to see the KillCode, therefore memorizing it, and if she types it into the computer, she can shut down the Drones."
"What will that do?" Matt wanted to know.
"It will help us to enter and save our missing comrades-" The Ox stopped talking with a small gasp. He was looking down at the floor. We followed his gaze, only to see more of Madiza's scribblings. In the middle of them, she had written the number 42, which was also circled. She looked up at him with a smile.
"Yes," said the Ox unsteadily. "Exactly."
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Platypuses/Platypi
Some people might think them strange, freaky creatures, but personally, I think the platypus is one of the cutest creatures on this earth. Who can resist that cute little face?
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Megamind
This movie was absolutely marvelous. In it, two aliens wind up on Earth, after their planets are destroyed. One goes to a mansion, and has the good life, as well as extraordinary super powers. The other crashes in a prison, and has to make do with having a lot of brain power. The two grow up to be rivals Metro Man and Megamind. Or, as Mega Mind puts it, "He took the name: Metro Man, defender of Metro City. I decided to pick something a little more humble: Megamind, incredibly handsome criminal genius and master of all villainy!"
They have the archetypal good guy-bad guy comic book relationship: Megamind will try and take over Metro City, Metro Man will stop him, and Megamind will go to jail. Over and over. When one day, to everyone's surprise (especially his) Megamind is able to successfully kill off Metro Man! He happily takes over the city, but then realizes that without a super hero to fight, he no longer has any purpose in life!
I would explain more, like how he uses some of Metro Man's DNA to create a new super hero for him to fight, or how that guy turns out to be evil, but it would kind of give away the plot. It's funny, and has a relatively good message, and with a PG rating for mild language and violence. Really a marvelous film.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Tragedy, Gloom and Doom
Fans of Redwall will be saddened to hear of the unexpected death of Brian Jacques, age 71. It was on Saturday, in Liverpool, England. He was a great man, and a great writer. Never again shall we read the works of another like him. He has a wife, Maureen, and two sons, Marc and David. We are sure that they are all feeling the same loss all us Redwall fans are, if not stronger. In pace requiescat, Brian Jacques!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Freegans part 37
Lucy's parents were frantic. Ever since Danielle had run home, sobbing, and told them that the kids had been carried off by the consumerists, they had been worried. They had heard nothing for two weeks. McTavish had sent out spies, and surveillance tapes, but hadn't been able to discover anything. Then three days ago, he'd gotten a report that the president and vice president were very agitated about something, and that several of their troops had gone suddenly missing. Lucy's dad suspected that the kids had done something to throw a monkey wrench into the works, and were now being hunted. While this gave a sign that they were still alive, it upset them still, because it also meant they were in a heap of trouble.
Ever since Matt had disappeared, his dad had sobered up, and appeared to realize that he really did love his son. Now, instead of lying around all day in a drunken state, he moped around the Freegan village, murmuring about how everyone he cared about left him. It was really a sad thing to see.
Matt's dad finally went back to his camp that night, feeling alone and dejected. He'd gone to Mr. McTavish and asked permission to try and go find his son, but McTavish had politely (but firmly) brushed him off, stating that they didn't want to take any unnecessary risks. He thought this was unfair; this was his kid they were talking about, for crying out loud! He needed to find him, make sure he was okay! This was something that could finally give him a purpose, after so many years of being in a drunken stupor. He considered ignoring the order and going after Matt anyway. Yes! That would work! Nobody was going to try and tell him not to save his own son!
As he went into his hut to get some supplies, he found a paper lying on his table. Unaware that a similar note was being read at this moment by Lucy and Cara's family, he picked it up. It said:
Your child has been found, and is in safe hands. Please don't worry. We will try and get him to you as soon as possible.
The note wasn't signed. Instead, there was a peculiar spiral shape, almost like a tornado.
Ever since Matt had disappeared, his dad had sobered up, and appeared to realize that he really did love his son. Now, instead of lying around all day in a drunken state, he moped around the Freegan village, murmuring about how everyone he cared about left him. It was really a sad thing to see.
Matt's dad finally went back to his camp that night, feeling alone and dejected. He'd gone to Mr. McTavish and asked permission to try and go find his son, but McTavish had politely (but firmly) brushed him off, stating that they didn't want to take any unnecessary risks. He thought this was unfair; this was his kid they were talking about, for crying out loud! He needed to find him, make sure he was okay! This was something that could finally give him a purpose, after so many years of being in a drunken stupor. He considered ignoring the order and going after Matt anyway. Yes! That would work! Nobody was going to try and tell him not to save his own son!
As he went into his hut to get some supplies, he found a paper lying on his table. Unaware that a similar note was being read at this moment by Lucy and Cara's family, he picked it up. It said:
Your child has been found, and is in safe hands. Please don't worry. We will try and get him to you as soon as possible.
The note wasn't signed. Instead, there was a peculiar spiral shape, almost like a tornado.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Freegans part 36
Cara
"What's that thing he's using?" I pointed to the thingy the Ox (as Ben had told me he was called) was holding to Madiza's head.
"Come here, and I'll show you," said the Ox. We dutifully trooped over to look. It was rectangular, made of some odd metal, and had a view-screen on the side facing us. The Ox was pressing a button on it with his thumb while he examined Madiza.
"This is used to study the brain waves in a person's mind, and calculate how much brain power they use. I invented it." The Ox seemed mildly proud of himself as he said this.
"How does it work?" asked Matt. By way of reply, the Ox held up the scanner thing to the side of Matt's head, and pushed the button. There was a loud humming noise, and then on the screen there appeared a lot of lines, kind of like a graph. The Ox studied it, and then gave a nod of satisfaction.
"According to this, you have the normal brainwaves of someone of your age and intelligence." They were wavy, and changed at a nice, slow rate. Then the Ox held it up to Madiza's head, so we could see, and pressed the button. Loud beeps and chirps came from the thing; the lines, when they appeared, were disjointed and uneven. Some were very jagged, and some were curvy, and one was perfectly straight.
"As you can see, her mental capacity is alarmingly high for someone her age, and also very out of sync. Her thoughts are not evenly organized, and keep changing rapidly. This proves that she is, in fact, Project 112."
When the Ox finished speaking, Madiza stood up and peered into his eyes, looking suspicious. Finally she smiled and said, "You're a good boy, too." Then she reached up and patted him on the head, like she had the Kestrel. He looked at us quizzically. I said, "She had to make sure we could trust you."
"Ah. I see."
Then Lucy spoke up. She asked, "Why is Madiza so important to you?" It was the question all of us had been wondering, but hadn't quite figured out how to ask.
"What's that thing he's using?" I pointed to the thingy the Ox (as Ben had told me he was called) was holding to Madiza's head.
"Come here, and I'll show you," said the Ox. We dutifully trooped over to look. It was rectangular, made of some odd metal, and had a view-screen on the side facing us. The Ox was pressing a button on it with his thumb while he examined Madiza.
"This is used to study the brain waves in a person's mind, and calculate how much brain power they use. I invented it." The Ox seemed mildly proud of himself as he said this.
"How does it work?" asked Matt. By way of reply, the Ox held up the scanner thing to the side of Matt's head, and pushed the button. There was a loud humming noise, and then on the screen there appeared a lot of lines, kind of like a graph. The Ox studied it, and then gave a nod of satisfaction.
"According to this, you have the normal brainwaves of someone of your age and intelligence." They were wavy, and changed at a nice, slow rate. Then the Ox held it up to Madiza's head, so we could see, and pressed the button. Loud beeps and chirps came from the thing; the lines, when they appeared, were disjointed and uneven. Some were very jagged, and some were curvy, and one was perfectly straight.
"As you can see, her mental capacity is alarmingly high for someone her age, and also very out of sync. Her thoughts are not evenly organized, and keep changing rapidly. This proves that she is, in fact, Project 112."
When the Ox finished speaking, Madiza stood up and peered into his eyes, looking suspicious. Finally she smiled and said, "You're a good boy, too." Then she reached up and patted him on the head, like she had the Kestrel. He looked at us quizzically. I said, "She had to make sure we could trust you."
"Ah. I see."
Then Lucy spoke up. She asked, "Why is Madiza so important to you?" It was the question all of us had been wondering, but hadn't quite figured out how to ask.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Freegans part 35
Ben continued
I had written, 'Okay, what is going on? Who are these people, and what is he doing to Madiza?'
Kestrel frowned at me. "Who's Madiza?"
I gestured towards her, and the guy who was bent over her. He reminded me of the archetypal college professor: thin, with glasses and a slight beard. I could imagine him in a suit standing in front of a blackboard, holding chalk and writing complex equations.
"Oh. Why do you call her that?"
'It's what she calls herself. Madiza Hatter.'
Getting the pun in the name, Kestrel gave a small smile. "Well, don't worry, the Ox won't hurt her. He just wants to run a small test, make sure she's what he thinks."
'What are you talking about?'
"Wake your friends up. This is something all of you need to know."
Soon all four of us were seated around Kestrel. Madiza had woken up by now, and it appeared that the Ox was asking her some questions, and at the same time holding up some weird little box to the side of her head. It made little beeping sounds, almost as if it were scanning the insides of her brain.
"About six years ago, scientists working for the government developed a new type of technology they referred to as Project 112. Its' purpose was to get rid of schools, by transferring information directly into the brain, since it's basically a living computer. Anyway, before it could be sold, they first needed to experiment to make sure it was safe. To do this, they needed a test subject."
"You mean-" Lucy stopped in shock, and her eyes flicked in Madiza's direction.
"That's right. Your friend was already a prisoner, so they figured why not make her a lab mouse, too. The test run failed, filling up her brain too much. It was like a computer that had been overloaded; so to speak, her wires short-circuited."
"Wow. So there is such a thing as too much information," said Matt. All of us glared at him. This was hardly a laughing matter.
I had written, 'Okay, what is going on? Who are these people, and what is he doing to Madiza?'
Kestrel frowned at me. "Who's Madiza?"
I gestured towards her, and the guy who was bent over her. He reminded me of the archetypal college professor: thin, with glasses and a slight beard. I could imagine him in a suit standing in front of a blackboard, holding chalk and writing complex equations.
"Oh. Why do you call her that?"
'It's what she calls herself. Madiza Hatter.'
Getting the pun in the name, Kestrel gave a small smile. "Well, don't worry, the Ox won't hurt her. He just wants to run a small test, make sure she's what he thinks."
'What are you talking about?'
"Wake your friends up. This is something all of you need to know."
Soon all four of us were seated around Kestrel. Madiza had woken up by now, and it appeared that the Ox was asking her some questions, and at the same time holding up some weird little box to the side of her head. It made little beeping sounds, almost as if it were scanning the insides of her brain.
"About six years ago, scientists working for the government developed a new type of technology they referred to as Project 112. Its' purpose was to get rid of schools, by transferring information directly into the brain, since it's basically a living computer. Anyway, before it could be sold, they first needed to experiment to make sure it was safe. To do this, they needed a test subject."
"You mean-" Lucy stopped in shock, and her eyes flicked in Madiza's direction.
"That's right. Your friend was already a prisoner, so they figured why not make her a lab mouse, too. The test run failed, filling up her brain too much. It was like a computer that had been overloaded; so to speak, her wires short-circuited."
"Wow. So there is such a thing as too much information," said Matt. All of us glared at him. This was hardly a laughing matter.
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