A Ten Foot Pole
QA University Graduate
Posts: 13
Characters: Michael Krieger
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Post by A Ten Foot Pole on Nov 4, 2013 20:47:10 GMT
((OOC: This takes place in an Earth parallel, simply because I don't want to make any of this canon in existing environments. Anyone may jump in as they see fit to act as ambassadors of QA.))
"This..." His smile faded. The blood drained from his face. His heart skipped a beat as he dropped his heroic pose. "This is a bad day."
He had played this game several times before. There had never been a problem. It was a simple process: Step into the capsule, smile and wave at the spectators. A few seconds later, you're standing in the same position in the same room; it's just everyone else who's changed. They've changed clothes. They're standing in different spots. They may have shaved, perhaps gotten a haircut. Some have gained or lost weight. Once, his girlfriend had even left him. The room was always a constant, though. The people changed, but the room was always there.
Michael was not standing in the room.
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A Ten Foot Pole
QA University Graduate
Posts: 13
Characters: Michael Krieger
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Post by A Ten Foot Pole on Nov 4, 2013 20:48:32 GMT
He turned slowly, carefully, taking in his surroundings. He was out in the open. Wildflowers sprouted from the grass in every direction. Soft hills rolled around him and wooded areas could be seen from any angle. There was not a single structure in sight. He thought back to his briefing, what the nerds had told him:
"Up to this point, you've been sent just far enough ahead that we can catch up and confirm that we were successful. During this experiment, you will be coming back to meet us. We are sending you to a point in time during which, according to the Pokrywka Algorithm, technology will have advanced to the point that you can travel back to confirm a successful mission. If all goes well, this mission will be over in a fraction of the time it took for those previous to it."
Michael nodded and leaned back into his seat. "What year am I being sent to?"
"That's irrelevant. We find it unlikely that they will be using the same method to document time that we use currently."
He closed his eyes and inhaled sharply, gripping the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index. He pulled his hand away slowly and flicked a bit of crust across the room. "Lovely."
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A Ten Foot Pole
QA University Graduate
Posts: 13
Characters: Michael Krieger
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Post by A Ten Foot Pole on Nov 4, 2013 20:50:40 GMT
Suddenly, a movement caught his eye. Out from a distant grove stepped a small man. A small, injured man, perhaps? Michael had seen men in many conditions, but the man was too far away to identify any injuries that could account for his unnatural gait. Perhaps the man was just a dwarf. Had all people evolved into midgets? How far forward had he been sent?
A quick assessment of his situation left him with few options. He had no cover; any movement on his part would have attracted attention from the dwarf, and evasion could be taken the wrong way. He could try to stay still and hope he wasn't noticed, but this man could show him how to get to a city. Michael made his decision, raised his right hand high, and whistled.
The figure froze. Michael nodded and bent his elbow in a quick wave. For what seemed like an eternity, they just looked at each other. Though he knew the dwarf couldn't see or hear, he lifted his eyebrows and spoke under his breath, "Whenever you're ready to acknowledge me..." He sighed " ...little twat."
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A Ten Foot Pole
QA University Graduate
Posts: 13
Characters: Michael Krieger
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Post by A Ten Foot Pole on Nov 4, 2013 20:52:46 GMT
The figure bent at an unnatural angle and let out a cry like none that Michael had ever heard. Dropping to a knee and slinging his carbine over his shoulder, Michael took a look through the scope. For a second time, his heart skipped a beat. If he was looking at a man, he was looking at a man in an elaborate costume.
He was looking at men in elaborate costumes. He was looking at men in elaborate costumes who were charging his position.
For the first time since training, Michael hesitated. He couldn't be sure if these were monsters or men. If he pulled the trigger and put them down, who would respond and how? He reset his cheek weld, causing a drop of sweat to fall from his brow, impact the stock of his rifle, and splash into his eye.
He clenched his eye shut as every muscle in his neck tightened. Rookie mistakes.
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A Ten Foot Pole
QA University Graduate
Posts: 13
Characters: Michael Krieger
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Post by A Ten Foot Pole on Nov 4, 2013 20:55:01 GMT
What in the early-waking hell have I gotten myself into? This can't be happening.
His left eye opened. The creatures were much closer. He jammed the butt of his rifle above his clavicle and squeezed the trigger.
POP
A miss.
This can't be happening.
He forced his eye open and tried to re-establish his cheek weld. The rifle slipped from his hands and fell to the ground.
This can not be happening.
He could see their faces. He could hear every step. These were not costumed men. He reached for his combat knife and his hand fumbled to find the handle.
This can absolutely not be happening.
He closed his eyes, disgusted with his incompetence. He gripped the handle and prepared himself to feel the heat of their breath, the moisture of their sweat, blood, and whatever else spilled out. He took in a sharp breath and had a long blink, exhaling slowly to calm his pulse.
I do not believe this is happening.
And then there was silence.
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A Ten Foot Pole
QA University Graduate
Posts: 13
Characters: Michael Krieger
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Post by A Ten Foot Pole on Nov 4, 2013 20:56:50 GMT
Michael opened his eyes. He collapsed onto one bent leg, the other sticking straight out. His knife fell to the ground as he reached into a belt pouch for his cigarettes. His right hand found his carbine as he exhaled a cloud of smoke and laughed to himself.
Either those were magical disappearing goblins and I am quite likely to die soon, or I am having terrifying hallucinations and I am quite likely to die soon.
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Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on Nov 8, 2013 14:45:50 GMT
'Could have been both' suggested a young, female voice in his head.
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A Ten Foot Pole
QA University Graduate
Posts: 13
Characters: Michael Krieger
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Post by A Ten Foot Pole on Nov 8, 2013 17:47:48 GMT
And now I am also a little girl.
Michael finished his cigarette in two more drags, pulled up a clump of grass, and placed the butt in the dirt below. Clutching his rifle by the handguard, he pushed himself onto his feet. After a quick look around to ensure that he was alone, he made his way toward a copse of trees. If those creatures weren't in his mind, staying out in the open was a sure way of running into them again.
Just one episode of My Little Pony... Science be damned, I'm visiting a mental health clinic before I even look for a way back.
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Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on Nov 8, 2013 18:30:07 GMT
'Oh, I don't think you need that' there was a sense of a smile with the voice this time 'and I'm not little... Or you...'
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A Ten Foot Pole
QA University Graduate
Posts: 13
Characters: Michael Krieger
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Post by A Ten Foot Pole on Nov 8, 2013 19:19:35 GMT
Michael trudged through the field, eyes and rifle scanning in sync. He cleared his throat quickly and, while he felt silly doing so, spoke aloud. "If you're not me, am I safe in assuming that people have evolved beyond the need of physical form?"
This is ridiculous. If I were me talking to me, I'd tell me that I wasn't me. That's just who I am.
He then came to a sudden realization.
Oh Hell, I can't stop thinking. Brick wall. Brick wall brick wall brick wall.
Last resort. He blinked hard, recalled his training, and continued walking, wiping the sweat from his brow with his left sleeve.
We're foot. Slog. Slog. Slog. Slogging over Africa. Foot. Foot. Foot. Foot. Slogging over Africa. Boots. Boots. Boots. Boots. Moving up and down again. There's no discharge in the war!
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