When the original Rikti War novel was cancelled, I began working on a sample chapter with the hopes to convince Paragon to let me write a full novel for them. But before I finished, they then stated that it was still being worked on by Captain Mako, so I shelved it. With the announcement from NCSoft killing any hopes for the final novel, I thought to put the sample chapter I had been working on out there, so here it is. Understand, it is not finished, only a rough draft. I had another page of material I wanted to incorporate but stopped work:
May 14, 2002
Rikti Front Line Command Bunker, South of Paragon
Vanguards underground bunker had come together quickly. Already the command center to coordinate the defense against the invaders had taken on a world of its own. Buried deep underground with only a transport gate to the surface, it was impossible for the Rikti to infiltrate the facility directly. Surrounded by barricades and directly against the newest form of defense, the war wall, it was bristling with the highest power weaponry possible. It was a fortress unlike anything ever seen before.
The bunker had already begun to fill with new recruits who answered Lady Grey's call. Within the center, the more specialized recruits were filling the peripheral of Grey's personal conference room, listening to the offer put out before them.
But even with so many people in the room, once those doors opened, the silence filled the room as the hard boots of Statesman walked past them. But even before he had made his presence known, Lady Grey waved her hand almost absently to the 102 year old man as he approached. The others in the room all looked to back up in fear of the man standing behind the woman who had called them together.
"It is their world too Marcus. They have a right to defend it," she purred out while going over the maps on the table before her.
Behind his mask, the fury in his eyes never deviated from the back of her skull. "They are criminals, most of them are wanted in multiple countries. Murderers, kidnappers, crime bosses, arch-villains; we should be putting them under arrest, not asking them for help."
The murmurs from those gathered began, some of them looking quite agitated at the leader of the Freedom Phalanx standing before them.
Finished with her study of the map, Lady Grey stood up and turned on one heel to face the man who had barged in on the meeting. "That they are, but in this base, under the power given to me by the United Nations security council, may I remind you, I am free to invite anyone I feel will help us fight off the invasion. The Rikti are going to destroy us all, hero and villain alike. They deserve the chance to fight."
"But amnesty?" Statesman shook his head, "there is no way that the security council will forgive all of this..."
"They gave me the power, I intend to use it." She looked around the room at the people gathered. "Leave us for a bit. We have to discuss strategy."
The villains slowly poured through the double doors which the leader of the Freedom Phalanx had just entered through. One of them, his body criss-crossed with enough machinery to make it impossible to ever go on an airplane again and sporting a mo-hawk which towered over the worlds most famous hero, paused to talk to Marcus, "Hey, relax chummer, we got it." He finished off with a vicious laugh as he strolled out the door with his similarly cyborged entourage.
Once the door closed, Lady Grey seemed to relax a bit. "Look, right now we can't be picky. Look at the shape you are in now. Horatio and Sister Psyche in comas, Red Tiger lost his leg, Positron may never be able to leave his suit again! And don't forget about Bluestreak, Crimson Fist, Queen Comet, Scirocco, the only reason why Numina is still around is because she was already dead! Even Hero One is gone, a man easily your equal."
Statesman, clearly angered, stood up to the leader of Vanguard. "That is not fair, if we had more help..."
"And we have help, their help," pointed out the Vanguard commander. They are reckless, just as much a danger to themselves as the enemy, but they can fight, and fighters are what we need. Wind them up, and send them at these Rikti. It might be the difference between victory and defeat."
Marcus backed up a bit to continue, "Hero One meant a lot to you, I know it. You do not need to take out your loss on me."
"It has nothing to do with Matthew," she said with ice in her voice. "Face it Cole, we need soldiers, super powered ones. And you know it. While Crey and Aeon are working hard to make the technology to bring ordinary soldiers up to the task, it won't be ready in time. We need these men Marcus. Giving them an opportunity for redemption might be the key to turning this whole war around."
"It does not mean I have to like it."
"No, no it does not. And frankly, if you did like it, you wouldn't be you," the normally stern face of Lady Grey softened a little bit, for a moment giving a glimmer of the young woman she once was. "More people are going to die, and frankly, it improves our odds of getting through this alive to throw some fodder into the fire."
Statesman pulled back some and began to pace, feeling powerless despite the strength within him. "They may be villains, but they're still living people, it is not fair to talk about them like that. To use them as front line troops in a battle against these invaders."
"I am being realistic," she continued. "People will die, I've seen enough of them in my years, just like you. Fighting against these Rikti we have a better chance than you did in that trench. 100 days to push back the battle line 7 miles, with millions dead. You were lucky then, now we will need some of that luck here."
"You have not tried to fetch Reichsman have you?"
"Of course not," came the reply. "I am not a fool, Reichsman is an other worldly invader himself, and would just as soon destroy us all as help fight the Rikti."
Statesman relaxed, and turned to leave the room. At the doorway, he paused and looked back. "I'm glad you are in charge here and not me. But remember, do not trust them. There's a reason why they turned to villainy."
"I never said I did."
He closed the door behind him. Once securely closed, she sighed, feeling all of the years on her shoulders. "Nor did I ever say I trusted you."
***
In the hallway stood Alexis leaning against the wall waiting for him.
"Did not go like you thought did it dad?" She always did have a talent for the obvious.
"She's stubborn, but she is right," said Statesman. We need all the help we can get."
"I know, but dad, some of these guys, really bad news," she said as she handed him a printout. He began looking it over as she continued. "The Circle of Thorns? Freakshow? Even that crazy jewel thief Malaise."
"Shalice has Malaise under control," the old hero tried to assure his daughter.
"But for how long, especially now that she's skin-riding with Aurora. It's insane. But that's not the worst part. To get weaponry for the common soldiers, she approached some really borderline groups."
"I can see that," said Statesman. "But we've never had solid evidence of wrongdoing either."
"I know," replied Miss Liberty. "It just feels wrong to be dealing with what could be blood weapons."
Statesman simply nodded. "It is. But we are in a fight for not only our lives, but the lives of everyone else on the planet."
"It is just wrong. We are heroes, not common thugs. We have to hold ourselves to higher standards."
Marcus just could not help himself and smile at his daughter. "That's your mother, you would make her so proud. We do hold ourselves higher. This is a special situation, something we have never encountered before. Giving these people the chance for redemption, who knows, we may actually make heroes of them yet. Look at Lord Pyre, he is showing himself a strong heroic leader. This opportunity may be all he needs to turn his life around. After all, he now has a little boy, and as you well know, having a child can change everything. Lady Grey has been smart with who she invited."
"I suppose dad."
Marcus smiled at his daughter. "Plus, if she can convince Hero One's son to give up his ways, she can convince anyone. He seems to be falling into the role well, don't you think?"
Then reluctantly she paused, "but she did invite..."
The thought crossed Statesman's mind, making his blood run cold. "Who? Tell me Alexis, who did she invite?"
Behind him came the voice he last voice in the world he ever wished to hear.
"Why me, my dear brother-in-law."
When Statesman turned he found himself looking into the shrouded face and spider like arms of Stephen Richter, the arch-villain Lord Recluse standing there.
"Just like old times."
I like it... and guess what
I had one in the works myself, mine is called "Rikti War Chronicles..."
perhaps one day I'll be bold and post some of it...
I'm suddenly remembering that November is NaNoWriMo (http://www.nanowrimo.org/). Perhaps we can find a way to work this into the #SaveCOH campaign...