“Spartan City: Where the Future Is Now!” — Spartan Inc. advertising tagline
Original fiction time…
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“Welcome to Spartan City”
Unbeknownst to the general populace (~120,000) or the costumed adventurers/crimefighters of Spartan City, they are all part of a grand experiment. Well, actually, there are two “experiments” going on. The first has to do with the groundbreaking tech used in the design and construction of the city and its infrastructure, making it a “city of the future”. This experiment is popular knowledge, and the proprietary nature of many of these advances serves as rationale for added security measures that citizens agree to before moving there, especially if they will be working on any of the tech development or maintenance.
The other experiment is related but a much smaller number of people know about it. This one’s goals are twofold. First, to develop new technologies with applications in search-&-rescue, crimefighting, and possibly the military. This is a primarily noble endeavor. Second, to “raise” a new generation of controllable, paramilitary “heroes”/agents — i.e., ones that can’t/won’t be corrupted, go rogue, or totally “lose it” during a battle. In this case, the ends may be good but the means are ethically questionable. (More on that part in a moment.)
The dozen or so adventurers themselves aren’t quite who they think they are, either. While a couple are pure android, most are genetically- and/or cybernetically-enhanced clones — the models/templates being particularly heroic or otherwise admirable U.S. citizens and military heroes, not all of whom are aware that they were cloned for this experiment.
The heroes live their own lives and have free will most of the time, but they are all “programmed” — either thru drugs, hypnotic/psychological conditioning, and/or computer chip — to ignore or not dwell on anything that might cause them to question their own existence or the normalcy of Spartan City or to leave the area to visit or aid another city or part of the country.
As it is, Spartan City is located in a rather large and sparsely populated area in the American West, owned by a partnership between the U.S. government (which handles security and logistics) and a private consortium, Spartan Inc., that directs the development of the technological advances. The city itself is isolated both geographically and media-wise, with all non-local news media being closely monitored and time-delayed and, at times, edited.
Potential storylines include tech failures, hijacked tech, corporate espionage, corporate corruption, local crime waves, a rogue hero, a hero whose “programming” glitches and s/he begins investigating the truth behind the Spartan Hero Program, regular interpersonal drama focused on some of the heroes and their families and other citizens (including employees of Spartan Inc. and government reps), etc.
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I think the seed of this idea (which I jotted down many years ago) may have been from the old MMORPG “City of Heroes”. I once saw a graphic image for it, but I’m not familiar with anything about the game or the imaginary city, so I don’t know if my ideas overlap with it at all.
Wow, it has been roughly seven months since I posted one of my “original fiction” ideas here. (Last one was “Holy Cow” and “The Herd”, which allowed me to indulge my silly/punny side.) I don’t know how many of you actually read or like these sci-fi/superhero/adventure ideas, but at least it’s a creative outlet for me. This one, you may notice, has elements of Alien Nation, “V”, and “Battlestar Galactica”….
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“Coexist”
It is the year 2030 and it has just been revealed to the world that a delegation from a “rag-tag, fugitive fleet” from another planetary system has arrived on Earth to request permission to resettle on Earth and/or the Moon. There are a lot of issues and concerns by Earth’s leaders, but the aliens are allowed to send a “vanguard” of scientists and ambassadors to work with ours to work out many of the details of colonization and sovereignty, sharing of technology, etc. They call themselves “Kyrellans”.
Kyrellans are morphologically and genetically nearly identical to humans, including the ethnic diversity, so they can’t be identified as such merely by sight (unless previously known, of course). Also, they have technology that helps them accelerate the learning process, including languages and accents. So, an adept would look and sound exactly like a natural-born Earther of whatever ethnic group they resembled.
Things are going well, until it is discovered that the Kyrellan leaders and representatives have not been completely forthcoming about their intentions or about the size of their fleet and population. While they may still be a minority in terms of numbers, after a few years of cooperation and secret planning/infiltration, they intend to eventually rule the Earth through superior technology and military power. For now, knowledge of the Kyrellans’ true agenda is limited to a handful of high-level government officials (i.e., national leaders and ambassadors), military officers, and civilians, who are sworn to secrecy, lest the Kyrellans find out. Until the Kyrellans’ true power and plans are better understood, action against them must be delayed. But, the groundwork is begun for a secret network of communications, transportation, and a weapons stockpile.
However, some of the aliens want a truly peaceful co-habitation, and a rebel contingent begins working covertly with Earth’s “underground” community to undermine the Kyrellan secret agenda and develop programs to even the odds. To that end, a program of genetic and cybernetic experimentation is lead by a couple key Kyrellan scientists. It was initially deemed a failure when the project was done under the auspices of Kyrellan leadership prior to and during their migration. But, Earther DNA/RNA is just different enough and sufficiently adaptable to make it workable with a few humans, so the rebel scientists revived the project.
After several years and about the time the Kyrellan leaders become bolder and start making power-plays (ca. 2040? 2050?), a small cadre of genetically-enhanced humans is “created” and trained to work as a unit (Stealth + Assault) against Kyrellan forces, sometimes in concert with “conventional” rebel Earth forces. The genetically-altered members (“genos”?) of the Stealth & Assault Unit (SAU) have superhuman abilities but do not run around in spandex; sometimes they wear paramilitary uniforms or disguises, but usually they dress normally so as not to attract unwanted attention.
Though others may show up later in the story, the initial six SAU members are: 1) ‘Brace’, a short, thin male who can generate and direct impenetrable energy fields within his line of sight and up to about 40 yards away; 2) ‘Skreemer’, a mute male who can generate a focused “sonic blast” at extremely high decibels (like DC’s Black Canary or Marvel’s Banshee and Siryn) or even above the human audible range (a la Marvel’s Black Bolt, but not nearly as powerful); 3) ‘Oddkin’ is a female recruit (and former marine) with an extremely malleable body (nowhere near Mr. Fantastic/Plastic Man; closer to The X-Files’ Toomes character); 4) & 5) Twins ‘Castor’ & ‘Pollux’ (M and F, respectively) can use tactile telekinesis to simulate super-strength and to fly by levitating and propelling something s/he touches (and hangs onto) — e.g., a cane, platform, or even just his/her clothing. When in battle-mode, they also generate a near-invisible energy field around their bodies that protects them from harm (inc. projectiles, blades, and energy weapons); 6) ‘Loba’ has lupine features (inc. body-fur and pointed ears) and all five senses enhanced to a superhuman degree. Her sense of smell can detect the pheromone that is unique to the Kyrellans, which comes in quite handy. Her natural claws are also quite sharp and strong.
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That’s about it. With some more fleshing out, I think it could work in a number of formats — mini-series, comics, novels. There is plenty of room for sub-plots, twists, and character development. Alternate titles include “Neighbors” and “The Underground”.
Ladies and Gentlemen, please allow me to introduce the latest superhero sensation…
the Divine Bovine!
the Righteous Ruminant!
the Ungulate of Virtue!
the Purveyor of Cud against Evil!
the Caped Moo-sader!
the Superhero on the Hoof!
Presenting… Holy Cow!
Indira Jayaraman, a third-generation Indian-American, was a normal, somewhat plump 20-something, until she was kidnapped. Before escaping, she spent many months in an unknown lab facility, where a mad scientist modified her genetic code — adding bovine DNA (and something else?) — and performed various surgeries on her. His reasons are unclear, and he has never been caught. Jayaraman’s physiology is now a mix of bovine and human, including having the head, neck (inc. larynx), and upper chest of a cow, so she can’t talk. Her brain is basically human, and her mind and memories are as they were before her abduction. Her memories of that time specifically are vague and sporadic, though this is probably due to subconscious suppression of painful experiences. Understandably, she is also now completely vegan, with an increased appreciation for leafy vegetables and grains.
In addition to the obvious, outward changes, Jayaraman now has two amazing, superhuman — not to mention, superbovine — abilities. For one, she can selectively project her thoughts, as images and/or as “spoken” words, directly to the minds of people within roughly 120 feet of her. Of course, this makes radio/TV/podcast interviews difficult, in which case she types her side of the conversation to a viewscreen. Her second ability is telekinesis, which can be used to lift, move, or “punch” objects weighing up to a few tons or as small as a grain of rice. The heavier the object or the finer control needed, the more difficult the strain on her both mentally and physically. She also uses this ability to fly herself (and occasionally others), with a maximum speed around 60 mph.
After a period of psychological counseling and adjustment to her new appearance and abilities, she decided to use her powers for good as an adventurer/crimefighter. At the suggestion of a family member, she adopted the codename “Holy Cow”, though it is somewhat ironic that she is religiously agnostic. A couple years later, she was well-known, popular among most age-groups, and had attracted a small number of sponsors who provided secure offices, a couple assistants, equipment, and of course a salary for herself.
After a couple years of crime-fighting, Jayaraman noticed reports of others with similar features and unusual abilities. She gradually began tracking them down and eventually contacted each one. The “origin stories” of these other individuals varied, including genetic manipulation, medical experimentation, member of extraterrestrial race, cyborg/android, natural mutation, mystical influence, and combinations thereof. They were mostly humanoid, but not all. To find out more about them, you’ll just have to tune in next week…
In last week’s post, I introduced(?) readers to the band Unleash the Archers, and I highlighted their two most recent albums, which I really dig. I briefly mentioned the overall fantasy story that the two concept albums tell, but I couldn’t go into detail. I wanted a guide to the story for myself, so I re-listened to the YouTube videos of Brittney Slayes (vocalist, songwriter) explaining the two albums track-by-track and wrote my own summaries. I share these with you below.
UTA (ca. 2020)
But, first…
The players on the albums:
Drums – Scott “the ‘stache” Buchanan Guitar, Vocals – Andrew “the ginger” Kingsley Guitar, Vocals – Grant “the scream” Truesdell Lead Vocals – Brittney “the voice” Slayes Bass on Apex – Nikko “nimble fingers” Whitworth Bass on Abyss – Benjamin Arscott
The story covering both albums was written all at once, but the recording and release was three years apart. In fact, as revealed by Slayes in a recent interview, The Living Infinite album by Soilwork “directly inspired ‘Apex’ and ‘Abyss’. It is the reason they were originally going to be a two-disc record, and the reason I decided to write the story out in an outline with very distinct directions to the boys on how to write the guitar riffs. I wanted a record as complete as this one in sound, feeling, and tone, and I can guarantee you that ‘Apex’ and ‘Abyss’ would not exist without this album having existed first!”
The players in the tale:
The Immortal – the protagonist; a powerful warrior, cursed ages ago to serve whomever awakens him, so he’s always under someone else’s control
The Matriarch – the antagonist; an evil, sorcerous queen who oppresses her people; she “lays waste” to her enemies and anything else she feels like
Oldest son (of the Matriarch) – a slimey, cowardly politician/bureaucrat
Second-oldest son (of the Matriarch) – the high-priest/quasi-god of the realm’s religion, a sorcerer who subtly influences people with his words
Third son (of the Matriarch) – has renounced any power/influence he may have had in order to live a secluded life with his wife and child
Youngest son (of the Matriarch) – general of the Matriarch’s armies but not what you’d call noble or brave
Grandson (of the Matriarch) – son of the Matriarch’s third son; plays pivotal role on second album
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Apex album cover
APEX (“the shimmering heat of sweeping lead guitars, face-melting solos, deafening growls, pummelling bass lines and of course the thrilling hooks of Brittney Slayes’ king-size voice”):
“Awakening” – The Immortal wakes up in his mountain a couple thousand years since the last time he was awake.
“Shadow Guide” – The Immortal waits for the usual guide to appear to give him instruction. This time it is a falcon, whose shadow he follows on the path before him.
“The Matriarch” – Told from an external, “omniscient” p.o.v., this track introduces us to the Matriarch. She’s a “bad@$$” and a worthy adversary for the Immortal.
“Cleanse the Bloodlines” – Sung from the Matriarch’s p.o.v., this track is about the first meeting between her and the Immortal, whom she (somehow) awakened. She explains his mission, which is to “collect” her adult sons for her, so that she can perform a ritual to give herself immortality. The ritual involves her personally killing all four sons during a planetary alignment. (Nice lady, eh?)
“The Coward’s Way” – When the Immortal shows up to capture the oldest son (bureaucrat), he tries to buy off the Immortal to retain his life/freedom. But, subject to the Curse, the Immortal cannot be bribed or otherwise persuaded to disobey his orders, nor can he be defeated in battle, so the son’s attempt fails.
“False Walls” – This track is about the Immortal’s struggle and eventual success in defeating the second son’s (priest/god or “cult leader”) sorcerous deceptions. He has no qualms about taking this scumbag back for his execution.
“Ten Thousand Against One” – The youngest son (general) puts his armies between him and the Immortal. Despite the Immortal’s pleas for the soldiers to put down their arms, they blindly go to their deaths, futilely defending their cowardly commander.
“Earth and Ashes” – The third son is the only decent and noble one of the lot. He helps the Immortal realize that he has a bit more control over his own fate than he thought. Though this son goes with him willingly, the Immortal struggles over the fact that he must still take this guy to be sacrificed, leaving his family behind. “Once again, I’ve been forced into doing something I really don’t want to do.”
“Call Me Immortal” – Contrary to her promise to free him from his curse, the Matriarch betrays him. Though he followed her instructions and she got her immortality, she wants to keep him available to use in the future. She sends him back to his mountain retreat, and — not being surprised by the betrayal — he expresses his resignation to his fate.
“Apex” – ‘Apex’ is the Immortal’s mountain, but it also represents hope, security, a goal to strive for, “a state of being”. So, as the Immortal reaches the mountain, he is relieved to be home, where he can achieve a bit of both physical and emotional respite from his difficult life and the tasks he is forced to do. It is only a temporary freedom, but in his sleep-state he dreams of other worlds and what it might be like to not have to serve evil despots.
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Abyss album cover
ABYSS (“perfect mix of highly complex, catchy bangers and moody, synth-infused power ballads”):
“Waking Dream” – Sort of an interlude to bridge between “Apex” and “Abyss”. The Immortal is in a quasi-dream-state, neither fully asleep nor awake, but it’s an uncomfortable one in which he feels like he’s drowning in a blackness. He’s reaching for the light but can’t wake up.
“Abyss” – The Immortal awakes but, rather than being in his mountain, he is alone in space on a gigantic starship. He senses that his mountain is very far away, but he has no idea where he is or how he got there. He doesn’t know where the Matriarch is or what he is supposed to do. Uncertain and afraid at first, he finds the strange, dark “abyss” of space to be comforting and hopeful, so he decides he is ready to face this new “path” he finds himself on.
“Through Stars” – The Immortal wanders through the huge, empty starship, wondering how he is even awake let alone wandering the heavens in this strange ship. He reflects on his past and all the bad things he experienced or was compelled to do, etc. But, his current strange situation results in him deciding to forge his own path and refuse to be someone else’s weapon ever again, even if it costs him his life.
“Legacy” – Told in the voice of the Matriarch’s grandson (i.e., son of the one noble son who befriended the Immortal in the previous album), this track tells his story. He eventually realized that the Matriarch was the true villain, figured out a way to steal the Immortal away from her, and he was the one who awakened the Immortal (roughly 50 years after Apex). But, rather than use the Immortal as a weapon of his own vengeance and effort to free the Universe from the Matriarch, he is going to guide/mentor the Immortal so that he can defeat her of his own volition. He will in that sense become the Grandson’s legacy.
“Return to Me” – This track is told from the Matriarch’s p.o.v., and she is ticked off about her grandson stealing the Immortal from her. She doesn’t know that the Immortal is now awake and working for/with the grandson, so she tries to threaten and intimidate him into giving the Immortal back to her. Her supreme arrogance is obvious.
“Soulbound” – Here we are introduced to the Soulbound, who turn out to be the Matriarch’s four sons. She now controls them utterly as her undead servants. The Immortal wants to free them from their enthrallment but isn’t sure he is capable or worthy, since he is partly responsible for their current state. (The Immortal is still having a crisis of confidence.) The third son has retained a measure of mental free will, so he is less of a threat. (This is because he had a living son (i.e., the Grandson), which his mother didn’t know about, so she wasn’t able to truly “cleanse the bloodlines”.)
“Faster Than Light” – The grandson and the Immortal have defeated the Soulbound, but they are now running for their lives, as the furious Matriarch is right behind them. Her fury is even more intense than before, since she knows that the Immortal is awake and working directly against her. The Immortal realizes that there is no escape. He needs to find the strength to turn and face her, defeating not only her but (symbolically) anyone who used him in the past, as well as his own demons and past self.
“The Wind That Shapes the Land” – The Immortal and the grandson land their ship on a remote planet with the remains of a long-dead civilization. We begin with some introspection and anticipation of the future by the Immortal. Then an epic battle ensues, as the Matriarch creates an immense storm of magical and elemental forces to assault him. Pushing through and weathering it all, he finally gets his hands around her neck and squeezes the life from her. Victory! [insert happy-dance!] Unfortunately, the grandson lies dying nearby, which puts a huge damper on his celebration. [Fun fact: This song is a re-worked version of Kingsley’s song “The Illusion” from his pre-UTA days, which you can find on Soundcloud.]
“Carry the Flame” – The Immortal holds the grandson in his arms, weeping that he has lost his only true friend he has had in ages. The grandson tells him “now you can let the past go and be your own man”, then he breaks the curse, setting the Immortal truly free.
“Afterlife” – With the curse broken, the Immortal now has a new path to discover, a “new life”. Part of him says to use his power to let loose, become a tyrant, lay waste to civilizations, whatever he wants. But, he has had enough of that. He wants to be a light in the universe rather than an instrument of darkness.
As per Slayes,
“The whole record is just about the Immortal finding himself and finding the strength to break the chains of expectation and to learn that fate doesn’t determine what he does and what he says and his choices in life. His path is not determined, it’s not a straight line that he walks. There are many options and many possibilities, and just like in life for the rest of us, we don’t have to do what everybody expects of us.”
There is more detail re Abyss in the limited edition earbook (which I do not have), but those are hard to get these days. However, a UTA fan has posted videos of himself reading the earbook narrative — well, the audio is of him, but the video is text and photos from the earbook. I only just discovered these and have only listened to one part at this time. You can watch/listen to the whole playlist from here, though.
This week, I present a couple “quick-take” story ideas that I came up with some time ago. The first was inspired by my interest in Christian apologetics, in particular the “origins” debate. (I occasionally post on this topic on my other blog.) The second was inspired by various TV series episodes and movies with similar events and tone, as well as a real-world event.
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“The Discovery”
Evidence is discovered of an advanced civilization roughly equal to ours now that existed roughly 15-30K years ago in Eurasia and Northern Africa. The discovery is suppressed and kept from the general public for many years, as super-secret expeditions and lab research is done by select private organizations and overseen by an international governmental committee. Among the findings are documentation of monsters, both demonic(?) and scientifically created, which are surprisingly familiar (e.g., vampires, werewolves, golems, “gods”, giants, ETs, etc.). There is also much evidence that confirms biblical history, including legends of an even earlier (though geographically limited) civilization with major events and beings that correspond to Babel, the Flood, the Nephilim, and Adam & Eve.
One of the main reasons for suppression of this knowledge is that the scientists and world leaders in the know do not want people to use it to push any sort of Christian/creationist agenda. But, eventually someone from one of the labs (Dr. Jenna Malcolm) becomes a Christian, recognizes the apologetic value of the discoveries, and begins leaking select information to a very resourceful investigative journalist (Ben Witherspoon) known for his journalistic integrity and dogged persistence. And “the chase” is on, with Malcolm and Witherspoon putting themselves in both personal and professional danger while trying to get the truth out and figuring out the implications of the discovery for themselves and for the world in general.
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“The Assault”
A heavily-armed and -armored team of robbers take down a bank, but police have been notified and surround the bank before the robbers exit. Unfortunately, the police are greatly outgunned and the SWAT team is at least a 1/2-hour out (and then they get stuck in traffic due to construction). The robbers based their plan on the infamous encounter in L.A. a few years ago and made many improvements in their personal protection (i.e., body armor and guns) and overall plan.
A handful of gutsy civilians size up the situation and decide to lend a hand. For example, a machinist and a mechanic figure out a way to put some shielding on a pickup, which they use to charge in (a la A-Team) and rescue some pinned down and/or wounded cops and civilians. A gun shop owner a few blocks away makes his stock available. (Note: In the real-life incident in L.A. in 1997, outgunned cops went to a nearby gun store to get rifles.) Also, at the last minute, an ex-marine who had vowed to never again fire a gun uses a high-powered rifle to shoot one of the assailants in the shoulder before said assailant could harm a bystander.
However, with planning that would make Danny Ocean proud, the lead robber and two others have cleverly escaped, doffing their body armor and changing clothes, and are “getting away” in plain sight. Unknown by either the police or other hostages, one of the hostages released earlier (before the firefight) was an “inside (wo)man” and carried stolen jewels out in her gym bag. This person then joins the now “disguised” robber(s), but something tips off one of the good guys — either a cop or one of the civilian heroes — and they manage to stop the escapees in a final chase and firefight.
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These two story ideas are obviously quite different but could each be adapted as a movie or even TV mini-series. ‘The Discovery’ could also work quite well as a novel. Does either idea appeal to you?
Several years ago, I had an interesting idea for a superhero. (Well, I think it’s interesting.) I never came up with a storyline or even a name (civilian or otherwise), so this is little more than just a basic character sketch.
Adventurer/crimefighter (male, 30ish?) with several abnormalities / medical conditions that give him an “edge” (and maybe a couple others that are basically harmless), plus one or two that could be liabilities. The concept for this hero is more grounded in reality than for many others, as the medical conditions in question are all real-life conditions with varying degrees of rarity. But, I’ve never heard of anyone having more than one. Here’s what I came up with:
“double-muscled” whippet dog
1) Exceptional Muscle Mass — There is a DNA mutation that blocks production of protein called myostatin, which normally limits muscle growth. Usually this happens in dogs, mice, and cattle specifically bred for it. The effect is that the subject is unusually muscly without needing to work out a lot or change his diet much. Our hero works out a bit to maintain muscle tone but the “definition” comes naturally. He is somewhat self-concious of his freakish appearance, always wearing baggy clothes (except when crimefighting). This might make for a good plotline, where he tries to find a safe method to reactivate his myostatin, effectively stopping him from getting any more massive.
2) Heart on Right Side of Chest (i.e., isolated dextrocardia) — As you may remember from basic human anatomy class, the human heart is located on the left side of the chest. However, there is a rare congenital condition in which the heart (and possibly other organs?) has switched sides. Some people who have this condition can suffer from other heart or lung conditions. Our hero is obviously pretty healthy despite his “issues”, but this might be an avenue to explore. For example, this could be an advantage should someone try to stab him in the heart.
3) Eidetic Memory — Sometimes called “perfect recall”, this ability allows the subject to “see an object for a few minutes after it is no longer present”. Though sometimes the terms are used interchangeably, this is not to be confused with “photographic memory” (“the ability to recall pages of text or numbers, or similar, in great detail”), which has never been proven to exist. Nevertheless, our hero uses various mnemonic and other techniques to retain many details of things he has seen or heard in both short- and long-term memory.
4) Amazing Double-jointedness — Despite his unusual natural muscle mass, our hero is rather flexible, thanks to “hypermobility” (i.e., his joints can stretch farther than normal). His mass will never allow him to be a contortionist, but this ability — which he aids with stretching exercises in his workout regimen — has helped him to get out of things like handcuffs, wrestling holds, and other binds.
5) Complete Heterochromia — This condition causes his eyes to be of two different colors. In his case, the left eye is dark brown and the right eye is light bluish-gray. This is reflected on his driver’s license, of course, and his friends and colleagues have noticed (and often comment on) his odd eyes. Wearing one or more contacts during his “extracurricular” activities could be dangerous, as they could easily get lost, broken, or damage his eye(s). So, he either wears sunglasses or (when fully in costume) tinted goggles to avoid people identifying him via this unusual feature. (I didn’t make it explicit before, but he does try to keep his dual-identity a secret from most people.)
heterochromic man
6) Two Simultaneous DNA “fingerprints” — I saw/heard about this on some cop show, and it turns out that it’s real. FYI, despite having the same DNA, identical twins do not have identical fingerprints. However, here is something truly weird. Because fraternal twins come from two different sperm (and two different eggs, obviously), their genetic makeup results in two different sets of DNA. In rare cases during the early stages of pregnancy, one twin dies and some of its fetal tissue is absorbed into the survivor. If they are fraternal, the surviving twin (which is usually pretty healthy) may become a “chimera”, meaning s/he now has two sets of active DNA. This was the case for our hero, and it could work to his advantage if he ever accidentally left blood, sweat, or spit at a crime scene.
7) Excessive Body Hair — There is a condition called hypertrichosis, which causes unusual hair growth in amount and/or location. Cases can range from mild to serious (e.g., circus sideshow performers billed as “dog-faced boy” or “werewolf family”). Our hero suffers from a relatively mild form of congenital generalized hypertrichosis, which mostly affects his face and upper body. For those not making a living in a circus or carnival, modern treatments include lasers, depilatory creams, plucking, “hot waxing”, and shaving. He doesn’t have the money for expensive procedures, so he mostly sticks to regular shaving, plucking, and creams.
8) Extra Appendages — Specifically, he had a small, sixth toe on each foot, a third nipple (or “nubbin”, as Chandler Bing on “Friends” called his), and a “tail”. (Technically, the “tail” was not a true, functional tail.) The toes and tail were removed when he was an infant, while the extra “nipple” just looks like a mole and isn’t really an issue.
Our intrepid hero will need to take a doctor into his confidence, one who knows about all of his physical and genetic abnormalities and who can prescribe medication and treat any wounds without those abnormalities being flagged (not to mention avoiding reports of bullet & knife wounds, etc.). Perhaps he has a family-member or friend with medical training? Army medic?
Note that, despite my title for this post, our hero would not call himself “Freakshow” or anything else that indicated he had any of these conditions. He tries not to call attention to any of them, either in civilian life or while crimefighting. (Why would he?) The only things that might become apparent to criminals and/or the general public would be his size/strength and possibly the double-jointedness. Any codename given him by media or criminals should not, therefore, reflect any oddities, either.
This week’s post is one of my “original fiction ideas”. It isn’t quite as developed as some others I’ve posted, but the basic concept should be clear….
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“How Brief the Dream”
A strange virus of unknown origin mutates 1% of the world’s population, giving them various unusual/superhuman abilities. It seems to strike at random — at least, at first. (Backstory on the virus’ origins will eventually be revealed.) Those who contract it are externally identifiable by one of two morphological changes: 1) a semi-neanderthalic (and/or perhaps Klingon-like?) appearance, including thick hair and a muscular physique with muscle & bone mass that are at least twice the normal density for a human; or 2) a quasi-angelic or faery-like appearance, including pale/translucent skin, silvery or white hair, and delicate features with slightly elongated bodies, limbs, and digits. No wings, though.
The first group, with its enhanced physical abilities, is nicknamed “Morlocks” by the media, in reference to creatures they resemble from H.G. Wells’ <The Time Machine>. The second group, of course, is nicknamed “Eloi” and have enhanced mental abilities (e.g., telepathy among themselves and a few humans, empathic senses, limited psychokinesis).
Possible twist: “Morlocks” have normal human intelligence, though they are more aggressive in behavior. “Eloi”, while potentially more powerful, are (like their namesakes) generally gentle and pacific.
It is later discovered that a third group (nicknamed “Norms”? or “Sleepers”? or ?????????) has also been mutagenically altered, though it is not externally obvious and their unusual abilities are less homogeneous.
Rather than fall into stereotypes, there are good-guys and bad-guys among all groups.
The whole situation with the different groups of mutated individuals leads to various socio-cultural and political problems across the globe, as various individuals and factions (both among the altered and the unaltered) try to figure out what it all means for humanity, as well as whether it was caused by someone (human, extraterrestrial, or even supernatural) and, if so, what the purpose might have been.
I don’t have a specific plot in mind, but it would focus on at least one American city and possibly one in Europe, too.
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In case you’re wondering, neither the “virus” nor the “divisions/wars between people groups” aspect is meant to parallel or be an analogy/allegory for what is going on in the world today. I got the idea and fleshed it out (such as it is) years before any of the current events were on the horizon.
* All ideas copyright Christopher Harris, 2013-2020.
I have an “original” fiction idea to share this week. I think it could work pretty well as a TV series, perhaps kicked off by a TV movie. If you are familiar with action flicks from the ’80s & ’90s, you will probably recognize some familiar concepts and themes. But, hey, does that stuff ever really go out of style?
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“One Way Out”
Rockland “Rocky” Franks was a good kid who was anxious to escape the dangers and pressures of the inner city “projects”, so he split his free time between the local gym, where he learns judo, and his uncle’s auto repair shop. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army on his 18th birthday, where he excelled at military krav maga, marksmanship (sharpshooter and expert badges in several firearms), and even picked up some demolitions knowledge from a buddy. He then graduated from U.S. Army Ranger School and joined the 3rd Ranger Battalion.
Several years later, he and some buddies were on patrol in-country and witnessed the slaughter of many innocent locals by a rogue team of “consultants” (from Mondo Security Consulting) brought in by the CIA. Sgt. Franks’ squad was sworn to secrecy, under the orders of their commanding officer, and a major cover-up followed. A few months after that, Franks and the other five from that night mustered out. (Note: The full squad consisted of 12 rangers, but the other six were on another assignment miles away at the time of the massacre.) Franks returned to work at his uncle’s garage and taught judo and introductory krav maga at his old gym.
Now, weeks later, he learns that one of the six from his squad has been killed in a “hunting accident”. A few weeks after that, another commits suicide under questionable circumstances. The four remaining meet at Franks’ apartment, where they compare notes and suspicions, and they realize that someone (CIA, Mondo “consultants”, someone else?) is taking them out one by one to ensure their silence about the massacre they witnessed.
Within a couple more months, one ranger suddenly dies of a supposed brain aneurysm, and another is killed (along with his wife) during a home invasion. Only Franks and Corp. Martinez are left, and they can’t get anyone at the FBI to listen to their story. So, they decide that faking their own deaths may be the only way to keep themselves alive and protect their families. (Martinez is estranged from his wife and young son, and fortunately Franks’ only family is his uncle, grandmother, and a sister he hasn’t seen in years.) Martinez actually does die in a suspicious car accident a few days later, which ironically is how Franks manages to successfully fake his own death.
After returning from Martinez’s funeral a couple states over, Franks tells his uncle and a few other associates that he will be taking a road trip and doing a little camping and will probably be gone for a couple weeks. This gives him an excuse for taking money from his bank account, packing guns and supplies in his car, and leaving town. His plan is simply to disappear. While stopping at a pub a few nights later, he discovers a recently deceased homeless man in a nearby alley. Thinking that the man was roughly his build (when better-fed, that is), he alters his plan. He puts the corpse under some covers in the bed of his pickup, drives an hour or so away to a fairly remote area, puts his clothes and wallet on the body, and sends the truck careening into a deep and treacherous ravine. The gas tank explodes, leaving only charred remains.
Franks relocates to a city in a different state for a couple years, where he establishes a new identity and works as a bartender and part-time judo coach for youths. Still, he grows increasingly frustrated over the injustice of the massacre, the cover-up, and his friends’ murders. When he sees the CEO of Mondo, Craig Pendleton, and the leader of the team of “consultants” from 3 years earlier, Hank McKinley, getting praise in the media from the CIA Director, Franks — now known as Frankie Robinson — decides it is time to do some investigating of his own into what those Mondo mercenaries were really doing there, why they were allowed (ordered?) to massacre the villagers, who authorized the hits on him and his squad, etc.
First, though, he steps up his training regimen to make sure he’s in top shape. Strength, cardio, krav maga, etc. He quietly calls in a couple favors from other soldiers he served with, helping him acquire additional arms, body armor, and surveillance equipment. He is able to fund much of this by targeting local drug dealers and stealing their cash. In fact, he quite enjoys these side-missions in preparation for his main mission. With the aid of a goth computer hacker, he starts gathering intel on Mondo, Pendleton, McKinley and his team. Pulling on these threads leads to the discovery of a rogue faction operating within the CIA, and they are into some nasty stuff all over the world. The massacre he and his squad witnessed was retribution for the village council refusing to cooperate in a drug- and human-trafficking operation.
Franks/Robinson realizes that there’s no way he can take down the whole operation, and those at the top have enough connections and/or deniability that they probably won’t get much if any prison time. So, he decides, maybe it’s time for some vigilante justice, too….
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* All ideas copyright Christopher Harris, 2013-2020.
“Dead men are heavier than broken hearts.” — Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
Today’s “original fiction” idea comes to you (as usual) courtesy of the mishmash of sci-fi/fantasy and action/adventure stories (along with some mystery, horror, thriller, etc.) crammed into my head — well, not physically — over 40+ years. Sometimes, various pieces stick together in there and form a new thing, maybe with a different twist. This is just one o’ those things…
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“Nick Gallant, Private Eye”
This is a noirish tale about Nicholas Zachary Gallant, a “gumshoe” who is a recovering alcoholic — largely thanks to his ex-girlfriend — and smokes fauxbacco cigs like a chimney. He lives and operates in what first appears to be 1940s/50s Chicago but turns out to be “New Chicago” in the early-23rd century. New Chicago is home to roughly a million people and the capital city of the planet of Faraday, colonized ~100 Earth-years earlier by Earthers who consciously decided to live in a “simpler time”. (I don’t remember for sure, but I think there were two sources of inspiration for this setting: one was the original Star Trek episode, “A Piece of the Action!”, and the other was a short story by some famous sci-fi author — both names of which escape me — that I read a few years ago.)
There is a mix of “period” technology (i.e., modeled after 1940s/50s Chicago, Earth) with 21st/22nd century tech being reserved exclusively for planetary defense, infrastructure (i.e., water, energy, terraforming), and rare interplanetary communications. Most people are satisfied with keeping the mix as is (Status Quo Alliance), but there is a small group that wants to get rid of the advanced tech and be totally independent from other planets/colonies (Independent Faraday Party). Another fringe group (Citizens for Technological Progress) wants to embrace the advanced tech and “move into the 22nd century” (and, eventually, the 23rd), so to speak.
Gallant is unusually ambivalent on the subject and finds himself sympathetic to all three views. The advantage is that he is trusted by all parties to investigate crimes that involve “their people”, whether or not the crimes are related to their disputes (which occasionally get violent). Even the New Chicago Police Dept. (NCPD) is happy for his assistance on some cases, whether to take the lead or act as liaison. There is also a separate, “criminal underworld” element fashioned after old-time gangsters. Most of them belong to a syndicate known colloquially as the New Chicago Outfit (NCO) — in homage to Al Capone’s ‘Chicago Outfit’, of course. Gallant’s relationship with this group is rocky at best, though the current leader, Don Philip, does respect our hero due to dealings in their mutual past.
One day, a retiring NCPD captain brings Gallant a recent, sensitive case that involves the disappearance (and eventual deaths) of a young couple with ties to both fringe groups, and the main suspect is the don’s son. (Possible jealous ex?) But, that’s just the beginning. As Gallant delves deeper and follows the clues, additional suspects range from operatives of both the IFP and the CTP, as well as the Office of the Colonial Governor (who is SQA). If that weren’t enough, Gallant uncovers evidence of a mysterious fifth group who seem to be stirring the pot, presumably for their own benefit. Who could this new group be? A new rival for the NCO or something more subversive? How big are they and what are their goals? Who’s involved? Can Gallant stay alive — not to mention, sober — long enough to figure it all out? And, what does any of this possibly have to do with reports of strange activity (and possible mutant creatures) in the Outlands?
It’s “original fiction idea” time! Didn’t think I had one fleshed out enough to share, since I haven’t worked on any in a while. But, then I found this one. It’s still just a seed really, a premise upon which to build a character and story. But, I like the concept, and maybe you will, too….
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“Don’t Call Me Sasquatch”
(originally, “Don’t Call Me Goliath”)
Jon Gath modeling his new fur coat…
At 6’11”, 400+ lbs, Jon Gath is a rather large guy, who tends to stick out wherever he goes. Except when visiting family, that is. Among his kith & kin, the males average well over 7′ and the females often reach 7′. Another odd trait is that most of them have hypertrichosis of varying severity and sometimes other birth defects (e.g., bony growths, cleft palate, extra digits). Gath’s “kinfolk” is actually a self-isolated tribe or clan, one of several throughout the world with similar traits, who live off the land, dress mostly in animal skins, and typically don’t have contact with the rest of the world.
They typically develop a pidgin-like language that is an amalgam of local languages. (For example, those in North America speak a combination of English, French, and/or some Native American dialect.) But, they also have an “ancient tongue” for conversing with other clans around the world. Each clan consists of 20-30 people (i.e., 4-6 family units), including adults and children, with the occasional outcast living on his or her own. These outcasts are the basis for the Bigfoot/Sasquatch/Yeti legends. The Mountain People, as they call themselves (though they don’t always live on a mountain), have been around for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years. Their earliest legend links them to the Amalekites and other tribes of giants mentioned in the Bible.
Apart from his size, Jon is relatively normal looking and not too hairy. So, as long as he shaves certain “unusual” areas and uses depilatory creams (and keeps mostly covered), he is able to blend in with normal people. He is also very bright. As a shy youth, he secretly befriended a couple of “Outsider” children who lived not far from his village in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. They taught him to read and write English and improve his math skills, as well as educated him about the outside world with books, magazines, radio, etc. Jon longed to join the outside world – something forbidden in the Mountain People bylaws – and shortly after he turned 17, he did just that. His size and strength came in handy for heavy labor jobs in logging, mining, construction, etc. His quiet, gentle, meek demeanor also led many to underestimate his intelligence. On occasions when he became enraged or frightened, though, his great strength was even more formidable and fearsome.
At the age of 25, Jon decided to risk going back to visit his family, particularly because he wanted to see his younger siblings (twin boy (Ben) & girl (Kath)), who were about to turn 17. But, he knew that his parents and the rest of the elders might not let him into their territory, since he was officially “outcast” for having left to live with Outsiders. Strangely, he encountered no resistance on his way to the village. Upon entering, he found no signs of life, and it looked to have been suddenly abandoned weeks ago. VERY puzzling and worrisome. His clan had moved before, including once when he was a small child, but he had no idea why or where they would have gone now.
Uncle Tog in a rare, contemplative moment
That night, Jon stayed in the village, but was sure he was being watched from the outskirts. He went to investigate and was attacked. The watcher/attacker turned out to be his Uncle Tog. After calming down, Tog explained that he had been away on a hunt about a month ago, when he returned to a strangely empty village. No signs of a fight, but the 24 remaining villagers had disappeared. He remembered the scent of Outsiders mixed in with Mountain People, and something heavy (and smelly) left strange tracks leading East to the River. That’s where he lost the trail and scent, and he had been lurking about the village and the clan’s territory ever since, hoping that someone would return. But no one did, until Jon showed up.
Now, Jon and Tog decide to search together. Jon has a few contacts in the region from his early years there working in logging and construction. Since he is comfortable in “Outsider” towns and encampments, he will be able to look and ask around about any new projects in the area, odd incidents, sightings or rumors of strange people or animals, etc. Uncle Tog — who is roughly 7’4″, with thick body hair, and only wears simple breeches over his very hairy body — stays hidden but snoops around the outskirts of the towns at night for familiar scents, etc.
Beyond this, I haven’t developed plot details, though I’m thinking it will involve an unscrupulous businessman (real estate developer?) who needed cheap labor for a “special project”. He somehow caught wind of a local legend about a tribe of “bigfoots” and managed to locate and capture them. (I haven’t figured out how, though.) Jon will probably have to infiltrate the camp and figure out a way to free his clan, while making sure the businessman and his employees never try something like that again. (The Mountain People are typically non-aggressive by nature, but they will have been understandably riled up from being captured and enslaved.)
As I think about it, this all has sort of a 1970s-80s vibe, like something you might see on an episode of “The Six Million Dollar Man” or “Lucan”. In fact, that might be a good time-period to set it in. But, I wouldn’t want to rush through it, so I see it being more of a mini-series.
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* All ideas copyright Christopher Harris, 2013-2019.
Heroes and Aliens 