The Ordinary People

[iMac722]

This is my second story so it'll be a tad bit better than the last one I wrote so sit back, relax, and enjoy!
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THE ORDINARY PEOPLE

Shortly before the unity broke up into pieces and fell to Chiron, several people go lost and stumbled into the main cargo hold. It was fully stocked with supplies because the landing pods could only take what the could to support the people during the short time after planetfall. However they could not get out because the doors closed and locked before they knew what happened. So the 100 people inside the cargo bay felt a feeling of falling simply because the Unity itself was falling towards the Isle of Deianria!
But only the cargo bay was falling was falling towards the Isle, because it too separated from the Unity like the seven pods carrying the factions. When they landed, they landed in a mind worm boil, killing it and cushioning thier fall. They found themselves at a good advantage because they realized they had all the supplies, food, water, clothing and tools and weapons for thier survival. So during the first few years the young faction proliferated, building houses, farms, wind and food farms for power and nutrients. By the end of the century they had three separate cites, a combined population of 30,000, and they still had no contact whatsoever with the other factions.
Thier government changed from a simple mutual respect democracy to an avanced democracy shortly after the discovery of Ethical Calculus. The economy was primarly free-market, but strongly emphasized green philosophical practices. The advent of Cyberethics changed thier values from simple survival to the endless pusuit of knowledge.
Thier leader nonetheless was the same guy who accidentaly led them into the cargo bay in the first place, Robert Cunningham who knew jack about running a nation, but quickly learned with the help of his closest friends Bob and George. The citizens picked him because they thought it an ironic punishment for the rumor that his stupidiy would kill them all but he soon destroyed that assumtion by pointing out their advantage for survival.
Their blissfull isolation soon turned into not-so-peacefull relations with the pirates, data angels, cyborg concuousness, and the University. But those relations improved after the began to know each other and soon the newly discovered Ordinary People faction became a powerfull member in politics especially when conflict with the progenetors escalated.
Thier facton at that time had six bases a combined population of 12 million, and had technology rivaling the progenetors which made them bitter rivals later on. They had some of the best probe teams on Chiron but they primarly used them for defense because the Believers kept trying to infiltrate them but they turned to using them for espionoge after the succesful Hunter-Seeker-Algorithim programmed into all the bases kept them safe from harm the only thing that could penetrate it was the feared Morgan Edgecrusher team that the ordinary teams kept trying to measure up to.
But since the discovery of a primitive Hillbilly faction in New Applalachia, those fears were quickly quelled. They decided to send a diplomacy group to New nashville and establish relations. The advent of the new radar tech called the Comsat Station increased their defenses in probe team defense an enabled to get detailed maps of anywhere on the planet simply by pressing a button.
The soon learned by a quick probe team iniltration that the newly proclaimed leader of the Appilacian faction was a young man by the name of Melvin Higgins so the diplomacy group would estabish relatons with the faction through him. The assumed that talking with them would be easy because thier culture was quite similar to them the few differences were more civilized behevior, a mush higher tech level and the taste in music was much better.
"The group will be reaching New Appliacia in a few hours sir." Said a com officer to Robert.
"Great then we can begin our negotiations." Said Robert


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And I asked him,
What is thy name?
And he replied saying:
My Name is iMac: for we
are many..

[iMac722]

Chapter 2- Ordinary Relations with other Factions
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Shortly after he got confirmation about the diplomacy group reaching new Appilacia within a few hours, Robert soon turned his attention to relations with the University, Spartans, and the Morgans, who ignored them for a while because they were trying thier plan to take the Usurpers by suprise. His relation with the three factions almost reached a pact but was quickly dissapated when they tried thier strategy and failed. University relations were quite bumby when they first met but soon improved after Zakharov found that thier curiosity was almost boundless. Spartans were less fourtunate, but got along despite thier suspicion of each other, Morgan relations went quite well with similar economic philosophies and practicies but trade agreements were inhibited by the Ordinaries need not to harm the environment which brought them into peaceful relations with the Gaians and the Cult of Planet, Belivers were the same as the spartans and got into short vendttas over religion in the the Believer's eyes, they Ordinaries were total athiests.

Alien relations , combined with thier similar tech levels and aliens apparent xenophobia made them bitter rivals with the manifold Usurpers and the less well known Caretakers. The ordinaries make precautions to have as little contact with the Alien factions as possible, this sparked rumors of an entire stock of Quantum Planet Busters stocked in the capital of New Houston, and Robert just dying to use them. However there are rumors of Planet Busters in the Usurper cites and Marr just dying to use them too and that that the two factions would launch all of them at the same time destroying each other.

The recent discovery of a Hillbilly faction in New Appilachia parked an idea in Robert's head. "I plan on giving them enough technology to get them up to speed but not high enough to make them a threat but not low enough to not make out plan work, any questions?" Bob quickly raised his hand. "Yes Bob?" Rob responded. "Yeah, Rob dont you think that we should teach then how to use the tech we give them? Considering the recent probe team reports." Bob said. "Oh yeah I knew I was missing something." Said Rob. Robert always had a talent for forgetting things, but Bob and george were always there to remind him. In fact at least one of them, if not both of them were always nearby at political meetings and strategy sessions.

All three leaders were married, Robert had a young six year old son Calvin, Bob had a small girl just born this year and George had three sons,triplets, born ten years ago. The childeren went to the same school, but Calvn always seemed to notice the more wierd things about it and was the most philosophical of all the 5 kids but they were inseperable. Calvin was destined to inherit the throne of his father's democracy which by a citizen's point of view would make the peacekeepers facist by comparison of course this would make them bitter enemies with the Human Hive, if it havent been totaled by thr Usurpers so many years ago.

When Robert came home after the strategy session regarding the Hillbillies, he recieved a comlink messeage, "Sir, the diplomacy group has landed in New Nashville." Said the officer on the answering machine. "Now we can begin." Rober whispered to himself.

[iMac722]

Chapter 3
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Then he went to bed, the next morning he got up and learned that the diplomacy team could not find this Willard place that Melvin Higins was at and would require at least a day do figure out thier odd dialect. Even though it was english that they were speaking, the Hillbillies dialect was too vague to understand even for the Ordinaries who seemed so culturally close to them. But while he waited, he began to read a random file on the datlinks, Robert loved to read, but choosing a book seem to take a long time so he set up his computer to randomly select a file from the literature catagory of his choice. He chose faction history and the computer rang up "Conflicts and Vendettas of the Ordinary People", one of Roberts' favorite books, he bagan to read when the Cyborgs attempted a raid to steal families of talents from the Ordinaries, and then declared vendetta on the Cyborgs when the raids would not stop.

Shortly after the vendetta started, all of the workers across the faction poured all their time and enegy into making energy and minerails for the war effort. Ordinary armies before and after any Vendetta are usually small and used as militias, but when wars do start all effort and resources are used for the war effort, effectively tripling the industries and became capable of creating entire squadrons of needlejets within a week. Since Cyborg territory was far south from the Isle of Deanaria, Criusers were fitted with armor and carrier decks and loads of troops for the long journey ahead. By the end of the war, the Cyborgs had been overran numerous times and quickly surrendered, gave back all the families, and paid a very large sum of credits.

After he finished the book, Robert began to Remonice to himself he remembered the time his son's sixth birthday came up and decided to get him an MMI upgrade for his monograv, he always said that his monograv was out to kill him and was popping up in all sorts of places just waiting to maim him. Just two months before the big day he had his son implanted with an MMI for educational purposes, but now his son wanted an upgrade for a LOT mor control over his "killer" monograv.

He had a huge smile on his face the doy of his son's birth, he was at school while his father was at the council. It was the last 10 minutes, the council was done talking and waiting for the auto-doors to unlock, thos door would lock and then unlock at the beginning and end of every council meeting, usually the doors could be easily unlocked, but the system kept malfunctioning and their authorization codes woulnt work. So the faction leaders would sit around waiting for the doors to unlock, and talk about things other than politics and Robert could not hold the fact that Calvin's birthday was today.
"What do you plan on getting your son?" Some of the faction leaders asked.
"An MMI upgrade for his monograv." He replied
"Does he have an implant." asked Morgan.
"Yes he does, got in two months ago." Replied Robert.
"How old will he be?" asked Zakharov.
"Six" Robert spoke.
Most of the faction leaders gave a smiled and began talking amongst themselves, soon the doors opened and the leaders left the building. Soon Rob returned to his home and installed the upgrade, and never Calvin never had any problems with the former "killer" monograv again.

The comlink soon activated with a message,
"Sir, we have located Melvin Higgins and are proceeding to introducing ourselves to the Apalacian Hillbillies." "Good Job if you have any problems, set up a comlink to Melvin and lemmie talk to him personally."

[iMac722]

Chapter 4
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The diplomacy group was once again detained from establishing relations with the hillbillies because they seem to be prepping for an attack from the usurpers. So they decided to stay at a hotel, or at least it looked like a hotel while they set up thier operation. They set up a com-dish and com-link with HQ, they also set up a computer, refridgerator, holovision TV, and microwave.

Meanwhile back at New Houston, Robert was taking his wife and son out to lunch, it was a beutiful saturday and they were going to thier favorite resturant, The Mind Worm Cafe. Calvin ordered his usual cheeseburger and fries, his mother ordered a fish sandwich and salad, and robert ordered synthetic chicken fingers and BBQ sauce. Robert as eating and wondering what was taking the group so long. calvin was staring at the antiques and historical photos and literature, and his wife was looking at her husband, worried. "Rob, you're woried about that probe-team aren't you?" His wife asked. "Yes I am, and its not a probe-team, its a diplomacy group, Im just wondering whats taking them so long." "Dont worry dad they may have been intercepted by beievers and converted, remember, the transport would have to cross believing waters." Calvin said. "That would be a possiblity Calvin, but I had Recived transmissions from them, so they did make it." Robert replied. So they finished thier lunch, had dessert, paid and left.

Back at the motel the diplomacy goup were still waiting to meet with Melvin Higgins. "Oh my god! What is that!" Jeff shouted. "Its just the slasher." Replied Alex watching a slasher movie. "No! Look out the window! I think its a Usurper! Two of them! Tied to chairs!" Jeff still shouting. So all four of the group went to look out the window and they saw two progenetors tied to chairs, being force to listen to bluegrass music, the worst kind of music that had ever existed, even by Ordinary standards! "Ouch that is some horiffic torture, those hillbillies sure know thier stuff." Said Mike.

All four of them rushed down the stairs, while doing so, the pinched themselves to make sure they weren't dreaming. They ran out the door and were sent back to thier rooms by two very ugly and hairy indiviuals. "Ya'll better head nicely back to your rooms and get some sleep." One of them said. As soon as they got back they sent a transmission on all frequencies except alien declaring that the hillbillies had captured two Usurpers. The Ordinary council of war was estatic, demanding to the group that they get as much info on the interogation as possible. Robert, also getting word of this, authorized it. Afterwards, the group set up a hearing aid that would hear everything that was going on.

[iMac722]

Chapter 5
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As soon as the ordinaries got word of the Usurpers submission to the hillbillies, Robert called his council. The members of the council came from all over the faction, war, diplomacy, social engineering, the works. They immediately dicerned that even though the hillbillies didn't know jack about how to use thier captured weapons, they would learn quickly and decided to cancel thier plan of modernization of the appolacian area.

"We need to somehow get thier weapon, copy it, and then broadcast it all over Caretaker terrtory with some kind of sattelite, and we need to do it fast they're getting close." Spoke George.

Robert agreed and a few hours later the diplomacy group was pulled out and replaced with a probe team, and they began to figure out how that weapon functioned. Manifold Caretaker tertory had been growing towards thiers and was about to break through the University buffer zone that Robert and Zakarhov had set up fifty years ago. But as the probe team was copying an album of the Appilacian Sweethearts to CD, the door opened and in ppopped Melvin Higgins himself.

"Ya'll better give an explanation of what you're doin here." Melvin asked.

"I don't mean to be blunt, but we know that you defeated the Manifold Usurpers and we just want your electronic weapon to use on the Manifold Caretakers, the reason is to save lives otherwise would be lost in an eventual strike." The probe team leader spoke.

"Well I'll be, I'll gladly share it with ya, if ya'll set me up with your leader." Melvin said. "I think we can do that" The leader replied.

Within minutes the probe team set up a comlink with HQ. Robert was just leaving the building, when Bob ran down the stairs to him.

"Hey Rob, we got a comlink comming in from the Appilacian regoin, its the probe team."

"Great, I wonder what they got." Robert responded.

"Sir, our mission resulted in failure, but the leader here will share the weapon with us if he talked to you first." The probe team leader said.

"Thats alright, just as long as we get the weapon." Robert said.

"Hiya, I'm Melvin Higgins, and I must say I'm happy to meetcha. Melvin said.

"Same here, now about the weapon you have stored there, all we want to know is how it works, just give my probe team a hard copy of the specs and they'll fax it to me okay?" Robert asked.

"Well golly, I'd be glad too, but one thing, you sure you aint got something planned for us?" Melvin asked.

"Actually, we would like to modernize your faction, ya know, your weapon is good, but it wont work on other human factions, obviously you already know that. Even though you have captured weaponry,its no good to ya unless you know how to operate it. So we are willing to send specialists to get you on your feet, so to speak and protect you through the early years. How about it?" Robert said with a friendly smile.

"Sure thing we'll send ya those spec-things right way, just need to write them first." Melvin said.

"Thank you." Robert said and closed the comlink.

"Now what I need is a satellite to beam that transmission into every single Caretaker base on Planet." Robert said to hiself and looked in his little black book of comlink frequencies for Zakharov.

[iMac722]

Chapter 6: Oncomming Armageddon
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"Ok, lets see here, Zack's Pizza, Zulu's Zoo, ahh here we are. Zakharov, Prokhor."

An so he dialed up the frequency, this was connected directly to Zakharov's office in University Base. Soon Zakharov activated his comlink.

"Robert, what brings you to call me?"

"I need some assistance old friend." Robert replied.

"Certainly, what do you need?" Zakharov said.

"A satellite, a pretty damn powerful one to be exact. It also has to stealthy enough to evade Caretaker Orbital defense pods." Robert said.

"Why do you need such a satellite?" Zakharov asked.

"As you may or may not know, those appilacian hillbillies just defeated the manifold usurpers and forced them into a pact of submission wit a special electronic weapon, its essentially just thier horrible music being sent through a translator." Robert replied.

Zakharov looked shocked. "Do you have this weapon in your possession? How do know this will work on the Caretakers?"

"The caretakers have the same language and thus, the same translator as the usurpers. The weapon, as from the mouth of one of the Hillbillies, it makes em drunk. It has an effect similar to alcohol just as if a human drank too much."

"I see, just tell me what equipmet you need and I'll send it to you via supply crawlers."
Zakharov Nodded.

"Great, I'll send some destroyers to escort them, including EMMA." Robert said, he waved goodbye and closed the comlink.

"I'd better send the ships now, as to rendevous with the supply crawlers on those transports." he said to himself.

He then booked passage on his flagship EMMA. EMMA was one of the largest and most poweful destroyers to ever have been built under Doctrine: Initiative. Although it had reactor problems, it was also the most reliable ship known. EMMA, of course though thought as an acronym, was actually a nickname for a AAA Chaos Silksteel Destroyer. It also had a com-jammer for fast foils and cruisers.

In less than two days they rendevoused with the transports and escorted them back to New Idianapolis, where the satelite was to be built. Robert was on the deck when suddenly they detected a Caretaker Destroyer off the port-bow. The destroyer could not hurt the transports because they were out of range but they immediately noticed EMMA and opened fire. EMMA suffered damage and Robert ran inside and ordered retalliation. EMMA used her com-jamer and disrupted communications on the ship while it returned fire. Though EMMA was moderately damaged on her side the Caretakers werent so lucky, during the battle what seemed to be misfires turned out to be hits and punctures in the bottom of the ship just above the water. The destroyer sank within fifteen minutes.

At the New Indianapolis Aerospace complex, Robert was overseeing the construction of the satelite. It will then be launched to drunken the entire Caretaker population.

[iMac722]

Chapter 7: Alcohol from the heavens
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The satellite was nearing completion, it was also around that time when Ordinary Infiltrators would transmit thier data from all across the globe It had infiltrated all factions except the Conciousness, Believers, and both Progenetors. They had already learned what the Morganites were going to do, and Robert was planning on having Morgan Industries closely watched as well as the Cult for their plans of spreading their over-orthodox religion to the Hillbillies.

Robert was at Mission Control in New Houston overseeing the flight plan for the satelite.

"What do we have so far gentlemen?" Robert asked.

"Our flight plan is about 50% complete, we'll have everything ready in two days sir." The officer replied. "All we need to do is figure a way through faction airspace so is not to generate scandal or an incident."

The Ordinary People Bordered the University, Believers, Gaians, and the Conciousness, and recently the Cult. Once the satelite's trajectory was figured, it would attain geosynchonous orbit over Caretaker territory and blast its signal all over, drunkening the Progenetors and leaving them open for a massive invasion by the Ordinaries, University, and Gaians. Robert also planned that he, Zakharov, and Deidre would share a bottle of Vodka in the Caretaker Capitol.

"the satelite is finished sir, all we need is your confirmation to launch it" An officer said.

"Great, but wait for the flight plan in two days, otherwise this mission is a failure. So just move it to New McCordsville and put it on the launch pad." Robert replied.

The plan was comming together, the three faction leaders could not wait until the satellite was launched. All they needed now was the fight plan, and hope that it will work.

[iMac722]

Chapter 8: Anticipation
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One day until the satelite would be completed, and Robert's advisors were almost going insane with anticipation, but Robert was also issuing orders to his probe teams in the University to have it closely watched as well as plan an infiltration on the Caretakers. "I"ll need to have the modernization crews in New Appilacia in three days." Said Robert to one of his directors on the comlink. "Will do sir." Replied the director and closed the comlink. Orbital spaceflight was experimental and quite new and only the Ordinaries had the technology, he only had the plans and materials delivered from the University. The he turned his attention to the holovision, he turned it on and began to watch the last match of the Armored Core Championchips, where large remote controlled robots, mesuring at over 3 metric tons at times would battle to the death and this match was between undefeated champion Hustler One and his Nine-Ball AC against MacMan and his iMac AC. The two battled fiercely with Imac rushing at Nine-Ball with his laser blade, ending up in a two minute swordfight betwen the two, then they disengaged and exchanged cannon fire Nine-Ball fire with his back mounted cannon while iMac launched a salvo of missles. The fight continued intensly for at least 25 minutes with iMac neatly slicing off Nine-Ball's head with his laser blade. iMac was not without his injusries too, sustaining cannon blasts and machine gun fire mainly while he was fireing his back mounted energy cannon. AC tech came along with advanced military algorithims and came into practice in the Cyborg/Ordinary war.

After the new cahmpion was crowned Robert turned off his Holovid and turned his attention to his comlink where he called up the New McCordsville Aerospace complex to see how the satellite was doing. "we're just finishing up last minute checks sir." the commander said. "Good work, prepare for the computer intallation tomorrow. Robert Replied. The he turned the comlink off.

He then began to remonice to himself about the first few days after planetfall, they were completely isolated from everyone else, they actually meant to go on the colony pod with Brother Lal, and they were scared. Robert was just appointed leader, and he just pointed out that they had a TON of supplies, tools, and weapons, all that htey needed to build and survive for several years. A few weeks later they had themselves a highly developed town in whick the entire female populus was pregnant, indicating their desire for sex, and to grow. The population was clearly booming, or multiplying as Robert remebered it, with new cities and development going on all the time. Technology started to rise as nerds and cyberjockeys begen to create information and communication networks. The first indication of more human precences was when a University foil was detected by a sensor oupost on the shores of New Houston. More began to come and the Ordinary People met the other 7 human action, which would increase to 7 more as the other human factions formed and the Progenetors landed. Thus he kept thinking forward to the Cyborg war and the hillbilly discovery in New Appilacia.


[This message has been edited by iMac722 (edited April 12, 2000).]

[iMac722]

Chapter 9 Fusion Power is now

"It will happen and it wil happen within our lifetimes, fusion power is'nt the future, fusion power is now."

TM Morgan-Rielly, Morgan Metagenics
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Robert was walking home in the capitol building. Robert and his family lived in a set of rooms in the upper levels of the capitol building which was the converted main cargo bay of the Unity. The rooms included a living room, a den, an office, two bedrooms, and a kitchen where the drone chefs and cooks worked to make meals for the whole building. To prevent spillage and droppage of the foods, robots were used to deliver the food, the cooks loved thier jobs, since Mrs. Cunningham would come in and cook for her family sometimes and they only worked three times a day. Robert loved living in the capitol building because the mortage was the same as a small apartment and was paid by his government, he also loved that he could see his son before and after he was at school and on the weekends and vacations. The only real disadvantage was that his drone laws were at least twice as comfortable as the peacekeepers, and they would play music when they got done early and this was displeasing especially during council meetings. But over all this he enjoyed this very much.

While he was walking upstairs to his home, he was almost tackled by a scientist who ran all the way from the research lab down the street.

"Sir sir sir!!! he yelled, I have something to show you!!!."

What what what!!! Robert said almost hysterical."

"Fusion! Fusion is what! we have FUSION!!! The scientist yelled."

"You got it to work!? WOW, thats fantastic! Zakharov is going to kill me!!! I gottta see this, but I'll be back in a moment." Robert said.

Robert went to get his wife and son to come and see the new fusion reactor. It finally happened, the first human faction on Chiron had achived what the human scientists on earth did long ago, first the Supercollider at the University's Lab Three, now it was the Ordinary's New Unity Fusion Core. It was used to power the enitre city and smaller fusion reactors were also developed to be used on ordinary vessels and end EMMA's reactor problems.

"Sir, I'd like you see the new Fungicidal Fusion Former Mk2, or FFF for short." The research scientist said.

"Its really cool" Robert said.

"Its pretty neat," His wife said.

"Yeah its awsome!" Calvin nodded.

The FFF was a high efficency rover with a fusion reactor, fungicide tanks, and former equipment. Robert wanted them, instead of the old fungicide formers, to work on the New Appilachia modernization project.

"How many of these do you have?" Robert asked.

"About fifteen. Replied the modernization director who just walked in.

"Fifteen?, Thats more than enough for the project." Robert turned around and replied.

"Of course, we plan on starting tomorrow, just when you tell Melvin Higgins and tell Prokhor Zakharov about our new toy." The director said.

"Tomorrow!? I thought we would start in three days." Robert replied.

"I'm sorry Rob, but George and Bob wanted to suprise you with this and indeed, Zakharov will problably strangle you for this." The director chuckled.

"Good, I'll just tell Melvin and Zak and we'll be on our way, and by the way, how can you do this project so early?" Robert asked.

"We've been working on this since we started researching fusion power, unfourtunatley we are going to have to spend a pretty large sum of energy credits on upgrading alll units in our empire but we can make that up by selling the technology or having some bases do the stockpile energy polka fow at least a few months and keeping the technology to ourselves."

Robert was suprised on how everything was going well and wondered how long would it take to upgrade the satellite.

"Oh yes and it will take at least a week to upgrade everything at once, provided that we have all crews all over work on everything ant a steady pace and it will take two days to check it all" The director said.

"Hmmmmmmm, I guess that will be ok, just hope that we can get the Caretakers before they can get us" Robert said firmly and went into the office and activated the comlink.

He called up his diplomacy group in New Appilachia.

"I belive we are going to have to give melvin an update on all the upcomming plans to modernize New Appilachia, the formers arrive tomorrow and I will be there in a month to meet with him personally, and have the probe team check out that new network node and all those other gifts."

"Will do sir" Replied the captain of the diplomacy gorup. "And another thing sir the date you set fo your arrival is the same as Prophet Cha Dawn's."

"Interesting" Robert said to himself, and he closed the comlink.

He decided to wait to tell the other faction leaders about the fusion power discovery until after the modernization project was completed. He was sure that he would be the most envied human on Chiron.

[iMac722]

Chapter 10 - Home Grown Mind Worm Silk, Political Pep Coach
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Strolling through the halls and streets of the Planet Cult Capital, a lone man was heading towards the airport bound for Ordinary Territory. But he was stopped by a policeman on the way.

"Excuse me sir, but have you seen a man disguised as a plumber?" The policeman asked.

"No I have not." The man replied.

"Al right, carry on." The policeman said and walked away.

"Rookies." the man said and boarded the plane.

As you may have guessed, the man was a probe team member, but if the officer was more experienced, he might have been killed, because the cargo he was carrying was mind worm silk and live mind worms in stasis. He had been working in the area for at least six months and had been anxiously waiting to get home. When he got home, he confronted hi commander and chief Robert Cunningham about his success after his debriefing.

"Well, how did it go?" Robert asked.

"Well, the culture was similar to the Believers, but a lot weirder, the fungus, the people, I almost died when I tripped over a fungus patch, I had to change disguises all the time, I think I forgot what I looked like anymore, to make a long story short, it was hell I hope I never have to do that again so UP YOURS!!! YOU @$%#@$#@%##!!!!" The probe yelled, then he spit on Robert's shoes and stormed out of the office.

"Thanks, I think." Said Robert with a stunned look on his face.

Meanwhile in the lab the scientists trying to create mind worm silk from the materials the probe gave them were having a very difficult time.

"Gee, this is almost worthless, we haven't made any progress, the assistants freak out whenever they deliver the mind worms, and that janitor keeps screaming every time he goes into the live lab animal room!" The scientist barked while taking an angry look at the shadowy figure of the janitor screaming at the top of his lungs in the containment room.

"Well have the security force "quiet" that drone and lets retire to the cafeteria for lunch." Another scientist said.

As the security force "quiets" the drone in the lab, the lab crew goes into the cafeteria and while in there they encounter the probe team member and greet him.

"Thanks for this months shipment we owe you one!" One of the researchers said.

Then immediately the probe faints.

"Interesting, he must have been drunk" One of the scientists said.

As the science crew eat lunch, Robert having cleaned the saliva off his shoes, goes to his office to finish up on his paperwork. When he got done he took a look at the probe reports in New Appalachia.

“Whoa, Melvin must be in over his head, I knew I should have stayed, I need to contact the probe team to set up a permanent comlink where Melvin is staying, so that I give him helpful hints, or else all the other faction leaders will eat him alive.” Robert said to himself and continued reading the report.

“Hmmmmmmmm, soon he will be meeting with Frime Function Aki-Zeta-Five, I can return then to help him with negotiation, or I can do it over the comlink because that robot will try to persuade him to join with the algorithm.”

He then put the report on his desk and turned the comlink on to talk with the probe team.

“Hey sir, what do ya need?” The probe leader asked.

“I need you to set up a permanent comlink station in New Nashville so Melvin will be able to talk with me or any other faction leader as he wishes it.” Robert said.

“Will do sir.” The probe responed and he closed the comlink.

“Hold on melvin, you’ll make it.” Robert said to himself