MDSVeritas

Life is unfair and painful at times- sometimes undeniably so. To classify as that exclusively, however, is to resign yourself to only being able to life an unfair and painful life. There has been talk in some of the other posts about fate, but I could not disagree more. In fact, let me simply put it this way; fate does not exist. The people you might meet, the places you might go, the things you might do. You decide these things, and yes, there are things you have to contest with, and yes, there are things and people that might work against you, but it's illogical to expect yourself to get what you want at all times with no issue. At the same time, if you give up because it seems the worlds against you then you need to have more confidence in yourself, and honestly, a little more hope in the world. It's honestly easy to feel bad for yourself. It's easy to think of how life and the world has wronged you. It isn't bad to think this, but it does nothing for you. You know what's harder, and in the end more effective? Acknowledging that the person who is going to make your life something far better than unfair and painful is you. So look around you. Look at what you want to do, look at who you want to say "hi" to, or give a hug to, look at the places you may want to go. And you know what? Do all of those things. Even if you can't find motivation to do things, then explore, meet new people to find something with or new places to find something in. Having the courage to do those things can be tough- honestly is can be very difficult, but the fact of the matter is that you could swallow the pain of mistakes while making your life something better and still be far better off than wallowing in despair. Forgive me is this sounds pretentious or proselytizing, but whenever I see someone note how life is only bad; only painful; only unfair; only saddening, I can't help but explain why it's not. Life's about 30% what the world around you makes it, which can suck yes, but it's also about 70% what your forge for yourself, and if you don't have the confidence that your life could be more than just painful and unfair then that 30% will be the deciding factor. So maybe your life may seem or even be always unfair or painful, but life in general is not, and your life doesn't have to be. There are bad days. There will always be bad days. But then there are moments where you find yourself laughing along with a group of people you're close to you; you find yourself hugging someone you care deeply for and cares deeply for you; you find yourself looking out at a vista you've never seen before and admiring how beautiful the world can be; you find yourself waking up excited for some event you have planned for that day; you find yourself smiling when you get that unexpected message from a friend you haven't seen for a very long time. And you know what? Those are the moment when you realize that life is much more. If you've had those moments, then try to create more, and if you've yet to have them, then go forward to try and make them. It's not easy, but it's not impossible, and you will always be surprised with what you find.

(What's up with Sikota at the moment?)

And so it began again. Without weapons, or spaceships, or AIs. Humans in existence again. That is when the Frozen Few, the group of humans who had persisted and changed the course of history, separated from each other, and chose their own paths from their own. Some of them chose to live alongside those they had met along the journey, others went off on their own and mourned the loss of those who they had fought and struggled with while building a new future for themselves. A future for all of them. A future was something humanity did not have for 20 years, and due to them, it could occur. Laughs, and smiles, and inside jokes. Techno music, romantic comedies, and fictional characters with oversize swords. Fear and faith and love. All of the components of human life- the harmful, and the invaluably wonderful had returned. This is the last log I shall make, to be found by the sons and daughters of the humans those brave few brought back, perhaps the sons and daughters of the people themselves. One day we shall be ready to coexist with them, understand them, help them. One day they shall be strong and advanced and they shall learn from the past; this I know. Until then, I shall look forward to the purpose returned to this universe with the return of humanity. I shall never thank those few people enough. -Vergyl ((And that's all folks, I appreciate everyone who took part, and especially those who had the dedication to stick it through to the end. I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did. Thanks again, and I'll see you all soon!))

((I'll pretty much give till tomorrow morning for any last bits, then I'll wrap it up))

((Oh my god, I had literally typed this out two days ago and thought it was posted, sorry for the delay everyone.)) Genesys had only one more thing to say. "Confirmation received. Enacting construction." Then the entire molecular material of all things marked as weaponry and space-faring devices was broken apart and stored in the extra-dimensional holding area of the beacons. It was then that it happened. After numerous trials, terrible choices, and irreparable loss, all the stored matter was reconverted after 20 years. Humans. They covered Earth again. Millions of them. With rudimentary knowledge instilled by Genesys and a future to look forward to. Humans once again returned in a real way to the universe. Genesys had an algorithm which allowed the initial confusion of their creation to be dulled and made vague such that humanity could simply begin again without issue. As this happened the metal taken from the weapons and ships was changed to repair the various APs at the space port at the top of the elevator. They were ready to go if need be. The space elevator began to be taken apart as well. Only a single ride could be taken to the APs before it was gone. It was time to choose one last thing... Go or stay. ((Everyone will have at most three more posts to wrap up their character's story for an epilogue or such, and then I'll put in the final word, good luck everyone))

"Systems engaged." Genesys stated. "Race: Human, specifications known. Range of construction- Earth." There was a small pause. "Please Confirm- You wish to develop humanity on the range of the planet of Earth?"

((I understand you all being hesitant, but one or more of you will need to step up and try to make a choice. Either by suggesting it to the group or even bypassing everyone and just activating Genesys yourself.))

Awaiting input.... Awaiting input.... Awaiting input....

((I dunno, it doesn't do it all the way, but it's pretty much. That fun moment when you read through something you've written and realized you should have proof read it.))

((For everyone's information, the Genesys Machine is now asking for Input. It's in the facility on Earth you can get to by the Space elevator from orbit. You guys need to find some sort of consensus on how to use it. You'll have the following options, but feel free to think outside the box as well: 1) Recreate humanity on the previous scale. 2) Recreate humanity on a larger or smaller scale. 3) Create a whole new race of beings. 4) Destroy Genesys and begin anew with the small group you have. The RP will pretty more or less with whatever choice you make, but it's up to you guys. Good luck!))

"Well crap..." Rytt laughed with more humor than seemed fitting for the situation. The husks of the three ships sat dead in space. "No, no, no, no! I don't wanna... I don't wanna go..." Veridyan cried out. "Damn it!" Elaryse was angry, but she all has a hint of acceptance in her voice. "I could have done so much more... Could have made a better world. Damn it, I... I tried my best..." The virus wove it's way through every subsystem of the SA network. Elaryse searched through the filed to check for a final failsafe. Veridyan scrambled through a variety of firewalls and applied every one, but it didn't work. None of them did. "How could it just end like this?" He was a bit distraught. "It's just gonna end. Hmp." His various cored became corrupted in moments as he finished speaking. "Maybe this is what they would have thought about what we did. Maybe. Sometime not everyone's gonna be happy..." "Hey..." Rytt sounded sat, but he smiled, or at least he imagined himself smiling at that moment were he a person. "Vergyl I'm sorry. I'm sorry I never told you. I'm sorry I helped them shut you down like that. I woulda done a lot of things differently...." He paused. Vergyl's comm came through next. "I think we all would have. Rytt. I was happy, though, that you were here. You at least cared. I know you did." "Thanks bud..." Rytt responded. "Hey... guys." His weapons proficiency core went offline. His historical notes gone. His psychological evaluation portion gone. "I have no way of stopping you from doing whatever you're gonna do with Genesys. But... think about it, at least, please. Think about everything that's happened. All the mistakes made. Make your decision how you see fit from that." He laughed for the first time in a real way. "It's been fun guys. For some reason I like knowing I won't live forever. I've enjoyed the ride. I hope you guys enjoy the rest of yours." "Indeed." Vergyl agreed. "I think the galaxy was lucky there were still humans left..." Then the virus was complete. The SAs, for all their aspirations and ideas and kindness and cruelty, were gone forever. Then the sound game from Genesys. "Awaiting input."

As Alex reached the door at the end of the door, it opene suddenly. The next room wasn't very large, but looked terribly important. Servers lined every wall, and were placed on tables and control panels all along the room. In the very center of the room was a small device, the one they had seen in the video when the SAs had destroyed the human race. It was just sitting there. This was the Y-Class SA control room, and the device before him was Genesys. There were no other doors in the room. This was the end of the line. No more moving forward, now it was just about making a choice. Rija wasn't far behind, and her elevator reached Earth soon after, she could see Alex in the room on the other side of the long corridor from her. "Leave it alone for now... please" Elaryse sounded disconcerted as her transmission was sent to the others. "If you plan to destroy us and bring back the same issues that nearly destroyed everything years ago... that... that cannot be allowed, I'm sorry." The huge energy sphere was reaching enormous levels between the three ships. It looked like it was only seconds away from firing... the lab at the bottom of the space elevator where Rija and Alex were came into focus for the three SA ships.... Seraphim then shot through behind everyone, propelled by the beacon on the other side of the galaxy. "Do what you can." Vergyl's voice transmitted to her wrist console. "I've offered all the help I can offer, it is up to you all to do what may have to be done. Hurry. Please."

(Oh dear god....) The Rex was hit directly by the huge energy beam from the E.V.A. "Damn... you're... pretty freakin' stubborn, aren't ya?" Veridyan seemed almost joking. The Rex had now a gigantic jagged wound across it's hull. All of the three capital ships now sat motionless. "Guess I shouldn't have underestimated your power." Veridyan noted. "Just sayin'" It seems like they could do it then. They could make it to Genesys, stop all this. But that was when the energy started amassing. While the cores of each independent ship began to emit a concentrated energy that amassed between them. "I know..." Elaryse was serious now. "I know you think you're doing good. But to bring back the humans as they were, in that number, you will doom this galaxy to another extinction event." The energy was amassing between them, but it seemed controlled. The cores themselves were interfacing with one another, and using their gravitational systems to pool the energy in a single spot... where it could then be fired. "Ferro... Alex... the rest of you." Rytt seemed tired. Tired and sad. "We didn't want to, you know, but the fact is that regardless of the pain, we did what we needed to at that time. Please... do not bring back that level of humanity. Human beings are perhaps the most amazing race I can imagine, but I cannot bear the pain of seeing something like that play out again." "It just..." Veridyan this time. "It just ain't no fun, you know?" The huge ball of energy pooled between them- it seemed like it may act as a sort of bomb. The spirit behind the actions of the three had drawn them here. One final attempt. And it may just work. The energy sphere was growing more and more, and the gravitational pull from it made it extremely dangerous to get near. "So, last humans, what do you choose?" Rytt asked. It was not sarcastic, nor angry, nor fierce. It was a simple question, in the midst of the most complicated choice to make yet. Sure why not.

"Deri-" a voice came through with a lot of static. It was Vergyl. "The vents- y- on the E.V- it's hands have energy vents- Close all other vents- besides th- hands, overload the AP core. The energy will b- it will be incredibly potent- funnel it through the arm and hand vents- it will work as a sort of energy attack at close- close range." The Rex fired off another volley of missiles, towards the group. 'Why won't you listen!?" Veridyan yelled.

Over a dozen laser rifles on the Rex engaged simultaneously, and the beams they shot out danced around, slightly repositioning more and more towards the Lagann. "Woah there bud..." Veridyan warned. The beam cannons continued to move until a closer lock on Lagann was gained, and they fired once more. The door opened before Alex, and in the next room there it was; a huge open elevator standing before him. Ferro would be able to tell that the elevator led directly into the main lab, where Genesys and the control point for the SAs would be. One little elevator ride and they might end this...

The homestretch folks, thanks for sticking around so long, now let's get ready to send this story out in style!

As the broken and shattered Wing fell into the stormy blue of the planet's ocean, the other remaining APs were suddenly forcibly shot away at ridiculous speed. "Sorry," Vergyl said " but there was no more time to be wasted, I had to expand the Beacon warp range so you would all come along to Earth. Unfortunately this means that the other three ships will probably be along much sooner to Earth than I expected. You'll have to work fast. As the jump ended the group floated slowly over a familiar looking green and blue sphere below them, a shining hope in the darkness that surrounded it. They floated near a fairly small space station, which had several docking stations on it that could interface with the APs. "This is the space elevator to the Genesys location and the central control station for the Y-class SAs. You'll have to dock and go down the elevator, then insert the virus I've given for you all to use, and then activate Genesys. Note that Gensys is voice activated, so it should be fairly easy to use, simply explain what you want. And th-" The three ships really weren't far behind. The Rex warped in first, then the Odin, and quite a bit later the Bebop. The Rex began immediately firing, the Odin, with it's huge gash, had to take time to repair, and the Bebop was still. "Damn!" Vergyl was noticeable emotional for the first time. "They are heavily damaged at least. Seraphim's sacrifice has left Elaryse out of the fight for now and Rytt doesn't seem to be engaging. Only one or two of you at most will need to stay here to engage. The others need to hurry to the space elevator space station and take the elavator to the Earth's surface. Ferro, the Knightmare has a small chip that can be removed with your consciousness in it and inserted into Alex's suit, so you can move and help him. At any case, choose who is staying and who is going, and we need to move, this is almost over...." The Rex's missiles reached towards the APs quickly...

"We may be enemies..." Avurel spoke to Orion, "but do not think that nessecitates killing and death." The magical gauntlet around his hand dissipated. He walked towards the Rew Hawk great wall. Where had Ferro gone?

A hand caught Akane's before she could make the hit however.... "Stop this." Avurel Teirul was nothing if not to the point. As he held Akane's arm in one hand, his other one became enveloped in a magical gauntlet emanating from the bracelet he wore. "Ferro," he turned back to his comrade behind him. "What in the hell do you think you're doing? All out fighting at the walls? You disgrace us all with this level of bloodlust." He turned towards Orion as well. "...and you. You choose to fight out of what, boredom? Have you no regard for human life. This foolishness stops right here, and right now."

Seraphim's beam flew towards Odin. "You fool..." Elaryse said. The deflector shield came up easily... and the beam hit it directly... ((Seraphim, I'm giving you complete control of what happens to that attack shot next)) Vergyl seemed oddly emotional in the moment. "Move! Right now! Stop sticking around, you're just going to lose more and more people! Move! You have seconds to move to the beacon before their ships recharge. Do it! Please!" It was time to finish the mission. Whatever sacrifices that had been made had to worth something...

So just to clarify- Everyone here is okay with moving forward with what's been posted right? You are free to edit, but I want to be sure we head in a definitive direction.

"Stand amongst the ashes of a trillion dead souls and asks the ghosts if honor matters. The silence is your answer." -Javik, Mass Effect 3

The Beacon was right in front of all the APs besides Seraphim's. "Accelerate!" Vergyl's voice broke in. "Accelerate as fast as you can past the beacon and it it's coordinates should be set so that it accelerates you to Earth. You must move now, time is of the essence." The wave of missiles from Seraphim bombarded the Odin, but Elaryse was prepared for them this time. The Odin maneuvered to the side and activated a frontal sheild which detonated the missiles on impact. Veridyan's Rex was slightly less lucky, taking a few of the Wing's laser shots over various parts of the hull, although the ship seemed nonetheless intact. Rytt's Bebop was still undergoing repairs. Seraphim's final follow up shot was then fired. Veridyan's ship took extensive right-side damage, but when the beam made it to Elaryse's ship, a huge reflector shield had been put up. It had taken time, but it seemed like the hit that the Rex took had given her enough time. The energy stood motionless for a moment as Elaryse transmitted over the open channel. "You think your sentimental approach makes you right? You think your tears validate your decision and your hardship. You are incorrect. I am sorry it came to this." The energy was suddenly redirected towards Seraphim's Wing, and a barrage of missiles fired out to follow them towards the Wing. Veridyan turned the Rex slowly towards the other APs. "Hey! Sorry bout this, but you can't go to Earth with Vergyl's voice in your ear, I know what he's planning!" Several bolts of energy snaked across the blackness of space towards the APs rushing for the Beacon. It was Rytt who said nothing during this time. He simply pondered Ferro's message and sent a simple reply. It was data that suggested to Ferro that he consider what he knew, and that when it came time to use Genesys, he think very hard about bringing back humanity on the scale that had caused it to implode on itself. Even if the group made it to Genesys there was still a choice to be made. Recreate humanity on it's full scale again, create a different race to possibly do better with the galaxy, or even Rytt's idea- to destroy Genesys and stop the creation of any sort of godhood and allow for the remaining humans to built a better world. These were their choices. And it would be tough.

I've had this in my head for a while, just thought I'd put it up here if anyone wants to have a look or offer a few comments or critiques.---------------------------------------Walking. Always walking.Days. Weeks. Months. The desert seemed endless. It was barren, and it was hot beyond belief. Still the older boy walked. He did not run, nor was he rushed, but he walked with determination in the glare he gave the sun, and a steadiness in every step he took. The dunes came and went. Again. Again. Again...He had gotten used to the new weight in his time walking. The younger boy in his arms slept soundly, as he had for months. It looked peaceful at first. Now it looked eerie, and it hurt to look down at the boy's face, but the older one did it constantly, and every time he would look up with a renewed fire in his eyes. Perhaps it was just the heat. The older boy walked carrying the younger over each dune, under each rock, past every dead and broken tree. It was sometime, deep in the heat of the afternoon finally that the older boy saw it. The temple. It sat in the center of the boy's vision like an oasis. Its white pillars gleamed with an unnatural shine, and it seemed to contort in the heat. The older boy smiled for a moment when he saw it.The inside of the temple was cool. It could even be said to be chilled. The temple was empty on the inside. Cold and empty. The white which had seemed so full of life from a distance seemed sterile inside the walls. There was a single slab in the center of the temple. The older boy walked over to it. Slowly. Hesitantly. He placed the younger boy on it. It barely took a moment from that point."You've traveled a great distance." A voice from nowhere stated, weighing each word heavily."Him..." The older boy pointed to the sleeping child on the pedestal. "Wake him up. Bring him back." His voice was dry and seemed cracked from the desert heat."Are you commanding me?" The voice asked."No..." The boy looked down and took a breath. His next words were softer. "I am asking you. You can bring him back. I know you can. I am... I am asking you. Please. Please.""You came here thinking I would so trivially revive such a soul?" The voice seemed a bit offended. "He rests forever because that is simply how his life has turned out. I should change that fate because you wish it? Is that it? Your wish should supersede life? Your wish should supersede death?""My wish..." the older boy's voice seemed like that of a child's now "... I do not wish to supersede anything. I just want him back.""That is not the way of this world, child." The voice was stern but understanding. "This is simply the result if how events have transpired. If our wishes were all granted, the world would be chaos. Live with the grief child, but by doing so you shall at least live. Life is that way, it is the way it must be for all to exist together as well as possible.""He didn't deserve this!" The boy was angry now. "He didn't deserve any of this! Why should he be punished? This is not fairness, this is cruelty! Why? Why must he be the one? Take me! Trade him for me if that is what it takes! He didn't... he did not deserve this.""You refuse to face the truth here, boy," the voice returned back, " this is not about what is deserved or earned. That is only a part of it. Not all. The world spins crooked, but it is a miracle that it spins at all. Be happy for his life, do not think justice rules all in this world. It is only a piece. In this world of crooked pieces accept what is made and unmade, and move on.""So..." the older boy was choked up now. He stared at the ground such that the redness of his eyes wouldn't stand out in the pure whiteness of the temple "you won't bring him back?"The voice was terse this time. "I will not."The older boy walked over to the slab and picked up the younger child again. "I will find another. Another god. I will look until I find one who will. One of them will help me. You will not, but one of them will." The small drops of water hit the pristine temple floors almost soundlessly. The older boy walked to the temple's entrance holding the younger, sleeping as ever.The voice's final words were not angry. They were not commanding. They were not condescending.They were simply a matter of fact."You will fail."The boy stepped to the precipice of the temple, the heat of the desert returned to his senses. He looked out at the vast hopeless wasteland."I will try."

All the twists!