Special preview of Unbound: The Awakening (part 2)

Liam

As promised from last week, here is second part of my special Unbound: The Awakening novel preview. As before, Please note, what I am sharing has not been edited yet. Grammatical errors, typos and other formatting errors may be found in the preview. the content is subject to change prior to the release of the final version. Feel free to read, comment and share the post. However, no part of this document may be copied, altered or reproduced in whole or in part, digitally or in print, without my written permission. 

Enjoy!

- Kyle

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Chapter Two

Liam arrived at the main doors to the hanger and slowed his pace. His heart was pounding so loud in his ears that he was sure it would echo in the next room. His nerves were on end. Knowing what would start through these doors excited and terrified him. His mission was to drill deeper than any human had before. He was to go twenty five miles down, almost to the molten layer, in search of new ore deposits.

The chances of return were slim Liam knew, but he also knew Gaia wouldn’t want to lose their drill either. They may be used, rusted and worn, but the machines were still worth more than almost a city block. Strangely enough, that provided Liam with some comfort. Even if he were to die, at least his body would come home. After another deep breath, Liam walked into the launch bay.

This room was massive, easily ten stories high. Along the back wall we could see the enormous deep earth drills being prepped, repaired and fueled. Each drill itself was six stories from top to bottom, secured to their bay by huge hydraulic clamps. They were close to thirty five feet around, enough to produce a maintainable service hall in their wake. Sparks fell like rain in the repair docks as mechanics welded old metal plates back onto the sides of the drills.

Yeah, I got this.

People in all sorts of uniforms were working. There were foremen with their orange holographic clipboards walking around and checking on workers. They could be seen easily due to their amber glow. Every time Liam set out for a new mission, he was always awe struck by how huge this area was. To get to the back end of the bay took almost twenty five minutes using one of the commuter trams. Liam checked his gauntlet for the dock he would be launching from. He pulled up the mission guide which projected into the air from the device on his arm. Scanning through the extensive document, he finally found what he was looking for.

Dock 36

Quickly closing the file, Liam got his bearings. Dock 36 was almost halfway down the building. He had to pass the refueling stations and maintenance areas first. He also had to be mindful of where he was walking. A lot of people have been injured in these areas. A few months back someone spilled fuel which quickly ignited by some sparks from the neighboring dock. It took the fire teams almost three hours to subdue the blaze. In the end, one drill was unsalvageable and four workers lost their lives, of which one was a friend of his. Those responsible probably wished they had died as well seeing as Gaia didn’t take kindly to the loss of its property.  Liam shook off the memory and headed to his dock to check in.

As Liam found his area, he heard footsteps quickly approaching. Before they called his designation, he knew it was a foreman. The orange glow cast an odd shadow of Liam on the lift doors. This elevator would be taking him to the cockpit of the drill – almost five and a half stories up.

“M948!” The foreman called, trying to yell over the sounds of the room. “I have a few things to cover prior to launch.”

Liam turned and saw the foreman who was approaching was one of the few who cared about his workers. Harold, or F227, was Liam’s first foreman when he joined Gaia so long ago. He was in his late sixties and looked as though his body would give out at any moment. Liam knew better though, he had survived more than almost any other Gaia employee to date. There were stories that Harold even survived the collapse of a mine with only his torch and his lunch box. He didn’t know how true the story was, but Liam respected the man never-the-less.

“First, I need you to sign this waiver stating you willingly agreed to this dig, knowing the risks.” Harold said, handing Liam a stylus. Liam signed on the line labeled “D.E.M”.

“Okay.”

“You know there is a chance you may not come back, right?” Harold said. The words resounded in Liam’s head. He has been thinking it all morning, but it hit harder hearing it said aloud by someone else.

“Yeah, I know.” Liam replied.

“In the event you do not return, who do you want to claim your belongings and final check?”

“Ave… Uh, C575”

Harold noted the selection and then sighed. He had to go through this with every worker, but this one was harder. He liked Liam a lot. Over the years, they had grown to be friends and respect each other. When Liam lost his son, he had attended the memorial. Knowing there was a real possibility that Liam may not return, made this all the more difficult.

“You don’t have to do this. We can still sign you off as unfit for the dig.” Harold said.

“It’s ok, I know. But I am here now and I was the only one to sign up for it. We need this.” Liam replied.

“Alright, well, good luck M948 – Liam.” Harold said while blinking through tears. “You were a good man.”

“Harold, I am not dead yet”

“I know, alright, well carry on then. And again, good luck.”

Harold lowered his clipboard and turned. He would monitor the dig from mission control and pray for Liam’s safe return. Liam turned and typed his I.D. into the lift’s keypad to log in. With a hiss, the doors opened and he stepped in.

Yeah, luck…

“…Cause that’s always helped me before” Liam said, finishing his though. The doors closed and so began the ascent to the cockpit.

***

Avery arrived at her station and booted up her systems instinctively. She was thinking of everything that could go wrong with the mission – a tunnel collapse or the safety line could snap.  A million variations played out in her head. So much was at stake today. If anything went awry, all could be lost. This mission, this day, Liam – they were all connected in more ways than just what Gaia Corp had planned.

Avery looked around and counted the guards in the room. There were a total of five currently at their posts, with one extra having just left to walk his rounds. Mission control was one of the safest places in the facility. It had to be, if something were to happen here, a lot of lives would be in jeopardy. Avery returned her focus to her console. The screen that projected in front of her displayed the systems for the drill Liam would be piloting. From here she could override any of the functions if there were an emergency. Taking one last look over her shoulder to see if any guards were looking, which they weren’t, Avery pulled up the course navigation screen. She adjusted the angle of the descent by mark two degrees and tapped apply. The screen then displayed a progress bar as the new course was transmitted to the drill.

<Transfer complete, course updated> confirmed the computer, its voice quiet among the noise of the room.

Switching screens as not to arouse suspicion, Avery decided to check on Liam’s status. A profile of the elevator, catwalk and drill glowed on her display, casting a light green glow on Avery. Liam was just about to finish the ascent to the cockpit. Avery took a deep breath and settled in for a long mission.

***

Liam felt as the lift slowed its movement, reaching the walkway to the drill. There was a low click and hiss as the doors slid open. The next section was almost completely open air. The guardrails on the side would not stop anyone, let alone a full grown man, from toppling over. Liam was glad they were inside, he wasn’t afraid of heights, but add wind and he may reconsider that. As with the lift, he punched his designation code into the door to the cockpit. The keypad this time also scanned his fingerprints. Once completed, the door made a quiet pinging and grinding noise. The door slowly opened, stale air rushed out from inside. The cockpit was dark, a few status lights blinked slowly. That changed when Liam took stepped inside.  

<Welcome M948, system engaging.> The computer said. To Liam, it was always a greeting of sorts.

“Stat check.” Liam replied as he made his way over to the pilots’ chair. The overhead light slowly flickered to life, giving everything a soft glow.

<Engine, online. Communications, online. Environmental, online.>

By now, all of the dashboard lights were glowing. Liam, sitting in the sole chair, was powering on the main display. All of the systems were labeled as ready.

<All systems go.> the computer confirmed, just as Liam finished reading over the list.

Liam adjusted his seat and started the prelaunch check. He made sure all the basics were nearby – first aid kit, fire extinguisher, reset codes and the troubleshooting manual. All were in there normal place and things were looking good.

“Avery, you on?” Liam said.

“Yup, everything checks out up here.” She replied. “Unless, you need me to bring you your security blanket.”

“No thanks, I’m good.” Liam said, slightly chuckling. “Let’s just get this fired up.”

While there was no immediate reply from Avery, Liam knew she was working. He could hear her breathing into her headset. He would have to remind her that she didn’t need to eat it for him to hear her. Another minute passed and still no word from Avery, he was starting to wonder what the holdup was.  

<Engine startup authorized> The computer announced to him.

“Sorry, I was confirming your course. You’re all set now.” Avery said.

“So I am told. Thank you.”

Liam checked his harness to make sure he was securely locked in. He then reached over towards the ignition button. On previous missions, this was usually his favorite part, not this time. He didn’t have a choice though, he was here and it was time. Without giving himself another moment to think, he pushed the button. The backing light of the ignition button went from a deep pulsing red color to a bright green, then to white. He could feel the massive engines roaring to life. The whole machine shuttered as the drill head, formed from smaller individual moving drills, started to spin. At full power, huge green flood lights would activate. These specialty lights were used to illuminate potential deposit sites. Since they were located behind the drill head, it made the whole module look as if it were glowing green.

“Ave, if I don’t come back …”

“Shut it Liam. You are not dying on my watch.” Replied Avery, cutting Liam off.

“But, if I don’t…”

“I said shut it.”

“… Fine.” Liam replied, knowing he wouldn’t win. “Thank you.”

<Launch initiated. Engines at full power. Beginning countdown.> Announced the computer.

“Here we go.” Said Liam.

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Next week, the final part of the preview!

Special preview of my novel: Unbound: The Awakening (part 1)

Hey everyone!

As some of you know, I write comics and am working on a novel. Recently, I took a break from working on the novel to finish the script I was working on, move to a new home and start up this blog. Well, after a month or so, I dove back in. 

After some thought, I decided I wanted to share the first few chapters of the novel. Please note, what I am sharing has not been edited yet. Grammatical errors, typos and other formatting errors may be found in the preview. the content is subject to change prior to the release of the final version. 

Over the next few weeks I will post the prologue to chapter three. Feel free to read, comment and share the post.However, no part of this document may be copied, altered or reproduced in whole or in part, digitally or in print, without my written permission. 

Thank you and I hope you enjoy!

-Kyle

PS: Stay tuned until the final post for something awesome.

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Unbound: The Awakening

By: Kyle Stephens

“A hero shall rise from the ashes of despair.”

 

Prologue

The year is 2554 and science fiction was wrong, humanity cannot venture far beyond our world and its atmosphere. The stars are, and always will be, a distant thought. Resources are limited. Humanity is forced to dig deeper and deeper into our own ruined planet to find what we need to survive.

One company leads the charge towards Earth's center – the Gaia Corporation. They are the leading corporate entity on this rock we call home. Long after the governments fell, Gaia stayed strong. They have a hand in all walks of life. Even the local police, if you want to call them that, are staffed and managed by Gaia corp. Their home office resides in Olympia City. A sprawling utopia that sits on the very spot where the once fable Mount Olympus stood – where the gods watched over man. That mountain, like many others, has been mined until it collapsed in on itself.  Every year more of the Earth's landscape is reduced to nothing more than holes in the ground, barely a trace of used to be. Only the poorest or most desperate become deep earth miners.

The residents of Olympia city are split. The famous, wealthy and privileged live in the upper tier of the city. Their way of life is protected by the great wall. The wall separates glamour from the slums below – where most of the population resides. Disease, famine and crime are considered normal. Life there is tough, but their will to survive is ironclad.

***

“Please tell me he'll be ok” said Liam, head in his hands.

“I'm sorry, but there is nothing more we can do.” the doctor replied.

“There has to be something, anything. Some drug, surgery or-or procedure we can look into.” Liam said as he looked back at the doctor. He appeared as though he hasn't slept in days. His dark blue-black hair and goatee are disheveled, bags hung under his eyes.

“Your medical allotment has run out. Gaia has denied any further treatment. Your son’s lungs have not shown any signs of recovery. I am sorry to say, but you should start making arrangements.”

The doctor places his hand on Liam's shoulder which hung defeated. The gesture which was meant to comfort and sooth, made Liam feel even more alone. It had been barely a year since he lost his wife to pneumonia. Gaia Corp employees were only given a certain amount of time they could use to visit hospitals or doctors. More serious issues cost more time, which equaled less treatment. Sometimes families had to choose between their own children.

Minutes turned to hours as Liam sat with his son. It was just before dawn when the beeping of the monitor became one unending sound. No one came to try and resuscitate the boy; the sound was just remotely silenced from the nearby nurses’ station.

It was then that Liam finally wept.

 

Part One: Descent

    Chapter One

Six months later

“Liam,” Avery yelled from the kitchen. “Get up.”

“Avery, shut it” Liam replied, barely awake.

Liam lay among bottles of various alcohols. His mind still swimming from the previous night’s binge. He needed to calm his nerves before today's expedition.

“Come on, get up.” Avery yelled back, “We're already runnin' late.”

The young girl, barely eighteen, was already up and dressed. Her long red hair pulled back and braided. Atop her head were her not-so-standard issue purple goggles. Avery was in the kitchen, food sizzling in the pan.  She had been up for a while already. She was nervous for today mission; but unlike Liam she wasn't old enough to force herself to sleep with alcohol.

Liam's stomach grumbled from a mix of hunger and nausea. Whiskey always made Liam feel like a king at night, but left him in the garbage by morning. He sat up trying to quell the rage inside him and the explosions in his head.

“U-ugh. When did I go to bed?” Liam grumbled, rubbing his temples.

“When you passed out and I put you there.”

“Thanks...” Liam replied. He sat on his bed for a few long minutes. His eyes wandered to the handmade stuffed bear on the floor. It normally stayed on his bed, close to his pillow. That was where his son kept it on his bed when he would sleep. Liam reached down and put it back in its spot. The movement made his head spin, but he had to get ready.

Liam stood up and got dressed. He grabbed his normal work attire and made sure his mining gauntlet was calibrated. Liam's employer, The Gaia Corporation, issued one to every deep earth miner. It allowed them to sync with their communications array, tools and drills. If something were to ever go missing, they knew where to start their search.

As Liam strode into the kitchen he threw on his favorite jacket. By now the long brown coat was well worn. His job ripped and tore at the coat but he still he kept it. It was one of the last things his wife gave him before she died. He also grabbed his eye protection and hung them around his neck. He didn't use them much, piloting the machines and all, but he was required to have them.

Liam grabbed a plate of food and sat with Avery. Silence was all they needed. In the years they have known each other; they have learned they didn't always need to talk. Avery, like Liam, lost her family. Now the two were all they had left. Their age difference - Liam in his early thirties - let them to form a special bond. They are more than friends and co-workers they were now family. To Liam, Avery was now like his little sister.

“You ready?” Avery finally said after finishing her food.

“I dunno." Liam replied. "Today could be my last”

“You'll be fine. You got me watching over ya.”

“Like I said, today could be my last.” Liam said, a small grin forming on his face.

They quickly cleaned up and headed to the door. Liam's nerves were now taking the place of the hangover. His stomach started to twist as they left. What was coming could change everything for him, for everyone, or it could be the last time he saw the light of day.

Their house was not too far from the mine owned by Gaia Corp. Everything in this part of town was covered in a fine later of rock dust. But the closer they were to work, the faster they could get back and forth. That means more hours and in turn more money. Not that Gaia Corp. paid their employees well.

***

They arrived at the main gate of mining complex and were greeted with the long line waiting to scan in.

"Crap." Liam muttered, knowing it was his fault for being late.

The building was the largest in the lower city. Nearby housing complexes were dwarfed in comparison. Smoke billowed from stacks that added to the building's height. Soot and dust always fell from the sky like snow; it never managed to reach past the wall though. Almost nothing from down here made it inside of the border. Every entrance elevator scaling the sixty story wall was guarded. People have tried to sneak in, they usually found themselves in a detention cell or worse. Repeated attempts came with more sever consequences.  

As the two neared the entrance, the familiar glow of the body scanners lit the main hall. Signs adorned the walls on either side of them. Nearly every inch of the passage had something to say. Everything from warning signs to company propaganda could be seen. The most common of which was the company logo; an inverted triangle with a hand holding the Earth. It could also be seen on every employee uniform and piece of machinery.

Liam lifted his goggles; also company issued, and prepared to be scanned in for work. He could hear the computer registering the people in front of him. Each employee was given an alphanumeric code at birth. That dictated what you did and where you went from there on out. Each scan only took a moment. The works in front of him stepped in, were bathed in light and went on their way.

A minute later and it was Liam's turn. The scanner beeped and recorded his arrival. M948, check in complete. Liam was barely out of the scanner when Avery stepped in. C575, check in complete.

"So, are you ready for this?" Avery said as she put her own goggles back atop her head. This time, even under the sarcasm, Liam knew she was serious.

"Honestly, I dunno. We've never drilled this far." Liam replied. “There are a lot of variables to account for.”

"Yeah, but with you piloting and me watching from here, you'll be back in no time."

Liam just half smiled at Avery. He wished he had her confidence. She had no idea how he felt, she wasn't the one who might not come back. Avery was a communications specialist. That meant she stayed seated in mission control, watching safely from above.

It was a long fifteen minute walk to mission control. Nearing the entrance, Avery stopped for a few moments as though she was going to say something to try and bolster his spirits.  Instead she put on a forced smile.

"I'll be watching."  Avery said, turning towards the door.

"I know." Replied Liam, "Thanks."

Avery then turned and left. The hall seemed a lot emptied without her there. A few moments passed as Liam collected his thoughts.

I got this.

Finally he spun on his heel and made towards the launch hanger. 

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Check back next week for Chapter 2!

Quick update and my week 1 Destiny impressions (minor spoilers)

Hey everyone,

I apologize for the slower content production. I have been moving for the last couple of weeks (slowly but surely) and am finally set up. Content will begin to roll out again at a normal pace starting this week. Thanks for your patience!

-Kyle

Now, on with my week 1 Destiny impressions.

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Hold [button] to scan...

"It's a lot of fun, but..."

 

Bungie knocked it out of the park with their industry changing series, Halo, for the Xbox console(s). I played every game, numbered or not, the day it came out. After the release of Halo: Reach, the studio went dark. Years passed until the announcement of their newest IP, Destiny. I was so excited to dive into that universe that I did something I haven't done in a long time; I preordered the game (digitally even).

With the chance to play the alpha and then the beta, I thought I knew what I was in for and I couldn't have been more hyped. I haven't been so confused about how I feel about a game since the first Assassin's Creed (I love the series so much that I have the "A" tattooed to my arm). In the alpha, we had no idea about the story and that was okay. I had the chance to play a game that wouldn't be out for months. The beta introduced the story, even if just a taste. It hinted at something much grander. I figured that the final release would answer the questions left by my previous experiences. In one word, nope. I will expand on that a little more in a bit. 

While the story left MUCH to be desired, the game play is some of the most polished I have ever experienced. Running around the four, decently sized, maps is a breeze with the option to summon your personal speeder known as the sparrow. Visually, each map has a gorgeous aesthetic. Small touches like wisps of mist from waterfalls truly draws you in. Hidden caves and ruined structures beg to be explored. That is one of the greatest things Destiny does right. The sense of exploration kicks in the moment you are let out to roam freely. I spent more time running around, taking in the sights, than I did actually playing the story. 

 

By far the biggest disappointment is the main campaign. It took me roughly twelve hours to complete the story and by the end I barely knew anymore than I did as the beginning. What, or who, is the Traveler? No idea. Why do the guardians have special powers? That is a great question to which I don't have an answer. Not only did I find the story to be a poorly written mess, but the bare bones "missions" were a train wreck. The ENTIRE single player experience can be summed up in five simple steps: Spawn on map, fight some enemies, scan something, protect your ghost, end mission, rinse and repeat. Even the final boss fight was only a minor deviation from those steps. 

Even with the mess of a story, I found I was having a lot of fun. Fighting enemies, even though you aren't sure why, is very enjoyable. That fun is expanded upon with the inclusion of friends. Bringing your friends together to do a strike mission (dungeon) or some pvp really ratchets up the thrill. I would suggest you do yourself a favor and join a clan. I found that after I made one with some friends, and it expanded a bit, I always had people to play with.

I am not ready yet to give Destiny a score as I only just reached level twenty. I haven't done a raid, weekly strike mission or really jumped into the competitive side. As it stands, I find myself really enjoying the gameplay of Destiny. It is that fun that keeps me coming back. The terrible story and mission structure can be overlooked (at least by me) because of the addicting gameplay. Hopefully, future expansions will answer the questions I have left.

Get your nongaming significant other into gaming (video games and/or table-top)

My wife, Megan, and I.

One of the hardest things any gamer can deal with in their personal life is trying to explain to their non-gamer significant other (SO) why their choice hobby is fun. Harder still is seeing if they will join you in your passion. Most recently, after years of asking, I got my wife to play video games (and even table top gaming) with me. I decided that I would give some tips on how I got my wife to try out my favorite pass time.

Game Choice

Having your SO jump right into Call of Duty multiplayer probably isn't your best bet. While using a controller with two joysticks, two triggers and eleven buttons is easy for you, you probably have had years of practice. The first time my wife held an Xbox 360 controller, she was immediately overwhelmed. (I also made the mistake of throwing her into Halo: Reach.) While I had been using a controller since the NES, Megan had barely held hold any controllers.

With that in mind, it may be in your best interest to try a game that uses only a few of the face buttons. I found the Lego games to be a great start. Lego Harry Potter was Megan's first choice. It was an easy and smooth game to try out. Also, it had multiplayer should we have decided to play together (more on that later). I also found that the Rayman games as well as connect games are good. If they aren't into consoles, you can also try handhelds. The Nintendo 3DS is a great console as it has a lot of games for people new to gaming and experienced alike. With a lot of special editions, variations (2DS and 3DS XL) and colors, you are bound to find something they like (Pokemon for example).

If even playing those games sounds daunting, have them just watch you play a cinematic game. For example Mass Effect, The Last of Us, or Transistor are great adventures that can play like a movie or anime. I will sometimes ask Megan to make the decisions in Mass Effect to get her more involved. It is engaging and can be fun for both people.

If you are like me, you may also play some table-top gaming like Dungeon & Dragons or Palladium. Oddly enough, Megan was more willing to try out this type of gaming over video games. At first she was very hesitant. but after watching my group play over the course of a few weeks, she became more interested. Also, I have an awesome Dungeon Master (Pat, you rock) who let her create whatever kind of character she chose. Fast forward a few weeks and now she is stoked to get her own dice.

Ease your SO into the idea of playing with you and your group. Invite them sit in on the game and watch. Let them get to know the group (if they don't already). Feeling welcome is one of the main things that needs to be established. It is hard to suspend disbelief if you don't feel comfortable with the group you are in. From there, let them check out the different types of characters and classes. They may be drawn to the art and idea of creating a fun class. You can then ask if they would like to create a character and join the game. If they say no, no worries. If they say yes then this leads me into my next point...

What I am currently playing.

Be patient

They are going to have a lot of questions. Let them ask all the questions they may have. If they need to look at the controller or character sheet a million times, let them. Be patient and understand that this is all foreign and may be very confusing. Everyone is different and learn at their own pace. Megan had trouble getting into Halo: Reach yet was easily able to figure out Rayman.

Sometimes, it is best to let them learn on their own. While you might think it is easier if you explain it, it can be stressful to have you always watching them. I know when I am learning something, I prefer to do it alone. If they come to you with a question, just remember what your old school teacher used to say, "There is no such thing as stupid questions."

Play multiplayer games

Well, the title says it all. One of the main reasons you want your SO to play games with you is to spend time together. Party games like Mario Party or Wii Sports are great games that are small, bite-sized, ways for you to play together. Another option is to use the Kinect if you have an Xbox 360 or Xbox One. The Dance Central games are fun for when you have a group of people over. Throw in a few drinks and you will really have something. Nothing is as funny as watching a bunch of tipsy people trying to dance like the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

Just look at those moves.

Once your SO has the hang of using the controller and feels a little more comfortable playing, then introduce more complex multiplayer games. Right now, Megan and I are enjoying Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition together. With me being a crusader, and her choosing the demon hunter, it allows for some crazy adventures. Diablo 3, for Megan, is a good evolution in her gaming choice due to her love of the Lego games she enjoys. There are a lot of similarities that make is so it isn't overwhelming. If you are fan of FPS games, maybe starting out with Portal 2 would be an option. The controls are a little tougher, but not as hectic as say Call of Duty or Battlefield. 

Have fun  

The main reason to play with your SO is have fun together. Gaming is meant to be a fun experience. So sit back, grab your drink of choice and have a great time!