Jackson Helix's Story

Jackson Helix had arrived on Terra the day before, and had spent the morning, observing Wing City. "So this is the land of dreams?" he had muttered to himself somewhat disappointed but seeing the vast opportunity for investment. He had heard about this city when his father Aston Helix had shipped some equipment here to help with a rebuild of sorts. He'd always imagined it to be far more advanced than what he was used to, but that wasn't the case.

He looked around cautiously, he was a log way from home, it was doubtful anyone would recognize him for who he was, but faces could be remembered, and recently his face had been around various media stations a lot. ' Donated 1,000,000 to sufferers of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder!,' He placed an envelope he held into his Jacket pocket and his fitted black suit hug his figure, as he made his way up the hospital stairs.

He entered the lobby to be greeted by an assistant, and after uttering the letters 'T L A' she walked quickly to find someone suitable.

He sat down and admired one of the leaflets that offered information for magic users.

Clear as crystal, a feminine voice came through Wing City Hospital's PA system,

Sir Helix, please report to the Discharge Atrium: Your Party Is Waiting!

Hospital chatter resumed to normal as the voice cut away. A siren wailed closer from the distance; much of the staff picked up the pace in preparation for what was sure to be a demanding next few hours.

"Sir Helix?" he almost swore the words as the surprise overtook him. This was supposed to be a quiet visit and now the whole hospital now knew he was here. How did they know his name? he hadn't told the nurse? he rose from the seat taking the leaflet and tucking it in with the envelope in his jacket pocket. The suit? perhaps someone wearing a suit was unfamilar to the hospital and so curiosity had got the better of the nurse?. No that was illogical, he looked for a sign leading him to the discharge atrium.

The discharge atrium was empty for being what it was. There should have been treated and recovering patients milling in, out, and about, with nurses handling paperwork and pesky insurance agents sucking the money out of the citizenry like blood. Instead there were only three occupants.

One was in a streamlined suit of leather armor. It was black, polished, embellished with gold, and it's wearer stood at attention. To their left was a woman, her hair as black and as shiny as Wing City Lake at night. She had a serious look about her.

To her left was a scrawny older man with wild white hair. He gave a little hop at the arrival of Sir Helix.

"See, see. Told you he was here," Rosh hissed at the the woman and the armored one, rushing forth to make greetings. He gave a quick bow, "Sir Helix! A pleasure-honor!- to meet you. I must apologize for the, er, ambush as it would seem."

He had never met these three people before, but something about their demeanor set his worries aside which seemed odd. Perhaps they knew who he was and wanted to make a proposal. He tugged at his jacket before offering a hand in a very businesslike manner, " Please the sir isn't necessary, call me Jackson. You'll have to forgive me but i don't believe we've met, is there something i can help you with?"

The idea of leaving his previous engagement waiting set him on edge. He was never late, and the impression he wanted to make on the civilians of wing city was important.

"No no Sir He-ah, Jackson. No, we have not met. We know all about you though!" Rosh wagged a finger, clearly excited by the encounter. Behind him the woman cleared her throat and glared. The white haired man must have sensed the glare, for he winced and took a deep breath.


"Deepest apologies for the interruption, my name is Rosh Zenzara. This here," he gestured to the woman, "Is Xao Dua. She's an ambassador, from the planet Aberash. Have you ever had the chance to visit?" His eyes glittered for a moment. The woman seemed tired of Rosh's ways and spoke up from the back.

"Is this a bad time?"

She seemed impatient, if not downright annoyed. Maybe it was her character, maybe it was having to deal with Rosh the entire way here (and the entire way back). Rosh's hair whipped around as he looked from Sir Jackson Helix, to Xao Dua, back to Helix, back to Dua, and then finally back to Helix.

"Well it is, i have a meeting planned but i can spare a few moments. Aberash, no i can't say i have. I would love to visit some of the sites of the world but my business keeps me rather occupied. So unless it was looking for infrastructure design, or perhaps some investment, i feel i am going to be of little use to you." --he shrugged softly a confession of sorts that his life was extraordinarily busy. He caught the flailing hair of the woman. His soft tones asked " Are you okay, you seem... frustrated?"

Club Nyt

From the outside, Club Nyt could be mistaken for an abandoned hotel, with gargoyles and spires. As you walk inside, the first thing that you notice are the red flashing lights that temporary blind you. Dark electro club music batters your ears.

"Aberash is a wonderful planet, dear," called Xao, refusing to meander any closer. Rosh shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He was clearly less patient.

"Investment! Yes, that," Rosh began, "We have the best of investment opportunities, trust, and it would be an honor. Perhaps this isn't the best time, but how else to get in touch with such a-"

"Tomorrow evening, we will meet elsewhere? A hospital is no place for this type of conversation," Xao shouted across the room. As hurried as he was, Rosh sighed in defeat. This really was not the best spot.

"How about Club Nyt, tomorrow afternoon?" Rosh suggested. Despite being a Gothic nightclub, it had a certain high-class appeal during the day that was perfect for business. Especially interplanetary business.

"Ma'am there is someone here to meet with you....as well as an unknown party talking to them..." Informed a trooper
Priestess sighed "I don't have time for this... Mysti go deal with this find out what they want then get them out."
"Yes ma'am" said the mage who then turned to a squad of TLA troopers " You all with me"

Mysti and her squad left headed for the lobby hearing the sounds of the commander Priestess yelling about getting the damn elevator working. Mysti sighed and shook her head.
The sounds of trooper's boots where heard as Mysti and her men entered the lobby.

"Welcome to the Wing City Hospital." Mysti said to the group " I'm Mysti archmage of the Terran Liberation Army... The commander of this facility is busy at the moment, but I can give you any information you may need or if you need medical attention I can point you in the right way." She took a pause before asking "So how may The Terran Liberation Army help you today?"

"See you there," Rosh smiled, before departing wide-eyed with his people.

Wing City Hospital, this was apparently where the magic happened concerning the rumored Terran Liberation Army.

At least, that's what the brief detailed for Agent Solis' first assignment offworld since she joined the IIA And completed her training.

She looked up, and around once she was through the doors of the hospital, wearing all black she stood out from the rest of the crowd, in a black sweater, dark jeans, and a slim leather handbag draped over her shoulder.

She was given orders to blend in, meet with the local resistance and set up arms deals.

She checked the fitment of her disruptor pistol, which was concealed in a holster in the small of her back, discreetly adjusting the weapon to sit more comfortably, she approached the front desk, her heels echoing through the lobby.

Outside the elevator shaft before princess hospital steel framework can be heard to creak and groan as a wall straightened and pulled inward. The bent superstructure straightened by a dense cloud occupying the darkened interior. Buttons outside the elevator sprung to life as something reconnected collapsed wire conduits. With a hum of life the floor indicator chimed but displayed nothing. After a few B4 appeared then advanced quickly to ground. It chimed once more and the door opened.

Shiny metal doors open to four humanoid men standing in the dark. Lights blink on from above as what sounded like rain issues from all sides. Blackness drains from the lights into the elevator shaft and the car grows brighter still. Seen more clearly their garb something between a white doctor's coat and an overcoat. Above it heads in coarse gauze to make bare hints at indistinct features. Jinhai made a pale imitation of the doctors they saw as to not disturb the patients. Mostly they were seen at night while patients slept. Other Jinhai in slightly different garb, frequently seen in the city if out of the way, walk in at all hours to drop patients off without so much as a word.

Stone plates with pillars at each corner held between them each occupant quite still. A soldier of some distinction from accident during city repairs laid still as the mortuary slab he'd once been upon. They'd recreated the clothing and the armor but none of the markings. Appearing do until a chest rose making breath more apparent. The man's eyes open, alarmed. Both him and idle compatriot quite alive.

One looked straight to Priestess its flat voice noting, "It is done, humankind."

~~~

"Where are you taking me? Why can I feel my legs?", asked the man reaching for legs quite well smashed by debris to his recollection.

"You are rekindled, humankind," came the emotionless reply, "You must return to the care of other humankind."

"What? Who?", came the soldier's voice as they entered the hallway to set the white stone plates on a gurney.

The four turned toward the basement stairs down the hallway without further word to the alarmed man trying to get up. The soldier just stared with hands propping up his torso. Moving bare toes dumbstruck and quite in shock. Nothing but bare skin below the thigh his clean pants ended abruptly.

"But... where are my shoes? Is that a tattoo? Whose legs are these?!", was all the man could muster.

/ic Jackson Helix Northern Main Street

Another day dawned in Fiari, Jackson peered out through the large pane of glass at the Seas below him. He watched the colors shimmer and glow as the ripples crashed upon the rocks.

"So what is on the Agenda today?"

A well dressed man across the room peered down at a device. "Actually sir all your meetings were rescheduled for next week. There are reports of a conference being held that you may find interesting considering the progress we are making."

"Did the IOC send the report i asked for?" Jackson asked, his tone kind yet firm.

"Yes sir, they are on your desk, along with..-"

"Thank you," Jackson's tall lean figure turned to face the man, "Your efforts haven't gone unnoticed, take a day off, seriously, when was the last time you saw your family?"

The man looked aghast before a small smile crept onto his face. "I am more than happy to help sir I'm always here if you

"How long?" Jackson's tone turned more serious.
"It's been three weeks and two days. Not that i'm counting."

"Go please, you deserve it, i'll look over the report and i'll tell you our next move tomorrow." Jackson moved towards the man who while bigger than him, seemed to flinch slightly as he approached. "I'll need you around in the next few weeks, we may have alot on our plate. Send my regards to Gina and the kids."

"Yes sir, of course" The man bowed as he left leaving Jackson Helix alone.

His strides were confident and firm, whether it was the black suit he wore or just the gait of a man sure of himself was unknown.
He picked up the paperwork and slumped into his chair.

"Not fast enough" he murmured as he wrote a few notes on a piece of paper emblazoned with the Helix symbol.

Employee Elevators: Ground Floor
Mason Talbertsson

The key carded lift for the research center ceased it's soothing hum at the employee access halls beyond view from visitor information just meters away on the ground floor of the Aston Helix Center; and Mason Talbert stepped out. Dressed in a simple blue courier's uniform as he always was when not "on vacation", he walked with calm purpose toward the public commons area. He even wore the likeness of his original body; it felt like putting on a comfortable pair of clothes to him. Everything was just right. He almost felt fully human again.

The door made a soft click as he pushed it open into the bright artistic area of the public commons. It had an open air feel and the din of people talking was underscored by trickling water from fountains and the cry of birds coming through open windows. The warm dry breeze of the bay wafted through in a constant circulation and seemed to merge the central hub of Helix operations on Cortex with nature almost seamlessly. That was the goal, though.

Present an image of integration, posterity, and goodness.

Mason walked to the staircase leading up toward the entrance of CCO (Central Corporate Offices) and immediately began climbing it. It wound around the outside of the open courtyard enclosure below and broke off a couple of times for public access to Helix-based attractions and information. While most visitors spent time out in the Helix Central Gardens, some still meandered through the vaulted shining interior with wonder and curiosity. Mason cataloged every single one of them before he reached the key-carded double doors at the top. They were tempered voxalite glass with interlacing voxalite nano-tubes and a non-Newtonian polymer gel layering. They were damn near impenetrable to anything other than the heaviest of arms fire and they looked as clear as regular glass. They also cost a small nation's net worth. A big man in a suit on the other side of the door waited silently as Mason swiped his ident. and walked through. The silence in the glass-hallway was heavy. He stopped and grinned at the big fella.

"Heya, Tom."

The big man nodded to him and bobbed his head to the right, signaling Mason to go. Mason nodded in response and began walking toward the main door to the corporate offices, high above the heads of gawking visitors.

"okay thank you, let him in" Jackson's phone closed. A small smile appeared on Jackson's face as he rose from his desk and readjusted his collar.

When you were in Jackson's position, while he held all of his staff in high regard, friends were hard to come by. A series of isolation's arose when their was the potential that your death could be more profitable to others than your life. This issue had cost him several million credits in lawyers fees and more signatures than he could count, scrawled over contracts that shifted his corporations assets in the event of his death. Then there was the isolation came with being protected nearly everywhere he went, the constant removal of privacy left Jackson disconnected somehow from socializing with the world around him. If he wanted to go to dinner within Fiari he would be accompanied, and whilst he valued the effort these people went to to keep him safe, there were occasions when they frustrated him.

Mason was a rare example of someone Jackson could call a friend, They had spent time alone, and had connected as people, not just as employer and employee.

He opened the double door to the room and beckoned him in, closing the door behind him.

"It has been too long. Welcome back."

Central Corporate Offices: The Office of Jackson Helix
Mason Talbertsson

The walk up through central offices was much like traversing a hospital. Abysmally large and slow to get from point a to point b, but Mason knew it well from experience. He didn't need any tech addons to know where he was going and, in short order, made it up to the administrative floor and to the office of Jackson Helix. The familiar sense of business-like cleanliness merged with some personal style wafted over his senses. The most recent firmware update to the olfactory senses was impressive and he took a small breath, noticing the subtler scents on the air whether it be from open windows, the scent of wood, or the perfumes and colognes various folk about the office wore.

It was pleasant and Mason Smile. His smile broadened as the double doors to Jackson's office opened.

"Mr. Helix." He said with a nod and a tone that belied how unofficial he was being despite the title. He stepped inside the office with his hands folded behind his back and looked around admiringly as he waited for the doors to be closed. When he finally heard the doors click, he flicked dark eyes at Jackson and raised an eyebrow.

"Thanks." He said, dark eyes dancing. "It was a long vacation."

Jackson observed him for a moment, taking in the atmosphere, allowing the moment to readjust to the usual familiarity that once settled between them. It was largely the same familiarity, there were jagged edges that came with long timeframes apart, but Mason was still... well Mason.

"You've come back at a busy time, i'm hoping that is not a coincidence. It would be easier knowing that news is spreading naturally, rather than forcefully. Our escalation is about to hit a much bigger audience, we have a convention in a few weeks that will bring The Helix Corporation to the forefront of the galaxy's mind. It could arouse the contacts that could make or break everything we have worked so hard to achieve. Mason, i could use your support in the times ahead, both as a friend, and off the record." He paused a moment, allowing the information to settle.

"Business aside, tell me about your time away, i want to hear of your adventures out in the big wide world." The request was friendly and full of admiration, regardless of status, Jackson admired Mason,they were of the same age, but mason had done so much more exciting things, he could have adventures, travel alone, something that he felt his position would never let him do.

Central Corporate Offices: The Office of Jackson Helix
Mason Talbertsson

The afternoon sun was casting a warm glow on the comfortable space of business deals, stressed out rants, and the occasional friendly conversation. Mason ran his fingers idly over the smooth surface of Jackson's desk and leaned on it's lip, as though sitting, but mostly still standing. He rested his hands on either side of him on the desk, straightening his back and looking at Jackson thoughtfully as the young man got business out of the way.

"If it's important the company's future, you know I'll be there. I support what you're trying to do with the company."

Mason kind of smirked at the ceiling, a nostalgic and thoughtful look gracing his features.

"It's funny to think that galactic is a level we plan for now. It's only been a couple of decades since it was a star system and then two or three. I guess at the edge of every known lies even more to discover."

He shook his head slowly in amazement. The question of adventures was never unexpected but Mason was never sure precisely how loaded it was or wasn't. He erred on the side of caution.

"I'd hardly call sitting in a space port an adventure." He laughed and then quietly told Jackson of his most recent vacation. A nice thing about having a company higher-up as a friend was that he had less to hide.

Helix Orbital Station: Command Center
Director Korou

The station had been calm for weeks now, if one could call stacks of paperwork and bustling trade calm, of course, and Yreia Korou had almost gotten used to it. Today, though; today she had woken up with an itching feeling in the back of her mind that she was about to be given a very rude awakening. The door to the command center clicked dully as the heavy composite thing swung outward on a great big hinge. She nodded and her dark honey eyes flashed gratitude to the soldier manning the door. Before she had even finished stepping into the neocortex of Helix's arc of technological advancement, it was clear that everyone was tense.

"Report." She said calmly as she walked up to the observation window at the far end of the of the dim, computer-packed room. From there she could see everything. High in geostationary orbit, she was afforded a breathtaking view of Cortex, the entire ring of the absolutely gargantuan station, the shipyards and docks extended from it, and the stars beyond. She smiled slightly.

"Sensor network readings have picked up several spatial distortion building at 90 degrees incline." A technician reported, standing up and handing her a data-pad.

"And that is significant..." she responded with the intonation of a question but paused as she took the pad, looking it over. She skimmed the mess of details until she saw what was important: the single line that detailed the size of the second spatial distortion. Her tone of voice changed to one of understanding as she handed the device back to him. "... Ohkay that is significant." Without turning or even moving she raised the tenor of her voice and calmly commanded the room.

"Comms: Set CDF and Customs to Alert-Standby-One: We might need them to enact security on the station if this is some unknown phenomena; Systems: Station-wide Yellow Alert and set banks 2 and 3 to charge: get the docks retracted, lock everything up and get ready to enact countermeasures."

She took a deep, steady breath.

"As far as anyone is concerned, this is a routine-" She was interrupted by the technician again. "A small vessel has appeared out of the proximal distortion." Then comms piped up "Incoming Transmission" and silence befell the dimly lit space. The comms technician played the distress call after a moment. Director Korou turned around finally and inclined her head.

"Give them approach clearance and ready a CDF Relief Vesse-" She was interrupted again. Her finger twitched behind her back.

"A large vessel has come out of the second distortion. High energy readings detected off the bow." The sensor technician reported as the distress message played again. The vessels were 150 megametrs off at least, giving the station due space and timeto respond if any kind of assault. But, even so, Director Korou's heart leaped in her chest. She spun around in time to see lances of coruscating emerald converge on a single point in space. "First vessel has been destroyed" the sensors reported.

Yreia Korou watched with half-lidded interest.

"Code Red, Ready Welcome Wagon, Ready Shields - Standby." She commanded with ice in her tone and the crew set about their business with draconian efficiency. She whirled around, coat swishing slightly and marched over to her chair at the center of the space to sit gracefully. She crossed one leg over the other and dawned a headset.

"Comms: get ready to beam a transmission to the vessel."

Her eyes took on a steely edge and silence befell the room for several minutes as the 1500 meter vessel moved inside the 100 megametre mark 90 degrees incline to the station. Visuals were now projected on the dimmed glass and she saw the phoenix emblazoned shield clearly in the sun's light and the call title IAN Ice Queen. She smirked at the irony in the name but it was a marker she would commit to memory.

"Transmit now"
She paused and the comms officer nodded. Her voice was calm, commanding, and alto.

"IAN Ice Queen, you have entered Helix Corporation controlled space and discharged
weapons. Please state your purpose."

The station's control arms and docking clamps were all retracted and the bays were buttoned up. The station was nearly sealed to standard Yellow alert fashion. By now, the information was likely reaching the board of directors on Cortex and an emergency meeting being called. Today just got interesting.

(Jackson tagged because he was alerted. Not here.)