In a small hut somewhere outside the city of Borealis, two young men huddled around a small laptop computer. One Atrox and one appeared to be Opifex. They seemed to be in an abandoned computer shop, with junk equipment lying around. Air was stale, only lightly decorated by the scant scent of silicon from the circuit boards. The room was dark, only dimly illuminated with the emotionless light emitting from the laptop screen. Images of scrolling text danced along the walls of the shop, showing their artificial beauty and disappeared into thin air.

Pacing back and forth, Rasque broke the silence, “Dude, how much longer?”

“Just a minute,” said Defunct, his eyes never left the screen while his fingers frantically typed.

“Geez, hurry up already. You know I am really sticking my neck out for you to get you access to this network.”

“Yeah whatever man, I paid you good money,” said Defunct, eyes still glued to monitor.

Rasque didn’t say a word, but grinned with his sparkling white teeth. Defunct inserted a small test tube into the side of the laptop, and then started typing again.

>>> Searching Omni-RK personnel records…
>>> DNA match found.
>>> Displaying personnel record…

An Opifex male’s picture and his information displayed on the screen. In the picture, he dressed casually and carried a rifle. He looked to be in his late thirties.

“Got it,” said Defunct with a barely noticeable smile. He skimmed through the data on the screen and continued typing.

>>> Searching for spouse records…
>>> Access denied, higher security clearance required.
>>> Rescanning Omni-RK security clearance…
>>> Invalid certificate, intruder alert.

The nanosecond that text appeared on screen, Rasque exclaimed, “Son of a bitch! We have to get out of here now. Omni-Pol will be here any second!”

“Damn it all to hell!” Defunct slammed his fist on the wooden crate the laptop was sitting on. Teeth clenched, he said, “Give me another minute or two!”

Bushes started to rustle outside. Not a second too soon loud knocks descended upon the fragile wood door, accompanied by a loud male voice, “Open the door, now!”

“Dude! We got to leave now! We don’t have a minute or two!” Rasque screamed.

“I don’t care! You will be busted too if this laptop is confiscated. So do whatever you can to slow them down.” Defunct continued typing.
Rasque spitted, “Fine fine fine! You are one tough customer.” With a few simple hand gestures, he fired up several nano programs in his NCU and darted out the shop through a wooden window close by.

The sun was shinning brightly outside. Rasque had to squint his eyes for a brief second to adjust to the light. He ran past the Omni-Pol officers, so fast that they didn’t notice. Now on their back, Rasque shouted, “Hey you Omni scum! Want a piece of me?” Hands gestured, nanobots activated, streams of signals transmitted to the Omni-Pol officers’ NCU via Rasque fingertips. Instantly, a white glow appeared around the officers. They were immediately immobilized but started to open fire. Rasque darted back into the bushes with nano-enhanced speed and ran.

Dashing back to the shop, Rasque said, “Alright dude, you got 52 seconds to—” Rasque didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. A loud crack formed on the door. Through the crack Rasque could see a raging Enforcer, chopping down the door bit by bit.

Panicking, Rasque shouted, “Oh man! I didn’t see him! Now I really have to go!” Yanking the laptop from Defunct’s hand, Rasque mumbled, “I hate doing this.” Within seconds, Rasque transformed into a cloud of nanobots and disappeared into thin air.

Left in the shop alone, Defunct hopped behind one of the crates and buried himself in webs and webs of computer cables. He found that spot when he first stepped in the room, precisely for this kind of situation. Without even the slightest breath, he waited. A tick later, the enforcer came raging in with eyes glowing red and beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. Six other Omni-Pol officers came rushing in after him. They surveyed the whole shop meticulously, but every time they came close to where Defunct was hiding, they quickly moved on to another area.

“So much for gridding here so quickly,” said one of the officers, looked to be in his mid twenties.

Now calmed, the enforcer said, “No worries, they will try again and next time they won’t be so lucky.” Wiping the sweat from his forehead, the enforcer turned his back, and the rest of the crew followed.

Defunct waited a few more to ensure they were indeed gone. He came out from behind the crate, hand holding a small slip of print out.
“Omni-Prime security clearance 8A.” Crumbling the paper in his hand, “you betcha I will get it.” He took a deep breath and walked outside. Staring at the blue sun, Amicus, he said, “Wait for me, mother.”

###

(End Part 1)

Here’s my contribution to the RP thread:

A Meta-Physical Calling
Late at night, Votary was laying in bed in his modest apartment at the westest side of West Athen. He picked the most remote apartment he could find so when night falls it would be quiet.

He was just pondering about himself, and his progress as a meta-physicist. Ever since his awakening to become a meta-physcist from his mining days, he has worked hard and long to become the best that he could be. He found ways to augment his abilities to be on par with his nanomage, solitus and opifex meta-physicist friends. He trained hard and spent long hours reading ancient meta-physical texts. He knew he was one of the best meta-physcists at his point in the path.

This night, he was pondering even more. His path might soon come to an end. Soon he will be able to summon the mightiest demon that a meta-physicst has ever summoned on the planet of Rubi-Ka. He already possessed the most devastating nano programs a meta-physicst could have and could execute them with ease. He was frustrated. He was also scared. What if that was it for his metaphysical stuides? After his mining accident and the awakening, he has been very clear in what he wanted to do with his Atrox life. But then recently, he was not so sure anymore.

He slowly drifted into sleep. Between the half awake and half asleep state, where you couldn’t tell whether something was real or something was in your dream, he heard a voice. A voice inside his skull. His tatoo on his temples started to itch, then burn. He couldn’t make out what the voice was saying but one word.

“Shadows…”

He struggled to get up, but he couldn’t. His arms and legs seem to weigh a thousand men. He could not open his eyes. He could not turn his head. He could not even wiggle his fingers or toes. He was stuck at the limbo between the real world and the dream world.

The voice kept whipsering and mumbling inside his skull. “Shadows” was all he could understand. Then the voice became two, and the two voices became four. Not even a tick after, thousands and millions of voices were mumbling “shadows” in his head. He wanted to scream, but he could not. He wanted to open his mouth to gasp for air. He could not. He was overwhelmed with terror. What was happening to him? He did not know.

Instead, he remembered his studies. He focused. He channeled his emotions. He refocused them. He manipulated the nanobots in his body with pure willpower. He activated them without even a single movement with his hands. He was no longer scared. Instead, he was then angered. He was angry at the voices. He was angry at whatever was doing this to him. His anger then turned into rage. From rage they turned into wrath. His emotions kept elevating. They fought with the voices, which made them even louder. They thundered Votary’s skull. He felt his temples were about to burst wide open. Beads of sweat ran down from his forehead. Veins were showing up all over his muscular body. Veins that were black and purple.

Suddenly, the voices stopped. Or did they all become one? He heard one voice, and one voice only. Was it a male voice, or a female voice? Or was it two voices? One male and one female, overlapping each other.

“On the second Sunday of June, the month of the balanced, you must show the same prowess you have demonstrated to me, to all others. Join your fellow pilgrims of the path, and a new path shall be shown in front of you.”

The moment the voice stopped, he opened his eyes. He could move again. Everything was normal then, just the same as every night at West Athen. He did not move even though he could, for a good half an hour after that ordeal. What was it? Who was it? He did not know. Though he did not question. He knew what he had to do. He no longer was frustrated. He no longer was scared. He had a mission and he planned to fulfill it.

He got out of bed, grunted at the now soaked bedsheets. He gazed at the three moons and prayed. He pondered what is in front of him. Emotions of frustration and terror are now filled with excitement. He could not wait.

“This,” he said,”is not a slip. This is lingerie,” He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite, silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. “Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion.”

“Well, I guess this is the occasion.” He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. “Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special occasion.”

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister’s family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn’t seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special. I’m still thinking about his words, and they’ve changed my life. I’m reading more and dusting less. I’m sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I’m spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings.

Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor, not endure. I’m trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them. I’m not “saving” anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, and the first camellia blossom. I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries without wincing. I’m not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party going friends. “Someday” and “one of these days” are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it’s worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now!

I’m not sure what my sister would’ve done had she known that she wouldn’t be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I’m guessing… I’ll never know. It’s those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with someday. Angry because I hadn’t written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn’t tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them. I’m trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that every day, every minute, every breath truly is… a gift.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE-SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present!

from an email chain letter

Despite what some people think, there is still hope in this world. Hope is the prime motivation for humanity. People pursue education in hope of having a better life. People climb the corporate ladder in hope of one day become another Bill Gate.

However, where does hope come from? It comes from within, the true ones. Those come from outside are unreal and useless unless the inside of you believes in it.

On Serenity

Everyone needs his or her own sanctuary. Whether it is your messy room, or the church down the street, everyone needs a place where he or she can be in touch with him or herself.

You will never be able to acquire serenity until you are truthful to yourself (not pretend to be someone else), believe in yourself (have confidence) and listen to yourself (follow your heart).

On Happiness

Money can’t do everything, without money, you can do nothing. Money cannot buy you happiness. However, it certainly can take you closer to it.

In a world which emphasizes on materials, your wealth puts you in the caste you belong to, and people treat you accordingly. It used to be obvious. Now it is subtle, but it is still there.

There is no such thing as “you don’t need money if you have love”. Nonetheless, you do need both to acquire true happiness.

Can you truly answer no to the above question? I certainly do not believe any person on this planet can. At one point in our lives, we must have had to make decisions based on the differences among several things. For example, there are different brands of orange juice. How do you choose among the brand names? You do so by forming opinions on each brand. You may form your opinion based on the difference in taste, the difference in prices, or the difference in volume. No matter which area of difference you base your opinion on; you are still forming opinions (and criticizing while you are at it) because of the differences between the “brands” of orange juice. Can we apply this on human beings as well? Certainly. Notice that I did not say you choose and treat the brands of orange juice differently because they are different. I only stated that you have different opinions on each brand.

The real question here is: do we favor one brand over the other ones? It is apparent that we do. That is the whole point of forming opinions on things in our life. By admitting that you do form opinions based on the differences, you inevitably will, be it consciously or subconsciously, rank the desirability of each choice.

Objection: People are not orange juice bags. Orange juice of the same brand tastes the same all the time. Therefore, you can choose an orange juice by forming opinions on the brands. I treat people differently. I understand that people of the same race are not the same all the time. Therefore, although I do form opinions based on the differences in people, I do not favor, nor do I dislike, any race.

Response: Do the orange juice bags from the same brand really do taste the same all the time? You might have tried Brand A and Brand B and decided you don’t like Brand B because it tasted so awful to you. However, the manufacturer of Brand B can decide to use a new formula at any time. They can modify and enhance the taste of it without you knowing it. If you try Brand B now, it is likely that you may now prefer it to Brand A. Nevertheless, because of previously formed opinions on Brand B, you will not try it again. Now your opinions on Brand B are wrong and thus you are now mistreating it. Take a look at another possibility. What if the Brand B orange juice bag that you tried before was a defective one? Applying that to people, it is very likely that your opinions on different races of people can be very wrong.

Moreover, forming opinions and not making conscious or subconscious choices is to say the least, illogical. You do not form opinions for the sake of forming opinions. The very existence of opinions is to help making choices. That is the natural desire seeking and survival preserving nature of human beings.

Now take a step back and take a look at the society. Take a look at the people in the society when they are dealing with people of different races. Have you ever heard a racist comment before? I am certain that you have seen racist materials used in television shows or by stand-up comedians. Why do you think they are used? You certainly would not think that it is because our society is not racist and thus they are using it. I hope you don’t.

Let me give you a concrete example from personal experiences. Once I walked into a restaurant. It was one of those very high class and expensive steak houses. The minute I walked in, I noticed that all the people sitting in the visible area of the restaurant are mostly middle-aged Caucasian couples, and the rest were although not couples but still Caucasians (some of them my age). There were plenty of tables left in that area. Nonetheless, the hostess decided that my Asian friend and me should be seated in an area away from the main area. When asked why we were led to such area, the reply was that the main area was full. This is certainly not true. As I previously mentioned, there were plenty of tables left in that area (around eight to ten).

Why was I treated like this? Age? It is unlikely, because there were young Caucasian patrons around my age seated in the main area. My attire? I was wearing a business suit, so was my Asian friend. The only reason left is my skin color. To reinforce my argument, there were several other patrons in the remote area that we were seated in. Not to my surprise, they appeared to be non-Caucasians (Hispanics and African Americas).

To sum it up, racism is inevitable. Until the day that human kind unites and disregard our skin colors all together, dropping the labels of each race, racism will still exist. How should we deal with this is the pressing question that we have to answer. Measures such as affirmative action may be helpful, but that is another article.

Argument’s Strength

It is apparent that Paley attempts to use a real life example that everyone can conceive (the watch), to bring the point across. This is, in my view, an extremely good strategy. We are all trapped in our beliefs that we generated from our lives in the world as we live in. Most people refuses to throw away what they already believe to think and look harder for other possibilities. They accept and believe whatever is easier to understand. On top of this, by providing visualization for the argument (everybody knows what a watch is and how it could be assembled in a factory), he further eases the process of explaining his argument.

Paley also used the method of prove by contradiction, which is equally effective. If you agree that something cannot happen this way, you automatically agree that it must have happened the other way. In this case, Paley’s standpoint would be: if the watch was not formed by coincidences, then there must exist a creator of the watch.

Argument’s Weakness

Paley dismissed the possibility of the watch you found while crossing a heath being formed “naturally” only by freak accidents or countless coincidences. This is outright misleading. A watch is a man-made item. Everybody knows the manufacturer makes the watch; every part is being assembled by machines. By using a watch as the object in question, Paley is misleading the crowd to agree to his argument that the world is made by “someone”. I doubt his argument will be as striking if he uses objects such as a pearl, which most people know that it is formed naturally, without a creator.

Moreover, it was wrong for Paley to say that even if we have never witnessed a watch made, his conclusion would not be weaken. It certainly would. Paley failed to see, or avoided pointing out, that the watch is an end result. To look at the end result and imagine how it is formed is extremely hard. Take my pearl example. When you look at a well rounded and milky white pearl, it is not easy to imagine how it was formed and you might say, “It’s too beautiful to be formed naturally.” However, if you know that it was not like that at first, but instead it was originally tiny little packs of white substances. Then after ages more of these substances gathered and they slowly got packed together and form the end result, you will have no trouble envisioning the end result being formed naturally. The bottom line is, the initial formation of any object in this world does not necessary have to be as complicated as the end result. The world, for all we know, could have been started merely as a random collection of chemical matters that by coincidence triggered some domino effects that formed the world as we know it. The same weakness can be applied to Paley’s further writings regarding not understanding the parts of the watch. If you do not understand how a pearl can be formed naturally, you will most likely dismiss the fact that it is indeed, formed naturally.

In addition, although I don’t know exactly what Paley’s view on God’s properties is, his argument clearly implies that God is not perfect. It is because if God is perfect, his creation must also be perfect. For a perfect being must be perfect in everyway such that he cannot create an imperfect object. It is the same as if an archer has 100% accuracy (i.e. perfect accuracy, although it cannot happen), he or she cannot ever miss his or her target. Nonetheless, in Paley’s view, he states that the watch is not perfect (“the watch sometimes went wrong, or that is seldom went exactly right.” – textbook pp. 61 lower first column). Since he uses the watch to represent the world, he meant that the world is not perfect. This contradicts to a common ground established by the theists that God must be perfect.

Furthermore, most of the rest of the essay that are supposed to strengthen the argument by saying “even if X is true, it will not hinder the conclusion”, are all based on the dismissal of the possibility that a delicate and complicate object cannot be formed by combinations and coincidences alone. If anyone disagree with this (see my point regarding visioning process from end result), all the rest of the counter-arguments are effectively useless.