| Author |
Darkspace - Twilight (Now with Alternate Ending!) |
Coeus {NCX-Charger}
Admiral, I can't read,
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: February 16, 2004
Posts: 3635
From: South Philly
|  Posted: 2005-01-16 15:36
Now for another three months of writers block... heh 
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Darkspace: Twilight
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Fatal Rocko Willis
Fleet Admiral
Fatal Squadron
Joined: March 01, 2003
Posts: 1336
From: Kentucky
| Posted: 2005-04-06 20:54
Bro that was fantastic. I don't think you will have another 3 months of writers block. You just need to take a pad of paper, a good pen or pencil, and scribble notes to your hearts content. You will see the notes turn into plots which will turn into sub stories.
We, the Twilight faithful, have faith and patience. Take your time. Remeber, it was you that inspired me to write "The Fogotten Fleet".
Rocko
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Coeus {NCX-Charger}
Admiral, I can't read,
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: February 16, 2004
Posts: 3635
From: South Philly
| Posted: 2005-04-06 21:10
Really? Wow Theres some inspiration in & of itself... hehe
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Coeus {NCX-Charger}
Admiral, I can't read,
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: February 16, 2004
Posts: 3635
From: South Philly
| Posted: 2005-04-26 15:10
*poke poke*
Hey... guess what... I wrote some
Welcome home Rocko! This ones for you buddy!
New linky to the now 100+ page MS Word Doc!
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Chapter 19
“Sir, we have analyzed the information from the sensors, it seems that whomever the ICC are fighting are few in number, but their ships are vastly superior.” Wyke sighed. His fleet was in shambles, they had to back away from Neptune orbit due to the planetary defenses, and there were only a handful of supply ships left to repair and reload the fleet.
“Show me.” Wyke said. He began pouring over the data screens. What he was seeing was almost impossible – and were it not from a live firefight he wouldn’t believe it. “Get me the Thor’s Hammer, the Little Chaoz, and Virus Station on the line.”
“Already linked together sir, going live.” Wyke looked up at the bank of monitors above his command chair. Several of them were blown out, and a few had buckled from their mounting and were nothing but smoldering heaps on the deck.
“We have a problem, gentlemen.” He said. Clint was the first to speak up.
“We have the same analysis, Wyke. These aliens aren’t here to capture Earth, they’re here to destroy it. I have the remaining CEOs on a separate secure channel, they all agree, no price is too large to insure the survival of Earth. They have authorized us to follow the Taelron protocol.”
Wyke looked around him. Repair crews were hard at work getting the ship systems back online. His first officer was on his back under the helm panel, with his hands embedded deep inside the circuitry of the panel, he stopped his work long enough to glance back at Wyke. The two locked eyes for several moments before Wyke looked back up at the screen. He could feel the weight of the entire future pressing down on him, time was running out and Wyke had a decision to make. He needed some kind of sign.
“Admiral, we have another fleet ship coming in – but they aren’t on course for the fleet, they are headed straight for Earth!” the comms officer said.
“Right. That was all I needed.” He said to himself. He turned back to the remaining leadership of the UGTO, and prepared to send them all, including himself, to their death most likely, and to the death of the UGTO most definitely.
*****************
“Report” Delafelde said. Ruff tapped some areas on his holo-panel and began getting information.
“Not going too well, sir.”
“Yes, I can see that, thank you Vox – now how about some specific bad news.” Vox grinned and glanced at Coeus, who obviously wanted to get into the thick of the battle.
“There are three enemy dreadnaughts, of K’Luth design but obviously not manufacture. They are outputting enormous energy readings – they seem to have some incredible shielding. The fleet is going to fall unless something changes drastically.” Coeus was visibly upset. What Vox couldn’t figure out is how the shields were able to withstand this kind of beating. They knew that the aliens were incredibly intelligent and advanced, but what they were seeing was defying the laws of physics. They had to be drawing their power from somewhere.
“Lieutenant, I want you to run a full scanners sweep of the system around Earth, as best you can. Scan for any abnormal energy readings – full spectrum scan.” Coeus said. The Lieutenant, not accustomed to taking orders from the enemy, glanced back at Delafelde, who nodded. They saw it too apparently.
“What are you thinking, Admiral?” Admiral Delafelde said.
“There is no way that ship can support a reactor big enough to power shields that intense – those are more powerful than any planetary based shield system I have ever seen. They have to be drawing the power from somewhere.”
“So you’re thinking another ship?” Vox speculated.
“Maybe, or something we haven’t thought of – either way we need to cut them off, or we can say goodbye to Ear-“
“Sirs!” someone cut Coeus off. It was the comms officer. “The ICC are launching MLPs, they are trying to board the enemy ships!” All three officers clearly saw it.
“Fools.” Vox and Coeus said at once. Delafelde afforded himself a slight smirk, and quickly erased it.
“Ok, see if we can cover those MLPs until they reach the shield perimeter of the ship they are headed for, launch fighter squadrons, remount pulse beams for CL2ks, stand by all torpedo and missile tubes. Cannons fire at will.” Coeus was once again reminded of how unique the Harpoon was. He began to wonder how she could support all of the gadgets that seem to have been stuffed into her, but thought the better of actually asking.
All at once, the Harpoon launched herself into the fight, Coeus had them broadcast an ICC identifier to declare to the fleet that they were here to help. He looked over at Vox, who had assumed an operations panel near the captain’s chair. Their eyes locked, and Coeus broke the moment first. “Time to go to work, ehh buddy?” The ship took its first hit of the day before Vox could reply, nor would he – they were on the clock now.
*****************
Rocko tightened his grip on the armrests. The Avernus just wasn’t a combat worthy vessel, but that didn’t matter now. The call had already been put out to any ship capable of fighting to come and assist the defense of Earth.
“Sir, we have exhausted our compliment of MIRVs – chem. Laser batteries are damaged.” Rocko’s first officer reported.
“Status of the Wormhole device?” Rocko said. Time to break some protocol.
“We sustained a direct hit by main engineering; they are repairing the system now.”
“Tell them to put a rush on it, we’re gonna send these bastards straight to hell.” Rocko gripped the armrests again as the ship rocked from a port side impact. “Hard about! Bring our starboard shields to bear, reserve power to fore and starboard shields.”
*****************
Hawk raised his head. The most annoying thing about these ships, besides the smell, was the fact that it was never easy to tell one direction from another. It would not be long now, though. For all the flailing about the humans did, they could not harm the ship. They would not last. Even now as the other humans came to join the fight, they could not hope to destroy the Del Monte, not while the special shielding was operative. No, Hawk would take the victory from this field.
“My lord, we are receiving word from the Soul Eater, they are in position and are thus far undetected.” The word came.
“Good!” Hawk chortled. “Now, we end this. Prepare to launch.”
“Yes my lord. The countdown shall begin as soon as the weapon is prepared.” Nothing could harm the ship, nothing could stop the ship. It was only a matter of time now. Hawk roared with pleasure.
“My lord, we are detecting a new group of signals. The imperial humans have joined in battle against us.”
“It is of no concern – it would take a million of their ships to even affect our shields. Inform me when we are ready to fire.” Hawk walked off the bridge, his hearts pumping proudly. Today was the day – it would all end today. The darkness was coming, and it would cover the entire universe. Just as the Legion fell, so would these pitiful fledgling races. None must be allowed to rival the greatness of Hawk’s own race. No one would be alive to challenge them.
*****************
“Back us off” Delafelde said. “Did any of the Marine Landing Pods make it through their perimeter defenses?”
Vox just shook his head. “Over fifty MLPs were launched – they have decreased the recharge time of the K’Luth Disruptors to just slightly longer than ICC Pulse Beams.
Coeus looked at Delafelde. “We need to go in point blank.”
“Close the gap between the ships and they can’t shoot them all down in time.” Delafelde sat back in his chair as the Harpoon took another broadside hit. Technicians wandered around the bridge.
“Well, since no one else is doing it I’ll be the one to state the obvious. We won’t last a minute at that close range verses that thing.” Vox said. He swiveled his chair around to finish the triangle between the two admirals.
“What makes you think we’d take the full brunt of their assault? Get me Coldheart Station, I want to talk to Admiral Hirad.” Coeus said. Seconds later Coeus was at the back comms station talking with the aged admiral. “I think its our only chance, Admiral.”
Hirad grimaced at the thought. “You do realize that we would lose most of the fleet before we ever got a chance to drop.” He said.
“Yes, and we will lose the entire fleet if we don’t find a way to get those shields down. And those ships that are about to be destroyed can launch their MLPs in the hopes that they can either draw fire from the other ships to destroy the MLPs or the MLPs will get through because of the focused weapons fire on our fleet. I don’t see what choice we have Admiral. We need to do something, and now.”
Hirad thought for a split second, and then nodded. “Very well, make the announcement to the fleet… and one more thing. First Admiral Coeus? Aren’t you on the wrong ship?” Hirad cut the channel before Coeus could answer.
“Admirals.” Vox said. “We have an ICC Assault Cruiser coming up on our starboard flank, she is taking the fire from the enemy and closing to docking range.”
Delafelde smiled. “Well Admiral, I do believe your ride is here.”
“Looks that way Admiral.” Coeus said. “See you on the other side.” Coeus saluted, and then was escorted to the docking airlock.
“Fire up the reloads and fill the Charger up. Make sure she is fully rearmed and repaired before she re-engages.” Vox said. Delafelde looked over at him, and nodded.
“And if its not too much trouble, could I get a cup of tea?” the admiral said. Outside, the war raged on.
Chapter 20
Listening to the comm. chatter, Cassius slammed his fist on his control panel again. How could he be stuck out here at a time like this. An Assault Dreadnaught wasn’t needed at all for something as simple as intercepting a civilian freighter.
“Admiral, we have a new contact at max scanner range. It’s the boomer sir.”
“Well its about damned time, inform the Lysander, have them fire up their engines. We will remain here incase the boomer gets past Captain Firestorm.” Cassius said.
“Admiral, the boomer is hailing.”
“Lets see it.”
Cassius looked up at the screen above his command chair in the center of the bridge. The screen was a little fuzzy, the tiny transport didn’t have the advanced communications systems that the ICC had stolen from the UGTO and installed on all their ships.
“Are you guys insane? Do you realize whats going on in Sol?” the boomer captain said, without identifying herself.
“This is Grand Admiral Cassius of the Assault Dreadnaught Yinbo to the civilian transport Lobby Ghost. You are hereby ordered to shut down your engines and prepare to be boarded. Identify yourself captain.
“You can call me Stardancer, and I sure as hell ain’t shutting nothing down. Do you realize that you are damning all of humanity by slowing me down? The longer you keep me from my objective the longer that… race can continue to destroy both the ICC and the UGTO fleets. You have comm. chatter to Sol, you know whats going on there. But do you have any idea whats going on here?”
“Captain Stardancer, we ha-“
“Its just Stardancer you underling ape.”
“Very well, Just Stardancer, we have orders to take your ship into ICC Custody under suspect of smuggling restricted substances.” Cassius said as officially as he could.
“God you’re a frelling robot aren’t you.” With that, the screen went blank.
“Sir, she closed the channel.”
“I can see she closed the channel, is she slowing down?” Cassius said. Now he was more bored than ever.
“Negative sir, the Lobby Ghost is increasing speed – they must have some modifications, they are pulling away from the Lysander. Captain Firestorm is running full steam.”
At last, something to do. “Fire a torpedo barrage across their bow, bring us about to intercept and spin up the sublight engines.”
*****************
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JackSwift
Cadet
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: October 30, 2002
Posts: 1806
From: Where the Sun dont Shine (Seattle-ish)
| Posted: 2005-04-26 15:14
Gad dang it Coeus. I haven't read this in 3 months... now I have to go and read it all over again to know what's going on. Sheesh.
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\"Errare Human Est.\"
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Coeus {NCX-Charger}
Admiral, I can't read,
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: February 16, 2004
Posts: 3635
From: South Philly
| Posted: 2005-04-26 16:04
Me too! 
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Starfist
Chief Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 22, 2003
Posts: 574
| Posted: 2005-04-26 19:20
lol Coeus, gj on it
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Coeus {NCX-Charger}
Admiral, I can't read,
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: February 16, 2004
Posts: 3635
From: South Philly
| Posted: 2005-04-29 12:13
.... the things that go BUMP in the [day]! 
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Coeus {NCX-Charger}
Admiral, I can't read,
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: February 16, 2004
Posts: 3635
From: South Philly
| Posted: 2005-06-23 15:42
BOO! I'm starting to get a feel for where I want to go with it... but I make no promises I know where I want it to end, just dunno how to get there quite yet... LOL!
[edit] Oops, 21, not 20 =P
So, without further adu... MS Doc linky! 106 pages I think now... hehe
_________________________________________________________
Chapter 21
“Admiral!” It was hard to hear Jameson over the din of battle. Klaxons, escaping gas, and the constant drone of metal under strain clouded everything. “We have a report from the Yinbo, they have engaged the freighter Lobby Ghost and …” Jameson stopped, his jaw practically fell off his face as he read the report.
“And?” Coeus barked. He continued giving orders via his command console. In the intervening seconds, the Charger ducked and weaved through space, in an attempt to evade the excess of torpedoes and cannon fire, while at the same time trying to get clear shots at the enemy dreadnaught and avoid her deadly beams.”
“And, the Lobby Ghost is outrunning both the Yinbo and the Combat Destroyer Lysander!” Jameson couldn’t believe what he was reading, a heavy boomer outrunning a combat class destroyer. Something about this whole situation wasn’t right. Jameson could feel it in his bones but couldn’t place his finger on it.
“Sir! Something is happening!” the nav officer yelled out. Both officers turned their attention to the front of the bridge, and the windows that separated them from a level of hell neither wished to fathom.
“The lead dread, she’s started moving towards Earth.” Jameson said, stating the obvious as any good first officer would.
“And the other dreads are covering her.” Coeus breathed deeply. He knew what this meant. “They’re giving the lead dread time to get to Earth to launch an attack that will turn it into a wasteland far beyond what we consider to be a barren planet.”
Coeus ordered the Charger away from the front lines, where she had been throughout the last ten hours. He looked around at the bridge crew. They were tired, most were bloodied from encounters with various sharp objects and instruments. They had, for the first time in the entire day, a look of despair – as if this actually was a fight that they could not win. The no-win scenario was one which Coeus had tried to prepare them. He often spoke of his father’s prediction, when Marcus had commanded the Charger some twenty-five odd years ago, that this ship would survive him, his crew and countless crews to follow to see the end of civilization as we knew it.
Coeus thought back to that day a decade ago, the last time he saw his father. Marcus had told Coeus about the dream.
“I saw the Charger, old and withered. She was coming apart at the seams but somehow still held together. She was flying through a blaze of some sorts, a fire that surrounded her, everywhere. I saw other ships, ICC, UGTO, and K’Luth burning and withering in space – yet the Charger stayed true, her hull never failing – she flew through the fires, and through the wreckage of entire fleets until she came to a place where there was no flame. Just blackness. Complete and utter blackness, and there she held fast, on the boarder between the light and the dark. She held the line against the twilight of the entire known worlds – against our twilight, against our end. Mankind’s end.”
“I wish I could tell you what happens, but the last thing I always see before I wake up is the darkness engulfing her, and the flames dying out, until nothing but blackness is left – and then I wake up.”
“And the dream is the same every time, pop?” Coeus asked. “It never changes?”
“No, Coe’. It never changes, that’s how I know it means something. That ship, there is something special about her. I don’t mean the bolts, welds, computers and steel that makes up the physical ship. I mean the SHIP! She has an essence, an aura, there is SOMETHING that sets her apart. Take care of her, Coe’. She has survived far longer than anyone could have hoped or predicted, there must be a reason.”
Coeus had thought his father was just insane from all those years on that colony, but looking at the situation now… he couldn’t help but wonder. “And now we shall see the flame of life thrive or be extinguished.”
Jameson looked up. It wasn’t like Coeus to be… artsy. At least, not in combat situations. “Sir?” he said.
Coeus looked down. The silence on the bridge seemed eternal, as if a symbol for the fear every man and woman felt. Smoke wafted through the air, and moved around Coeus’ hand as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigar. It was encased in a glass tube. Lelandra had given it to Coeus, a gift from their father, she said. “It was given to him by his father the day you were born. He had hoped that he could pass it onto you the day you became a father, and said if the end of all were to come as he foresaw, that you should have it.”
Coeus knew that actually smoking a cigar was against the law, in both UGTO and ICC territory. “What the hell” he said to himself. “We’re probably not going to see past today anyway.” He pealed back the ancient wax that sealed the glass tube, and sniffed the aroma of something that was older than his father’s father’s father. “Open a channel to the fleet, priority one.” He said aloud. Sitting back down into his chair, he faced the camera that was mounted in the bank of monitors at the front of the bridge.
“Attention all ICC and UGTO forces, that dreadnaught can’t be allowed to reach bombing range of Earth. The consequences… I’m sure you can all use your own imaginations. I am hereby authorizing the release of all self destruct commands, nuclear and quantum weaponry. Intercept the lead dreadnaught and its bomb payload at all costs. I repeat, at all costs.” A click signified the channel being closed.
“Sir, the fleets responded, they’re ready. The Avernus is hailing.” The comms officer said.
“Open a channel.” Coeus said. “Rocko, good buddy. What’s up.”
“Well, I hate to be the soul opposing voice, but this is just one planet we are talking about, perhaps we should save the fleet for something else instead of giving all our lives, not that that’s a problem, I’d just like to know why.”
“Because if they are successful here, the rest will come. This is just a test. If they can successfully destroy Earth, then they will come in their own ships, and hunt down every man, woman, and child of both species. We have to stop them here, we have no choice.”
Rocko was silent. “Understood.” He finally said, and the channel closed. Coeus hoped that would not be the last time he would hear his friend’s voice. He hoped it would not be the last time he heard any of his friends’ voices.
*****************
Jaydawg saw it. The ICC saw it. Why in gods name didn’t Wyke see it? “Put me through to the Depthcharge.” He said.
“What is it Jay?” Wyke said. His ship had sustained a direct barrage as soon as they entered the combat. Always overconfident in his own ships capabilities, it was now taking two heavy supply ships to fix her.
“Sir, are you looking at your nav?” he said. Best not to openly confront Wyke. Even in times of desperation, the top brass were always sensitive to being called uninformed or ignorant, even though they often were both.
“No, why?” Wyke was lying, Jay could tell.
“I think the lead enemy dreadnaught is trying to bomb Earth. From the way the ICC fleet is moving, I don’t think this is a normal bombing run.”
Jaydawg said. He uplinked the nav data with some key movements and information highlighted. Not even Wyke could miss this.
“My god…” he said. He was silent for almost ten seconds before Jaydawg spoke up.
“Sir? Do we engage?” he prodded. After another ten seconds, Jaydawg motioned the link severed. When it was, he spoke up again. “Patch me through to the entire fleet except for the Depthcharge. We can’t rely on him right now. “Attention, this is admiral Jaydawg of the Thor’s Hammer. I am taking command of the fleet. That lead enemy dreadnaught is making a run at Earth, and judging by the ICC response we cannot afford to let them do so. Uplink to the the ICC nav computers with the authorization given to us by the Harpoon and plot your courses so as not to interfere with the ICC firing lines and engage at maximum speed.”
“The fleet responds ready and is already on the move, sir.” Jaydawg sat back in his chair. He wish UGTO regulations allowed him to pray, a wish that shortly turned into a prayer.
*****************
The Lysander twisted in space, dodging the surprisingly powerful torpedoes from the freighter. She was carrying enough firepower to take down a Hive at distance, it seemed. The Yinbo was proving far from useful, as she was too slow and cumbersome to keep in the fight aside from a few close jumps that had barely landed a few shots on the Lobby Ghost. “Continue targeting their engines!” Firestorm said.
“Sir, comm. link coming in from the Lobby Ghost.” The comms officer said. It was patched through before Firestorm could even acknowledge it.
“Captain, please, you must listen to me.” Stardancer said.
“Is it your surrender?” Firestorm replied quickly. He thought a moment, and then nodded his head towards the camera.
“The cargo I am carrying is a subspace implosion device. WAIT! She shouted, seeing Firestorm get visibly upset at the news. “That subspace juncture, it isn’t a natural formation. It is an aperture, a gateway into the farthest reaches of the known universe. That is where these creatures have come from.”
Firestorm practically laughed. “And why should I take the word of a terrorist?” he said.
“Because I’m not a terrorist goddamnit. I am with UGTO Intelligence; I’ve been doing undercover work into the black market, dealing with K’Luth technology. That is how I found out these creatures, the aperture, and what they are planning to do.” She said. The seriousness in her voice betrayed no deceit, no subterfuge. She was being painfully and openly honest and Firestorm saw it. He also knew Cassius well, both personally and by reputation, he would not believe this unless it came certified from the ICC high council itself.
“All batteries hold fire, contact Juxtapose Station, and put us in between the Lobby Ghost and the Yinbo.” Firestorm ordered. Even if it were a ploy, they wouldn’t be able to stop the Lobby Ghost in time if the device were to be detonated on board, and if it were dropped in space, they could easily intercept it and destroy it before the subspace matrix were released.
“Captain, the Yinbo is hailing. What do I tell them?” the comms officer said. Firestorm thought for a moment, then he decided.
[ This Message was edited by: Coeus [Recruiting] on 2005-06-23 15:59 ]
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Darkspace: Twilight
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BackSlash
Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 23, 2003
Posts: 11183
From: Bristol, England
| Posted: 2005-06-23 18:54
somethings missing...I cant quiet put my finger on i...
oh wait...yes I can...
*hates Coeus!!11*
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Fattierob
Vice Admiral
Joined: April 25, 2003
Posts: 4059
| Posted: 2005-06-23 19:50
dear god coeus. the puddle of drool on the floor is starting to flood out my 2nd story window.
did you ever think of selling this as a book when it's done?
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Coeus {NCX-Charger}
Admiral, I can't read,
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: February 16, 2004
Posts: 3635
From: South Philly
| Posted: 2005-06-23 20:50
If Faust & Tael let me I'd love to try
[Edit]Now that I think about it, some of the best books I've read were from Rainbow 6 (granted that spawned the game ), Quake, Doom, and Halo...
ROFL JACK! Hey, you went out with style Stop your whining... I've got plenty of ideas for prologue stories after I finish this one 
[ This Message was edited by: Coeus [Recruiting] on 2005-06-23 20:52 ]
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Fatal Rocko Willis
Fleet Admiral
Fatal Squadron
Joined: March 01, 2003
Posts: 1336
From: Kentucky
| Posted: 2005-06-24 09:59
Maybe myself and Coeus can Co-Write a book? Hmm that sounds good to me...
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Coeus {NCX-Charger}
Admiral, I can't read,
Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: February 16, 2004
Posts: 3635
From: South Philly
| Posted: 2005-06-24 15:31
Heh... only if we use my writing style =P Yours takes... a bit of effort ^.^
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Meko
Grand Admiral
Joined: March 03, 2004
Posts: 1956
From: Vancouver
| Posted: 2005-06-25 08:02
hey that was good.
one nitpick though, anyone outside the DS community wouldnt get most of the story, so he would have to rewrite basically the entire story.
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