The Lost Planet - A Rebel Faction Drama
Based on an AIM Conversation
Chapter One: The AIM Window
It was a dark, dark, dark night. And I mean really freakin' dark here. It was raining, too. Pouring would be a better word for it. Maybe raining heavily, but no, pouring is better. I was at the appointed place for the meeting, on the fringes of The Rebel Cafe. I was sitting in a dark, empty room with only two chairs and a desk. They were commonly referred to on the street as "AIM Windows".
The man I was supposed to be meeting was a brooding, shadowy character. He wasn't much of a socializer. In fact, he usually scared most people who tried to talk to him away with his "Canadian Ramblings" as they were usually called. His name was "Ahnk". Like the cross only spelled wrong. His sarcasm was limitless, but he was insecure and surrounded himself by lackeys that he regularly made fun of. But this night we'd be meeting alone.
"You're late," I casually offered, not even bothering to turn around.
"I was away," he replied. Typical.
"So, whats this about?" I asked, in no mood for another one of his sexual insults or rants.
"I've got a RP I want you to do," he said as he sat down, "For the Dominion."
"What else?" I chuckled. The Dominion was Ahnk's baby. He hardly spent time with anything else, "Who does it involve?"
He muttered something inaudible.
"What?" I asked, not liking this already.
"TNO..." he whispered again, this time loud enough for me to hear.
My jaw dropped a few inches. My brain quickly regained control of it, but in doing so lost control of my left arm, which flopped off the table and dangled limply at my side. I decided not to bother and just focused on getting back my voice.
"You're @#%$ me," I stated. It wasn't a question.
"No," Ahnk shook his head, "Don't worry though. Its nothing serious."
"Don't worry? Don't worry?!" I nearly shouted, "Don't you @#%$ tell me not to worry! You expect me to go up against the @#%$ powerhouse of TRF and tell me not to @#%$ worry?!!"
"Just calm down," Ahnk offered meekly.
"Calm down?!" I continued, no longer in the mood for anything Ahnk had to offer, "They @#%$ own most of the staff. I have a character there! I know! Jesus Christ, Ahnk, they haven't even used up a tenth of their meterage and they have the biggest fleet here!! Don't you @#%$ tell me to calm down!!"
"Relax!" Ahnk shouted, breaking my rant off, "Its an espionage RP. Nothing more. I've talked with them. They're cool with it. Besides, you won't be RPing with TNO directly anyway. It'll be on Xa Fel. TNSO territory."
"Oh thats so @#%$ better!" I yelled at him, "Instead of a fleet powerhouse, I'm going up against god damn mind-readers and telekenetics!!"
"Hey! Hey! Lup is okay with it!" Ahnk shouted back, "I've spoken with him personally."
"Bullshit," I replied without missing a beat, "I've only spoken to him once or twice! The man is god damn near impossible to get ahold of without scheduling months in advance!"
"Just take my word for it," Ahnk said, "I've spoken with him."
"Do you really want to @#%$ know my opinion on what your word is worth?!"
"No," Ahnk sighed, "Look. Will you do it or not?"
"Alright," I said after a while. I still don't know why, "But I expect to be well rewarded."
"It'll be the RP of your life," Ahnk promised.
"It better be," I replied, "Xa Fel?"
"Yeah."
"Whats it like?" I asked.
"What do you mean?" Ahnk replied, furrowing his brow.
"The terrain, @#%$," I sighed, "Whats the terrain like?"
"I-I don't know..." Ahnk stuttered, "Nobody has ever asked or told me...."
"Great, just @#%$ great," I said, "You know it'll be damned near impossible to do a RP on a planet when I don't even know what it looks like, don't you?"
"Look, I'll get you the terrain," Ahnk said, "I'll get in touch with some of my people. If you want, contact some of yours."
"Right," I said, not wanting to talk about this anymore, "Look. I gotta go, alright. You get me that description."
"Sure. No problem."
I stepped out of the AIM Window and into the dark, dark, dark, damp night. Wet would be a better word really. Yes, definitely wet.
