May 30, 2001
From the journals of Varek the Technomage:
As
I sit here reading my master, master’s journals I see all that he was during
that age. His descriptions are quite
unique, he writes as if you're standing along side him. He indeed was worthy of the name master or
teacher since his skills were passed down so eloquently to my master. My master suggested that I should read through
his master's journals, since he took so much care and admiration and writing
them. As I read, I couldn't help
feeling inferior since, by all definitions my technology was vastly superior
to his, his actions were that of a true Technomage.
His
name was Yarek, he lived in the late 1800s, and it was in his opinion the
very unique time, the time of the gentleman.
Science and technology was being defined as good or evil. Of course Yarek new that any tools purpose
was to serve, it was up to its owner what it was defined as. Later he learned about the story of Frankenstein
and was intrigued about how the rest of mankind was drawn to the story.
Yarek went to his laboratory and began work on a technological creature
with an organic mind. He thought it best that the creature should
not feel anything, since the creature of Frankenstein did not understand
or comprehend feelings except its own.
He
began work and after about a month he created a small gargoyle looking creature.
He wrote, "If my
work turned out to be a complete waste at least he would add to the decor." In the science fiction book of Frankenstein,
the scientist used lightning in order to birth his creature. "I found this particular aspect
of the story to be crude, since lightning in this day and age is very uncontrollable
and unpredictable. I suspect this
will be the case for many years to come." Instead he used what would be considered today
a crude battery created with acids and various metals. This was attached to the creatures back and
in retrospect attached to his heart. He
thought to himself, "if the creature were to get away, he would not get
very far because his heart would eventually stop."
The
only thing that was missing from his creation was the type of brain to use
in his newly created mechanical wonder.
Because his creature was so small, a human brain would not be a proper
candidate. He took a trip to the
local science laboratories, where he established himself as a consultant
of mathematics and engineering. All
sorts of minds of many different species of creatures were there. In my opinion he probably felt as if he were
a child in a candy store. He quoted himself, "Since various species
of creatures have a particular aspect to themselves such as birds and flight,
monkeys with climbing, and cats with their sense of mischief, I decided
to combine minds in order to get maximum results."
Yarek
made his way back to his laboratory with the three different minds and began
working on construction. Since the
brain contains vast complexities, three more months were required to complete
he's curious creation. On the eve
of the third month, is excitement overwhelmed him and without thinking of
the consequences to his actions he installed the newly adjusted brain, "the mockery
of nature"
in which he put it, was inside this metallic creation of his. He made sure the battery was fully charge and
stood back in marvel of his creation. At
first there was no movement, but then the crude flightless wing began to
twitch. The left leg of his monstrosity
also began to twitch, but that's all. Yarek in his compassion deactivated the machine since his creation
behaved like a wounded animal. He
disconnected the battery and wrote in his diary "it was
not I who created the mind, I only understand the results of the creation."
He
decided to rest and reflect upon what he has done. "Perhaps I Yarek can comprehend beyond the politics
of current science and medicine, but I must give greater thought before
I attempt to create a sibling." After
two weeks he decided that his daunting task should again be re-examined.
He approached his mechanical wonder, and decided to reactivate its
cold steel heart. Again the creature twitched as it did before.
"Perhaps
the brain, like in an infants, needs to learn how to use its new body properly." Yarek sat and watched the creature twitch and
move until he fell asleep.
Morning
came, he awoke to find the creature was gone.
Terrified, he went about town looking for his creation. He heard a scream in a local pub, where he
found the creature swinging from the shelves and smashing bottles. The creature was swinging from anything he
could in order not to get caught. "Intriguing, the creature seems to have utilized the crude
mechanical body. Like clockwork
perfection he moved stiffly without a purpose." Yarek
raised his staff that his teacher bestowed upon him, hoping the creature
would come towards him. The creature,
feeling threatened, lunged after the staff. Yarek grabbed the wires connected to the battery and pulled them
deactivating the creature. "His wings
were crude but the creature use them to glide, assisting his ability to
move swiftly." He hid the creature under his cloak and left.
Yarek
looked at his creation in his lab and thought to himself, "perhaps
I should not have made him looking like a monstrosity, he might have acted
differently if he looked like he was meant to be." "Man's creations and nature's creations cannot easily live
together necessarily. Man is not
God and therefore cannot create life, only change it."
I
understand why my master wanted me to read these journals, because I am
in a quest to create my own creatures given the knowledge he gave me. Except my creatures are merely holograms and
are totally my own creations. Their
looks and actions are what I programmed into them and I only use them to
warn those who will not take no for an answer.
Gargoyles were created to ward off evil, so I use them to ward off
evil against myself.
June 6, 2001
From the Journals of Varek the Technomage:
As
I learned the special abilities of my former master, I learned that the imagination
is indeed a powerful thing. I recently
came across the technology that would allow my mind to be copied into computer
circuitry. I thought this would indeed
unlock serious potential in my mind. If I had known about the serious ramifications
of such technology I would have been deemed it unsuitable for the human mind.
One
night as I thought about the technology for my own purposes, I hooked up the
technology using a neural interface. I
did not realize how exhausted I was after all the work I did and fell asleep.
When I woke vaguely remember dream that I had, but this infernal technology
had record the whole damn thing. The
dream was an evil one. Knowing the power that I possessed a wanted to rule
the world. But alas these were just fantasies and dreams.
To give ambitions to a computer without the proper experience and the
knowledge of right and wrong who knows what the system was capable of extrapolating
from the information I gave it. Perhaps
I should have read the bible while I trained the machine; perhaps the system
could learn right from wrong. Those concepts may have helped since the technology
became twisted and obsessed with my dream.
Before
I realize the repercussions of my actions, the computer formulated a viral
program capable of learning, copying and destroying computer hardware and
valuable programs. It not only did
that, the attempted to manifest itself a body.
I attempted to repair the damage by shutting down the program and access
to my systems but it was too late and found its way onto the Internet.
I
contacted the Technomages in my area of the world in her to solve my small
dilemma. The other Technomage is feared
what I have done since it would allude people to our existence. Since our order is that the highest secrecy
my indiscretion would cause me to be thrown out. My master examined my work and for the gleeful grin said "now
this was a product of my teaching, a program that can learn what the human
mind." I avoided grinning back
indicating to my teacher that I felt very guilty about my indiscretion. "Don't worry my student, this program
can be easily traced through its paths."
"I've learned the other Technomages and they have put up protection
against your evil half." He knew,
I thought to myself, he knew that I had dark ambitions that I kept quiet. "It is not shameful to want power, only
to abuse or neglect the power that is given to you." "I see the truth of it master, what is
to be done now?" My master looked
me with a serious face, "this technology works to ways, you can enter
the paths that your program has left directly." I knew he meant, I could hook up neural connections to my mind.
After
several days and various sessions with my master I prepared myself for the
ordeal. I hooked myself up to the
neural interface and went into a trance.
I saw a representation of my inner system. A very brilliant world of data in brilliant colors and data streams
flowing past. I saw rivers of knowledge
waiting to quench the thirst of hungry minds all over the world. It is really an experience that can only be
described in its weakest by words.
I
spent several hours in this world in a euphoric and awe state, when I saw
a familiar face. It was I! “Hey you!”
I shouted. The figure lunged for me
knocking me out of the cyber world.
I
awoke to see my teacher standing over me.
“You were thrown out my yourself.” He said.
“Hu?”
“Must I repeat myself? Did your program cause you brain damage as well?”
“No.”
“You must be more careful he knows everything you do.”
“I understand.”
“Now, I’ve trapped him in your computer system and
he cannot get out unless you give him access.”
“How do I get rid of him?”
“You, can’t you can only contain him.”
At
his point I was ready, we both nodded to each other in full understanding. I got up from where I was and sat down near
my equipment.
“One last point…”
I
looked as if the next words were the last ones I ever hear form him.
“Only one of you can return into your body. If the program returns first you will be trapped
in the system.”
“I understand”
I
hooked myself in to the system and was in the system like I was before. My double had grown in size and looked as if
he had a hang over. We looked at each
other and had a talk.
“I yield to you.”
“What?”
“I yield to you.”
“What no valiant fight? No effort at self preservation?”
“It wasn’t programmed into me, this is all but a dream.
You are the true person and all this system is your dreams and desires.
All I can do is what I’ve been programmed to do. If I am to grow, you must grow first. I leave you to your body and piece.”
I
awoke again in a cold sweat and my master, overlooking me again with a sneer
on his lips. “Fun hu?”
“It was a trial.”
“Yes…”
“Why?”
“You never know when you can let your creation go.”
“The other Technomages thought you were ready to go
up against yourself.”
“I won the wager.”
“Really, and if the program took over my body?”
“Then no one would have noticed the difference…”
He
chuckled, as I rarely see him do. He
turned and started to leave. “You’ll
make a fine apprentice. You did better
then me in this predicament… I pulled
the plug of my machine and started form scratch. You fought for your ownership of what is yours, congratulations.”
“Expect me, when you see me.”
From
there on in I had adopted that phrase, and I used it till this day. For some reason I feel as if that evil program
is inside of me had purged my ambition to want to use my abilities to do harm
to a fly. Perhaps it had tricked me
into thinking that I had returned to the real world. Perhaps this isn’t the real world I am in.
I can’t even imagine the unspeakable things he might be doing in my
body. I can only hope and pray I am really out of that uncomfortable predicament.
Later that evening I sat down and drew out my representative glyph
that the other Technomages will notice me by.
I had added it to the top of my ledger and will always do so in the
honor of the teachings of my master.
6/11/2001
From the journals of Varek the Technomage:
It
has been awhile since I last wrote in my journal. During the last 3 months my master and I have embarked on a mission
to render us invisible to the naked eye. This ability would allow our order to remain secret, up until humanity
is ready to discover us and except what we have to teach them. I remember what we describe ourselves as, "dreamers,
thinkers, makers, tinkers." This is indeed a dreamlike invention, because man has dreamt about
becoming invisible since it was conceived.
My
master, with some of his colleagues and other Technomages, have discovered
away to generate a field of energy, a barrier of force. Up until now this field was clear and only protected us from harmful
dangers such as bullets and disease.
All current Technomages now utilize this technology in their bio
neural circuitry. The shield is
hooked up to our reflex reaction so when our bodies react to danger the
shield is there to protect us. With
new discoveries, I found a way for the shield to bend light so it would
conceal my whereabouts. My master
told me to be patient with the new technology because haste is my most
dangerous attribute and I must learn to be more patient or it may be my
undoing. Unfortunately my desires got the best of me
and I activated the altered bio circuitry.
The field felt strange for a moment but my body adapted. The first thing I did was look in a mirror
and saw nothing! "Eureka! I have succeeded!" At this point I attempted to shut down the
field but there was a problem. The
field kept out everything including air and I could not deactivate the
field. I estimate I had at least
five hours worth of air left and time short.
I opened my notes to discover that the bio neural circuitry is
not responding to reflex action but to normal action. Soon I discovered
that not only was I invisible, but no one can hear me as well. This caused a terrible problem because I also cannot grip things.
I attempted to contact my master about the situation; fortunately
he supplied me with a panic button where he almost instantaneously showed
himself. He moved around the study,
"Varek?... Varek?" He scanned the room with his eyes. I felt rather devious since I had outwitted
my master and all these years he has outwitted me. He was about to leave when I pushed over a pile papers on my desk.
"Varek! You didn't wait did you? Now you're stuck in
a bubble that no one can see. I only suspect that you have little air
left in the clock is ticking." My
master reached inside his cloak and pulled out a small device that looks
like a radar dish. This should
cancel out the effects of your shield.
I stood in front of the device as he activated it and the shield
started melting away. "Thank
you master..." "You’re welcome, but you should learn to be more
patient, I would not have given you a panic button unless I felt you truly
needed it. You have alot to learn my young apprentice
and time in short, by doing things half assed and stupid you only risk
shortening your apprenticeship."
I thought myself are the risks worth the gain, I suppose not. My
master look at the alterations I made to the device.
“At least we know it works! We
can improve on the device before we integrate it into our order.” My master looked at me and gave me a rare grin
of approval “the order will be pleased… But! You disappoint me with your actions sometimes.” Then he gestured for me to enter my surgical
room.
I
spent the rest of the day on a surgical table reminiscing what I had done
while my mater unhooked and repaired the bio neural technology that he
had contributed. He looked at
me like a proud father and said, "I would have given up on you long-ago
Varek, but how do you think the shield that I helped to invent got tested?” I looked at him wide eyed and knew very well
that he implied that he was very much like me, curious and ambitious. As soon as the surgery was complete I got dressed
and went into my study. My master
had already left with new book for me to study and a note the title was
The Invisible Man. The
note read “Perhaps
the book will lead to the answer you had wanted, the results of an invisible
man could be similar to your own. I
have relieved you of the panic button; perhaps if you knew you don’t have
a way out of your mess it may instill more precaution in the future. Be
careful!!!”
I left for the local pub, the establishment was that of old age England the design and it reminded me of a simpler time. Perhaps I should try and invent a time machine instead; perhaps in the past I can cause little trouble to myself. Then I thought, no, in the past I would cause other trouble. I finished the alcoholic beverage I started to numb the pain I have endured. I thought to myself “Perhaps some day I will leave the order to save myself from future harm.” I lay down on my bed to rest off the rest of the pain and thought, “nope!”
23 June 2001
From the journals of Varek the Technomage:
This will be one of my last entries as a Technomage. I’ve decided after constant failure that I am unworthy of the order. My master had nothing to say that would help me with my feelings of inadequacy. I am alone, my brother was right when he said I would fail at my efforts to become great. He does not know how hard I worked at becoming the man I am today, he doesn’t know the countless times I had to convince myself that I am more capable than I realize. I made efforts to improve myself with tutoring and trying to craw before I could stand and walk. Since I fall in my face so often, I’ve decided to stay fallen unable to crawl because that would mean I would have to eventually stand and once again to fail. If I stay in the order I am sure to go mad and lose everything I have worked for.
I started to pack the items that I had received as gifts from my master and started on my way to his laboratory. I walked to the ally where an illusion of junk and debris lied all over the street. The windows on either side of the alley were really cameras that were concealed by an illusion. I grasped my staff and smacked the wall with it shattering the hologram revealing a passageway down. The stairs I walked down began to spiral, my master liked the old concept of spiraling stairs; I didn’t because it made me nauseous. I told him this once and he replied, “I know that’s the reason I made it that way,” with his usually sense of sarcasm. I made my way down till I reached his lab.
“Hello…hello?
I looked about since I really saw only glimpses of his lab sporadically throughout the years. I picked up a mirror that seemed to be an enigma. My face appeared to be younger looking than my true refection. I stared at it for a moment remembering the ambitious man I had been. I still didn’t know how this mirror worked and at this point I didn’t care. I looked around some more and saw mechanisms and machinery I had never seen before. Both awe-stricken and inspired I was about to touch the closest object at my grasp.
“Stop!” My master cried! “Haven’t I told you never to touch anything in my lab? You were not expected nor did I call on you! Leave! Be gone!”
“Master, I will leave, but know that I shall never again come back, for I am leaving you and the order… forever.”
My master stood in his place and said nothing for a minute, and be acted as if someone had shot him. Then he staggered for a moment and turned, “Do you see all of this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you see all these inventions?”
“Yes…”
“They were all inspired by you, did you know that?”
“No, but that doesn’t change anything, I’m still leaving”
“You take your abilities for granted my young apprentice, you don’t yet realize the power you possess.”
“I can not do the things you do, nor do I want to try anymore.”
“Of course you can’t do the things I do, I do them, and I don’t want you doing what I do.”
I could tell he was trying to be funny but, instead of smiling to humor him as I normally do, I kept a straight face. “I’m sorry, I have brought you the things that you gave to me over the years.” I put down the case and started walking away. “You should know, that once you join the order there is no running away from it, but I will give you the time to reflect and think about what you want to do with your life.” I continued walking up the stairs trying to ignore what he had just said.
After I came back to my house I discovered a black box on my desk. I imagined that it came form my master. I opened it and discovered it was from the leaders of the order. It read:
To Varek the Technomage,
We are sorry that your responsibilities have weighed so heavily on you. We entrust your care to Jarek your master and, if you decide to leave the order, you will always be watched by us to ensure that your abilities will not be used to expose us or harm us. We are troubled by your decision but you must follow the path you set for yourself.
The Council