Project: Sols
The truth shall set you free.
Today-12:30, Restaurante Blanc, Bluefull Sector
sols
Lyca stared at the card for several minutes. She contemplated
who it may have been meant for, or what it meant. She glanced
at the time display on her hunter’s datalink. it was 8. She would
have plenty of time to get ready, Blanc was a famous restaurant,
she would have to dress accordingly. She neatly placed the card
back in the envelope, walked through the living room to the kitchen,
and placed the envelope on the table. She turned and walked into
the living room, down the hallway past Trys’ rooms, and entered
her room.
Lyca slowly made her way through the crowd of people in the
streets of Bluefull sector. She wore a simple blue sun dress,
by far the nicest article of clothing she owned. Trys refused
to indulge Lyca’s obsession with materialism, and Lyca had to
fight for every trinket, piece of “non-essential” clothing, and
object she owned. Lyca had tried to keep he appearance simple,
she wore very little makeup, no earrings, and had even removed
her datalink. She had brought Trys’ antique pocket watch with
her to tell the time, and her credit chit with a few hundred thousand
deposited onto it, in case she had need of money while she was
out. Holding the watch tightly in her palm, Lyca stopped walking
and stared at the watch. She didn’t know where Trys had acquired
such a rare item, but it didn’t seem to matter now. Lyca pressed
the small button on the top of the watch with her thumb, the front
of the watch sprang open. It was twelve twenty. Lyca closed the
watch and resumed walking through the crowd of people. After several
more minutes of wading through the massive crowds of people, Lyca
came to a stop in front of the famous Restaurante Blanc, a huge
four story restaurant famous for it’s exquisite, and very expensive,
cuisine. The curtains of the establishment were drawn shut, a
very nicely dressed human man stood near the grand double doors
leading into the entryway. Lyca walked to him.
“I’m sorry miss, but we’re closed until four today.” The man
had a beep baritone voice. Lyca opened her palm and again opened
the watch. It was twelve twenty nine.
“I’m expected,” she quietly said, “to be here at twelve thirty.”
The doorman carefully looked Lyca over.
“Very well miss, allow me...” The doorman opened the door, bowing
gently and motioning for Lyca to enter. Lyca took a deep breath,
and waked into the entryway of Restaurante Blanc, the doorman
shut the door behind her. As her eyes adjusted to the lower level
of lighting, Lyca marveled at the decor. Authentic carved wood
panel walls, lavish furnishings, ornate decoration everywhere
she could see. Lyca was very impressed. From around a nearby corner,
a tall man wearing a very nice, and expensive, business suit appeared.
“Miss Lyca, please follow me, you have been expected.” Lyca
took another deep breath, and followed the man as he began to
walk back around the corner he had come around. Lyca followed
him silently as he led her down a carpeted hallway past several
large empty dining rooms, to a large grand staircase leading up
to the second level. The man bowed, and motioned for Lyca to go
up the stairs. A look of apprehension slowly too shape across
Lyca’s face as she slowly and nervously climbed the massive staircase.
Lyca arrived at the top of the stairs to find a massive dining
room on the second floor. It was dark. Near a far wall opposite
the staircase a hanging lamp above a large group table was on.
Lyca could make out three shapes near the table. The one in the
middle seemed to be sitting, while the two on either flank appeared
to be standing. Lyca slowly walked in the direction of the figures,
trying desperately to hide her nervousness. She walked rigid and
took deep breathes. As she approached the table the center figure
spoke to her in a calm voice.
“Thank you Miss Lyca, for being so prompt.” Lyca neared the
table and could clearly distinguish two tall men in very nice
suits standing on either side of a shorter man with a dark complexion
sitting at the table. The man had shoulder length white hair,
though he was clearly not elderly. His face held a look of serene
peacefulness and calm. “Please,” the man spoke calmly, “have a
seat.” Lyca looked at the end of the table nearest her, and noticed
a chair had been pulled back from the table. Lyca slowly sat in
the chair, her gaze not leaving the man sitting at the opposite
end of the table. he returned her stare, his deep green eyes seeming
to stare beyond her eyes, peering into her soul. For several moments,
neither spoke, but Lyca had too many questions to remain silent.
“The truth,” Lyca began, “shall set you free.” A faint smile
appeared on the man’s face.
“Indeed, it shall.”
“What truth?”
“Yours. Mine, his, hers. Everyone’s...”
“You brought me here, so start talking.”
“No, you brought yourself here. Your own curiosity drove you
to visit me, you could have easily ignored my invitation.”
“But you knew I wouldn’t.”
“Correct.”
“Then, tell me whatever it is you have to say.”
“I have a better idea,” the man responded, “Ask a question,
and I shall answer to the best of my abilities.”
“Okay, who are you?”
“I am he who has inherited the name of ‘Sols’.”
“What does that mean?”
“I have become the persona of an ancient line of those who have
inherited this title. The most noted of which was the man named
‘Sols’ who is credited with the discovery of photonic live forms.”
“I still don’t understand. Explain to me why this is relevant.”
“A very long time ago,” the man began calmly, “on a world very
far from here, a people lived in peace and splendor. They build
fantastic marvels of science, floating cities, great space colonies,
they even began to terraform other planets. But their prosperity
was not to be had without a price. In their serendipity, they
forgot their ancient duty. When that which they were supposed
to guard against slowly began to infiltrate their utopia they
turned a blind eye. In the eventual chaos that followed, many
lives were lost. Many more forever altered. These survivors swore
that they would never again falter from their ancient duty. They
banded together and established what they called the ‘Society
of Shadows’. For generations and generations, whenever the menace
that had manifested on their home in the past reappeared, they
stood ready to fight from the shadows. That menace was a creature
called ‘Dark Force’. The very same menace which has been reawakened
on Ragol. And ever since those times long ago, the one who has
led the Society, has been known only as ‘Sols’.” Lyca sat silent
for several moments, contemplating what she was being told.
“Then, this ‘Society of Shadows’, is still in existence?”
“Yes.”
“And you are it’s leader.”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“Explain.”
“Over time, as the people spread to the worlds of Algo, factions
of the Society went with them, to carry their duty as far as possible.
In time, these factions developed a separate identity, but always
maintaining two constants, they followed the will of the one who
inherited the name of Sols, and they maintained their sacred duty
to defend against the Dark Force and it’s agents. As time pressed
on, for some even these constants washed away. They became the
shadows they sought to emulate, puppet masters pulling strings
for their own agendas. The Society became divided between the
three factions. As different as they became, it was still possible
to exert some control over them by the two constants. They followed
the will of Sols, and they continued to stand steadfast against
the darkness. However, twenty five years ago, after we first learned
we would have to abandon our worlds, something slowly changed.
A small part of the Society, began to follow a different path.
Led by a bright young and upcoming member of the Society, they
began to research photonic life forms. As their skill and knowledge
grew, their leader became obsessed with the story of how a Sols
of the past was possessed by Nilla, a Greater Photonic. He began
a project in secret, gathering the finest geneticists and scientific
minds he could acquire. He called the project simply “Sols”. Genetic
samples of the Sols possessed by Nilla were used as base material
for creating a new breed of Numans. Numans designed to absorb
and utilize a greater photonic’s power. For a long time, even
this was hidden from the rest of the Society. It was years before
we learned if this project, and by that time we were too late
to stop it. We however, could delay it. One of our operatives
modified the genetic data for the initial eight test subjects,
making them unsuitable for use. To our surprise, the four female
subjects were ‘born’ anyway, and subjected to tests and experiments
for years. We leaked information about the lab where these experiments
were being conducted to the government, which instigated a raid
of the facility. Simultaneously, our operatives were to infiltrate
the lab in the confusion and acquire the 4 subjects, but we encountered
a situation we had never expected. The eldest subject, seizing
the opportunity, had killed her guards, and was freeing her sisters.
Our forces caught up with the girls as they were being attacked
by Tygrin.” Sols hesitated a moment before continuing. “Tygrin
was a being never meant to exist, he was... another of our failed
experiments. Created by the progenitors of the Society many, many
years ago. Those who had been overseeing the project called ‘Sols’,
reactivated him and used him as a guard. Somehow our ancestors
were able to make him invulnerable to every kind of photonic technique
we know of. he is a monster that should have been left in the
past. Unfortunately, to this day, he continues to work for those
who oppose the rest of the Society. That night during the raid,
Tygrin very nearly defeated our operatives. Fortunately we were
eventually able to recover two of the subjects...” Lyca’s face
held an expression of pale shock.
“Me and Trys.”
“Exactly... Iris and Tear had already left the facility. Unfortunately,
we were unable to hold you and Trys. You were placed in government
care. Some time later one of our agents found Iris and Tear, and
for many years cared for them. That too, however, eventually came
to an end.” Lyca stared deeply into the eyes of the man named
Sols.
“Why are you telling me all this? What do you get out of it?”
“At this very moment, Iris, Tear and Trys are down in the ancient
ship. Their paths bound to cross. The last time that happened
was several years ago, and it did not end well. We have also learned
that Tygrin has been in the first area of the ancient ship, waiting
for them. We do not expect any of them to return alive. To be
honest, we would have preferred Trys be our first contact, but
in these circumstances...”
“What?”
“We would like you to work with us. We are responsible for all
the pain you have endured in your life. We would like to make
amends if possible. Additionally, we have use for someone with
your skill and unique... talents.”
“You mean my condition.”
“Yes. We have produced a variant of the medication you take.
It will stem your own passions, but not the effect your uncontrolled
state has on others.”
“What about my sisters... they can’t defeat this ‘Tygrin’?”
“We have sent agents to aid your siblings, but they may not
arrive in time. If they survive and are able to return, we will
be extending the same offer to them.”
“And if I refuse?”
“That,” Sols broke eye contact and peered down at the table
momentarily, “is a choice you are free to make.”
Lyca stared at the table. She knew already the answer she would
give. There was no going back, no returning to the way she had
been. Her old life was nothing more than sunlit memories gently
blowing through her mind, moments of another life in another time
and place. Things had changed more than she could have ever imagined.
Lyca firmly gave her reply, “I need time to think it over.”
“As you wish.” The light above the table suddenly switched off,
and the entire second floor was suddenly pitch dark. Before Lyca
could think about what was happening, all the lights on the floor
suddenly lit, revealing a very large, and devoid of people, dining
room. Sols and the two men had vanished. Lyca opened her palm
and looked at the watch, she pressed the button on the top with
her thumb. It was five past one. Thirty five minutes that had
felt like an eternity. She closed the watch, stood up, walked
down the stairs, down the hallway, around a corner, and out of
Restaurante Blanc onto the streets of Bluefull sector.