Solitaire - Yours Sincerely
From Xinda
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Contents |
Introduction
This is the prelude to the whole story, detailing exactly how the Solitaire Project grew and came about. It also explores the darker side of Trodenhiem's past...
Part 1
"How did it all begin? There's a question I've asked myself many times over the years. Its not a question to which an answer comes easily you see, I've debated with myself for the better part of a lifetime how the whole damned mess began. I suppose since I haven't the answer myself I'll just have to tell you the story as best I can and let you make up your own mind. But I warn you, its a long story. But perhaps useful for those of you not familiar with the history..."
The snow was falling in thick swirls, saturating the air giving it a grey misted look with bright streaks of white coursing and surging through the sky and all about where Var Saal stood, his white lab coat was cast all about him by the violent wind. His long greying hair whipped about his head as the wind tried to tear it from him. He stood hands in pockets looking from the cliff into the sea. Even from the extreme distance you could see the reflection of the great lights of Jakocz over the water, he'd dreamed of returning there when he was old enough to retire, and yet here he was on the very brink of it and he stood here contemplating his life and where to go from here.
Var Saal had spent his life researching genetic science in Ligonza. His entire life's work had been to find out how to manipulate human DNA so that it could be wrought in the fashion of the creator's choosing. His life's work in short, was to play at being a God. Most scientists, and indeed the clergy had scorned him and dismissed his work as immoral and unethical. Perhaps it was, perhaps not, but Var Saal had dreamed of at least trying it out! Now he'd been given the chance. Just hours ago the Emperor himself, flanked by the young Farden Jarrick, his chief advisor and friend, had arrived at his lab and offered to fund his research and put a team behind him with the aim of creating a superhuman for the purposes of resecuring Trodenhiem's might.
A younger, more naive Var Saal would have leapt at the offer, and yet he was hesitant... why was he hesitant? His life's dream had been offered to him on a plate and he was scared! That he'd fail? No definately not, it would be crushing but he did not fear failure. Perhaps it was a sort of premonition of what his work would one day become, of all the good it would undoubtedly do, perhaps he saw just a twinkling of the evil that would be created allong the way. I'm not sure even Var Saal knew at the time.
"Your hesitant once Var Saal," said Jarrick warmly as he read the scientist's latest record of success, "And yet you have begun to create such wonders. You have already perfected the methods by which a human can be artificially grown and born, you have perfected the art of ensuring that thier longevity is equal to that of a human. And yet I cannot forget your first reaction to our offer, to run off into the storms and damn near kill yourself!"
"It was such a huge offer, I felt unsure I was worthy of it..."
"Hah, say what you will that's not the truth!" interupted Jarrick, "There is something else about you, but I'm certain you've pushed it aside in your quest have you not?"
"I have indeed sir, our first subject is almost ready to leave the incubation tank. Augmented agility, and our experimental enhancement to mental efficiency." Said Var Saal regaining his confidence, "I call him Spades, after all the project is known as the Solitaire Project."
"An apt name I'm sure..."
Part 2
It took 18 years for Spades to fully mature to adulthood. In that time Var Saal had created others, Clubs, Diamonds and Hearts. Then Jacks and Ace who were prototypes for the next generation. With each his ability to enhance and his knowledge of how to improve increased, he could augment multiple qualities now, he could alter brain power use and distribution. His initial experiments into instinct had shown how very careful you had to be and the result was a pack of feral humans, untameable.
Spades was an adult now by Trodonian standards. He had been trained and tried and tested. His enhanced speed had made him a far superior warrior to unenhanced humans. He'd managed to best Jarrick in combat, no mean feat. But Var Saal was worried. In morality and psychological examination Spades had proven unstable, even volatile to the point of violence. It seemed to be recurrent in all of the 'Solitaires' so far an Var Saal was concerned what this would mean.
"We must shut down the Project, stall it until I can figure out what is making the subjects mentally unstable and can correct it, "Pleaded Var Saal, "You saw what Spades did to that poor woman, you saw what had to be done after out of pure mercy. We need to terminate them all and start again!"
"I am of the opinion that you are wrong," Said Jarrick calmly yet his voice edged with ice, "I warn you, I will not protect you from the Emperor if you keep up this line of argument. Yes they are unstable but we shall find a way around it, I don't believe stopping now and starting again is necessary."
"You're saying we continue with phase 2? But Farden that's madness!" Cried Var Saal, "What if the stronger enhancements cause further mental abnormality? We can hardly allow ourselves to create an army of superhuman psychopaths!"
"I'm bringing in a Dr Amon Lyzanda, a brilliant man." Cut in jarrick, "He's going to look into the mental problem, allowing you to continue your work unperturbed. I'm also bringing a Dr Itzak Zhukov, a good man, and a firm believer in what we are doing here. He's going to assist you and learn from you so that when the time comes he can take your place."
Part 3
[COMING SOON]
The Series
Main Story
Side Stories
- Solitaire - Yours Sincerely
Solitaire Series Extras
