Author Topic: A Test of Wills: Discovery  (Read 13093 times)

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Offline mavikfelna

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« Reply #30 on: February 22, 2008, 04:40:23 PM »
Here Here! I agree with Shinanygnz!

--Mav
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by mavikfelna »
 

Offline Kurt

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« Reply #31 on: February 22, 2008, 06:47:08 PM »
Quote from: "??rgr?mr"
Quote from: "ZimRathbone"
As Stephen said, but with a minor addition - Iain Clarke also had a very similar story of a Cross-Universe wormhole appearing within a Gas Giant, with a partial survival & a lot of dead followup ships.  The story was called "A Flash at the End of the Tunnel". In fact  so  similar that I assumed that you were actually Iain under a different alias hence my somewhat cryptic comment.

In his case tho the incomer was Advanced Scout One commanded by 10th Swordsman of Worlds Hanikai of the Rigellian Empire meeting a somewhat unhappy Steve (W?) Gunblast.  Other than some minor name & terminology changes the stories are pretty much twins.

I have a copy of most of the Shotgun series if you wish, or you can also find it on Matt Wadwells Starfire Fiction site (its still up although Matt hasn't updated it for years) on http://au.geocities.com/mwadwell/Index.html

However please keep writing the Roman stories - I do find them interesting to see another's viewpoint of how the Senate & People of Rome might have developed - it seems at the moment they are very much a Dominate phase

Slainthe

Mike T

@ZimRathbone, I never even heard of Ian Clarke, Don Shotgun or MWadell's site till you folks told me about them.  :cry:



Cheers, Thorgrimm


I think you are over-reacting a bit here.  While there may be some vague similarities, in the end it is what you do with a concept or an idea.  Your Roman campaign is fundamentally different from any other that I've read, and I, for one, think that the group will be poorer for its loss.  

I certainly didn't think the similarities were as close as other's seemed to think they were.  

Kurt
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Kurt »
 

Offline Erik L

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« Reply #32 on: February 22, 2008, 07:09:02 PM »
I'll third or fourth it... Leave them up here and please continue to write :)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Erik Luken »
 

Offline Þórgrímr (OP)

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« Reply #33 on: February 23, 2008, 05:25:52 PM »
Thanks for the support guys. It means a lot to me. So I want to let you all know why I decided to remove the posts. But first a caveat, in a way I am glad ZimRathbone pointed out the similarities since I think it will help me avoid a certain headache.

Now, as of the reasons I removed them is thus:

1. Being new to the writing career I have no published works and since that is the case ANY accusation of plagarizim, no matter if founded or not, would devastate my chances to get anything published. That is one thing publishers will red flag immediately and reject a work. Especially if that work is from a unknown.

2. I guess I am gunshy when it comes to my writing. So I think at times I take it to mean it is crap and will pull it down ASAP.

3. Being described as "the square with razor points" by my friends, meaning I do not lie even if it would save some discomfort to myself, I was stung rather hard by the accusation. Hell, I do not even use cheat codes in video games, much less steal something that rightfully belongs to someone else. I know how hard it is to create something so I detest thieves just as much as pushers.

Well, know you know why I pulled down the campaign. And I would like to hear what you folks have to say on the matter, and if the majority wants me to put it back up I will.

Oh Eric, I am not recieving any email notices for replies to this thread. Thats why it took me so long to reply, I did not know anyone had commented since the last time I posted.



Cheers, ??rgr?mr
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Þórgrímr »
Sic vis pacem, para bellum
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Offline MWadwell

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« Reply #34 on: February 25, 2008, 02:30:44 PM »
Quote from: "??rgr?mr"
Thanks for the support guys.

(SNIP)

Quote from: "??rgr?mr"
Well, know you know why I pulled down the campaign. And I would like to hear what you folks have to say on the matter, and if the majority wants me to put it back up I will.


Keep them coming! Very enjoyable!

(And as to any future accidental similarities, just remember the following saying "Great minds think alike!"  :D )
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by MWadwell »
Later,
Matt
 

Offline kdstubbs

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« Reply #35 on: February 27, 2008, 08:13:17 PM »
I want to be among those who ask you to put your posts back up.  Every Science Fiction story published in the last 100 years have been take offs of Jules Verne, and HG Wells, or Edgar Rice Bourroughs, or EE Smith.  The Fact that you set your science fiction as an extension of the Roman Empire is not new--Remember the original Star Trek series had an episode that set the Roman Empire on another planet that was still trying to suppress Christianity.  

What was unique about your stories was the very plot lines you developed, and the way in which you tried to develop a plausable historical time line.  

As a published author, I no more can prevent someone from writing about my topic, WWI Coalition Warfare, than they could have stopped me from writing my history.  That you have been careful to pull your fiction out of a fear of plagerism, speaks volumes to your honesty and your integrity.  I doubt any one who claim you plagerized someone else, unless you lifted entire paragraphs of text from their works.  You cannot copywrite the Roman Empire.  

Put your literature back up, and simply refer anyone who asks to the other work, acknowledging that someone else had a similar idea, but how you developed your idea is your own creation.  

Kevin Stubbs, Ph.D.
European Military History
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by kdstubbs »
Kevin Stubbs
 

Offline Þórgrímr (OP)

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« Reply #36 on: March 06, 2008, 10:30:24 AM »
Thanks for the replies folks, and sorry for the long reply time. It means a lot to me.  :?



Cheers, ??rgr?mr
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Þórgrímr »
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Offline Þórgrímr (OP)

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« Reply #37 on: April 01, 2008, 08:48:26 PM »
I have begun to repost the campaign.



Cheers, ??rgr?mr
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Þórgrímr »
Sic vis pacem, para bellum
If you want peace, prepare for war
 

Offline Þórgrímr (OP)

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« Reply #38 on: April 02, 2008, 09:02:40 AM »
Finished re-posting the campaign and I will try to continue it. Just gotta dust off Aurora. Not used it in a while.  :D



Cheers, ??rgr?mr
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Þórgrímr »
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Offline ShadoCat

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« Reply #39 on: April 02, 2008, 04:43:32 PM »
Glad to see you back on your feet.  

And...

..more story!  It was a fun read.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by ShadoCat »
 

Offline Þórgrímr (OP)

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« Reply #40 on: April 03, 2008, 08:49:39 AM »
Quote from: "ShadoCat"
Glad to see you back on your feet.  

And...

..more story!  It was a fun read.


Thanks, I still can't walk very far without feeling like I have run a 100 yard dash, but at least the coughing fits have subsided somewhat.  :wink:


Rama looked across at the uniform he?d been given by these Romans. It was white, with the intricate red white and blue of the American Flag embossed on the chest. Rama looked out the window, trying to avoid putting on the uniform. He noticed the square below seemed to be some kind of park and the Romans were enjoying walking about it or sitting under the trees. Clearly the color of their uniform was important. Most were yellow, with reasonable numbers of whites lesser amounts of gray and an odd purple or two here and there. From the looks of it everyone old and young wore the uniform.

He checked the time and realized he needed to put the uniform on and get ready to leave for the starport. The Romans had asked them to wear the uniform for the whole trip. They said it would help the crew of the Roman Destroyer. Rama could see their point. If a bunch of naked aliens showed up who looked a lot like Americans he would have certainly have found it off putting.

So far he?d not been able to bring himself to try on the uniform. He guessed it was the idea behind the whole thing, classifying people into stratas just gave him an odd feeling. Some of the others had said they were very comfortable and well tailored.
 
He steeled himself and began to put it on. He was surprised how comfortable it was. The uniform was, he had to admit, a work of art, magnificently tailored, it fit like a glove. On the Roman ship that had brought them to Terra he had thought the design was clumsy and rushed. The uniform on the other hand was perfect, had he not known he was wearing it he wouldn?t have realised he was. In what seemed like seconds he was wearing it and looking for any imperfections in the full length mirror.

He stood for over a minute looking at himself in the mirror. Then the door opened behind him. ?Are you ready to go yet Lieutenant?? Doctor Gonsalvez asked.

?Just finishing up now.? Rama said as much to himself as to the doctor. ?Well I guess I?m ready to go now.? Rama said and made his way towards the door.

They made their way down the corridor to the Commodore?s quarters. They arrived to find the Commodore, Commander Collins and Lt. Commander Dickson all dressed in their Roman provided uniforms and waiting for them along with a Roman wearing a gray uniform.
 
Rama noticed that although the doctor, Cdr. Collins and Lt. Cdr. Dickson?s uniforms were white like his own, that of Commodore Schneider wasn?t. In fact the Commodore?s uniform was gray. He was about to ask if the color meant something when the Roman spoke.

?Good day to you all. My name is Tesserarius Salonius Curio I?m about the same rank as one of your Lieutenant Commanders and I?ve been assigned as your guide and liaison officer during our trip to the Scipio system where your ship is located.?

Introductions were made and then they were off to the starport to board a shuttle and head up to the Roman ship that would take them to the Scipio system.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Þórgrímr »
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Offline Þórgrímr (OP)

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« Reply #41 on: April 04, 2008, 09:21:11 AM »
When they arrived at Ranger One they made their way aboard. Salonius had requested permission to join the Americans and after a lot of heated discussion the Commodore had agreed. The Destroyer moved in close to the Scout and docked with it. Then the Americans along with Salonius entered the frigate.

The ship was dark and Rama guessed it would have been very cold without the help of his loaned E-Suit. While Rama and the Doctor made their way down to engineering to see if they could bring up one of the reactors the others made their way up to the bridge. The Destroyers Captain had offered the help of his engineering staff, but Commodore Schneider had turned it down.

Progress towards engineering was hampered by the lack of power. Many of the doors were sealed shut and they had to hand check each one to make sure there was an atmosphere on the other side of it before they hand cranked it open. Rama began to wish that they had accepted the Roman offer of help, but he also knew why the Commodore had turned it down.

It took him and the doctor over an hour to reach engineering and when they got there they discovered the room contained no atmosphere. Rama suspected the temporary seal had failed during their absence.

Another half an hours worth of travel brought them to the auxiliary control room where they could access the secondary engineering control panel. Thankfully this turned out to have an atmosphere. Rama made a careful check of the systems and managed with some clever jury-rigging to get the primary fusion reactor on line.

?Commodore, that?s the best I can do and I?m not sure how long it?ll last either.? He said when he got the Squadron Commander on the internal comm network.

?Okay meet us here on the bridge.? The Commodore replied.

By the time they had traveled up to the bridge the others had found out the information they needed and it was mostly bad news.

First the Romans hadn?t been on the ship. Surprisingly, they had kept their word.

Second the ship would need a complete rebuild before it was going anywhere any time soon.

Third, and worst of all, there was no record of the location of the wormhole they had entered the system from. In fact that whole computer core?s data storage had been physically destroyed during the ships arrival. In essence they were stuck here unless by some miracle it turned out to be a stationary wormhole and not - as they feard - a wandering wormhole.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Þórgrímr »
Sic vis pacem, para bellum
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Offline Þórgrímr (OP)

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« Reply #42 on: April 05, 2008, 08:09:08 AM »
Salonius shuffled his notes for a moment as he ordered his thoughts. ?There are quite a few things that I picked up from our trip to the American's ship, along with some of the other conversations I have recorded, and they make for some interesting findings. First the idea about the Gates of Apollo not orbiting the star is quite fascinating. We have not come across an in system Apollonian Gate and so we thought it might be associated with the planet not the star. These Americans seem convinced that they are always associated with the star. So it seems Scipio might be a contact point with this United Stellar States of America.? Salonius looked around the room as he spoke to see the reaction of the other attendees. He could tell they were shocked. ?It also seems they are a far larger star nation than we are and more advanced technologically.?

?So treating them with kid gloves was a good idea then?? Casca interrupted.

?It would seem that way. Mind you they could have known I was monitoring them and have been lying.? Salonius warned.

?Is that likely Salonius?? Casca asked the Imperial Enforcer.

?Having spent some time with them on the trip to Scipio I don?t think they knew Imperator, and there?s the matter of the six ships to check out one Gate of Apollo.? Salonius replied.

?Yes, we couldn?t afford to lose that many to explore one Gateway.? Magister Classis Gaius Marcus Antonius replied.

?Marcus, send Sempronius a message that he will receive a Triumph and a Golden Laurel for rescuing them and make sure he knows he did the right thing not boarding their ship after rescuing them and that he has made his father proud of him.? Casca said with pride for his son in his voice.

?Vestri ero perfectus, Imperator.?

?Does there seem to be any link between these Americans and the Base Builders?? Titus Flavius Dolabella, head of Alien Affairs asked. The Alien Affairs department had been set up to keep track of the various odd things the Romans had found in their home system, such as the base on Sky Dagger and to look after interaction with any aliens the Romans might encounter.

?We?ve not overheard anything which would indicate that they are, but there is a report from the medicus on the R.A.C Spatha. It seems that while he was helping the Americans he took the opportunity to get some samples of their DNA. His analysis, along with some further analysis at a Curatores Fumis lab, shows that without a doubt both races have a shared ancestry.? Salonius said and stopped for a moment as all the people in the room started to speak at once.

?What does this mean?? Casca cut in as all of the others began to shout and all faces turned towards Salonius.

?The report indicates that around thirteen thousand years ago both races were the same. Even now there?s only minor genetic differences. What it means is that both races initially evolved on the same planet, and they are our cousins, how we became separated I cannot guess, but I believe the base on Sky Dagger dates from about this time.?

?That?s true.? Titus stated in agreement.

?So there may be some connection or it may just be a coincidence.? Salonius finished.

?So what are your opinions on letting these Americans go home if they - or even we - can eventually find the Gate of Apollo they came into Scipio through?? Casca asked of his staff.

?They could prove a powerful trade partner and ally.? Titus said.

?Or a deadly enemy.? Marcus retorted. ?I doubt our classis would stand a snowballs chance in Hades against them.?

?But if we don?t let them go home if they find it and later we meet these Americans elsewhere we could be in deep trouble.? Titus replied to Marcus.

?Maybe by then we would be able to take them on with a chance of winning if they prove hostile!? Marcus snapped back.

?Lets not start a war here.? Casca cut in with a voice like ice. ?Both of you write up full reports on the pros and cons of letting them go home and we?ll see if we need to decide. Their ship is too damaged to give them the information after all. Make your reports available to everyone and we?ll meet again tomorrow.?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Þórgrímr »
Sic vis pacem, para bellum
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Offline Haegan2005

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« Reply #43 on: April 05, 2008, 12:49:58 PM »
This could become a novella in its own right! You're making this an interesting read. Please continue.

Quote
?The report indicates that around thirteen thousand years ago both races were the same. Even now there?s only minor genetic differences. What it means is that both races initially evolved on the same planet, and they are our cousins, how we became separated I cannot guess, but I believe the base on Sky Dagger dates from about this time.?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Haegan2005 »
 

Offline Þórgrímr (OP)

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« Reply #44 on: April 05, 2008, 01:56:25 PM »
Quote from: "Haegan2005"
This could become a novella in its own right! You're making this an interesting read. Please continue.


You know, that thought had crossed my mind.  :D  

The point where my 'Preservers' begin to take the Romans from is in the First Punic War. During that war a Roman fleet of 200 ships with Legionnaires boarded was lost in a storm. My P.O.D. has the Preservers using the storm as a cover to snatch that fleet and held it in stasis till the eruption of Vesuvius Mons gave them the opportunity to snatch the populations of Pompeii and Herculanium and fill out a 'TO&E' of population archtypes to base on the recreated Earth, to preserve the cultures of that day. They filled the population out with artificially gestated, and forced growth embryos.

This way they could recreate the planetary population as it existed at the time of the final snatch in 79 AD. All of this is rough and may change in time, but I think this is the info I am going to base the Romans around.

And once again, I have to thank Steve for his Preserver campaign, which gave me the idea for this story. And for Aurora which has allowed me to fill in the details of the story I could not have otherwise.



Cheers, ??rgr?mr
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Þórgrímr »
Sic vis pacem, para bellum
If you want peace, prepare for war