Bad Bots on Steam: Digital Tribe Quotes My Review

So I recently reviewed Bad Bots on Steam for Capsule Computers, and today, I've discovered that Digital Tribe Games liked it so much that they've quoted me in their latest press release. Here it is:

"Bad Bots is a well put together and highly enjoyable retro styled indie title... They have successfully married the chaotic visual and combat elements of the side scroller shooter against proven modern control schemes to create a deeper experience." - Capsule Computers

Little Sascha - Start of a Novel

'LITTLE SASCHA'

CH. 1 - THE FIRST DAY: 13:00-21:00 (+EPMT)

NEX

Wake…Wake….Nex, it will soon….Time, your … Jason Howe… the last Salvation…

Several of my playing cards move through the space, unhindered by gravity. My feet rest on the cockpit trim as I eat ice cream from the bag and stare out at the great silent expanse before us. I look up at the monitors; mild cabin fever, a mixture of poor morale and anxiety, is setting in by the looks of things... My eyes turn to the ship's rear camera, and the home colony of Earth Prime, now a mere static image, sitting oddly of its own accord against the non-horizon. It brings me much less comfort, to see it as an outsider. It is a deeply unnatural sensation that I can’t pin down.

Home.

So damn far from it.

Alexi sits next to me, meticulously studying the instrument panels, as is his manner to do so. He reclines in his seat and stretches out his legs. He taps the altitude meter and looks to me, before gazing up into the beaming fluorescent lighting and rubbing his eyes. He presses a hand against one of the wall’s padded tiles; I can see that he wants out. 

Like us all.  

I try and break the ice, this being the last twenty minutes of the flight. “I hear this station is something to see.” He turns, confused. I alter my language frequencies and try again, “I hear this station is something to see.” A great streak of joy, signaled by the muscular upward twitch of an eyebrow, crosses his face, and he laughs his reply, “Nice Russian!” I smile and look back out towards the distant moon. 

After a few moments, I lean forward, I see something faint. A large grey tower perhaps, protruding oddly from the nearing moon’s mottled surface. “See it?” Alexi nods, before slowing us down a little. “One hour, we’ll touch down one hundred and twenty meters from the site.”I nod and turn back into the mess hall. As I enter and survey the crew, bound in tight, secure clusters, I can see that the groups are almost entirely occupation specific. The scientific team are sat together, as are the security detail. Looking around in search of the engineering group, I soon notice Howe and Andria playing checkers in the Aft Observation Deck, and head over to join them. As I pass through the space, cycling through my song-bank for an appropriate track, I spot Raeus sitting alone, eating his ration gel and staring blankly out of one of the many portholes that decorate the mess hall walls. He spots me and smiles, and I, floating awkwardly past to the impromptu tune of some unspecified brand of East-Asian House, bestow a wave. It's not long before I float through the Aft doorway and reposition myself into an odd crouch next to Andria. I ask Howe how he's holding up, as he looks pale and disoriented. His reply affirms my suspicions. His manner is slightly frantic, yet vacant.  "An hour until firm ground everyone." Howe looks up at me with hope, and I see some life rush back into him at the thought.

Jason…the one…you must…offer aid…too late.

Before I can offer Howe any further reassurance, Alexi enters the Observation Deck. He flies past the back of my head, clipping the base of my skull with one of his large, angular elbows, before stopping at my ear. He looks over his shoulder at the rest of the crew, before beginning, "My friends. The station, I've scanned it." I turn to face him, expecting him to go on. He does not, instead he's ruminating over something. I look to Andria and then to Howe, who are both looking at me, not Alexi. Feeling the weight of a sudden sense of responsibility, I look back at Alexi and throw out an expectant nod, he swallows, before continuing. "Strange signal coming from the surface - could be the station, but it makes little sense.”

We look to one another, lost in each of our own unique searches for an explanation. Andria sits up in her seat and looks over at the security team, "We should tell Detail." Alexi looks back over his shoulder before responding sharply, ”Not yet. I want to scout around first." He moves over to the porthole and looks out for the moon, but from this side of the ship, only finds an abyss. "Ground will abort the expedition if we tell them now." 

Howe's erratic nature is becoming steadily and more visibly charged, I place a hand on his shoulder and he turns at me sharply. Andria copies my action, and as if returning to reality from some bemusing dream, he shakes his head slightly and blinks heavily a couple of times, before looking up into Andria's eyes. "I'm sorry Andi, I'm just... It's been a long flight, and now this, I'm sure it's just a false reading, it can't be what it looks like." I'm beginning to think Howe has the flu, he looks like he's burning up. "I'm going to ask Raeus to take a look at you, you might have a bug." Howe nods in appreciation as I pull myself back through the Aft doorway and into the mess hall. Turning the corner to call out to Raeus, I see that he is no longer there. He must have moved down into the holds to play poker with Kenji and Eric. I call back into the observation room, "I'm going down into the holds, Raeus is gone. Watch the wheel, Alexi." As I move through the Stern doorway and towards the service ladder, I hear the faint rumblings of Alexi's reply. "I can handle it, mind your head.” I grin as I move down into the lower levels. 

"Who's there?" Eric, the ship's captain, stands half upright at the far end of the corridor, brandishing a flood lantern in his right hand and the ace of spades in the other. He is using his ankle to remain in place, wedged against the railing at a jarring angle. I call back, "It's Nex, Sir. Nexus Litson." He directs the lamp at himself, before flashing a carnivorous smile, "Ah! Hello Nex, come to inspect the engines? …Or perhaps to play a hand?" He waves the ace of spades childishly, as a toddler would a toy jet, before pressing his index finger to his lips and letting out a knowing smirk. I air a brief pause between us, before changing the subject. "I'm actually looking for Raeus, Sir. Howe from Engineering looks like he's coming down with something. I was hoping he could take a look, ease my concerns and so on." 

Eric smiles, squints, and murmurs distantly, "Yes, very good. You're a thoughtful one Nex." He turns out of sight and calls out, "Raeus, cash in, and fuck off. You're actually needed for once." I hear a smattering of laughter and the delayed onset of begrudging footsteps, before meeting eyes with Raeus. He looks as tired as the rest of us. “Howe’s sick you say?” He passes me and continues towards the service ladder. I turn and follow close behind, “It’s looking that way,” Raeus stops and turns back, aggravated “You can’t tell?” I look up, “I’d appreciate you checking it out, in any case.” He nods, before disappearing up the service ladder. 

I hear something…Nex…So do you...

Raeus enters the mess hall moments before me and stops against the doorway, afraid to enter. Confused, I move closer and overlook his shoulder. The mess hall has descended into chaos. Most of the security detail struggles to pin Howe to the floor, who appears to be fitting as he bleeds profusely from the nose. The lack of gravity makes his convulsions near-impossible to contain. The scientific team are all protesting Howe’s restraint, demanding his immediate relocation to the medical wing. 

A great coarse rumble surges down the ship, and with it, a detachment from reality, an unearthly coldness accompanied by an indescribable sensation, rooted somewhere in the centre of my brain, washes through me. My vision blinkers for a moment, and all of the sound and fury of the environment distorts temporarily into a mash of static. I feel my heart beat furiously, as if the organ itself is enraged by and resisting its very duties.  

You are…the few… Nex, all…-ense in…time. Breathe…. Brea-..ex… you… now… -mber…is your purpose…You…gui-….not need…resist.

Let the music… find you -ex...

We…

Will…if…you -o…

Raeus calls back to me, his face filled with desperation, “What do we do?” My senses return fully, and the dull throbbing in my skull and chest subsides. My heartbeat slows instantly, and assumes its normal rhythm once again. 

I take a deep breath, and signal my understanding to Raeus, before looking down at Howe; he has lost so much blood. The fitting has stopped but his nose, and now his right ear, continues to surge. I pull myself through the doorway and move in the direction of the security team. “Get off of him. He needs to be in medical. Raeus will escort the stretcher.” I turn to Raeus, “Maybe now you think he’s worth looking over…” before moving up to the cockpit. I hear Raeus barking orders as I shut the door behind me. 

Alexi looks up, “Everything is stable?” I nod, and take Eric’s seat once more. I look out at the lunar surface, now much larger, closer, and draw in a deep breath laced with vibrato. Alexi fixes his gaze on me, “You had a scare; Howe looked bad on the monitor, very bad. Brain bleed I think. But I’m no doctor…” He takes a deep breath, holds it in for a second, and then expels the air as a flat sigh, “Something moved through us just now.” He looks forward again without waiting for my reply, and we sit in a shared, mourning silence. Only a few moments pass before Eric knocks on the cockpit door. “Nex, I need you out here.” I move up, unbolt the door, and slide out past Eric. I salute, but don’t meet his eyes.  Before moving through the open door, he calls back, “I think we should get some artificial gravity going in here… and also look into booting up the ship’s A.I… now that Howe needs medical attention.” I turn back and nod. Eric raises his hand, “I need you and Andria down in the centrifuge working on that right away. I’m going to help Alexi get us down, and then we can look into Howe’s condition. O.K Nex?” He disappears into the cockpit, I hear the hiss of the locking mechanism and suddenly, I feel entirely alone in the universe. A barbed shudder rolls down my spine and I turn to Andria. “Centrifuge?” She crouches, so as to look out of one of the mess hall portholes, before looking back at me and exhaling her reply, “Centrifuge…”

ALEXI

Что это?...Что? Где?.... Как Вас зовут?...

Space invites madness, I think. 

Eric is checking the panels, mainly my work. Between these things, he adds to his notebook. I am tired, my language module is broken and so I must speak in English to most of the crew - all but Raeus, who speaks a little Kurdish.

I like the quiet, but Eric is animated, always. It is hard on my patience. He plays with his rust-red beard, halts his work, and looks at me, through me. He is studying. Not long from now, he will begin to make small talk. I feel it... “So... You’re a Russian sovereign, yes?” he is pointing at the emblem on my suit. “Yes, Eric. Former Federation, but the new generation, like my children, falls under the jurisdiction of New Israel, so I wear both.” I lean over and move his screen aside. I need to check the O2 levels on board. His face scrunches, perhaps he thinks me rude, but the creases fade when I speak again, “Petty politics my friend, but they have Russian blood, and they know it.” Eric now smiles as he looks out front, towards the moon and its cryptic, quiet surface. I hear the voice once more. It knows I hear it, and it knows me.

Понятия не имею....Меня зовут…

У меня в ушах звенит...

“I’m going for a break.” I stand and open the cabin door.  I see Andria, she makes the ‘a-O.K’ sign. I smile, and she drops down the service ladder after Nexus. Kenji moves past; probably on his way to the medical area. He slaps my shoulder as I try to push through, “Sorry ‘Lex, coming through.”  Finally, I move out into the room. Raeus is returning from the infirmary. He moves closer to Kenji, and after only two or three whispered words, they are both gone. I think towards the medical wing once more.

I am now alone with the security team. They look not unlike a pack of hyenas, with hard eyes and bent smiles. They want to ask me something, it seems. I move over to join them. I am not sat for three seconds before the gravity kicks in and our arms hit the dining table. A dead silence grips us all for a second, fear and relief.  One or two of the team, a man and woman whose names I have not yet learned, look around at the ceiling. I think they are trying to... What is the English word... Assess... yes, the condition of the ship this way. I watch them, amused. I look at Dean, the security captain who has fixed his eyes on the marks on my forearm. He is a very thin man, tall, with unusual birthmark on his forehead. “Shrapnel?” he asks, with half a heart. Not wanting to speak of old things, I reply “Of sorts.” The conversation ends. I take pack of ration gel from the dispenser, and I eat slowly as they watch me in silence. I am not interested in what they think. Another migraine is coming.

 Мне нужен врач....

NEX

Look...what we...you, Nex. Where would your...be...-out us?

The centrifuge is an astounding sight; a great pendulum, made of Thorium, rotates at a phenomenal speed, in perfect silence, producing a wide strip of sky blue light that permanently illuminates the entire sub-level. It was Howe, curiously, who designed this particular model, and indeed, most of the ship’s core structure. As I look deep into the great humming wall of light, I cannot help but think of what happened to him just now. Not only that, what happened to me, why it was different, too many questions. I’m concerned about his condition. Andria is now activating the primary A.I, which will take time, as the system requires almost a third of the ship’s nuclear resources. Eric will have to trim some fat up above to avoid straining the core too much. I pull up an empty container and use it as a stool, before looking to Andria, “Can you call up to Eric and ask him to bring the engines down to fifty percent? I’m going to go have a look at them myself after stopping past the mess hall. I just want to make sure the cooling system is good.” Andria replies without looking up from her console, “Sure, I’m on it. I'll see you soon, Nex.” I jog towards the service ladder and pull myself up. Reaching the top, I realise I can barely lift my own weight. I slide my torso out of the hatch and look over to Alexi, who is sitting with the security detail. He quickly rushes up from his seat to pull me through. Before he reaches me, he extends a hand and raises his eyebrows, “What’s wrong, my friend?” I can barely speak. Think. 

Go with…it…ordained…that you must…become…

ANDRIA

Andria...You hear us...Clearer than the rest...

“Oh God…Nex!” I sprint to the service ladder and crouch down. He landed hard.  I can’t see any broken bones, any wounds. His pupils are even, but he's not all there. I look up the ladder at Alexi. He's crouched too, bent over the service hatch with an arm still outstretched. He looks at me with despairing eyes and calls down “Is he hurt? Andria! Is he O.K?” I look back at Nex, “I'm not sure, he’s…” his eyelids flicker as my hair brushes across his face. “Nex? Can you hear me?” He groans. I look back up at Alexi, who hasn't moved. “We can’t get him up there with the artificial gravity enabled. I need Raeus or Kenji down here A.S.A.P.” Alexi nods and disappears from view. Soon afterward, my console rings out; Eric is calling from the cabin. I quickly remove my jacket, fold it into a makeshift headrest and place it carefully behind Nex's head. Standing up, I return to the desk to answer Eric, “I’m here” I make some final checks to the A.I configuration while waiting for his response.

ALEXI

Я заблудился...

Raeus and Kenji might still be in medical. I first check the laboratory, where I see Kenji. He is looking down a microscope. “My friend, Andria needs you at the service ladder, centrifuge level.” Kenji does not move. I have no time, no patience, I hit the steel desk with a closed fist. “Now, Kenji!” His eyes dart up, close to anger, “What? What’s happened now?” He stops to change his tone. “Sorry Lex, I’m just looking at Howe’s blood work. I’ve never seen anything like this.”  I grab his shoulder and pull him up, so that our eyes are level. “Nex has fallen down the service ladder.” Kenji seizes his arm back, and rolls it to check the feeling. I continue, “I think it’s the same thing as Howe. You need to check them both out. You might find something useful...But I’m no doctor.” I leave, Raeus crosses my path on the way out. “Raeus, speak to Kenji, he needs your help.” He nods, but makes no effort to hide his fear. I leave the medical wing and make for the cabin to speak with Eric.

Eric is getting us ready to land. When he hears me enter, he speaks without pause, “What is happening back there, Alexi?” I sit next to him, breathe, and shake my head. “My friend, if I knew, I would be working hard to stop it from happening again.” He grunts, and shuffles his weight in his seat. He touches the main console, “Andria, how’s Nex looking?” We wait. Eric tries once more. “Andria? You there?”

Writing a Novel: Writing a Plot Synopsis - Updated (Little Sacha - Chapters 1-7)

So this is the start of the accompanying synopsis that needs to go in with the 3000 word opening chapter as part of the creative brief. It explains the whole plot and therefore, I don't think I'll end up writing this out as a whole novel. I'll keep adding to it as I go, but in case you wondered where the story was going, here 'tis... (Updated, up to chapter 7)

• Chapter 1: Introduction of Narrative Key Characters (Nex, Andria, Alexi) & Non-Narrative Key Characters (Kenji, Raeus, Howe & Eric) Setting Established: 90 minute flight to the moon in the year 2118, (large ship & crew) with the goal of investigating a deactivated space station on the lunar surface. Shortly prior to landing, the ship encounters an anomaly that Nex describes as a shock wave, causing first Howe and later Nex himself to become affected physically. Alexi and Andria have their first narrative accounts in this chapter. 
• Chapter 2: Arrival at new setting: (Lunar Surface, 120 meters from 'Little Sacha' station) The crew debarks, leaving Kenji, Raeus, Nex and Howe in the Medical Wing. Andria, Alexi and the Security team, led by Dean and Eric, make for the station as the new expedition team. Once inside, they experience a second anomaly, causing one of the security detail to suffer a similar reaction to that of Howe. Communication with the search party is lost, and we return to the medical wing to follow Nex's recovery. Howe's state worsens and Kenji and Raeus conduct several tests in an attempt to learn more and to isolate the cause of the reaction. Nex slowly regains vigor, and starts to worry for the expedition team. Now alone with only Howe, Kenji and Raeus on the ship, Nex activates the AI in an attempt to aid the search for the lost team. The AI personality, "Evie", is introduced for the first time in this chapter. 
• Chapter 3: Return to the expedition team, who have moved the affected security member to the station's triage unit. En route, they discover an antenna control that appears to be responsible for producing the anomaly. Eric makes the decision to deactivate the antenna. Back on the ship, Howe enters a state of shock and does not recover. He is pronounced dead by Kenji minutes later, but neither Raeus or Nex are present. 
• Chapter 4: Nex and Evie begin their attempt to rebuild communications with Eric and the expedition team, whilst Kenji and Raeus perform a postmortem on Howe. They discover several strange internal injuries and find themselves unable to agree on the cause of death, as aside from his internal injuries, Howe was otherwise in perfect health. Nex and Evie return to medical to inform Raeus and Kenji that communications with Eric and the expedition team are now back online. After discovering that Howe is dead, Nex isolates himself on the Observation Deck. As Nex grieves for Howe, Evie, Raeus and Kenji perform further investigations on the body.
• Chapter 5: Eric and the security team are in the station's triage unit, attending to the injured team member and investigating the station's main control room. Alexi and Andria head down to the lower levels to bring power to the station. Shortly after successfully re-arming the station, they discover that the structure is not an asteroid defense platform as they were led to believe, but a secret facility concerned with various unethical forms of genetic research. Not long after discovering this, Eric makes communication with the ship. Evie responds and advises the team to return to the ship to drop off the wounded team member. 
• Chapter 6: Eric's team board the ship and the entire crew hold an emergency meeting. Eric, realizing the extent of the events thus far, advises Evie to investigate the station fully before any more team members debark. Evie makes for the station whilst the team watch her progress through a console in the mess hall. Evie heads straight to the main control room, and begins examining the station's activity logs. She downloads as much evidence as she can find, before exploring the station's other levels. 
• Chapter 7: Nex returns from the Observation Deck and asks Eric for permission to place beacons around the landing site.Eric denies, and Nex disobeys. He heads to the hangar and prepares a rover for dispatch, shortly before stepping into the airlock, Alexi appears and asks Nex why he wants to explore the surface. Nex replies that he can "feel strange music" in his chest, before shutting the airlock door and boarding the rover. Alexi returns to the mess hall and informs Eric of Nex's strange behaviour.

Writing Game #18 - Predicted Futures

So today's writing game is focused on the development of political, state of the nation, and sci-fi plots. Most of the greats made it their mission to predict the future, (Jeff Noon, Isaac Asimov, Phillip K Dick) so today's game is aimed at inspiring a similar state of vision.

Writing Game #18 - Predicted Futures

Write a 500 word passage (either voiced by a character or narrator, or as a found document) and try to predict the future. Take it anywhere you want, too, it doesn't have to be the actual future as you see it. Take it down a steampunk route if you like. As I've been enjoying a conspiracy binge on YouTube lately, my example below is likely to reflect that. But to give you a vague idea:

"I just don't know. They tell us all sorts. Like the great oil crusades... I'm not certain we were in danger at the time. The curfew bell just rang. I should get inside. They say it makes us safe, prevents crime, prevents chaos, disorder. And yet what does the night bring? Raids. Officers of the state in riot gear... they take what they want and there's no room for appeal. And... that seems to be the way of things. I suppose there is some saving grace, some hope to be found in the knowledge that our parents before us thought that our future was being sold at a fair price."