Sunday, March 06, 2005
Speed Bump
I've hit a speed bump. But it's a good one. Another side project of mine is now taking up more time. I've mentioned it on my other blog, Ecclectic Mass. Since I'm doing all this in my free time, I need to prioritize.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
*Bangs Head on Desk*
I looked at a book of publishers today (the Writer's Guide?). It turns out that a publisher might pay something like $2500 to $5000 for a book, plus royalties (something like 10%).
And how much is that an hour? Egad! How in the world do writers support themselves? I've no idea. Part of what I wanted to do with this is eventually turn it into a side business. But then there's the question of viability.
What I need to do right now is to stay focused on the task at hand. Remind myself that this isn't about the paycheck (yet). Get the story first. Then figure out the rest later.
New idea: maybe a script? Hmmm....
And how much is that an hour? Egad! How in the world do writers support themselves? I've no idea. Part of what I wanted to do with this is eventually turn it into a side business. But then there's the question of viability.
What I need to do right now is to stay focused on the task at hand. Remind myself that this isn't about the paycheck (yet). Get the story first. Then figure out the rest later.
New idea: maybe a script? Hmmm....
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Going to Get the Job
The doors on the turbo hissed shut and the interior refreshment system kicked in. Calypso crossed her arms as she leaned against the wall. Soft music filled the little lift. The lone passenger sighed. She always considered that sound to be more irritating than soothing.
“Turbo-lift: music off,” she said. The music disappeared, and the hum of rapid elevation came to the fore. Little wall lights flickered in a nearly hypnotic pattern. Calypso began to daydream. She had served the Agency faithfully for over twenty years now. She had led her team for the last seven years since her predecessor retired early. They began their corporate assignments together, but eventually Felix had had enough. And now, she was the team’s Alpha.
The turbo-lift hummed as it came to a stop. The doors slid open and Calypso stepped into the corridor. She had been down this route several times before. She walked down a long corridor, passing several people as she did so.
“Good morning, Agency Team Alpha,” greeted several people as she walked. She returned their attention, even stopping a couple of times to exchange further pleasantries.
Eventually, she reached the end of the corridor which ended into an option to go left or right. She took a left turn and began the final stretch to her destination. On her right, large window allowed her to see across the city.
New Cairo, on the planet Scenari, in the Osiris system. Home of one of the largest intergalactic unions ever known: Nexus-Interlocutor Inc. [have I heard this somewhere??] But N-I Inc. was not free from overzealous competition. It had grown from corporate takeovers and mergers, and to maintain its security from being a victim of its own games, it power games, it had to utilize it’s espianoge wing: the Agency.
Some call those of Calypso’s profession “added security,” some “negotiators,” and some even “counter-terrorists.” But she and many of her ilk preferred to be called “agents.” The nutshell version of her citizenship package for faithfully serving N-I Inc. through the Agency was simple: the corporate union takes care of her interests, and she takes care of the union’s interests.
Besides, she couldn’t help but feel a certain amount of pride, ownership even, with this company. Just over fifty years ago, it was a Rank 5 company (according to Inter-Galactic-Common-Rank, or IGCR), on the bottom of the galactic scale. As such, they were forced to make risky investments and offer juicy citizenship incentives to join. Thanks to genius-level-and-beyond marketing schemes, N-I Inc. caused a crash in the citizenship market, which opened up new possibilities for upwardly-looking, ambitious young corporations.
There was a certain amount of pride to be felt for one who was a citizen of such a successful union. They had made something out of nothing. They defied the odds in doing so. And Calypso and her team had been a valuable part of that story of becoming. While secretaries of expansion engineered the corporate takeovers, those like her in the Agency “protected” and “promoted” those investments. The story itself was a revolutionary one, and she was an integral part of it.
N-I Inc. had finally broken into Rank 2 status as a union. There were a total of three Rank 2 companies, and only one Rank 1 company: Strato-Sphere. The Secretaries and Administrators were working on that one. It was a holdover from an age that was dying. Its governance was not that of a union, but rather a conglomerated hierarchy. Calypso figured that its days were numbered. It was going down, and she intended to do her part so that N-I Inc. would be there to snag the lion’s share of the market.
Calypso enjoyed the view as she continued down the slightly curving outer corridor of New Cairo Office, Scenari Division. They specialized in tele-locators. Only a few other companies dabbled in such things. And a few conveniently “folded” before they ever really could earn the label, “competition.” Nonetheless, New Cairo Office was the best at what it did, and that gave it an edge in the market. Arguably, it had the best researchers, staff, and financiers. As such, it was a significant contributor to its union, N-I Inc.
Calypso reached a door marked “Director of Negotiations.” As she stepped intentionally toward the door, it hissed open and she entered the ante-chamber for his office. The Gatekeeper sat in her hover chair, interacting with her holo-grid via her interface gloves. Waving her hands in the air, she dimmed the holo-grid. The Gatekeeper was the stereotype of corporate appearance. Plain suit with silver trim. Badge of identification. Colored glasses.
“May I help you, Agency Team Alpha” she asked.
“I have an appointment with the Chamberlain at 75.50,” she said, using the one hundred hour scale that was common on Capital Worlds. “I know I’m a bit early. No hurry.”
The Gatekeeper stood and walked to the wall. The press of a button opened a panel that revealed a retinal scanner. Familiar with the process, Calypso stepped forward to be scanned. A moment later, a green light signaled an identification match.
The Gatekeeper said, “Chamberlain told me to send you in once you arrived.”
“Thank you.”
“Allow entry: Agency Team Alpha Calypso” the Gatekeeper announced. The door to the main chamber opened and Calypso entered.
“Turbo-lift: music off,” she said. The music disappeared, and the hum of rapid elevation came to the fore. Little wall lights flickered in a nearly hypnotic pattern. Calypso began to daydream. She had served the Agency faithfully for over twenty years now. She had led her team for the last seven years since her predecessor retired early. They began their corporate assignments together, but eventually Felix had had enough. And now, she was the team’s Alpha.
The turbo-lift hummed as it came to a stop. The doors slid open and Calypso stepped into the corridor. She had been down this route several times before. She walked down a long corridor, passing several people as she did so.
“Good morning, Agency Team Alpha,” greeted several people as she walked. She returned their attention, even stopping a couple of times to exchange further pleasantries.
Eventually, she reached the end of the corridor which ended into an option to go left or right. She took a left turn and began the final stretch to her destination. On her right, large window allowed her to see across the city.
New Cairo, on the planet Scenari, in the Osiris system. Home of one of the largest intergalactic unions ever known: Nexus-Interlocutor Inc. [have I heard this somewhere??] But N-I Inc. was not free from overzealous competition. It had grown from corporate takeovers and mergers, and to maintain its security from being a victim of its own games, it power games, it had to utilize it’s espianoge wing: the Agency.
Some call those of Calypso’s profession “added security,” some “negotiators,” and some even “counter-terrorists.” But she and many of her ilk preferred to be called “agents.” The nutshell version of her citizenship package for faithfully serving N-I Inc. through the Agency was simple: the corporate union takes care of her interests, and she takes care of the union’s interests.
Besides, she couldn’t help but feel a certain amount of pride, ownership even, with this company. Just over fifty years ago, it was a Rank 5 company (according to Inter-Galactic-Common-Rank, or IGCR), on the bottom of the galactic scale. As such, they were forced to make risky investments and offer juicy citizenship incentives to join. Thanks to genius-level-and-beyond marketing schemes, N-I Inc. caused a crash in the citizenship market, which opened up new possibilities for upwardly-looking, ambitious young corporations.
There was a certain amount of pride to be felt for one who was a citizen of such a successful union. They had made something out of nothing. They defied the odds in doing so. And Calypso and her team had been a valuable part of that story of becoming. While secretaries of expansion engineered the corporate takeovers, those like her in the Agency “protected” and “promoted” those investments. The story itself was a revolutionary one, and she was an integral part of it.
N-I Inc. had finally broken into Rank 2 status as a union. There were a total of three Rank 2 companies, and only one Rank 1 company: Strato-Sphere. The Secretaries and Administrators were working on that one. It was a holdover from an age that was dying. Its governance was not that of a union, but rather a conglomerated hierarchy. Calypso figured that its days were numbered. It was going down, and she intended to do her part so that N-I Inc. would be there to snag the lion’s share of the market.
Calypso enjoyed the view as she continued down the slightly curving outer corridor of New Cairo Office, Scenari Division. They specialized in tele-locators. Only a few other companies dabbled in such things. And a few conveniently “folded” before they ever really could earn the label, “competition.” Nonetheless, New Cairo Office was the best at what it did, and that gave it an edge in the market. Arguably, it had the best researchers, staff, and financiers. As such, it was a significant contributor to its union, N-I Inc.
Calypso reached a door marked “Director of Negotiations.” As she stepped intentionally toward the door, it hissed open and she entered the ante-chamber for his office. The Gatekeeper sat in her hover chair, interacting with her holo-grid via her interface gloves. Waving her hands in the air, she dimmed the holo-grid. The Gatekeeper was the stereotype of corporate appearance. Plain suit with silver trim. Badge of identification. Colored glasses.
“May I help you, Agency Team Alpha” she asked.
“I have an appointment with the Chamberlain at 75.50,” she said, using the one hundred hour scale that was common on Capital Worlds. “I know I’m a bit early. No hurry.”
The Gatekeeper stood and walked to the wall. The press of a button opened a panel that revealed a retinal scanner. Familiar with the process, Calypso stepped forward to be scanned. A moment later, a green light signaled an identification match.
The Gatekeeper said, “Chamberlain told me to send you in once you arrived.”
“Thank you.”
“Allow entry: Agency Team Alpha Calypso” the Gatekeeper announced. The door to the main chamber opened and Calypso entered.
Sci-Fi Spirituality?
Remember a movie called Powder? It's about an albino who could use the totality of his brain. He was more "fully human," if you will. That's what made him a "spiritual" being. Great flick.
Anyway, I had thought of using religious parlance as if some sense of "God-Presence" were common place. (Could it be that the existence of "God" has been "proven"? It is sci-fi after all.) In this setting, dualism is out (which causes its own problems). Since fully human and fully divine are considered to be two sides of the same coin, psychic ability is considered to be a sign of call to priesthood. (It's the whole gifting/calling thing.) This may very well create a caste and have its own dark and violent side (which of course challenges the whole foundation of the religious orders).
Anyway, I had thought of using religious parlance as if some sense of "God-Presence" were common place. (Could it be that the existence of "God" has been "proven"? It is sci-fi after all.) In this setting, dualism is out (which causes its own problems). Since fully human and fully divine are considered to be two sides of the same coin, psychic ability is considered to be a sign of call to priesthood. (It's the whole gifting/calling thing.) This may very well create a caste and have its own dark and violent side (which of course challenges the whole foundation of the religious orders).
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