SLA 950 - The Fall of SLA Industries

By Morton Smith

"The year is 950SD. SLA Industries has been decimated by a universal catastrophe. There is little left to live for except to kill. Mort is in chaos and the rest of the World of Progress lies in ruins. From his headquarters in central Mort Slayer surveys the destruction of his empire. What's left of the streets are controlled by serial killers and monsters of all descriptions. There is nothing to do but wait to die… or is there? What follows is a short account of some of the events that took place to bring the World of Progress to where it is today."

THE LAST DAY

The largest Sammhaine, the new title for the old Gore Zone, ever organised, broadcast to every planet of the World of progress. The largest collection of killers both sanctioned and non-sanctioned made more enthralling by the participation of the newly returned Kilneck. Every serial killer, psycho, and want to be media darling had gathered to be part of this mass slaughter. No one could have expected what would happen and the consequences of one individuals actions, of one killers deed, of one mans words.

DAY ZERO
Wave of Mutilation

As the World of Progress watched Hallowe'en Jack go toe to toe with the most psychotic Stormer ever grown no one could have dreamed of the hellish nightmare that was about to unfold before them. Jack unmasked and reciting Integration 20 in front of the largest captive audience in the history of SLA Industries. Later estimates state that 80% of the population died instantly that day, 750,000,000,000 lives snuffed out by a few words. Across the universe the shockwave was felt. As far away as Static torturous deaths were recorded in there millions. In deep space Foldships melted, Ion cruisers, carriers and capital ships of evey Shaktar House exploded like super novas the skies illuminated by thousands of new stars that flickered then died.

Integration 20 was devastating. The truth, the truth about everything. The walls of what everyone thought was reality came crashing down one by one.

Mort bore the worst of the apocalypse. Death came in many forms, some just vanished others melted into pools of boiling blood, some burst into flames others exploded in showers of crimson rain. Of those that survived the majority had been deformed beyond recognition mentally and physically. Some where lucky and missed the broadcast others seemed to be unaffected by the whole thing. Even this didn't stop their deaths as the psychotic and deranged butchered those they could find.

Central Mort was sealed off by Stigmartyr agents the corporate sector and central HQ became a killing ground as anybody, regardless of SCL, who attempted to enter were killed. For the first time in centuries the high pitch wine of Decimator fire was heard as Stigmartyr agents held the defensive line and the command "None shall pass." This night became known as "The Ring of Blood".

As night fell on that first day an uneasy calm washed over the city. There was no power to anywhere outside of Central that night but the city was bright as tens of thousands of fires raged unchecked throughout. Kilcopters prowled the skies killing anything moving on the streets.

DAY ONE
On the first day…

As dawn broke over Mort on that first morning the true extent of the damage could be seen, the city lay in ruins. Fires blazed across whole sectors, thousands of residential blocks had collapsed falling through dozens of street levels creating huge craters in the cities structure. The metropolis of Mort City had been completely destroyed in a day. For the rest of that day reports of Shiver and Operatives units fighting desperate battles in Downtown flooded into Central as they attempted to reach the believed safety of HQ. Kilcopters and other airborne transports ran sorties into Downtown all day and night to airlift as many Operatives as the could, but they were hindered as roving gangs of civilians would attempt to highjack the rescue missions.

As, what could only be termed as, all out war raged though the city Central was a hive of activity as construction teams reinforced foundations and building structures to better defend it from the rest of Mort. Prefabricated huts where put up all over the streets and whole tower blocks where given over for medical, tactical and storage purposes, much to the distain of the corporate employees who had moved into their offices.

Again as night fell Mort City was silent. Silent but for the screams and gunfire that reverberated round what was left of its streets.

DAY TWO
No more heroes

The Stormer population had been hard hit by the catastrophe almost all had perished on Day Zero. Those that had survived had gone trough massive mutation most into crazed killers that would destroy any living thing they encountered. Of the rest these abominations wondered the streets filtering towards Cannibal Sector One and more specifically to Salvation Tower and Digger. The reason for this baffled most but not even the Kilcopters would venture that far from Central to find out the true nature of this exodus.

The Brain Wasters had also changed. On Day Zero they had become fused with their Deathsuits and became literally living armour. This had altered the physical state of these creatures to the extent they no longer registered as ebb users by any form of detection. The Brain Wasters turned on anyone not of their kind especially Ebons. It is reported that these creatures even attempted to kill Necanthropes.

The Necanthrope Society had remained unnervingly aloof throughout the first few days. And few were seen although the Preceptor Teeth did spend several hours a day talking to Slayer.

Stigmartyr had effectively defended Central for two days and not one of their number had left their post since Day Zero. As night fell heavy fighting was reported on the south perimeter. Stigmartyr agents rushed to reinforce the defences only to find they were fighting elements of the Black Chapter. Only after personal intervention by Slayer did they stop fighting and the Black Chapter were permitted into Central. Field Marshall Daidler and the rest of the Black Chapter Operatives took up residence in the SLA HQ building and sent their technical crews to The Pit.

Although people had always queried the architecture of The Pit none had ever envisaged the true purpose of the night club. Over the next few days The Pit was stripped of everything that could constitute entertainment and was refitted with all manner of military hardware and effectively became a command bunker. All Operative and military organisation was now controlled jointly from HQ and The Pit.

DAY THREE
Into the light

The construction of 16 meter high gated walls around Central was well under way. All entrances to Central were sealed and mined.

The population of Central was increasing daily as more and more Operatives and Shivers arrived from all over Mort. Reports of other cities came with them. Of particular note were Orienta and Meny. Orienta itself was completely decimated with few survivors those that had reported monsters of myth and legend, probably mutated Stomers, taking control of Fort Chimera and a strange portal that had opened up in the bowels of the prison.

As for Meny the bubble had truly burst. Massive damage to the domes structure had caused it to collapse, crushing most of the city and killing almost all of its surviving residents. A few of the students and lecturers managed to save a fair percentage of the Meny data cores and transported them to Mort City.

By now what was left of the once large SLA fleet had arrived at Mort. This was hindered by the fact that the Ebon Beacon had ceased transmitting due to the massive disturbance in the ebb caused by the catastrophe. Slayer was infuriated to find the majority of this force was made up of Ion ships partially crewed by humans and that most of what was left of the Fold Fleet had made best speed for Static. With interstellar communications still ineffectual Slayer personally contacted the Primus Navigator and demanded to know why so many ships had disobeyed orders. Slayer was further enraged when the Primus Navigator couldn't give him a satisfactory answer.

If all this was not enough Preceptor Teeth then high jacked all available Fold ships and proceeded to evacuate all Necanthropes from Mort. Fighting between Necanthropes and Stigmartyr agents was fierce as Necanthropes defended the Mort Central Space Port from attack. More than twenty senior Necanthropes lost there lives as they bought time for Teeth and his minions to escape and more than sixty agents died attempting to stop them.

Only a few Necanthropes still loyal to Slayer remained as the rest of Society effectively vanished from the World of Progress.

DAY FOUR
The prodigal return

The first communication from off world came from Artery. It simply said "Stormer population on route. Consider them extremely hostile." It takes a full month for an Ion ship to reach Mort from Artery and four days for a standard communication. The message from Artery had been sent on a third class signal generator which meant it was two weeks old.

The second communication came from a Foldship crippled by the catastrophe. It was almost out of range of ebb communication but managed to relay a message by bouncing it off of the beacon on Static. It was also short and more terrifying that the one from Artery. "Contact with ForceFoldship. Magnitude Nine Displacement. Carrying the sign of Mandrake. Foldship name Yung." The largest ship that had ever served in SLA Industries Fold Fleet was magnitude Four Displacement.

On hearing this communication Static declared itself an alien free zone and forbid any non Ebons from setting foot on the planet without the express permission of the Department of Transport on Static. All non Ebons on planet were given two months to leave. No easy order to obey as transport off world was sparse to say the least.

Most of Slayers senior advisors and department heads felt that the situation was spiralling out of control and demanded that Slayer do something to protect SLA Industries assets from danger. In particular the perceived inactivity of the Kilneck angered the department heads. They wanted the Kilneck to repeat their valiant efforts of the Conflict Wars and return SLA to the power it was. Slayer was quick to point out that most of the reality that people perceived was a fallacy and the Kilneck were not to be used as some kind of herald of a new age. They were at his command, nobody else would hold authority over them.

The Kilneck didn't seem to be too enamoured with this idea although none spoke out directly against Slayer, at least not publicly.

DAY FIVE
Once in a life time

At this point the general consensus was that nothing could stop the total breakdown of society. A dark age faces the World of Progress. Slayer was now showing physical sings of stress and mental exhaustion. As a result he delegated many of his duties to subordinates and new hastily organised divisions, these in turn would argue and bicker amongst themselves and achieve very little in the process. The organisation of the once mighty SLA Industries had spiralled into chaos.

At this point the existence of two, hitherto unknown, organisations came to light. The first was not so much a department or division but a group of people trained by Slayer to manipulate and distort reality. These 'Reality Engineers' were a mixed bunch of characters that seemed to have been taken from every walk of Mort life. The one thing that linked them was the fact they seemed unaffected by the catastrophe or perhaps affected the most. Their abilities were bizarre and bore no relation to anything past or present in the World of Progress or beyond. Ebons seemed to fear or at least be uneasy about them and refused to have anything to do with them. Their talents ranged from mind control through telekinetics to the total warping of reality, its time frame and people or objects in it. The ebb avoided them like the plague or rather they pushed it away. An area that a Reality Engineer walked through could take half an hour to recover its ebb flow. Over the course of the next few months Slayer would integrate some of these people into position of power and control in the various departments of SLA.

The other organisation was a new division created by Slayer to counteract any and all White Earth activity. Needed now that Stigmartyr were occupied with the defence of Mort. The SLA Investigation Division (SID) was made up of Operatives from investigative backgrounds. The SID were given a wide range of powers to aid in investigations. Helped by the fact that Slayer had effectively scrapped the SCL system the SID would be quickly hated by Stigmartyr and despised by the rest of Slayers remaining Operatives. Although they had a much more acceptable public image than Stigmartyr only the civilians seemed to accept and appreciate what they did.

With the scrapping of SC Levels and the breakdown of most monetary systems almost all of the World of Progress was very quickly reduced to a barter system. Operatives in Central could no longer buy weapons, ammunition, drugs, armour or equipment. Instead they where issued with what they required depending on there department, assignment and mission. High level Operatives felt insulted at being told to stand in line with the rest for their share and a few dozen resigned on the spot taking what was left of there equipment and weapons and disappeared into Downtown.

DAY SIX
The meek shall inherit…

The influx of civilians to Central was causing a massive logistics nightmare to ease this Slayer ordered all non-skilled civilians expelled from Central. Any trying to return would be shot. This tore apart families and caused riots when the Stigmartyr units moved in on the shanty towns to start the expulsions. These riots where short lived as any disagreements were settled at the barrel of a gun.

By now the rest of Mort City had calmed somewhat as most had been killed, found shelter they could defend or made the trip to Central. Serial killers that had survived the catastrophe were running free in Downtown. Even though SLA had spent the last few years thinning out their numbers quiet considerably hundreds perhaps thousands had a free killing ground. Some reports indicated that cognates had set up safe houses in the lower areas of Downtown where they offered protection to civilians in return for weapons equipment and services. Of course some of these services would include death.

What was left of the Shiver forces outside of Central barricaded themselves in their Shiver stations waiting from orders from Central or Commander Cradle. What they didn't know was that Cradle was dead, killed by Slayer on the day before the catastrophe after he resigned when Slayer refused to cancel the Sammhaine.

Slayer ordered that anybody that was not within the confines of Centrals walls by midnight would be considered an enemy of SLA and shot on site. This resulted in a barrage of radio communications and ebb communications to Central from all SLA employees still outside protesting at the order. This caused Slayer to do something almost unheard of in his time as controller of SLA Industries, he rescinded the order. Instead all employees attempting to enter Central would be vetted for skills, training and abilities before a decision was made as to their eligibility to enter. All entry applications where to be controlled by Stigmartyr.

By This time Stigmartyr agents were at braking point. In the space of a week they had been reduced from ultra-clandestine Operatives to immigration officers. Some applied for entry into SID, some disserted and others took out their frustrations on the civilian population.

Slayer seemingly in a fit of range disbanded Stigmartyr instantly on hearing their protests. Reassigning them to SID, Reality Engineering and the Black Chapter. The last order caused even more problems as the hatred between the two organisations, kept secret for decades, became very public and in some cases resulted in fighting and the occasional death.

The Black Chapter took over control of the wall defences and immigration.

DAY SEVEN
The last day

Given the chaos of the last seven days most had quickly settled into their new world. Those that could not cope and went insane were either put out of their misery or expelled from Central.

The rest of Mort City and Mort as a whole was left to smoulder, rot and die along with the World of Progress. Or at least that was what it looked like.

The first reality wave hits Mort. These phenomenon where like mini catastrophes although causing much less damage than the original. Some were localised to areas no more than 3 metres square while others would affect whole regions of space or planets. Their duration also varied from second, to hour to days. Reality waves lasting days were seldom bigger than three or four square kilometres. There frequency would fluctuate between two hours and two or three weeks. Later this time would increase until months would pass before a wave disturbed any where.

WEEK TWO
All's quiet

More communication from off world indicated that what remained of SLA forces on Dante' had left on whatever transport they could find and had set course for Mort.

No more sightings of the Foldship Yüng were reported.

More ships arrived at Mort, most carry no cargo but some are still loaded. Of these the most important is the Pah-Jarkost (Gods Ghost) with a manifest of 7000 cubic tones of medical supplies, food, construction materials and weapons.

Slayer sends three Ion drive carries to Dante with orders to bring back as much military hardware as possible.

A report from a small Ion frigate on route from Fiddlers Green informs Slayer that Red Rebel Four research facility has been overrun by enemy forces, affiliation unknown. Later reports and information from Mitzz of the Kilneck confirm the enemy force to be that of the Black Church. For the first time RD4's location is general knowledge, three planets distant from its sun in the same system as White Earth.

WEEK THREE
Life is but a dream

Field Marshal Daidler requests permission from Slayer to take an expeditionary force to RD4 to rescue any survivors from the Black Chapter units stationed there, Slayer refuses. Instead Daidler is ordered to make the Ion battle cruses "The Cross" space worthy. The Cross is an ancient ship, over 800 years old, and is considered to be at best an antique and at worst scrap metal even though it is rated as a Magnitude 3 Displacement vessel. Most see this as a diversionary tactic by Slayer to keep Daidler occupied.

Reports of White Earth activity in Downtown increase. With no Stigmartyr agents to keep this in check Downtown is believed to be nothing more than a playground for White Earth demons and acolytes. In addition to the chaos that is now Downtown all perimeter walls of the Cannibal sectors have been breached in several places. Carrien and other abominations including several failed Karma experiments are now hunting in the lower Downtown areas of Mort City.

WEEK FOUR
Into the valley of death

The Ion transports from Artery arrive in orbit. With little atmospheric defences SLA are helpless to stop the Stormers ferrying to Cannibal sector one on whatever shuttle craft they have. Some crash as a result of repeated Kilcopter attack of these several hit and destroy large sections of CS1's perimeter wall.

Slayer orders all remaining Frothers to prepare for a tactical assault on Cannibal Sector One. Even the Frothers know this is suicide and protest. Slayers calls all Clan heads to discuss the mission. The Clans agree to take the mission only after Slayer promises the assistance of all seven members of the Kilneck.

Almost 3000 Frothers, in full battle dress, are transported to CS1 along with the Kilneck. Along the rubble of the sector wall they stood with full ceremonial battle banners. The attack was supposed to eliminate what was left of the Stormer population that had emigrated to CS1. As the Frothers advanced on Salvation Tower a multitude of creatures, some estimates report their numbers as high as 6000, swarmed towards them. They seemed to appear from everywhere, buildings, streets and even from under ground. True to their nature the Frothers ran headlong into battle and paid the price for their typical bravery. Hundreds died on the first advance more on the second. By the third the Stormers had encircled the Frother Clans and the battle was lost. Even the mighty Kilneck found it difficult to hold off against the Stormer army. It is reported that one member of the Kilneck almost had their head severed from their body by one of the creatures blows. When the retreat was sounded only five Frothers and the Kilneck were able to escape. The rest were butchered by the Carnal Stormers. The Frother clans were no more. With only a few dozen left on Mort and a similar picture on other worlds the Frother was official extinct as a race.

MONTH TWO
Born in a storm

The weather of Mort had changed drastically since the catastrophe. Storms raged constantly causing havoc as lighting strikes became a daily hazard. Flooding took its toll on the majority of the city with Central being the only area able to withstand the flash floods and rising water levels. The geography of Mort city had totally changed as large parts of it were washed away. New rivers and lakes had formed throughout leaving what was left of the Morts road structure destroyed. The underground network and the city sub structure were totally under water but rumours abound of areas that still could sustain life.

All of Centrals defences where now in place and the perimeter walls finished. Communication off world had been restored and a full assessment of the destruction of the WoP got underway.

The assessment of the World of Progress made grim reading. Few had survived untouched with most planets and races as a whole were reporting huge casualties on a species wide scale. The Shaktar home world was one of the few places no contact could be made and the only information came from an Ion pilot gone insane. He spoke of the gods walking the earth as they did eons ago, laying waste to whole regions of the planet. Not that it mattered as almost 80% of the Shaktar race had been lost in the catastrophe. Along with them went 70% of the Wraiths, 85% of the human population and at least 65% of the Ebons. As part of some kind of twisted irony the Brain Wasters had suffered the least actual fatalities as far as anyone could tell, but the mutation they had went through meant that they could no longer be considered the Brain Waster race. They had become something far more terrifying and deadly. By now any Stormer that wasn't in CS1 was dead or lost somewhere on the outer rim of the WoP. In total only about 0.01% of the Stormer breeds were physically unaffected by the catastrophe and of then at least half were insane and subsequently destroyed.

New Paris was rebuilding some semblance of order and had secured most of its cities. But with few natural resources it relied on other worlds for its supplies of food, medicals supplies, the majority of its clean water and weapons. Its systems proximity to that of Morts hindered this as Mort claimed the lions share of any supplies in that area of the WoP.

Static's alien expulsion program had gone unchecked by SLA and almost all had been transported off world. Any alien left on Static was there by permission of the department of Transport and Immigration. Still with much of its natural resources untouched Static was more or less back to normal but much quieter. The only problems they had in the first few months was with the eradication of the Brain Wasters on planet. This was dealt with swiftly by the Ebon Guard.

MONTH THREE
Came the brave and the bold

Ion ships from Dante' arrive at Mort. Only 18,500 troops had made the trip from the war world. Department of War records stated at the time the total number of personnel on Dante was around 76,000,000.

With this influx of personnel came new problems. Most of these troops where carrier military and adjusting to, what to them was, civilian life was not easy. No rigid military controls, no routine and a much reduced chance of death by Thresher cannon.

The SID began to extend its sphere of influence over the WoP. Now with sufficient numbers to conduct field operations the first of the SID agents left Mort for various worlds still under control of SLA Industries. Operating in two man teams these agents, charged with the suppression of all Reality and White Earth activity, became known as The Watchers. With powers to equal those of the old Stigmartyr units and with no jurisdictional boundaries the SID quickly became feared, hated and suspected by everyone as they carried out their witch hunts. Of course the large percentage of these agents did actually follow the letter of the law but some used their power to settle grudges or for petty pleasures. Most cases that the SID handled resulted in torture, incarceration and then death for the guilty parties or simply death as the work load of the agents was such that they had little time to arrest and interrogate prisoners.

Disclaimer:
All refrences to material published or in development by Nightfall Games is © Nightfal Games all other material © Morton Smith 2000.

Stigmartyr

by Morton T. Smith


Something that should be said before this is read is that the work contained in this file belongs 101% to Morton Smith. It was originally distributed privately, to avoid the "Truth" being widely known among players. I am reproducing it now due to its propogation on the SLA List, as I feel that it can do no harm to have it more easily accessable.
If either Morton (who allowed me to put up his previous work but who I could not get in touch with recently), Jageeda or any of the Nightfall crew want this removed, it will come down immediately. My intention is to reduce my mail traffic to those new SLA-L members who so often ask "Can someone mail me the Truth?".



STIGMARTYR
(SCL 1 Classified)

"Stigmartyr is there to protect you from the truth! No more questions."
-- Mr. Slayer 901SD

Stigmartyr is more of an unknown quantity than even the ultra-clandestine Internal Affairs. This group spring up subdue the strange and bizarre happening of the World of Progress and then disappear just as fast. Although billions each year go into their budget none of it is ever accounted for and is written off as Slayers personal expenses. So what is this organisation, why do they answer only to Slayer, what do they do?

From the very beginning of the World of Progress, Slayer knew that there was a real threat from the forces of White Earth and other such entities so as a counter measure he set up the Stigmartyr department. This organisation would deal with all those incidents that Slayer would deem unfit for standard operative investigation. As the effects of controlling such an organisation could not fall to any of Slayers subordinate commanders at the time, he ordered the creation of Guidance to run Stigmartyr.


GUIDANCE
Guidance is, at first glance, merely a giant bio-genetic super computer housed deep under the Ebb beacon that shares it's name, but is much more. Guidance was the result of the largest collaboration between what was to become Karma and DarkLament. Guidance is much more than just bio-genetic flesh in a tank, it is a living thinking organism that is in contact with the natural as well as the ebb world. The technology that created this anomaly was released to the technicians that built both the Beacon and Guidance by Slayer. Where the advanced tech came from is still a mystery and all records of its design vanished as did all the personnel that worked on the project.

Guidance is in constant contact with every department of SLA Industries with full access, Guidance effectively has a SCL 1 clearance, to every computer database and mainframe evaluating the events of the World of Progress. Scanning to detect any incident that might require the use of Stigmartyr agents. Any communication that Guidance has with it's agents is through fax, e-mail or a telephone call.

Stigmartyrs base of operations is also under the ebb beacon, but no agent knows what really lies in the bowels of their HQ. This complex is under 300 levels of disused factories and power plants that SLA abandoned centuries ago. Only agents know how to get to the Stigmartyr complex although a squad of operatives did stumble on it once by accident and paid the price of knowledge with their lives.


STIGMARTYR: A BRIEF HISTORY
Although this organisation has been well established for the last 900 years or so their carer has been a rather uneventful one. The main reason for this being the nature of their operations do not call for massive acts of valour or large battles.

The bulk of all Stigmartyr missions or clandestine and covert to the extreme only a select few of their actions go noticed. The first of these is in 300SD when Salvation Tower fell. Within hours of the accident that caused the crash of the tower and chaos rained over hundreds of sectors of Mort Stigmartyr mobilised over 170 elite troops to the very "center" of the devastation and prevented the whole sale invasion of Mort City by Carrien and other monstrosities by performing a suicidally brave holding operation while the rest of the SLA operatives and Shivers were left in a state of blind panic. No official recognition could be given for this, but Slayer did give them his personal thanks which, for Stigmartyr agents, was more than enough.

The next time Stigmartyr would be called to the aid of Mort City in such a large scale would not be for 400 years, but again they were ready. A large Chien cult of over 300 members had entered into a mass 'suicide to summon' pact. While the followers, one by one, killed themselves the Priest summoned a collection of truly hideous creatures that should have caused enormous amounts of carnage in Mort. Sensing the start of this ritual ten agents where dispatched to stop this atrocity from taking place. When the agents arrived at the location of the disturbance they quickly found themselves outnumbered by the remainder of psychotic followers that had not yet killed themselves. these followers through themselves directly in the path to the Priest stopping the agents from killing him and ending the ritual.

The agents fought franticly to reach the Priest, but with each follower killed the more horrors would appear from White Earth. Soon finding themselves level with the Priest and the dozens of creatures summoned the agents knew that they could not succeed in a task of this magnitude. Not willing to commit more forces the ten agents swore their oath to Slayer for the last time and detonated several 'Hot Fusion' grenades vaporising themselves, the Priest and the fowl denizens of White Earth.


AGENTS & STIGMARTYR EMPLOYMENT
There are no standard requirements for actually working for Stigmartyr. There recruitment is from the everyday ranks of operatives that have had contact with one or more of the various anomalies that Stigmartyr cases deal with. These operatives are watched and if they seem to be stable and strong enough they are pulled into the department. Stigmartyr service is not compulsory, but if refused it may result in a seriously deep investigation into the operative.

The agents responsible for the recruitment of these individuals or squads are often mistaken for Internal Affairs as they flash their SCL 2f badges and ask a lot of rather threatening questions before telling the operatives that their services may be required by 'a department within the interstructure of the SLA Network' pick up their briefcase and leave.

Stigmartyr operatives are the most frightening aspect of the organisation as their powers are granted by Slayer himself and more often than not can be questioned by no one unless they have a serious death wish. This does not mean that these agents are not untouchable as the nature of their investigations and the mystery of their true identities often makes them fair game for SLA Ops on BPNs that are connected to Stigmartyr missions. Rumours and tales of the exploits of Stigmartyr agents are wide spread, but none seem to give any clear detail as to the whys and hows of their operations. Most stories are of the white armoured assault style troops that lay waste to anything that gets in their way. These are the front line shock troops of Stigmartyr, their military wing if you will. Almost all other Stigmartyr agents are never spoken of as they hold other positions within SLA and are called on only when somethng close to them catches the attention of Guidance. Some Stigmartyr agents will die without ever being called upon to perform and action for their department. Those that do are careful enough to cover their tracks so well that DarkNight and other soft companies have often been blamed for assassinations carried out by Stigmartyr agents to the extent that BPNs have been issued on the incident and operative squads assigned to the mission finding themselves on the receiving end of Stigmartyr agents authority.

Agents are employed from all areas of Operative society and cover all races with the exception of bio-genetic races. There are a few Stormers, but the are not often used on important or extremely dangerous missions. A large amont of Necanthropes work for Stigmartyr and seem to make the best agents. The largest single race employed by Stigmartyr is human with Ebons and Brain Wasters coming a close second. There are few Shaktars in the organisation as it is seen as going against their gods to try and find answers to the 'unknowns' of the universe.


STIGMARTYR RANK AND FILE
The organisational structure of Stigmartyr is one more akin to a quasi mystical military division of SLA Industries rather than a department of the corporation. The religious order aspect of Stigmartyr was introduced by Slayer when they were founded and it has been a great success as the agents of Stigmartyr see themselves as crusading Knights protecting the World of Progress from the ravages of chaos. Even their motto is a reflection of this "To Blindly Serve". Many traditions and rituals have been introduced to further strengthen this belief. One of the most important is 'The Oath'. Each member of Stigmrtyr must be unquestionably loyal to Slayer and SLA Industries. Each goes through several tests of loyalty at the hands of Stigmartyr Necanthropes. These involve the Necanthrope looking through every aspect of the mind of the agent to make sure that they are suitable to enter the employ of Stigmartyr. If they are not their mind is rewritten and theyare placed back in their old life with no memory of ever coming into contact with Stigmartyr in any shape or form.

The organisation structure within Stigmartyr is unique in the World of Progress and is designed to reflect the crusading religious knight aspect of the department. Each rank has no baring or meaning outside of Stigmartyr and acts as an independent system out with SLA Industries. Regardless of SCL status the rank of a Stigmartyr agent is the true measure of their position within Stigmartyr.

The Department of Stigmartyr is referred to as 'The Order' by those that are part of the organisation. Almost all of the control of Stigmartyr is handled by Guidance and any Rank that people hold is of a purely symbolic nature to make them more at ease. If any of them were to find out that they are actually under the control of a computer there would be disastrous consequences.


Master of The Order
Slayer holds this title and power that comes with it. He has total control over the rest of the department, including Guidance, but does little to effect the day to day running of Stigmartyr. Most decisions are left up to Guidance. All members of The Order believe that Slayer gives every command and deals with each case they are assigned to personally.
Patriarch of The Order

Always a Necanthrope, the Patriarch deals with all the ceremonial aspects of the order and is also responsible for reporting to Slayer as to any failed missions or other problems within the order.


Grand Inquisitor of The Order
To ensure that the order is as pure as possible with no outside (White Earth) influences the Grand Inquisitor performs regular screening programs of the Order. Commonly known as The Inquisition or The Veracity Army the Grand Inquisitor and his men are most feared within the Order. Although technically the subordinate to the Patriarch the Grand Inquisitor is very much an independent body within the order. Many arguments flare up between the two, but are normally quickly settled by Slayer.
Inquisitor of The Order

These are those members of The Order that conduct the screening programs under the watchful eye of the Grand Inquisitor. As with their commander these Necanthropes are feared and respected within the order. The Inquisition are seldom called upon to work outside the Order, but cases of rouge members do crop up from time to time. These are dealt with quickly and in most cases violently. The Inquisitors are among the elite of The Order as any conflict they are likely to encounter is with other members of the order.


Lord of The Order
These are the generals of Stigmartyr and command anything up to fifty Knights and their retinue. Many Lords are Necanthropes.


Knight of The Order
A Knight of The Order is an Agent that has performed acts of extreme valour. These individuals normally have at least five years service with the order and have successfully completed numerous missions. Once given this rank they are also given command of seven Agents and two Initiates as their retinue to aid them on any further missions.
Agent of The Order

This rank makes up the bulk of Stigmartyrs manpower working as solo agents, part of a group or under the command of a Knight. These are the real workhorses of the organisation and deal with all manner of operations that are part of a working life within The Order. Necanthropes joining the order always enter as Agents as their loyalty is garneted by Preceptor Teeth.
Initiate of The Order

For the first year of an Operatives life working for Stigmartyr they are referred to as 'Initiates'. This represents their junior status in the order. They are watched closely by The Inquisition for this first year to ensure their loyalty.


THE ENEMIES OF STIGMARTYR
There are many cults and sects in the World of Progress and Stigmartyr have to deal with all of them on a daily basis. The single largest cult that Stigmartyr investigate are those that involve White Earth. The biggest of these is the Chien (she-an) cult. This is the single largest White Earth cult in existence. Their followers are spread throughout the known universe. Find a planet with a human civilisation and you will probably find a Chien cultist. It is rumoured that there are even Chien cultists among the Shaktar Priests on their home world Kn'nth, but their High Lords deny this most vehemently.

The Chien cult is a blood cult that use ritualistic magic, for want of a better word, to summon demons and other creatures from White Earth to cause chaos in the major cities of the World of Progress. They also use this form of magic in a very similar way to the various powers of the ebb especially the healing arts and kinetic force abilities. Using their own blood and sometimes body parts in these rituals Chien cultists are among the most disfigured and yet powerful sect in the World of Progress. The nature of these beasts are only limited by the imagination of the summoner and how much of their body they are willing to sacrifice. Creatures up to the size of a Stormer can easily be summoned with the loss of about a pint of blood or three fingers. Body parts used in this way take a while to heal and other sources of blood have to be found to heal them, normally provided by one of the cultist followers. Stigmartyr have had to deal with all manner of monsters that these cultists bring forth into the world and often take heavy casualties in dispatching them. Ebb using Stigmartyr operatives that come into contact with these creatures and their controllers can find no trace of the ebb in these beasts or the rituals that are used to summon them. This has lead to an in-depth study of the cults 'powers' by the more senior Necanthropes working for Stigmartyr. Their findings so far seem to indicate that the 'magic' used by Chien cultist is to all intent and purpose anti-ebb. A direct opposite of the ebon powers.

The majority of other cults that Stigmartyr investigate on a regular basis are no where near as powerful as the Chien cult and in may cases are just weaker factions of the former. The structure of the Chien cult is very simple, one priest or True Believer and their acolytes which can number anything from as low as ten up to 100 or more. The True Believer is the only one that has any for of magical power that they use to subdue and control the followers as well as summon demons..

There are thousands of priests on Mort alone each controlling their own followers and having little if any contact with other True Believers. In fact on the few documented occasions that two or more True Believers have met the resulting battle has been a very bloody one. As well as their ritualistic magic the Chien cultists have a great number of 'trinkets; and pieces of jewellery that hold power of their own. Recovered samples of these indicate that they are from White Earth. The powers that these trinkets impart on their owners vary, but in the main are amulets of protection that enable they wearer to withstand huge amounts of physical damage.

Another major part of the Stigmartyr operation deals with tracking down and killing rogue Stormers. The incidents of these creatures going on berserk rages has increased dramatically over the last ten years and there is still little indication as to why it happens. Some trigger in the Stormers mind just seems to set them off on a killing spree that ends always in the death of the Stormer. Stigmartyr agents always make sure that there isn't enough of the Stormer left to examine. Stigmartyr justification for their 'with extreme prejudice' order on these cases is that making the cause of this insanity common knowledge would lead to subversive forces utilising this information to send SLA Industries into chaos as Stormers all over the World of Progress go insane.


STIGMARTYR ETHICS
A more unsavoury side to Stigmartyr operations is the use of the general public and inmates of various insane asylums that are found on Mort. Through chemical conditioning of these citizens and patients Stigmartyr are able to extend their field of operations to those areas that would send agents mad. These 'Drummers' as they are known are given chemical supplement to their normal medication that allows Stigmartyr agents to control them enough to use then in operations. Agents also employ Ebb mind control and possession to use the Drummers in mission unsuitable for standard agents. These make up a large percentage of the kills normal operatives make involving Stigmartyr cases. As roving lunatics are fare game for most operatives.

There are a plethora of drugs that Stigmartyr use to control and subdue the Drummers. One of the most potent is 'Trithol'. this is a powerful hallucinogenic that opens the patient to any for of suggestion up to and

including killing themselves. Trithol is so dangerous because it is equally as potent in any form gas, liquid or solid. As a gas it is orderless and completely invisible. As a liquid it looks just like cloudy water and tastes slightly salty. In solid form it is crystalline in nature and can easily pass as low sodium salt.

Another favourite method of Stigmartyr is to reward the efforts of the insane Drummers by allowing them to act out their various perverse fantasies when they have completed a mission for them. Some of the more intellectual insane have managed to gain themselves the freedom of the various asylums they live in and in some extreme cases they have been set free back into society. This counts for quiet a number of standard operative BPNs being repeated as insane criminals are captured by operatives and then released again by Stigmartyr.

The general public are manipulated much in the same way as those inmates, but Stigmartyr also have another powerful weapon in their arsenal, television. The manipulation of the digital signals that are beamed into peoples homes, places of work, and just about anywhere else are also carriers a hypnotic suggestion signals that leak into the subconscious of the public and change the way they think for the benefit of Stigmartyr. SLA's use of this technique is quite wide spread, but on a more commercial level "You will buy the new Captain Contract toys.", but no where else do they target specific commands to individual citizens to the same extent as Stigmartyr. Add this to the extensive use of mind control drugs and Stigmartyr have a powerful, disposable, task force at their command. At short notice Stigmartyr could mass a small, if slightly docile, army of about 500,000.

The Journal of Nikita Oblong

by Jared Earle

Stigmartyr internal memo:

Read the following. She may or may not be of the enemy but she‘s still alive. Read and learn. We are currently trying to interpret the sentences.

Survival tips:

• Don‘t rely on technology.
• Respect him but don‘t serve him.
• Learn to predict the shifting dunes.
• Carry Water.
• Goggles are a good idea.
• Never trust a compass and forget a navamap or inertial locator.
• Distance doesn‘t always work the way you expect it to.
• Wear local clothes: They wear them for a reason.
• Expect to die.

(taken from notes scribbled in the margins of an early volume of the journal.)

Journal continues...

When I walk on the shifting terrain, I almost miss the stability of Mort‘s roads. Almost. I still don‘t know how I survived there. After my breakdown, I did some thinking. I think he puts up with me, as an observer. If I take sides, I‘m dead. I must go back, she needs me. At least he has good tea. It‘s funny how his accent seems in contrast with his surroundings. He has that pure Killan accent like the Kilneck. Where do you get an accent like that? What am I saying, I‘ve been there. I must remember to get some water.

I really don‘t like that velouria and she doesn‘t like me. At least he makes her life hell. I met the politician last week. He wants me to do things for him. I said no. I said no to a shard as well. I so hope I get time to sit down and clean up this book. I hope I have time and my mind is good enough to remember it all. I‘m happy I got the DNA done, it would cost a lot to maintain it hear and it would go wiry and get in my eyes. I would have to get it cut and I would look like them. I need to look different or they think I‘m predator or prey. I just watch and he keeps me alive. He wants me, I can tell. He‘ll never get me. Look what he did to Zoe. That was him being nice. I don‘t think I could handle that. Besides, who would get to write it down for him. He thinks he‘s going to win and he wants me to tell his story. I wonder how the shards fell about it. Do they even feel? He speaks with a forked tongue. He scares me when he upsets her and licks her misery of her face and she doesn‘t like it but she‘s trapped. She looked for it and got what she wanted but found out it wasn‘t what anyone could want.

I occasionally need to return to Mort and remember. It‘s all to do with perspectives. I‘ve still got my handle and I can open the door with it. I hope no-one‘s gone in my room. Apparently, a DD got out. I think it was dealt with but you can never tell.

I remember first arriving here and it rained blood. Not red water but blood. It congealed. I think I was the only one not to flip, considering I‘d already flipped before. I think I must have flipped back. I don‘t think of my friends much. Well, I think of her of course but she‘s here, safe. I feel hungry as well. Is that man with the funny, smelly horse going to be around? I hope so, he‘s funny. Who was it who finally found a use for my contraceptives? He put them on his rifle. I told him not to trust in technology but he seems to cope. Scares the locals, I suppose.

I‘m worried when people from my old world come. They don‘t survive and I can‘t help them. Well, not when he‘s watching. Some of them try to kill me thinking I‘m of this world. Only the locals know not to have a go. He‘s very protective. He‘s so unhappy, I wish I could make him happy.

To be continued.....

Halloween Jack

Written by: Dave Allsop
Edited by: Morton Smith
Thanks to: Carol May

Prologue

"For years you searched for truth. How does it feel as it enshrouds you before all others? Does it sting like a cruel world, or clutch you in a lover's grasp? Do you remember? Do you remember when I found you lying in the ashes, and I gave you what you asked for? And god, how you cried because it wasn't what you thought, was it? Poor child, you, the lover of life, the protector of the downtrodden, did you not see what havoc you'd have brought to Slayer if you were to succeed? What is truth? Truth is hope my friend. But you know what the problem is? Nobody really wants it, not deep down where it hurts. That is why you are here with me this moment. You and I have a great deal in common. We both cared and wanted change yet society chose to betray us. As a result we have indulged in that which does not become us. We kill. Carve our hatred in flesh, and increase loss, sickness.......death. Does that make one...god? No? Then why do you live when others fail to destroy you. Their positive action, even goodness cannot touch you. Each soul controls it's own fate, that's what separates belief from doubt. We practise self religion. We are united under a common cause, are we not? Tell me what it is, that thing in itself which you despise?"

Halloween Jack slowly raised his hands to peel the mask from his head. The amber skin creaked and moaned as he pulled. It had been so long since he'd first put it on, years had hidden his true face from the world of progress.

At once the warm air buffeted against his bare face and he shields his eyes from the glare of the sun, his vision obscured and secluded for a lifetimes grief. He couldn't dare face the one who spoke of old matters. His mouth was dry and painful, retarded from lack of use "S...Sl....Slayer" he croaked

"Yes, Slayer. Do you hate him now as you did then?"

There was a long pause.
"Why.......won't you let....me....die?"

Walker smiled and looked into the wind averting his eyes from Jack

"You don't want to die, we're just getting to the good part"

"I'm....tired... Walker"

Walker drew him a maddening stare that made Jack pale

"I'm tired too, but there's no point in stopping now. You're going to help me settle this score, whether you like it or not"

"Why?"

"Why? Why?! Because you wanted this, didn't you?! You poked your nose in and got caught up in something you couldn't handle. That's why you're Halloween Jack. That's why you're here and that's why your going to do whatever I goddamn tell you to do!"<>

Jack put his hands over his face and bent over, the mask falling from his lap

"Don't do that! Don't cry. Don't cry in front of me! I've cried enough for everybody including you! You should have thought of this before you took it upon yourself to write that bloody rag all those years ago....."

Jack looked up hesitantly

"My god....what have I done?"

Walker knelt down in front of him and ran his hand through his ginger hair. "It's not what you've done. It's what you nearly did"

1. "Should be home by nine"

Wave Lindsay put on his coat and pulled the collar tight around his neck, the cold breeze of fear ran through him before he stepped outside. Today, everything went into action, too late to turn back now. Wave was with so little regret for findings but he knew that what he had, what he knew could bring great suffering upon the World Of Progress. Wave hoped they could cope with the truth, tomorrow would bring war and hope, hand in hand. Together they would walk steadily into an unforseen future.

Behind him he could hear coughing coming from the bedroom. Mary, Wave's wife had been very ill since he had brought his work home with him.

"Wave?... Wave don't leave without saying goodbye" She called out weakly. Wave entered the room holding a glass of water. Quickly he hid the horror on his face, Mary was deteriorating rapidly. She was matted with sweat, knotted over facing the rainy window.

Wave sat the glass on the bedside table and sat beside her.

"Wave?"

He took her cold hand, and gripped it tight against his chest

"Yes, my dear?"

"The flowers have fading and died."

Mary looked wearily at the empty vase by the window

"There won't be any more flowers will there, my love?"

"I'll....I'll bring some home tonight, when this is done, I promise."

Mary closed her eyes, fearing the worst, they sounded like her husbands last words.

"Wave,....just promise me...promise me you'll try"

"Don't say that Mary, everything will be fine. Slayer won't risk a face off, everything's covered, I promise. I should be home by nine, at the very latest"

Wave left home without saying goodbye, by nine he wished he had. Wave never saw his wife again.

Mary raised the glass to her lips, the water was cold and painful on her palate. She tried hard not to think of the terrible things Wave had told and of what she'd read in his article. It was all so hard to believe, yet belief meant so little now. It would be so easy to just close her eyes and disappear from this terrible place.

The glass slipped through her fingers but never hit the floor. It was time, Mary was going towards the flowers and as she caught the scent of their sweet fragrance she remembered when Wave courted her in New Paris. His face so fresh and innocent, such high hopes of notoriety. He used to buy his wife flowers, then the dreams died and he greeted Mary with a pale kiss and a broken expression. The Downtown Phoenix was born when Wave realised that the flowers weren't real and the sweet scent was only petal deep.

Mary shut her eyes and the memory closed like a curtain. There would be no tear shed, no prayer said, no angel to take her soul away. The truth had seen to that.

Intruder followed Wave through the backstreets of lower downtown, forever looking over his shoulder in fear of being tailed. Wave wouldn't see Intruder, even if he was five feet away. It had taken intruder centuries to perfect the art, and he loathed every step and day of it. He hated the fact he was assigned to follow Wave even more.

Eventually Wave reached the backdoor of the downtown Phoenix, the lights were dim but nonetheless on. To an innocent bystander, this run down tenement could pass as a harmless storehouse, Intruder wished he was innocent and took a sheltered position by the window and looked in.

Wave headed for the back office, followed by a short, fat, middle-aged man. He looked tired and nervous. Wave didn't, not half as much as he ought to be Intruder thought. Looking down at the printing press Intruder could see the spinning sheets of tomorrows news - Integration 20, a lethal announcement at the breakfast table of every civilian and operative on Mort.

"Shit" Intruder looked away in disgrace, he knew this is what he'd find but some how he wished that Wave might get the fear and pull out at the last moment. He didn't realise that this meant so much to Wave Lindsay, did he really think he could go head to head with Slayer? Intruder never thought it would come to this, to stain his hands with the blood of a friend. He was surprised that the information hadn't killed him sooner but Wave was always a strong one. The thought of letting Wave go crossed Intruders mind but if it wasn't him, it'd be some other op or Necanthrope who probably make him suffer for his crimes. No, Intruder would do it just as Slayer had asked, yet quick and painless, which was not part of the agreement.

Slayer wanted his pound of flesh.

"Newton, what's the final word count? I wanted to... Newton!" Wave looked up from a draught copy of Integration 20 to find Newton was no longer by his side. The office had grown so awfully quiet. Wave had been so engrossed in his deadline that he barely noticed the silence that stole his dreams from under his nose.

Wave rose nervously and edged towards the door.

Intruder hadn't left much of the staff, a few dismembered limbs lay scattered on the floor. A spurt of arterial spray had hit the print run and danced through the roller, leaving a red ribbon across the sinister streams of text.

Wave felt a gun barrel press against the back of his neck.

"Turn around and step slowly back into the office"

"I..."

"Now!" Intruder pushed Wave through the door.

Wave fell back into the office and turned to find Intruder bearing down on him, spattered with blood from his fellow co-workers, pointing a Blitzer in his face. Wave was at a loss for words.

"It's over, Wave. I'm sorry." Intruder pulled back the hammer on the gun.

"No, Intruder don't. The public have a right to know." Wave stammered.

"Don't let them suffer anymore than the have already. The truth is just to much to bare, can't you understand that?"

"I never thought I'd hear this coming from you, old friend, I really didn't." disappointment in his voice.

"I believed in you, Wave. I always have. It was the one whose backing you, that's the root of the problem. Do you see?

Wave was silent, his lips trembled, but the will to speak, to live was gone.

"Was it all worth it, Wave?"

"I guess we'll never know, will we?"

The shot ran out above the din of the machinery.

Intruder sat and stared for a long time as his friends blood emptied out onto the floor. It brought back bad memories... time for back-up.

"Guidance? Send in Stigmartyr One. All clear." the voice, dejected and low.

Outside children still played in the streets, dashing through puddles. Everyone wore masks today. A day when all souls would rise.

Wave dead and glassy eye gazed at the pumpkin head on the windowsill. It's fiery face glistened and glimmered as the DarkFinders stormed the factory and set it ablaze.

The Walker looked down at Wave's lifeless body and smiled.

"The Downtown Phoenix burns in Slayers rage, but like it I will help you to rise from the ashes. I will grant your fond wish. You will be all that Slayer respects and yet despises. You will be like a brother to his clockwork killer. In time you will tread the same soil and while he guides Intruder, I will guide you as a Monitor. The price of such a reward? You needn't worry about that right now, it'll become apparent soon enough, yes?"

The Walker reached down and wrapped the charm around his neck. Like a hungry virus, it quickly slipped under his skin.

Immediately, Wave sat up coughing and retching. Then in a moment looked up and saw his master and was silent.

Then the screaming started, the warm fluid trickled down his leg and an unholy fear surged through him that drowned his sanity in a second as the truth came to bear down on him one last time.

Wave went silent as his conscious mind slipped away.

The Walker looked over to the window and saw the pumpkin head amongst the flames. The carved skull pattern grinned back at him.

"Samme Haine? Slayer, you old fool..." The Walker smiled.

"Alice. Wake up. I bring you a message and a task to undertake."

Alice Neral woke suddenly and looked up to find two figures standing in the shadows of her darkened room.

"Who's there?" she snapped perturbed at a rude and unannounced visitation.

"Get up now, Alice. It is I, Delusia."

Delusia stepped out into the pale light offered by the window. Even her appearance made Alice nervous and uncomfortable even after all this time. Delusia was a Monitor like Alice, but she was much, much older. Alice had overheard that Delusia was by her masters side during the first Reunification Age and knowledge had taken it's toll on Delusia, her eyes and wings had grown tired. Alice smiled inside herself, another to step on and over on her way to the top. Not yet though, there was still enough to learn from this ancient servant.

Delusia looked Alice up and down with her yellow compound eyes. Two faced. arrogant, greedy, misguided, abused, yes, there'd be hope for this one yet. We'll brake her in slow. hurtful and slow. Delusia revelled in the thought.

"Alice Neral, you will take this new servant out of Slayers domain and surround with the Monitor family. The Diamond Dogs, they will look after him from there. Beyond that. we will need you know more... for now."

The Diamond Dogs? What chance would a fresh acolyte stand in the company of these weirdos. They'll kill him the moment they get him alone. It doesn't make sense. Alice concealed her reservations and looked back at Delusia.

"How am I supposed to get there?" Alice said indignantly.

"The Walker bestowed you with gifts, did he not?"

"Yes."

"Then I suggest you use them, you ineffective whore."

Delusia snapped her fingers and the second figure stepped forward and loomed over Alice. In an instant she shrank away from the thing that stood before her. An overriding feeling of hatred and chilling lifelessness engulfed her from this new Monitor. The strange pumpkin like helmet had an unnerving way about it that set Alice's teeth on edge.

This is Halloween Jack. Do not attempt to make conversation with him for he will not reply. Do not attempt to kill him, you cannot win, I assure you. You will take him to the Diamond Dogs and return here for further instructions. Understood?"

"...yes."

Fuck you, old hag. Alice thought.

"Very well, don't fail us Alice Neral... though I hope you will. Farewell."

Delusia stepped back into the shadows and was gone.

Halloween Jack?! Yeah right... there was nothing special about this one. He'd just end up like the rest. Alice was determined to make sure of it.

-The beginning -

Cherish

by Dave Allsop

A SLA Industries short story published by Jageeda Publishing, copyright 1996, All rights reserved.

Stigmartyr File 3960A. - 'Phyliss Gren' Record #1
Interrogator 2A - Nina Calibon

"We found Phyliss Gren three months ago in an 'Alice' Den in Newtown. Gren lost her job as a secretarial worker for Power Projects back in November of last year. When we took her to Main Office she had blood on her lips and neck. After we pumped her stomach, Forensics said she'd been eating groinal organs, tissue reports indicated that of a Dark Finder.

When we asked Ms. Gren why she had killed the Dark Finder, she denied all knowledge of it. soon I realized I was no longer talking to Phyliss Gren, but something else.

Three months ago, Gren had 5 Cloak Division investigators questioning her for subversive history. Stigmartyr commissioned me to carry on the inquiry myself after three interrogators committed suicide and the remaining two are seeking therapy in Bethlehem Asylum.

Phyliss Gren is a very special case. In the two and a half months I have talked to Phyliss, the more I believe that she is actually dead, her soul has left her body and a new person has taken root. A person SLA industries does not understand.

During our conversation, Gren goes by a different name. It's name is 'Apathy.'
Apathy is a visitor to Mort.
It has come from a place we know as White Earth.
The true intention of it's visit remains vague other than "to destroy all of Slayer's Creatures."
And when I try to understand what Apathy wants and serves, it smiles and peers inside me and says -

"Something you will cherish, Nina, cherish always..."

Inquiry One - First Contact

N.C.> "Phyliss?..... Phyliss Gren?"

A> PHYLISS IS GONE. APATHY REMAINS.

N.C.> ".......What are you, Apathy. What do you want?"

A> I AM A TRAVELER. I WANT TO PLAY WITH YOU.

N.C.> "Play with me?...."

A> I WANT TO PLAY WITH YOU, ...... IN SPECIAL WAYS......

(Pause)

N.C.> "Play with me? Like the way you played with the Dark Finder in NewTown?"

A> NO. BUT PLAY I WILL. YOU AND I. GO TROTTER TROTTERING IN DEEP FLURRY. FLIES DESCEND ON DELIUSA WINGS. GOBBLE EYE. SICKY LIPS ON TROTTER TROTTER.

N.C.> "........ You say you are traveler. Where are you from, Apathy?"

A> GRAIN OF SAND ON BLOODY EYE. BEAT FIST ON THE GROUND CUSS CUSS. SCREAM AT FAST SKY. DISOTATE THE TROTTER TROTTER.

N.C.> "How long have you been here....."

A> WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE, NINA. I COME FROM WHITE EARTH. PLAY TROTTER.

(Pause)

N.C.> "Thank you. I will speak with you soon Apathy."

A> SOONER THAN YOU THINK.

* "Phyliss Gren (aka Apathy) is immediately moved to a high security Ebb Cell. Within a day, the Glyph patterns and Stasis Pillar rot and decay. Apathy may leave and escape, yet remains in the Holding Cell. She-.... it's seems happier in it's filth. When we forced it to move, Apathy killed two members of the Black Chapter. Stormer 313 SCL 3a 'Brow's body was almost unrecognizable.

Apathy remains in the Ebb Holding Cell. The stench is revolting." *

Inquiry Two - "Separate Lives"

(Security has increased. I am than twenty feet away from Apathy.)

N.C.> "Good Morning, Apathy."

A> .................

N.C.> "Shall we continue where we left off?"

A> YOU SPEAK AS THOUGH WE ARE FRIENDS. BUT YOU FEAR ME, DON'T YOU NINA?

N.C.> "Should I fear you, Apathy?"

A> AS YET NO. BUT AS MORE KNOW YOU. FEAR ME THEN YOU WILL AND MORE OVER.

N.C.> "Why should I fear you, Apathy?"

A> .....................

N.C.> "Apathy?"

A> TOO EASY, NINA. PLAY TROTTER TROTTER. FALL INTO OPEN ARMS. I'LL WHISPER IN YOUR EAR. I'LL MAKE YOU OH SO HAPPY.......

N.C.> "Trotter, Trotter....... Did you play 'Trotter Trotter' on Phyliss Gren?"

A> NOW AND THEN AGAIN. PHYLISS IS GONE FROM TROTTERING. YOUR DARK FINDER STOLE HER. SHOT HER IN THE CHEST.

(Nina looks confused, flicks through her paperwork)

N.C.> "We have no record of Phyliss suffering any injuries? ........."

A> APATHY KNOW THE TROTTER WAY. HID THE WOUND.

(Apathy opens her dirty shirt to show a 12mm bullet wound in the chest. The hole is foul and rotting.)

N.C.> (disgusted) "........nrrph........"

A> SEE MY PRETTY MARK, NINA?

N.C.> "............where.........is the shell?"

A> HIDDEN IN TROTTER TROTTER, HA HA!

(Apathy squats before Nina, laughing as Calibon runs from the room violently sick.)

- Second Inquiry Ends -

"I have not visited Apathy for several days, during which time Phyliss Gren's body has seriously deteriorated. Apathy seems unpreturbed by the rapid decay. So little progress has been made. Apathy's true nature and forms remain a complete mystery. It has no Ebb presence whatsoever, ruling out all possibility the being is of Necanthrope origin. Any of the Ebb race who have been in close contact with Apathy grow terribly ill, a sickness from within. They sense a darkness deeper than any Necanthrope. A hideous Incarnation.....

The Inquiry continues and I start afresh."

Inquiry Three - "Deep Flurry"

A> HE WANTS ME TO OFFER YOU A SLICE OF PIE, NINA. HE WANTS YOU TOO.........

N.C.> ".......... Who wants me, Apathy?"

A> THE WALKER. THE WALKER WANTS YOU.

N.C.> "Why....... who is the Walker?"

A> ............ TIME WILL TELL TROTTER TROTTER.

(Nina flicks back a few pages of her notes.)

N.C.> "Apathy, why did you choose Phyliss Gren?"

A> WHY NOT?

N.C.> "You could have infected anyone on Mort, why her?

A> WE LOVE ALL THINGS. GREAT AND SMALL. EVERY SEED, RAPED AND SOWN.

(Pause.)

N.C.> "Did Ms. Gren ever visit White Earth?"

A> ......................

N.C.> "Apathy?"

A> YES.

N.C.> "How is that possible? Phyliss Gren has never left Mort in her life."

A> THEN WHY ASK APATHY?

N.C.> "I just - "

A> PHYLISS GREN HATED LIFE. LIFE DICTATED BY SLAYER. SHE CAME TO US, AND WE WALKED IN DREAMS. SHE WAS LONELY. THE WALKER GAVE HER APATHY...... A GIFT UNTO DEATH.

N.C.> "............. and what now, Apathy?"

A> LOVE ENDS IN TROTTER. BLOOD GLISTENS ON A DEEP FLURRY, WE WALK THE WAY OF WAKING TEARS, FLY AND DRIFT UPON RAINY SKIES. WAIT.

N.C.> (anxious) "Wait for what, Apathy?"

A> FOR THE WALKER TO RETURN HOME. LONG TIME FOR TROTTER TROTTERING.

N.C.> "Home, as in White Earth?"

A> NO, HOME IS HERE NINA.

N.C.> "The Walker is from Mort?"

A> MORT IS FROM THE WALKER.

(Pause)

N.C.> "......... What are you Apathy? What are you really?"

A> THE FIRST OF MANY.

"Two weeks follow the third inquiry, in which time Apathy has become sluggish and abrasive towards questioning. It refuses to answer any questions relating to the character known as 'The Walker'. I fear that this commission is close to finishing without resolution. Apathy is truly worlds apart from us, I'm led to believe that Apathy is a messenger with a darker purpose. It's message tells of a person on White Earth called 'The Walker' who appears to be of some importance. Apathy says that soon he will 'return' to Mort and have revenge upon the World of Progress. Beyond this, Apathy will say no more, not even why 'The Walker' is so bitter.

Yet, the more Apathy speaks of White Earth and the relentless 'Walker' the greater I comprehend the universal fear of this place. The place nobody speaks of. As an entity, I'm afraid of Apathy, though for all it's dark threats and insane ranting I know now that is a small chapter in a large book I fear has been written by 'The Walker'. Is this who lies behind it all? Is this what Slayer has been hiding all these centuries? What does it all mean? Where do we, the common people, fit into their big picture?

The fear of subversion looms over SLA everyday, but deep down I feel that this is the one that counts. Apathy, as yet is the only key we have, then again, this malevolent being could also be a trap. Apathy is powerful and intelligent, to smart to be captured so easily.

Apathy wanted to be caught. And here I am, dancing to it's tune."

Inquiry Six "Something to Cherish"

N.C.> "Hello again, Apathy. Shall we try to talk a little more today?"

A> ...................

N.C.> "Apathy, we have to - "

(Phyliss Gren sits before, angelic and alive, as if nothing ever happened.)

P.G.> "Please, ............ Ms. Calibon, call me Phyliss."

N.C.> "My, my ........... Phyliss, how - "

P.G.> "I don't know Nina. I'm so sorry, so terribly sorry...."

N.C.> "Phyliss, I don't know how long we have together, so you have to tell me everything you know about what happened to you."

P.G.> "I understand, Nina."

N.C.> "How did you meet Apathy?"

P.G.> "I don't really remember, it was so long ago. Like a dream....."

N.C.> "Can you remember how long ago, exactly?"

(Pause.)

P.G.> "............. It must have been nearly ten years since we first met."

N.C.> "Oh my god............ Phyliss, was Apathy with you when you worked for SLA?"

P.G.> "Yes, I'm sorry........ oh god, he saw everything......."

(Silence.)

P.G.> ".......... but it doesn't matter now. I don't think it ever did. You see, it's just a game....... it's just between them."

N.C.> "Who is them? Tell me, Phyliss."

(Phyliss begins to cry.)

P.G.> "Oh god, Nina......... he's made me do terrible things........ Just terrible."

N.C.> "......... It's alright, Phyliss. It's all finished now. You just have to tell me - "

P.G.> "But it's not over! They are everywhere....... when I lived, I could see them. They are everywhere, Nina. They're just watching us, ....... and people don't know they're there......"

(Nina can smell the scent of peach blossom. A scent she has never smelled before. Phyliss seems to grow more spectral.)

N.C.> "Phyliss, ........... tell us, what can we do to stop him? The one they call 'The Walker'?"

(Phyliss begins to scream hysterically, clasping her hands over her ears and throws herself to the floor. Nina runs up to the glass and peers through.)

N.C.> "Phyliss! Phyliss! Fight it! What can we do?!"

(Phyliss looks up with tears in her eyes.)

P.G.> "Kill the ones you love, Nina. Because if you don't, The Walker will find them and...... and......."

N.C.> "Phyliss, have you met 'The Walker'?"

P.G.> "..............yes........."

N.C.> "Tell me about him, please Phyliss. This is so very important, for everyone......."

(Phyliss crawls back to her chair and stares bleary eyed at Nina.)

P.G.> ".......... I was only sixteen when I went to White Earth. I was no permitted to look upon him. He......... he was dressed in tattered robes, covering but his mouth and hands. The Walker looked down at me and reached out to me......... and he spoke to me........ with bloody lips. I........ remember......... the distant cry of seagulls, and waves against the rocks...... but there was no shore, no sea........"

N.C.> > (anxiously) "Phyliss, what did he say to you? ........"

(Phyliss stares into the middle distance.)

N.C.> "What did he say, Phyliss?"

P.G.> "He only ever whispered one word to me, .......... before it all fell away for me."

N.C.> "................"

P.G.> "..........Imagine........"

N.C.> "Phyliss...........Phyliss?"

(Phyliss grows short of breath.)

N.C.> "Phyliss! Stay with me Phyliss!"

P.G.> ".............Nina.........."

N.C.> ".............Phyliss?"

A> ANOTHER MERCY KILLING, NINA! ANOTHER PIG HUNG UP IN THE TROTTER HOUSE NICE CHIT CHAT HAVE YOU HAD? READY TO PLAY MORE GAMES ON A DELIUSA WING?

N.C.> "Phyliss! ............. No! ........... no ............

(Nina burst into tears.)

A> NINA! ............ NINA, LOOK AT ME. WHAT DO YOU SEE WITH GOBBLE EYE?

(Nina looks up and screams in horror. Apathy is in it's natural form. A naked, diseased corpse with a huge, disshapen pig's head, bloated and rotten. It's eyes are black and lifeless, gnawed away by flies. Apathy rubs between it's legs with trotterlike fists.)

A> A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU TO CHERISH, SWEET NINA.

(Nina runs stumbling from the room. The air fills with a noisy din, a chorus of screeching pigs.)

A> RUN AWAY FOR NOW, LITTLE NINA. GO TROTTERING AS HAVE I. IT MATTERS NOT. PIGS IN GOBBLE EYE. YOU ARE ALL PIGS. ALL IF YOU PIGS!

February 14th 3:03AM
Nina Calibon's (SCL 2A) Apartment
1439A Harbren Block
Sector U9.

A> WAKE UP SLEEPY HEAD. THIS IS THE LAST TIME YOU SHALL LOOK UPON ME, THE FIRST OF MANY FOR NOW.

(Nina awakens with a start, nearly falling from her sofa. Apathy is on her television screen, the backdrop is a changing collage of violence and murder.)

N.C.> " Apathy how-"

A> I TIRED OF YOUR WORLD'S HOSPITALITY AND I AM A TRAVELER AM I NOT? AND I STILL HAVE SO MUCH GOOD WORK TO DO. YOUR COMPANY WAS AMUSING, I WILL MISS TROTTERING WITH YOU. SUCH A SHAME YOU COULD NOT PLAY WITH ME. THEN AGAIN, WE STILL MIGHT. IN THE END.

N.C.> "The end? Apathy........"

A> COME NOW NINA. HAVING FORGOTTEN ALL THAT APATHY HAS TAUGHT. 'TIL THE NEXT WE MEET."

N.C.> "Wait Apathy? Where will you be? You can't just run away from SLA Indu-"

A> AH POOR SWEET NINA. 'WE' ARE TOUCHED BY A HIGHER POWER. IT IS THE ONLY POWER THAT COUNTS.

N.C.> .................

A> AND WHERE I BE? IT'S ALRIGHT NINA. I'M RIGHT BEHIND YOU.

N.C.> "Apathy......(gasp)!"

(Nina felt the Ethereal enter her and hide itself away deep inside, a sickness from within.)

"Agent DarkFinder Corliela to speak to Jacob Vaide.......... hello sir? Yes, we've reached the home of Miss Nina Calibon.......... No, sorry sir, we lost her, she's gone. I understand....... sorry? No, she didn't take anything with her, she just up'ed and left. Y-yes, sir, we'll organize a BPN straight away sir, yes, the first competent squad I find. Don't worry Mr. Vaide, I'm sure we'll have 'retrieved' her before nightfall."

Nina Calibon SCL 2A Human Investigator (Stigmartyr)

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