Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Tales from the Metropolis - Part 2 (How they Began)

(The below post and this series is entirely a work of fiction. Although some might believe its an exaggerated version of some real life incidents which seek to glorify the protagonist. However the author would like the maintain the pretense of humility which he claims he has stood for all his life.)

Achilles was just 18 when the first great war had begun. His penchant to strike the right deals and know the right people made him very valuable and resulted in him being appointed chief adviser to Commander Raphael who led the forces of evil against the Jedi council. Meticulous planning and flawless execution of several ambushes and financial scams was his forte and he did that with aplomb during the great war breaking the backbone of the enemy. With the war almost won, Raphael wanted to move in for the kill and eliminate all the remaining Jedi warriors it was Achilles who made him see some sense and got him to enlist the services of the survivors. "If they could survive our relentless onslaught for the past 6 months and still regroup and plot against us then they are gifted, incredibly so.." was his retort when other generals opposed his idea. The Jedi, tired of running and living underground gratefully accepted his offer and being the noble race they were, never forgot the favor Achilles had done to them by sparing their lives. They were the founding blocks of his army, the army which the world would later annihilate all traces of evil from the Satellite city and usher in an era of dominance by the 'Family'.

(The Great War was fought in AD 2125 for the control of the Satellite City, a suburb of the Metropolis. The city was ruled by the noble clan of Jedi warriors who stood for righteousness and truth. Their dominance was challenged by the evil forces of General Raphael. Although the Jedi were much more powerful and had technology and money at their disposal, it is widely believed that their downfall was plotted by an unknown strategist. It is rumored that a young boy acting as the adviser of the general was responsible for the tactical warfare which led to the collapse of their industries and banks, which in turn led to a local uprising signaling the beginning of the decline of the Jedi empire.)

In AD 2110, Odysseus entered the limits of Silicon City to work as a waiter in the 'Water Down Cafe'. 10 hours of hard work later he joined the street hustlers to gamble. He was one of the gifted few who could take big risks without battling an eyelid and could keep his nerves during the all important finish. The waiters salary was just a facade to maintain legitimate income, Odysseus was one of the wealthiest hustlers in the Silicon City. He would bet on just about everything, right from race results to the weather to shares to the good old game of blackjack. But behind the calm face was a raging storm, he was in the city on a purpose and he had to achieve it somehow. Count Dooku had led to his downfall from one of the most promising student activists in the country to a disgraced criminal who would be hounded by the red brigade for the rest of his life. It was Count Dooku who ruled the Silicon City when the great student riots happened. In a span of 24 hours Dooku's empire was reduced to ashes. It is said that the rebel student groups who fought against the might of Dooku and eventually killed him were not even from Silicon City. They were mercenaries hired by many charitable trusts in the city. These trusts were secretly financed by a group of hustlers who claimed they were fed up of Dooku's oppressive tax regime. Some claim that the group was just a front to shield one powerful and immensely wealthy hustler who harbored a personal grudge against Dooku. Till date no one in Silicon City knows his name.

(The riots of AD 2123 in the Silicon City began as minor student protests against the forces of Dooku accidentally hitting one of their brethren. However in a span of 24 hrs they grew into a massive fight against the state machinery. Thousands of students mysteriously joined the protests overnight and attacked all state offices and virtually burned down the city. Elders say that it was one powerful individual who orchestrated this slaughter to gain revenge against Dooku who had cut one of his fingers when he had led a similar students uprising against Dooku's mentor down south)

(to be continued...)