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VDL South Shenanigans


Lynneth

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Leclerc told me I'd been in a coma for more than a month because the doc who originally augmented me screwed up big time. But he and a surgeon named Land had worked all that time to help me survive, working 14 hours and more every day. I'm...glad they did that, and grateful for it.
It'll take a few more weeks until I can get out of the hospital, but once I'm out, I can resume training as normal, they told me. I'm looking forward to that, even if I'm not looking forward to actually doing specops work, killing people and all that. But...Am I not a bit like the weapon in my hands, a...[i]tool[/i] for killing? Just as I aim the gun and keep it in a good shape, firing at my victim from a distance and keeping the entire thing unpersonal, Fjodor gives me a target, "aiming" me towards it. He keeps me fed and trained, in a good shape. He does it so he doesn't have to get personal with those destined to die.
An...interesting possibility and perspective, I guess. But I'll have enough time to think about it. Leclerc said the prototype gene therapy I got may keep me young for a longer time as unintended side effect, effectively prolonging my life. I may live to 100 and look like I'm 50, perhaps even younger if I keep myself in a good shape and fit.
I wonder if there's someone in a similar situation as I, with a comparable background and history. Not likely, but with all these millions and billions of people...Maybe.

Ah, well. I'll get back to studying. I want to learn some languages while I can. Russian and Japanese right now. I already know English and French in addition to my native tongue, German.

________________________________________

"So we've actually managed to make it work."
"Yes, we did. We have, in fact, a walking platform theoretically usable on a battlefield."
"My god. And in a few years, it'll all be 'sieg zeon' and gundams."
"Not likely, unless we develop Minovsky particles."
"True. Anyways. Let's see it go again."
"Okay."

Some seconds later, a heavy-looking two-legged contraption walked into the sizable room, towering at roughly 2.40 meters height. Its legs looked about twice as heavy as the actual torso.
And it walked. Faster than a human, but not fast enough to overtake a bicyclist, for example. It had two rocket-launchers - also usable as grenade launchers - on its head, one on each side. Slightly above those were machine guns, using the same caliber as the MG4. In essence, it wasn't much more than a very expensive [color="#FFA500"]Amber Guard[/color] with bigger guns and heavier armour. And slower.
However, it could likely be used incredibly efficiently in police duties to control mobs and riots.

[url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Bayern/GDR/walkan/05.png"][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Bayern/GDR/walkan/th_05.png[/img][/url]
[url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Bayern/GDR/walkan/07.png"][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Bayern/GDR/walkan/th_07.png[/img][/url]
[url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Bayern/GDR/walkan/08.png"][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Bayern/GDR/walkan/th_08.png[/img][/url]

Edited by Lynneth
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A few weeks have passed, and I've finally been discharged from the hospital. I feel good already, though the nurses said I should start slowly and be careful for another week or two. I don't like it much, but I'll heed their advice. Doctors and nurses here in the GDR tend to know their craft and know what they're doing.
It's also incredible how quickly I can learn languages now. It's barely been a month and I know more than someone who's spent 6 or 7 months studying. Crazy, but it has something to do with those metal things in my head. They stimulate my brain when I'm trying to remember something, making it much easier in the long run. And it apparently also has some kind of specialised RAM or whatever, so it helps my short-term momery, as well. Crazy~... But hey, it works. Not gonna complain about that.
Anyways, I've also heard something about a breakthrough of some sort with a walker. Are they building walking tanks now or what? Could be pretty cool, though I wonder why they don't just build more of this huge robot, Liberty Prime? Didn't it, like, [i]annihilate[/i] the rebel forces wherever it went in the civil war? I wonder why we haven't built more of it...But perhaps it's just too expensive. Maybe I'll ask Fjodor about that later.
And now I'm running out of things to do to procrastinate. Sad, but I guess I'll just have to get back to studying. Doo-de-dum~.

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I lift myself from the helicopter's seat, even though the vehicle is still several meters above the surface. I walk to the door and open it, subjecting the interior of the cabon to the engine's noise and the rotor blades' wind. The men behind me, still sitting, grimace. They don't like this much, but know something similar may be necessary in a warzone. This is no warzone though, merely a training exercise, and I certainly understand them.
But I keep the door open until the helicopter is almost on the ground, and jump out when it is a meter above it. I take the two parts of my rifle off my back and put them together; a process of less than 5 seconds. It is amazing that our engineers managed to make this gun so modular without it losing any of its power, range or accuracy.
I walk towards the commander of this outpost. He looks at me, curious what I intend to do with the gun in my hands. I tell him we're here for standard training. He replies that my gun is more suitable for [color="#FFA500"]Amber Guard[/color] training than the installation here. I shrug and wait for the others, loading my rifle in that time. After perhaps a minute, they're finally here and we proceed to the practise range.
Over the next few hours, I fire numerous times, fatally hitting my target 60% of the time over 1,500 meters. Unlike the first time I used this magnificent weapon, I barely feel any pain and my shoulder stays in place. The others, experienced snipers of the army, are not impressed at first. They are when I tell them this is the second time in my life I've used this weapon, after a 2-month hospital stay to boot and without much, if any previous experience in sniping. We continue the training for a total of 7 hours. By now, fatigue begins to take over, but I have improved considerably. Of course it'll be years before I'm anywhere as good as one of the men accompanying me, but even now I'm much better than the average civilian sharpshooter.
A good feeling.

________________________________________

[b]Deutschdemokratische Nachrichtenagentur[/b] (ddna; German Democratic News Agency)

[b]Vienna[/b]

The latest invention of German Democratic scientists:
Tiny batteries. Using genetically engineered viruses, they have managed to create nano-scale batteries.
The applications are endless, even if the technology will not leave the nation for the time being, as its uses are being investigated. Proposals include clothing that can function to power your MP3 player or gloves for policemen, for self-defence, potentially shocking opponents. Some sci-fi fans have also claimed such gloves could feasibly be used to power eventual lasers or other energy weapons, though those are far-off right now.
Right now, there are plans to use these batteries in military applications, amongst other things. We could soon be seeing HAL-exosuits that're powered just by you wearing your clothing!

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Training, studying, driving. These and other things have become mundane, and every day is similar to the previous one. They become blurred, indistuingishable from each other, and I almost lose all sense of time. Days, weeks and months pass and I barely notice it. Only the statistics, taken from each of my training sessions, show the past time.
69% over 1,500 meters. 3 weeks later, 67% over 2,000 meters. After what feels like a month to me, 78% over 2,500 meters. Two weeks ago, if my sense of time does not betray me, 98% over 3,000 meters and 90% over 3,500 meters. Somehow, I seem to have surpassed every single dedicated Marksman in the army over the course of what feels like less than a year to me. Everyone I talk to calls me a prodigy, but I doubt this is the case. The gene-manipulation and various augmentations done to me surely have great influence on all this.
By now, my training with the regular army has ended, not considered to have standards that're high enough. I find it a bit sad, as I've found a few friends - if not truly good ones - amongst these people. The [color="#FFA500"]Guard[/color] build trust and friendship much more slowly than the regulars. However, I suspect the friendships they build are strong and last long, beyond any battle or fight and perhaps even death. These are men who have sworn to give life and soul to protect the nation and its people.
[center]"In war, victory
In peace, vigilance
In death, sacrifice"[/center]
It is inspiring, to say the least. They are incredibly efficient in almost anything they do. Perhaps it is a result of them being a technically independent part of the StaSi, which is one of the most rigid and least flexible branches of the government. They can use that machine without the usual bureaucratic fuss and thus with greater efficiency.

And in the end, still more time than I care to keep track of passes. Days, weeks, months. Irrelevant. I build friendships with some of the [color="#FFA500"]Guards[/color], some of which are riped apart when they get stationed elsewhere in the country while others continue. In addition, I steadily improve not only my rifle skills, but also become relatively proficient in the use of other guns. Examples would be the GDAR 21 and several kinds of pistols from all over the world. In addition to this, I am now capable of hitting my target 99% of the time even over the maximum effective distance of my gun. I do not think there is much I can to or learn by now. My training may be finished.

Now I just have to learn how to live and survive.

Edited by Lynneth
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I lay, waiting. Far away in front of me, there is a house. Classic bavarian style, 19th century. Roughly 50 kilometers west of Munich. 1,892 meters separate me from the southern wall, the one closest to me. I watch through a window.
The man has white hair, not the only sign he is old. He's tired, almost a wreck. As I, he is waiting.

An hour passes. Two. Finally, another man, quite a bit younger, enters. They begin talking. I continue to wait. It takes time, but then they are in a line, relative to me. I squeeze the trigger slowly, to make sure they are not moving.
The bullet exits the gun, moving towards them. They never notice how it breaks the glass of the window, enters or exits their heads, fully destroying the brain in the process. Three seconds after I fired, they are dead.

Now it was a job for the StaSi to clean up and manufacture a story about why these two neo-fascist men died so suddenly out here. A car-accident, perhaps. Or a fire. I don't care too much, as they are just two small stones in the way of the ever-running machine that is the GDR. Easily crushed.
I get up, and leave. My work is done.

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  • 2 weeks later...

While the world was busy being rules by people of which few had any kind of common sense, things in the GDR continues as they always did, with new technological innovations being implemented on a regular basis.
One of those that seemed to make a citizen relinquish all privacy to the state were the mandatory bracelets, functioning not only as ID, but also as credit card, as well as a million other applications. In other nations, people carried dozens of documents and cards with them, as well as uncountable amounts of paper money and coins. With these bracelets, all that wasn't needed anymore, everything being combined into one great multitool.
Many not living in the GDR misunderstood it. It couldn't mindcontrol people or assumed full control over their lives. Each merely enabled the government to find the location of that particular armband via GPS. It didn't record what one was saying, thinking or writing. Only who one was, and from there the standard things a government had about one. In addition, it is of course impossible to track 113 million people at once, even if the government tried to do so. Only those who've been convicted of a crime before, or people who were suspected to be criminal (with the latter having to be justified by normal police investigation, etc) were being tracked.
The government also was incredibly transparent, more so than many others. There were few things people couldn't find out about. Even currently running police investigations, or what people were currently being tracked by the armbands was available on government websites.
The entire thing looked very oppressive, and perhaps it even was oppressive. But it was unchangeable in the constitution that the people came before the Chairman, and if they wanted him gone - i.e. de-elect him from his office - then he had to obey, or the military would get him. The armed forces were drilled to be on the side of the just, not necessarily the government. If there were riots, rebellions and unconstitutional acts, the military intervened. If a Chairman attempted getting all power for himself and/or for life, the military intervened.
The nation was geared to obey the people, who had the ultimate power in everything. Technically, they could get the military to stand down while the nation was in the process of being invaded.

In the last months, "flying" vehicles - not only cars, but motorcycles as well (though vastly more expensive) became more available, but soon laws were enacted to keep them flying along specified paths and routes within cities, with special rails being built in many of the bigger ones to guide the vehicles to their destination instead of letting humans do the steering. In addition to this, small technologies were implemented in almost all cars over time, such as radar-assisted brakes and smart GPS. The latter was a revolutionary invention, as it could drive the car on its own, without a driver, using not only the right streets but also stopping at red and basically following all traffic laws as well as a human could. In some cases of more expensive programs, even better.


However, despite all this, the people grew weary of not being able to see their leader in flesh, having to watch the unchanging visage of Lynneth whenever he made an announcement. While they all loved his work and what he had done to the country, they wanted a face to actually represent them. Someone to talk and really listen to (or at least someone who looked like he could be talked to).
Such a man was soon found, and he swayed the masses.
The "Big Comrade" Obama.

[url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Possible/1269292414145.jpg"][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Possible/th_1269292414145.jpg[/img][/url]

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[quote name='Sargun' date='04 April 2010 - 07:04 AM' timestamp='1270357424' post='2247269']
Ex-President Obama has issued a complaint with the German government, alleging that they are using his likeness without his permission.
[/quote]
"There are many people in the world, millions and millions. It just so happens that one who is gaining support here in the GDR looks similar to a former leader of the Sarnungian Republic. The 'Big Comrade' does in fact look like this, and we are not using former President Obama's likeness. The two just look very similar."

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[quote name='Lynneth' date='04 April 2010 - 08:08 AM' timestamp='1270386500' post='2247464']
"There are many people in the world, millions and millions. It just so happens that one who is gaining support here in the GDR looks similar to a former leader of the Sarnungian Republic. The 'Big Comrade' does in fact look like this, and we are not using former President Obama's likeness. The two just look very similar."
[/quote]

"They happen to look almost exactly alike [i]and[/i] share the same first and last name? Blasphemy."

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[quote name='Sargun' date='04 April 2010 - 07:39 PM' timestamp='1270402755' post='2247625']
"They happen to look almost exactly alike [i]and[/i] share the same first and last name? Blasphemy."
[/quote]
"Where do you see the Big Comrade's first name? Only the last name, Obama, is similar. And that one isn't too rare in some cultures."

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[quote name='Lynneth' date='04 April 2010 - 01:02 PM' timestamp='1270404119' post='2247641']
"Where do you see the Big Comrade's first name? Only the last name, Obama, is similar. And that one isn't too rare in some cultures."
[/quote]
It has been noted that Germany is incapable of acknowledging that they are using their advanced technology to replicate Obama's speech, mannerisms, likeness, and voice, and the complaint was dropped when Obama said "I look ballin [sic] in that".

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[quote name='Sargun' date='04 April 2010 - 09:39 AM' timestamp='1270402755' post='2247625']
"They happen to look almost exactly alike [i]and[/i] share the same first and last name? Blasphemy."
[/quote]

"Given the world that we live in, and to its seemingly lack of logic, it is possible. Look at Facebook."
- Senator Barack Obama of Illinois

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[quote name='Sargun' date='04 April 2010 - 08:22 PM' timestamp='1270405318' post='2247661']
It has been noted that Germany is incapable of acknowledging that they are using their advanced technology to replicate Obama's speech, mannerisms, likeness, and voice, and the complaint was dropped when Obama said "I look ballin [sic] in that".
[/quote]
"We aren't replicating his speech, mannerisms, likeness or voice, though we're glad former President Obama likes the outfit the Big Comrade is wearing."

[quote name='JEDCJT' date='04 April 2010 - 08:45 PM' timestamp='1270406720' post='2247684']
"Given the world that we live in, and to its seemingly lack of logic, it is possible. Look at Facebook."
- Senator Barack Obama of Illinois
[/quote]
"Indeed, indeed."

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  • 2 weeks later...

[b]Deutschdemokratische Nachrichtenagentur[/b] (ddna; German Democratic News Agency)

[b]Vienna[/b]

Public support for the "Big Comrade" is rising, with more and more people supporting him. Just yesterday, he announced that if enough people support him, he will indeed attempt to go for office as Chairman.
While the current Chairman's policies are not disliked, many people complain about the fact that there is no real face to associate him with, just representatives. In many of the numerous demonstrations around the country, people demanded a face, a likeable face. Current estimates are that more than 42% of all legible voters support Alexeij Vladimirovich Obama, after only about three months of campaigning, most of it done by his supporters and little by himself. If the trend continues, it is likely that the supermajority of 75% to remove the current Chairman from his seat and replace him will be reached within the next eight months.
Obama's record is almost spotless aside from minor offences in his youth. He is an accomplished former General of the National People's Army (Landstreitkräfte) and has participated in the fateful attack on Innsbruck during the end of the Civil War, commanding almost two hundred thousand men as well as the famed battle walker, Liberty Prime (at the time Sword of the Crown). Two years ago, he was honourably discharged from the military because of his deteriorating health due to lung cancer. However, his private wealth and the money amassed by his wife, a successful businesswoman, helped him battle the sickness and he eventually beat it. While battling against formerly lethal sicknesses such as cancer is no rare occurrence in the GDR these days, the treatment is still incredibly expensive, often requiring much help from the state. Seldom does it happen that a citizen has the necessary money to pay for the treatment himself, as was Obama's case, even though he could have asked the state to pay for it (as is done for everybody). By doing this, the Obamas took a considerable load off the back of the state, saving the nation almost 2.3 million with current full lung cancer treatment, including the following therapy and recuperation period of one year.
Today, Obama is fully recovered from the sickness and is, according to his wide, "fully capable of leading the nation if the people vote him into office". We do not believe this to be an exaggeration, having interviewed him. During this interview, he was full of vigour and explained his likely future policies very well and in great detail.

For more about Alexeij, visit our website at www.ddna.dd

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[quote]
[b]TO: Head of State of the South German Government
From: The Desk of Therese Zelle, Prime Minister of Aquitaine[/b]

[i]Excellency,

In the recent few months, Aquitaine's expansion has led to the downfall of the Burgundian state and our possession of the entirety of France. This brings us to needing relations with our neighbors both far and near. I have had the pleasure of meeting with both the Italian President and the Chancellor of North Germany, both lovely men in their own right, however in the case of the South German government, Aquitaine and your people have remained content in relative silence. Let us bring that to a close. I would like to propose talks that would lead up to some form of treaty, whether it be strictly friendship, economic, or perhaps even defensive, the relations between the French state, the German States, and the other states of Western Europe are imperative and I hope that this outreach of friendship meets you eyes with a happy greeting. I look forward at the birth of relations between South Germany and Aquitaine.[/i]

Sincerely,

[i]Therese Zelle[/i]
[b]Prime Minister [/b]
[/quote]

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[quote]TO: Therese Zelle, Prime Minister of Aquitaine
From: Lynneth Sarkara

Dearest Therese,

While I'd love to establish relations with you, I'll ask you to wait. Right now, the GDR is in a phase where its leadership may change.
I ask you that you contact us again when this period is over, with either Alexeij Obama as new Chairman or me reaffirmed in my position.

Regards,

Lynneth Sarkara
Chairman[/quote]

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[b]Deutschdemokratische Nachrichtenagentur[/b] (ddna; German Democratic News Agency)

[b]Vienna[/b]

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Possible/22hez337.jpg[/IMG]
"Obama! Obama! Obama!"
"Ladies and Gentlemen, as you can see, there is a massive rally going on here in the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephansplatz,_Vienna"]Stephansplatz[/url] in Vienna. Almost a million people have gathered and still more are moving through the streets, it's incredible! They're not even waiting for a speech of his, they've just gathered - spontaneously! - to demonstrate for the to-be Chairman.
Current polls and statistics show that Obama has an approval rating of more than 70 %, enough to make the current Chairman, Lynneth, step down if all these people voted. Just incredible, how these people are organising all this and campaigning for him. Some estimates speak of more than 20 million having been spent for the campaign, and not one Cent by the man himself, who said he'd just hold speeches and answer questions.
Even TV advertisements have been made for him, it's just crazy how people can be moved by a single man."
. . .
This just in, he's about to hold a speech in Vienna."

The helicopter from which the journalist was reporting moved towards the city's center, navigating through a maze of skyscrapers before leaving the forest of steel behind it, showing the Old City, where no building was taller than the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephansdom"]Stephansdom[/url].
It moved to the plaza where Alexeij was preparing to make the speech, hovering a few hundred meters above it, the camera showing the podium from above.

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Possible/ba_obama18_ckh306.jpg[/IMG]

"Ladies and Gentlemen.
Comrades.
There is not much that I can say, aside from Thank You. Thank you for all the work you've done, to promote me and my policies. Thank you for your continuous support and the many rallies held all over the country for me.
I cannot thank you enough.
Now, you know, I still have not announced whether I will be running for the office of Chairman. It is a choice that I decided to make when there is enough support for it, and to be honest, you all have completely overwhelmed me with your support. More than two thirds of the population eligible to vote are on my side, and that's a thing that I find to be absolutely incredible.
With so many people wanting me to be the leader of this glorious nation, the German Democratic Republic, I will gladly obey their wishes. I, Alexeij Vladimirovich Obama hereby officially run for the office of Chairman of the GDR."
He was drowned out by screams after 'the office', but finished saying the sentence and then just smiled into the masses as they cheered and screamed for this man, because he already was the leader in their minds.

____________________

"Well. he's certainly loved by the people, it seems."
"So it seems, Leclerc. I'll miss being in charge, but hey, they get what they want. If they want a new leader, they get a new leader."
"Do you think it's the best for the nation?"
"No idea. It may lead to a period of absolute destruction, it may lead to a golden age in which the two Germanys are united and reclaim their ancient territories. Heh."
"Hm. Well, we'll have to tell him about the complex and everything, won't we?"
"Indeed. With him as Chairman, we will need to inform him about everything we've done up to this point, including any genetic manipulation, projects and, of course, your little girl Laura."
"I just hope he's open-minded enough to not just shut the entire project down."
"I doubt he'll do that, especially if he sees that our projects have cured many sicknesses, such as cancer. He grew up in a meritocratic nation, he'll see the value of the project. And we're not doing anything to actual citizens of the GDR, only clones."
"Some people would still claim that to be horrid and a breach of human rights."
"The subjects aren't even fully human...None of them could breed with a human, they're too different in their genetic construction."
"I know, I know. Just saying what others would claim."
If the machine could nod, it would've done that. Instead, it remained silent.

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Soon, the elections began, with millions and millions supporting Alexeij demonstrated for him in the short campaign. The 'machine Chairman' didn't do much, almost as if he wanted to give the Russian the seat of power, and perhaps it was so.
Eventually, the people would vote, using their armbands to do so from wherever they were at the time. Within 24 hours, 85% of the eligible population had voted; 71.54 % of the votes went to the man with a sexy hat.
12 hours later, the election was finished, those who wanted to vote having done so. The man was confirmed as the new Chairman of the German Democratic Republic (or South Germany, as some called it). Many celebrated, others didn't, and some resigned themselves to a short age of living under a ruler who was much less efficient than an artificial intelligence, though yet others wondered why one would want to live in a nation not ruled by a human, instead of someone who could be killed rather easily if necessary? A robot was much harder to kill, after all.

____________________

Leclerc walked into the Palace of the People, to the second floor and from there to where Lynneth's office had once been. It was now another Chairman's office, now scheduled to be refurbished and quite changed over the next days and weeks.
Within, Obama was already at work, looking through a number of files and folders. When the door closed almost noiselessly, he looked up to see the aging scientist.
"Ah, you're Leclerc, aren't you?"
The white-clad man nodded. "Correct. Fjodor Leclerc."
"It's good to meet you. You were the lead scientist under Lynneth, if the files aren't faked."
"They're not."
"That's good. How are you?"
"As good as I can be with my age."
"You don't look that old."
"Yet I'm 74. I've been working for more than four decades on a great many kinds of research projects, for Saboria, later Canada, then finally Austria and the GDR."
"What kinds of projects?"
"Almost too many to count, though the most important and largest one was that of genetic manipulation, not only of plants and animals, but the human as well."
"GM on humans?"
"Indeed. Quite successfully after the first half decade or so, and since then we've been refining the procedures and the like for less and less complications."
"What kinds of complications?"
"Well. At first, many of the subjects - vat-grown humans, their cell material donated by workers and employees of the secret facility - had to grow faster. We successfully managed to find the appropriate genes, but in the process of growing faster, many subjects developed various kinds of cancer or simply failed to develop properly. It was one of the most time-consuming parts of our research, but eventually we managed to do it without any major effects."
"And you basically sacrificed those humans?"
"We treated them as a chemist treats his chemicals and as a metallurgist treats his materials. Well, but without emotion. Our first and oldest subject died right before my eyes as it - he - had to be euthanised due to rampant tumor growth in his brain and lungs. Keeping him alive any longer would've resulted in a slow death, full of agony, so we spared him that."
"Yet he had to endure the treatments you gave him, many experimental?"
"Almost all of them experimental. He was the first subject and thus the most valuable of all, even though he never developed any kind of personality, unlike some of the later subjects which we spent some more time with, and some of which we even treated like actual human beings despite genetic modification or augmentation."
"What did later subjects look like?"
"Much unlike the first. They had body hair, teeth and proper eyes. They could learn how to speak and often did so, their higher brain functions were not disabled and some indeed could have qualified easily to get human rights."
"Yet you didn't heed those rights."
"Not a single second. We were devoted to sacrificing a few for the good of the many. We succeeded and eventually found cures for many sicknesses and a million kinds of cancer, each single of those needing a different treatment. Our advances made the armbands every citizen of the GDR wears possible. Our advances contributed to the HAL exoskeleton worn by an average of 13% of the population as well as the entire Amber Guard, though they in a slightly different configuration. Without us, the weaponry used on the nation's Main Battle Tanks wouldn't be in existence. Without us, this country would be worse off than many nations that exist and have existed."
"You sacrificed your humanity to achieve all this. Why?"
"Because it was necessary. We advocate advance of Man, sacrificing a few to help the many."
"I...do see your point. I don't necessary approve of your actions, but I see the necessity."
"Will you allow us to continue our work, or will you shut the operation down?"
"I'll have to think about that, Leclerc. If I do allow you to continue, you'll have to stay completely secret, you and your entire operation."
"Just like before."
"Apparently so. Still, I may just shut the entire thing down."
"It's your choice. I will not stop you, merely state that our laboratory has brought many important technologies into the GDR and will continue to do so if it keeps running. Without us, the advances will slow and they'll eventually catch up with this nation. Our technological edge is the only thing keeping the invaders from our backs."
"I'll keep that in mind, Leclerc. Now, if you'll excuse me..?"
"Of course."
The scientist bowed, leaving the office afterwards. Whether the new leader would shut the Ultor complex down or not, that remained to be seen.

Edited by Lynneth
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"What'll be your first decision, Chairman?"
"The armbands."
"Yes?"
"Make them optional to wear. People should be able to use their normal IDs if they want to."
"There's been criticism from other nations regarding the armbands."
"I know. Making them optional will take some diplomatic pressure off us."
The aide nodded. "Quite excellent. Anything else?"
"You can tell Leclerc that he can continue his project. Funds will be lowered though, and he'll have to make do with less."
"I will relay the information to him. Anything else?"
"Not at the moment. I still need to read through a plethora of folders, too many for my taste. I'm almost jealous of my predecessor that he could access all this information within seconds."
"Technically, he still can, though he no longer has any kind of power."
"So he's basically sitting there, doing nothing and being bored?"
"I'd guess he's surfing the internet, but other than that, yes, he's likely bored."
"Then he can take some of the pressure off me. I want him to help me with organizing things, but do tell him that if I ever find out he's trying to manipulate me, I'm going to shut him and his copies off, personally."
"I'll tell him that, Chairman."
"We also need to reform the government somewhat. 'Chairman' is a stupid name, one of the things we need to change."
"I'll draft an appropriate resolution."
"Do that. I'll get back to reading."
"Of course, Chairman."
With this, the aide left the room, leaving Obama to his work.

________________________

Meanwhile, Leclerc had come back to the lab, going through planned and future projects, or rather: Proposals.
Aside from a brief description, there always was a big folder describing how the proposal should be done, what the plans were, et cetera.

[code]Moving Mirrors - Sun Cream, actually a gel with nano-mirrors, turning towards the sun to provide superior protection against UV rays and the like. [/code]
"Silly. But useful for albinos and people with sensitive skin...Could also be used to eventually create active camo on skin...Priority 4."

[code]Intelligent clothing - Measures body functions. Basically a computer with thousands and millions of sensors, using quantum-chips.
Body warmth is turned into electricity, and the clothing can be networked with external systems. [/code]
"We already have a rudimentary version of this, but improving it is always good...Could eventually result in perfect battlefield-observation, even through the dead. Priority 4."

[code]Holographic Cinema - 3D movies, actual 3D. Same with Operas. [/code]
"Well, holotechnology is relatively widely used in the military...Easily done for civilian applications, though expensive, I guess. Priority 6."

[code]Cyber-detectives - Specialists for every kind of criminality and other mysterious workings online in the internet.
Web-espionage, phishinig, cyber-terrorism, et cetera. Infiltrating illegal communities, blogs, chatrooms, virtual worlds and so on.
Finding people according to their digital fingerprints and advising companies about protecting themselves from electronic attacks, trojans and root-kits. [/code]
"That's nothing we can do here. Rejected."

[code]3D glasses - Using ingenious technology, these glasses enable the wearer to experience any (compatible) movie in absolute 3D,
the pictures moving right before their eyes. Literally, as the projectors put the holograms et cetera right on the lenses of the glasses, which are specially treated. [/code]
"Quite possible, but no real military application right now...Priority 5."

[code]Virtual guides - Using 3D glasses, virtual guides are possible that interact with the wearer, though with some questioning, they might easily show that they're just programs,
despite all realism. Additionally, they are just holograms, so people walk through them and they don't notice or anything. Efforts should be made to rectify this. [/code]
"Completely civilian, even if it's very possible. Programs that respond to people, only via avatars, heh. But more something for the industry, not us. Rejected."

[code]Carbon nanotubes, improved elevator - 65 Gigapascal; The entire thing will be 1 meter wide and thinner than a human hair.
Capable of slicing humans in half, with ease. Coated with a special solution helping to protect it against meteorites, space debris, oxygen and the like. [/code]
"Mhm, would be somewhat of an improvement over the current cables. Would make the elevator more efficient, but once again more for the industry. Rejected."

[code]Solar power - Solar Panel efficiency upgraded to 60% with revolutionising technology (nano-scale)[/code]
"Can be done rather easily, luckily. No need to relay that stuff to the industry. Priority 3."

[code]Gaia - Moon hotel[/code]
"Silly. We'd need a moon base first! Rejected."

[code]Laser-powered Elevator capsules - Photovoltaics on underside of the platforms, powerful lasers beaming energy literally into the capsules.
Six pairs of wheels pressing against each other, the cable between them, propelling them up- and downwards. [/code]
"May require those solar panels...Well, it's apparently is an improvement of the current cabin design. Priority 3."

[code]Automatic cleaning robots - Only for the rich, really. What it says on the tin. [/code]
"Industry. Rejected."

[code]Virtual Intelligences - Powerful computers (some capable of learning), which can function as anything a normal secretary could, only digitally.
Can be coupled with a holodisplay to create an avatar, which can be anything in the owner's imagination. They can 'wear' clothing from fashion
studios that made their catalogues compatible. They can be configured to be completely robotic or incredibly realistic in both voice and gestures (if holographic).
They recognise voice commands with ease and can be both male and female. The synthesised voice sounds absolutely realistic. [/code]
"Hmmm...That might require sophisticated computers, but nothing we can't whip up.

[code]Holophones - Like normal telephones, only capable of sending your entire body, similar to video-conferences. Only in 3D. [/code]
"To the industry with this. Gee. Rejected."

[code]Elevator cabins - Improved armour, thus only non-lethal fractions of radiation get through. On average, only 2% of the maximum that the Radiation Protection Law allows. [/code]
"Another improvement for the elevator. Priority 3..."

[code]Holocops - Holographic police officers, regulating traffic. Especially useful in large cities such as Vienna or Koper, where the
immense amount of traffic makes being a traffic police officer one of the most dangerous jobs within the city. If one is "run" over, it notifies the police HQ with car type and -sign. [/code]
"Well, that should take care of traffic policemen being killed almost daily in that crazy traffic...Even though it's a civilian thing, priority 2."

[code]Echelon Program - Software that detects key words and the meaning of a conversation to filter out potential terrorist activities. Can't detect irony or sarcasm. [/code]
"Useful, but would need to be improved for irony and sarcasm...Blah, can't have everything. Priority 2."

[code]Diamond Shield - A national program to find dissidents, subversives and similar people in the internet to silence them. It may be one of the
largest departments of the police with more than 60,000 men. Using programs such as Echelon, they will work through the internet, chatrooms, blogs
and forums to find their victims, who can also be nord-supporters or any others who are a potential threat to national integrity. Part of the program is
restriction of international websites, so that people can only access government-approves sites. [/code]
"Anyone claiming we're totalitarian already hasn't seen this, heh. For the government though, so rejected."

[code]Bodyguard programs - A counter to Echelon, correcting a text while it's being written to remove words that fall into Echelon's filters and
replace them with non-controversial versions. [/code]
"Might be useful for a few select people like our dear Chairman so he doesn't get 'hit' himself, heh. Priority 6."

Edited by Lynneth
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"Fjodor?"
"Yes, my dear?"
"What would the chances of making someone else like me?"
"Ah...Relatively good, compared to what you went through. You had mostly experimental treatment, after all."
"So if you found someone, he or she would have relatively good cha-", she said, but was stopped by Leclerc raising a hand.
"Hold on just a second."
She nodded, he continued. "Basically, you're saying you'd like a companion? Perhaps even a friend...a boyfriend?"
"I..ah, no, it's not..!" She was blushing, suprised that Leclerc had read her intentions so easily.
He grinned. "Laura. I know very well that you're a young woman and that you would quite like to spend time with a man of your age, perhaps with similar genetic changes as you, instead of that grumpy old father of yours and his scientist colleagues. In fact, I anticipated that you'd ask me, so we've started looking for someone who mi-"
He had to interrupt himself. The girl hugged him tight, squeezing the air from his lungs. He gasped, leading to her loosening the hug. Still, it was enough that he couldn't move until a minute or so later when her happiness and gleefulness had subsided somewhat so he could wiggle out of her iron grip.
"Careful, young lady. You don't want to squeeze me to death, do you?"
She shook her head, a huge smile still showing just how goddamned happy she was.

Fjodor sighed, smirking a bit. Then he made his way out of her hug. He'd get to his department and work with them to make a friend for the girl.

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*Classified*

"Hey, any news on the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse_detonation_engine"]pulse detonation engines[/url]?"
"Why're you asking?"
"I got info from section 3-B2. They actually managed to create an airframe made almost entirely out of ceramics and carbon nanofibers."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. They claim that solves the friction at those speeds."
"I can't believe it."
"Well, anyways. The PDEs?"
"Oh, right. Yes. We're good. It's not perfect, but working."
"You actually have a working prototype?"
"Yes. The problem is, it breaks down after a few seconds, so we need to fix this and that. Nothing serious, I think, but enough to take us some months."
"Well, that's nothing compared to some other projects down here."
"True. Like the cold plasma they're working on. How long have they been doing that stuff?"
"Oh god, don't ask me. Years. Maybe even a decade."
"Geez..."
"But hey. At least they managed to make a [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_pencil"]plasma pencil[/url]."
"Overprices much?"
"Yeah, heheheh."

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"Gentlemen, we have work to do."
"Something other than usually, Fjodor?"
"Well, yeah. For once, we're going to make a subject we won't torture endlessly with our mindless application of science and various tests."
"Oh. But that's boring."
"Only it's to give Laura a boyfriend."
"Seriously?"
"You actually want to make a completely new subject just for her?"
"It's cheaper and doesn't take as long as finding someone who won't die from the treatment, isn't it?"
"True..."
"Still, when have you ever heard of a father doing something like that for his kid?"
"Never, because no father's ever been a successful geneticist!"
Laughter and happiness filled the room.
"Well, gentlemen. Let's get to work."

_______________________

[b]Step one: [/b]
Take genetic samples.
This step was the most important one, as only samples with truly healthy DNA and RNA would be able to be used successfully. However, as the lab was advanced in its experiments, tests and treatments, it wasn't hard to find good samples. Some things, such as brown hair or dark, deep eyes were "pre-programmed", so to say, inherent to the material.

[b]Step two: [/b]
Modify the samples as needed.
Here, it was important to use the genomes kown to accelerate growth, but to shut them off after a certain age. Other things to be done were things that Laura had been "given", meaning some cat-traits or compatibility to further genetic augmenting. This also included a tendency to not reject any technological augmenting, such as the muscle-enhancements that Laura had received.

[b]Step three: [/b]
Making the kid.
Unfortunately, there were no women which could be artificially inseminated, thus the scientists had to resort to artificial wombs, which created conditions very much similar to what could be found in a regular woman's womb. A difference was that the embryo wouldn't be surrounded by a warm, caring and living mother, but by a technically cold (though heated to body temperature), indifferent and dead metal-ceramic. These were by no means the conditions under which a healthy human being could or should grow, yet it was done, quite successfuly, in fact. Few, if any of the subjects had any conditions, be they mental or physical, imaginary or tangible. They developed quite normally.

[b]Step four: [/b]
Birth.
Depending on the exact conditions, the embryo would usually have a normal birth, though very different from what was understood as birth. The exact procedure can be rather disturbing and shall thus not be described in detail.

[b]Step five: [/b]
Growth and augmentation.
Depending on the exact nature of the subject and genetic manipulations prior to creation in the artificial womb, it could take between twenty years and six months for a subject to reach an age of twenty years. Of course, the faster it is set to grow, the more prone it is to sicknesses such as cancer or Alzheimer even in its early life. With various treatments, all this can be negated almost completely, but those are incredibly expensive and thus are used only in the rarest of cases. Laura's new friend was to be one of these cases and would thus not only grow incredibly quickly, but also be given vast amounts of knowledge, especially in areas which the girl didn't have much or any knowledge, such as natural sciences, amongst them subjects like chemistry or biology. Many other things would follow as well, but this fifth step was by far the most time-consuing one.


These five steps would take many months, and they were but the beginning.

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[b]Deutschdemokratische Nachrichtenagentur[/b] (ddna; German Democratic News Agency)

[b]Vienna[/b]

"Ladies and Gentlemen.
Today is a great day for the GDR and indeed all of mankind."
[url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Bayern/GDR/Spess-1.png"][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Bayern/GDR/th_Spess-1.png[/img][/url]

"The GDSV [i]Explorer[/i] is complete.
We will today repeat its capabilities, mentioned in a previous report.
It's a revolutionary ship, capable of reaching Mars within [url="http://www.universetoday.com/2009/10/06/trips-to-mars-in-39-days/"]40 days[/url] instead of 200, the timespan which conventional propulsion systems need. These same conventional systems would need at least 5 years to reach Jupiter, the mighty gas giant of our solar system. The Explorer can, thanks to the revolutionary [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VASIMR"]VASIMR[/url] drive, travel this same distance within a mere 6 months.
Aside from the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vasimr.png"]Vasimr[/url] propulsion, which are the ship's core and main means of propulsion, it also has a number of normal [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_thruster"]ion thrusters[/url] for maneuvering. In addition, there is a hangar in which a shuttle as well as a number of probes are stored, so that other worlds can be explored without endangering the entire ship. It also has a small railgun, useful for launching compact payloads such as mini-probes on long orbits.
Thermal radiators - retractable, so that they can be protected during more dangerous phases of the mission - enable a sophisticated magnetic field generator (two, to be exact) to be activated, generating a magnetic field similar to Earth's, but of course a lot weaker, to protect the crew from harmful radiation. The superconductors used for this are newly invented according to the Ministry of Science, having left testing only a month before construction began several years ago. .
The habitation modules rotate around the ship's main axis, providing a comfortable artificial gravity of 0.7 G, meaning 70% of earth's gravity at sea level."

[url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Bayern/GDR/Explorer-1.png"][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/AE/CNRP/Bayern/GDR/th_Explorer-1.png[/img][/url]
"Without the space elevator and the launch loop, this project would have been impossible, its price in the hundreds of billions, perhaps even trillions. However, using these two incredible constructions of man, the price of building this was lowered to a mere 387 billion. It certainly took a long time to build, but nothing in the world is as great as the GDSV Explorer, now that it is finished."

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[b]Step six: [/b]
Raising.
With accelerated growth comes greater brain-activity. Without stimulation, the child would turn into a mentally retarded man, a mental level similar to that of a caveman. It was thus that the boy was subject to teching from the day he could walk, at first languages, amongst them English, German, Nordlandic and various other European languages.Other subjects to follow were history, maths and natural sciences. An important topic was biology together with genetics, while the humanities were barely taught, mostly to show the failures of religion or other ideologies. There was indoctrination, though it was kept to a minimum - enough to ensure loyality, to make sure that he wouldn't betray his nation for money or love, much like Laura.
This was the most time-consuming part of all, and technically the last, too; Later, military training would be inserted into his schedule, slowly replacing less important things, but also adding to the schedule, so that he had school from 9:00 to 18:00 per day, the only exceptions being sundays, which he always had off, regarding school at least.
During the training, he would also receive information about the various augmentations he'd receive once his body was stable enough - i. e. had stopped growing.

[b]Step seven: [/b]
Other things.
In the beginning of puberty, the boy was introduced - as was natural - to sexual objects. However, one could also be conditioned to love, and while the scientists didn't exactly [i]condition[/i] him, he would be more prone to falling in love with a certain red-headed commando. In the later stages of growth, he'd be shown videos of her during training or (staged) missions, giving him a combat role-model to look up to. For sciences, he'd have got Leclerc as role-model so that the boy would aspire to become as good as this man in genetics - to eventually replace the scientist when he eventually breathed his last breath.
Then, once growth had slowed enough, augmentations would be introduced into his body. Eyes, brain, muscles, heart, lungs, other organs. Everything that could be improved was improved, on an even greater scale than it had been done to Laura. Unlike her, he'd develop a preference towards assault rifles, sneaking and breaking into secured buildings, much like a "Sam Fisher" did it in the games he starred in.

________________________

"They have to meet each other eventually, Leclerc."
"I know, I know."
"Why not today? He finished most of his training and is a great colleague. I'm sure he'll impress her."
"Probably, but I just...Argh, I don't know."
"You're behaving like my wife's father when I tried courting her."
"I'm just worried."
"Unnecessarily! It'll go well. We made the boy to be compatible to her in body and mind."
"But-"
"Shut it. You're completely overreacting, Fjodor."
The old scientist sighs. "Maybe. I'm worried that something will happen to her somehow."
"Nothing will happen. Nothing at all. Stop worrying, love the bomb."
"Strangelove?"
"Yes."
"Well, I guess I could just go watch that movie again while [i]someone[/i] helps the two..."
"Good idea. Go watch it, I'll just go over here and call Laura over."
Leclerc nodded, then went into the lounge of his office to Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb.

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