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Ren
Submitted by Ren as part of the gallery-inspired short story contest.

Art:
Primarily based on the "Do you have what it takes to become the best?" image which appeared on John Sim's mock-up. Also draws in the work of Darren B in terms of the use of Pliigi and Mortiga and Tom W in the use of Mechs.
http://www.mechscapeworld.com/forums/index...q=si&img=64
http://www.mechscapeworld.com/forums/index...eq=sc&cat=3
http://www.mechscapeworld.com/forums/index...eq=sc&cat=6
http://www.mechscapeworld.com/forums/index...q=si&img=94

Do you have what it takes to become the best?


Gerrad looked up at a billboard which read “Do you have what it takes to become the best? Sign up today!” He commented, “That advert has always bugged me. I mean, it asks a question then doesn’t even care what your answer is. I assume they are trying to tell people that if they don’t sign up they won’t be their best, they will be worthless " that the only way to betterment is to join the Alliance and their crusades.”

Rexo countered him, “You’re looking at it all wrong. This is an aspirational poster trying to get people to aim higher and really make something of their lives.” “That’s exactly my point, it starts on the premise that to be some sort of killing machine is somehow desirable. What’s good about it? The pay is lousy, you can’t quit, you’re risking your life " and FOR WHAT? So you can perhaps get a shiny little medal someday... a worthless piece of metal? .” “You traitor! They’re serving their country, they’re serving OUR country. The Alliance needs people like them. You can’t tell me that the Pliigians would actually honour a peace deal would you?.”

“Well, giving it a try is a damn sight better than this unceasing war, don’t you think?.” “Of course I don’t think that. No rational person would, Gerrad. Sure there is the slight possibility of some miraculous utopia, but be realistic " we can’t take those chances. What right do we have to risk not just our generation, but our future generations... our entire species is at stake and so are the Mortigans, and if that means some honourable people have to sacrifice themselves for the greater good then that’s just a price worth paying.” “Dying before your time. Killing other people. There is no honour in that. Those people who signed up could have been great artists, they could have been inspirational figures”. “But if we were all dead then they couldn’t be those things, NONE OF US could, because we’d be DEAD! And don’t for a minute try and make me think of those Pliigi as ‘people’. Not after what they did, not after they created those... those... aberrations!.”

“Oh, you think they wanted to do that, do you? We were building up our Mech army and bragging of our military might. They were trying to DEFEND themselves for Gods sake. Who was it who attacked first? Tell me Rex? That’s right, it was US!.” “Woah woah woah, they forced us into a pre-emptive attack. They were going to attack, they were going to wipe us out.” “You can say it is as often as you like, but we do not know that. Where did that come from. ‘Reliable sources’, right? If they were just about to go to war with us then why did they seem so unprepared?!” “That’s because they underestimated us and didn’t know we were going to team up with Mortiga.” “Well, neither did I! What were we thinking, awakening them? Sure they turned out to be our friends, but we shouldn’t have created them. We create frickin’ magical beings that should not exist yet criticise them for doing genetic experiments? I’m sorry, but I’m just can’t talk to someone who doesn’t get how BAD that is!”

“Wait a minute, so we have to be all nice and best-friends with the Pliigi with their small heads and freaky ways but as soon as magic is involved is suddenly becomes this abomination?.” “Damn straight! Magic should NOT be meddled with lightly. We don’t understand it. Where does it come from? Can we REALLY control it? The ancient laws forbade it for a REASON, because it is DANGEROUS!” “It was necessary. It’s only people like who can’t get that.” “Just because It ain’t a popular viewpoint doesn’t mean it’s the wrong one.”

“So you think we’re all just stupid do you? We’re all in this crazy world and only YOU can see the truth?” “Only we care to look. If you could look at it clearly, if you really considered all the issues with an open mind, then I guarantee you’d understand that I’m right!” “Man, you can be so insufferable sometimes!.” “Better believe it, buddy! So.... Am I still best man at your wedding?.” “You better be. I’ve heard you’ve been practicing your speech for weeks. No diatribes, right?.” “No, just embarrassing stories of our misspent youth.” “I think I’ll be able to handle that, Bro. Time for the next transport, I’ll see you when I’m next at Denaco.” “Cool, I’ll miss you, man.”
Ren
For anyone who finds the above hard to read, here it is in a different format:

Gerrad looked up at a billboard which read “Do you have what it takes to become the best? Sign up today!”

Gerrad: “That advert has always bugged me. I mean, it asks a question then doesn’t even care what your answer is. I assume they are trying to tell people that if they don’t sign up they won’t be their best, they will be worthless - that the only way to betterment is to join the Alliance and their crusades.”

Rexo: “You’re looking at it all wrong. This is an aspirational poster trying to get people to aim higher and really make something of their lives.”

Gerrad: “That’s exactly my point, it starts on the premise that to be some sort of killing machine is somehow desirable. What’s good about it? The pay is lousy, you can’t quit, you’re risking your life - and FOR WHAT? So you can perhaps get a shiny little medal someday... a worthless piece of metal? .”

Rexo: “You traitor! They’re serving their country, they’re serving OUR country. The Alliance needs people like them. You can’t tell me that the Pliigians would actually honour a peace deal would you?.”

Gerrad: “Well, giving it a try is a damn sight better than this unceasing war, don’t you think?.”

Rexo: “Of course I don’t think that. No rational person would, Gerrad. Sure there is the slight possibility of some miraculous utopia, but be realistic - we can’t take those chances. What right do we have to risk not just our generation, but our future generations... our entire species is at stake and so are the Mortigans, and if that means some honourable people have to sacrifice themselves for the greater good then that’s just a price worth paying.”

Gerrad: “Dying before your time. Killing other people. There is no honour in that. Those people who signed up could have been great artists, they could have been inspirational figures”.

Rexo: “But if we were all dead then they couldn’t be those things, NONE OF US could, because we’d be DEAD! And don’t for a minute try and make me think of those Pliigi as ‘people’. Not after what they did, not after they created those... those... aberrations!.”

Gerrad: “Oh, you think they wanted to do that, do you? We were building up our Mech army and bragging of our military might. They were trying to DEFEND themselves for Gods sake. Who was it who attacked first? Tell me Rex? That’s right, it was US!.”

Rexo: “Woah woah woah, they forced us into a pre-emptive attack. They were going to attack, they were going to wipe us out.”

Gerrad: “You can say it is as often as you like, but we do not know that. Where did that come from. ‘Reliable sources’, right? If they were just about to go to war with us then why did they seem so unprepared?!”

Rexo: “That’s because they underestimated us and didn’t know we were going to team up with Mortiga.”

Gerrad: “Well, neither did I! What were we thinking, awakening them? Sure they turned out to be our friends, but we shouldn’t have created them. We create frickin’ magical beings that should not exist yet criticise them for doing genetic experiments? I’m sorry, but I’m just can’t talk to someone who doesn’t get how BAD that is!”

Rexo: “Wait a minute, so we have to be all nice and best-friends with the Pliigi with their small heads and freaky ways but as soon as magic is involved is suddenly becomes this abomination?.”

Gerrad: “Damn straight! Magic should NOT be meddled with lightly. We don’t understand it. Where does it come from? Can we REALLY control it? The ancient laws forbade it for a REASON, because it is DANGEROUS!”

Rexo: “It was necessary. It’s only people like you who can’t get that.”

Gerrad: “Just because It ain’t a popular viewpoint doesn’t mean it’s the wrong one.”

Rexo: “So you think we’re all just stupid do you? We’re all in this crazy world and only YOU can see the truth?”

Gerrad: “Only people like me care to look. If you could look at it clearly, if you really considered all the issues with an open mind, then I guarantee you’d understand that I’m right!”

Rexo: “Man, you can be so insufferable sometimes!.”

Gerrad: “Better believe it, buddy! So.... Am I still best man at your wedding?.”

Rexo: “You better be. I’ve heard you’ve been practicing your speech for weeks. No diatribes, right?.”

Gerrad: “No, just embarrassing stories of our misspent youth.”

Rexo: “I think I’ll be able to handle that, Bro. Time for the next transport, I’ll see you when I’m next at Denaco.”

Gerrad: “Cool, I’ll miss you, man.”
Korri
Prettycool, i like it
Unique
The two sides should settle their differences with an epic mechscapemon battle. We all know Rexo wants to be the very best, like no one ever was. To catch them is his real test, to train them is his cause.
killrrhubarb
Its a brilliant story.
I think that, if this story goes further, Rexo will end up joining the army.
Ren
QUOTE (killrrhubarb @ Apr 2 2009, 10:19 AM) *
Its a brilliant story.
I think that, if this story goes further, Rexo will end up joining the army.

Thanks. Some day I could turn that into a sequel.
Gambit
It's nice.

Any plans to finish it Ren?
Saint
keep it up, got any more of these?
Ren
QUOTE (Saint @ Apr 12 2009, 08:42 AM) *
keep it up, got any more of these?

A Mech Called Murrie and Welcome to Denaco Crater.
GameManXD
Good but I don't get it.
Who are the guys having the converstation?Wierd names always make me confused!
Ren
QUOTE (GameManXD @ Apr 12 2009, 01:15 PM) *
Who are the guys having the converstation?Wierd names always make me confused!

They are two humans called Rexo and Gerrad who are brothers. Rexo takes the popular view that the war against the Pliigi was and continues to be justified, while Gerrad thinks that it is unwarranted and unnecessary. Their heated debates revolves around the foreign policy of their people and the various reasons for and against the Government's militaristic approach. While they may share very different political outlooks they seem very close and Rexo is Best Man at Gerrad's wedding, as is revealed at the end of the story.
Crash Jordan
Very nice work, Ren.
Asfastasdark
Still a great story after reading it again. I remember reading this in my inbox for the contest and thinking, "this is gonna win." tongue.gif
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