1. Rianne the Changeling of scotia
and her steed
Dark Rider
Rianne Scotiahada preternatural sense of hersurroundings - afreakishsense of hersurroundings.
Before she wentunderground -literallyandfiguratively-she washeralded'Riannethe Changeling of
Scotia' andthe subtextpromoted'&hersteed DarkRiderperform DemonicDeathDefyingStunts Done
inTotal Darkness. Most of her act was performedblind,nogimmicks.The crowd'ooh'edand'ahh'ed
awaitingthe pointin the show whenshe wouldputonthe blindfold.She wouldtrickhazardousgaps,
flippingandspiralingherbike throughswingingmigrating fiery hoops.Anymiscalculationinher
trajectorysurelyresultingintragedy.Before she performed the finale,andmostterrifyinglysensational
stunt,she wouldaskfor a volunteer,"Someonethatwouldlike totryonmy helmet.."Oftenshe would
picka younggirl fromthe audience.
As the daintyvolunteerapproached Rianne wouldremove hermirrorshined jetblack helmetrevealing
a face witheyessealedinanunbrokenblackclay- togaspsof incredulity.Thenshe wouldhave the child
put the helmetonand,"Tell themwhatyousee!"
To whichthe childalmostalwaysresponded,"Nothingatall!"or "It'spitch black!"or something
revealingthe factthatRianne'svisorwasutterlyopaque.
Rianne'sfavorite of all time wasarare boy named,"JimmyJ.Ulrupage 5!" whoapproachedwithan
extendedhandandarather firmgrip.WhenJimmyJ.Ulrup age 5 put the helmetoverhisearsasit
wobbledabouthisshouldershe describedwhathe saw as "UtterDarkness!"insuch a melodramatic
tone that everyone,eventhe incredulous,gave the boyaheartyguffaw andspontaneousapplause.He
respondedwithabowand returnedthe helmetwithanotherfirmhandshake andcasually strode tohis
frontrow seat.
Afterthe childhadbeenapplaudedandreseatedRiannewouldaskfora couple more volunteers.
"You mustbe fearless!Nofearof fire!Nofearof a nakedblade!NOFEAROF DEATH!!" drumroll pause,
"Look intoyourhearts…I tell youI will give you causeforfear"!she hada flairforthe drama, for the
sale and the mystery.Thenshe wouldlaughandscoff,"Now..Who'safraidof a little blindgirl?"
From the crowd she wouldchoose 2robust males;maybe alate teenfull of arrogance,ignorance and
foolishtestosterone,fluffingwithbravado,smirkingbeneathdoubtingeyeslookingforthe trick,the
secret,the lie behindthe blinds;orsometimesahearty warvet or grizzledworkingclassscrapper,
maybe evenconfessedlyawestruckandwillingtobelieve she couldseeinutterdarkness,buthopingto
endure a testof valorand/or byapproximationlearnsome mysteriousmartial secret.The latterwas
rare, butthe formerwere plentiful.Inagoodcrowd she couldfindone of each, but didn'tminda couple
2. of the former.She tooka bountyof pride inbreakingsome ruttingteenage braggartatthe apex of
insolence andstupidity.
Once the volunteers(orvictims)hadbeen paradedtothe frontand centerlike championsenteringthe
ring, introducedandinterviewed,preppedandpositioned(often hoistedand suspended amongstthe
fieryrings instraitjacketswithsome formof fruitdangledfromthemor stuffedintheirmouth) Rianne
wouldslipherhelmetbackonandkick start Dark Rider… Thenthe lights wouldgo out,all the lights,all
the monitors.Itwas utterdarkness.There wasonlythe soundof Dark Ridergroaningand screaming
throughthe utterness. Butif the people strainedwiththe rightkindof focustheycouldsee withtheir
ears.Theycould see her maneuveringthe course.Theycould seeherapproachinga ramp. Theycould
oftensee hervictimswhimperingasshe approachedthe crest.Anda ringwouldburstintoflames,and
theireyeswouldbe rentopenasRianne spiraledthrough it.ThenDarkness.AndRianne wouldpullfront
and centerandwhenthe spot lighthither a meanindustrial beatbegantopulse fromthe speakersas
she pulled the SwissDegenfromitsleathernsheathwovenstealthilydownthe spineof herjumperand
helditvaliantlyupintothe light.ThenmovinginrhythmwithstrobinglightsandmusicRianne would
race aroundthe course jumpingandtrickingandstuntingandtoyingwiththe herblade andslowlywith
terrifyingprecisioncut,slice andskewereverypiece of fruitdanglingfromthose delicate placesasher
victimsswayedandwrithedamongstthe swingingmigratingfieryhoops.Inthe lastpassshe wouldcut
the ropesthat suspendedthemandtheywouldfall screaming…intothe nettingthathadbeenraisedto
catch them.
The audience lovedit.
The victimsdidn't.
ThenRianne returnedfrontandcenter,letDarkRideridle,tookoff herhelmetand,illuminatedbyspot
and up lighting,crumbledthe blackmask…revealingher otherworldly eyes. Itwasthe onlypart of the
performance inwhich she lookedoutwardwithnaked oculus.Asshe hadunsheathedherSwissBlade,
nowshe slowlywithdrewthe ebonyredrivuletsoccultedinherjumper.The audiencewasasea of
whispersasherstrikingly otherworldly featureswere framedintightfocusoneverymonitorunderthe
tent.She neededtosaylittle todrive afearsome mysteryintothe heartsandmindsof heraudience at
that moment.She neededonlytosay…
"I AMRIANNETHE CHANGLINGOFSCOTIA!GOOD NIGHT!"
Andthe people woulderupt.WonderandMysteryandAwe hadthe people swooningontheirfeetas
the otherworldly beauty twistedthe throttle- DarkRiderscreaming,rivuletsof bloodflowingbehindher-
and racedfrom the spotlightintothe reticence of the night.
3. Subopolis
Subopolis - the localismforC-Base Leviathan - wasfar more than some rusticclandestine military
encampment.There were permanentstructures,numerousscience labs,amassive hospital,bars,
casinos,social centersevenastadiumbigenoughforfootball (Americanorotherwise).Itwas litup like
Vegasor TimesSquare,seductive,frivolousimageryflashingandglowingfromall angles.The
enwombingreinforceddome wasspangledlike the nightskymovingthroughdawnintothe gloryof the
day thento twilightwithacycle intendedtomimicnatural rhythms.
There were 3 such subterraneanburgsinthe labyrinthsomewheredeepbeneaththe dearthof the
SyrianDesert:Leviathan,Titania,and New Atlantis.Of the 3,C-Base Leviathanwasthe biggest.
There were 400,000 civiliansoperatinginmanycapacities inthe burgbeneaththe desert.Manywere
scientistsbutmore were there tokeepthe partygoingforthe innumerable militarypersonnel moving
throughto forwardpositionsorreturningtoloiter,drink, gambleandraise aruckus whenonleave.
There wasmoneyto be had. MERCs had the big moneytospendandnowhere else togo,sothere was a
reasonfor merchants,andwhoresandanyone thatwanteda generouswage tosequesterthemselves
deepwithinthisgreatmine foranindeterminate periodof time.Noone thatwentunderground,with
fewexceptions, wouldbe allowedtoreturntothe surface or have contact withthe surface until the
some undefinedperiod afterthe warhad ended.
The people below couldmove aboutwithageneral freedomamongstthe complex tunnel systems.
There simplywasn'ta wayout.Not one generallyknownnor accessible.Merchantsare seldom
adventurers.Somost travelledaboutonfamiliarpathsandtookTransit betweenthe 3burgs. Beyond
the burgs there waslittle fora civilian,orsoldiertodowithdowntime.Forthe sake of morale,
professionalsportsteams,moviestarlets,comediansevenrockbandswere smuggledinandoutfor
eventsbroadcastonthe surface. Informationleakedwhen these starsreturnedtothe surface abouta
citytheythoughtwas underthe sea.Informationaboutglitteringlightsandnew technologies,orgiastic
partiesandinnumerable indulgences.Itwasinformationtotantalize,tocreate mystique.Itwasperfect
propaganda.
4. What Lies Beneath
She had beenunderfor3 years- or so accordingto the reckoningof SubopolisStandardTime.She had
beenrecruitedtofightina greatwar, herMerc Unit attachedto the mysteriousColonel Wingright.And
thoughherhome base was the forwardand deep Megiddo Complexunderhiscommand,she neverhad
metnor seenthe elusivegeneral.Nobodyhad."He doesn'texist,"or "The man isa myth,"wasthe
general response toquestionsprobingintohismystery.
Nor had Rianne everencountered'The Enemy'despite manyChariotMissionsandevendeeperforays
usingthe guidediG-Bore,afootball size andshapedtorpedothatmovedthroughstone like waterby
displacingmass.
The iG-Bore couldcarry a payloadof justabout anythingtheycouldcramintoone of itsfittedcartridges.
Anythingfromanexplosive asbourgeoisandrusticasTNT to the experimental Time Matrix
ManipulationImplosionDevices - affectionatelydubbed'Time Bombs'.Thiswasall crazy new
technologythatnobody gottoplaywithonthe surface.
The imagerya Pilotreceivedfromthe iG-Bore'ssensoriumwasanabstractionof sonar, andelectro-
magneticreadingsconstructedtobe perceptible tothe bandwidthof humanvision.Inthe foregrounda
live datafeeddetailingrelevantsyntax,vectors,graphs,interactive menusevenstrategicsuggestionsif
Master Circuit'felt'ithelpful orsomeone atControl hada whimonthe fly.The informationwas
exchangedandprocessedbyAdaptiveSigmoidLucentNanocircuitsandsharedbetweenthe Bore,the
Pilot,MasterCircuitandanyone monitoringthe missionatControl.Eitherof the lattermightoverride
the pilotcapriciously,thoughthe commandsfromControl/MasterCircuitarrivedwithenoughlatency
and truncateddata packagesto representanunnecessarystrategicrisk.The vastmajorityiG-Bore
sortieswere completedbythe assignedpilot,unmitigated.Anoverride wasexceptionallyrare.
She had neverencountered'The Enemy'per se,notas she believed-thoughshe wouldbe debriefed ex
postfacto againsther ownperception. Rianne hadencountered something though,livingthings,not
people-wellatleastnothuman people- movingaboutlanguidlyinamassive cavernbelow sealevel just
southof the isle of Cyprus.Tall slinkingbeings,weakheatsignatures,apatheticallyshiftingthrougha
cavernthat seemedtooccupyfar more space internallythanexternally.
She had beensentforwardinherchariotto a strategicnode.Fromthere she remotelypilotedaniG-
Bore out underthe MediterraneanSea.Thoughshe hadnot beeninformedRianne wasmore than
suspiciousthatherBore had a Time Bomb payload.Somethinginthe missionjustdidn't viberight.
Informationgleanedbythe IG-Bore'ssensoriumthatdayhadstrained the adaptivityof the Sigmoid
Circuits.The data bombardmentindicatedvectorrelationshipsfaroutside the parametersof anythingit
coulddiagnose,dissemble oradaptexceptforSensoriumMalfunction,AsyncronousApparatus,or
TruncatedData Errors inthe millions. Adaptive SigmoidLucentNanocircuitsforall the technological
5. wondertheyrepresentedwerestilloppressedbythe limitationsandparadigmsof the menthat
tweakedtheirmatrix.The technologycouldn'tthinkoutsidethe box.
The foregrounddisplaywasastutteringglitchof malfunctionwarningsandoccasionallyoutrageousdata
that wasprobablycorrect.But Rianne had an intuitiveunderstandingof the AbstractVisual Feedand
knewwhatit wasshe was lookingatas she guidedhertorpedothroughthe earth'scrust 1000 meters
beneaththe Mediterraneansealike asolitaryfishinanoceanof stone.The chamberwasunnaturally
rectangular- a construction,noterosion- dataidentifieditsproportionsasphi^3x phi^2x phi and its
volume asjustunder2km^3. Still more than1000 metersfromthe hallow the SensoriumandCentral
suggestedlifeformswithin.Butthe approachwasintercededbyincreasinginterference thatmade it
verydifficulttoremotelypilot.The visualsweredistortingandbending andfinallythe SigmoidCircuits
wentnuts.At 100 metersfromcontact Rianne couldsee clearlyanamplificationof internal space.
Lookingthroughthe hallowof the chamberwasa protractedexpanse thatranoff for an indeterminable
span.There were ominousstructures, columnsstretchingeverupwardtowardanundetectableceil,
ornate fixturesevenreadingsthatRianne believedtobe plantlife …andtall languidbeings,withweak
heatsignatures, apatheticallymovingthroughaneternal chamberasthoughtime itself heldthem
captive initsviscoussap.
Her vital data showedajumpinheart rate and several othersymptomsof the onsetof shockbutwhat
Rianne wasfeelingatthe time wassomethinglike ecstasy,yetominousandthreatening,surreal and
wondrous.The suddenblackshockof herremote monitorsbeingoverriddenstartledhersoviolently
that she thrusther headforwardslammingitintothe topof herchariot.She was threatenedandupset
but triedtomask itin herresponse whenthe AudioFeedfromControl blastedherinstructionstoreturn
to Mothershipforan emergencydispatch.Itwasa diversion.She knew it.
An Orderto run an EmergencyDispatchwasforRiannalike tellingachild"Stopdoingtediouschoresthis
minute andgo play!...THAT'SAN ORDER!".Buthavinga sortie overridenwas alwayseitherinsultingor
suspicious.IthadneverhappenedtoRianne before.She waswortheverypoundof herhealthyMerc
compensation.She wasthe bestpilotunderWingrightsCommand.Somethingfeltterribly off aboutthe
entire operation.
Had it all simplybeenSensoriumMalfunction…AsyncronousApparatus?
Somethinginhergutjustdidn'tvibe right.
At leastshe wouldgettoreallyletDarkRiderrun. Nobodyeverwentmore than100Km/hr throughthe
litpassages…unlesstheyhadanemergencydispatch.
6. the movie
Catalyst
The movie 'Catalyst'wasvisuallysumptuous.The score wasengaging,exhilarating,titillating,tense,
romanticand morose,evenplayful andcomical inthe few momentsthatcalledforit. The musicmoved
seamlesslyacrossgenres. AcidJazzmeltedintofullorchestrationpunctuatedbychemical beatsand
grindingmetal guitarsthenshiftedandslowedintopulsinghip-hoportribal percussion thenshiftinginto
ambienttinklingof bellsand symbolsaccentedbywanderingchromaticpianoleads…seamlessly,
continuously.The score leadthe movie,summonedstrange complex emotions andimmersion with
almosthypnagogicperfection. The soundeffects- eventhe voicesinthe dialogueseemedfinelytuned
for ubiquitousharmonyandrhythm .Inher private booth,seatedinabioresponsive reclinerthat
rumbledandjolted,tickledandbreathedwithsuchimmersive synchronicitythatshe couldfeel leaves
and grass rustlingandcrumblingunderherfeet,wind inherhairoreventhe joltof a knife inthe back,
whisperslandedinherearandmomentsof musicseemedtoformstandingwavesinherchakras.
It wasn'tVR. There wasan enormousVirtual Realityfacility100 metersfromthe theaterusedforboth
trainingandentertainment. VRwas'real enough'accordingto the manysoldiersthatran linesaround
the blockanticipatingaverypersonalizedencounterwith acomelycreature notboundbythe
limitationsof humangenetics,orjustacoups hoursof massive multiplayervirtual gaming.The realVR
experience requiredaNeural InterfaceImplant.ItwasStandardIssue forall enlistedsoldiersgoing
undergroundbutnotmercs.Upgradeswere for sale toenlistedmenaswell as the manymercenaries
and mostof the boyshad at leastthe 2 StandardIssue AtlasImplants plusaSacral.The advantagesfor
upgradeshadpractical as well libertine utility. A Full Spine wasastatussymbol wornalmostexclusively
by the highendmercs and interfacedwithmanyotherstrange new technologiesnobodyhadeverseen
on the surface.Still Rianne foundthe very thoughtof wiry tendrilslacedintothe spineandbrainstem
abhorrentlyintrusive.
Rianne preferredthe darkseclusionof the OpulentTheater.There wassimplynothinglike it onthe
surface.The decorin the foyerwasplushredon goldagainstblack withchequeredtile underfoot.Two
grand staircasesspunup10 floorsof suites,nogeneral admission.Eachsuithada small kitchenette and
bathroomconfigured around anefficientlittle lounge connectedtoabalconywithas manyas 5
Interactive Bio- Responsive Reclinersfacingagreatscreenthat filledthe forwardview withvivid
imagery. A small suite with2reclinersran150 Eurosfor a 6 hr block.Significantlymore expensive than
VR butshe had allotof moneyand nothingbettertodowithit.
'A BrazenDawn' was setina future dystopia.Notadesolate,desperatepostapocalypticwastelandbut
a twisteddystopia,agreatsteel andconcrete paradise forthe hedonist, a' Great Society' blisteredwith
neonspangle andtechnologiesthatleave menidle,wallowinginshiftlessconsumption,theirlives
7. havingbeenextendedbytechnologiestheynolongerneedtounderstand,the systemperpetually
stabilizedbyforcestheynolonger needtomanipulate. Mostlive longslow restless lives.Some still
pursue philosophy,some musicorart, math or science forentirelyintrinsicreasons, andavery fewstill
understandthe technologythatstabilizeseverything.
AmidstthisFabianvision agrowingnumberof men,jadedanddissatisfiedwithanunlimitedseaof
amoral indulgence,are beginningtofeel anatavisticurge,somethingthe geneticiststhoughttheyhad
rootedout 10 generations previous.Manhavingfulfilledeverylust,seeks finallytofill thatone
forgotten -The lustforblood.
It was a spinningthrillerthatposedmore philosophical questionsthanmovedplotlines.Itwasa
spaghetti of loose ends entanglingthe romance of a youngwomanand a middle aged dystopian
prophet,a burgeoningbloodcult,andasocietyaboutto implode around the vacuumof itsignorance.
After2 hours of provocationandentanglementwe findthe bloodcultdeepinanancientvaultthathad
beensealedfor400 years onlytodiscoverthatthe 'AncientOrders'hadneverleftthe earth,as'The
Histories'extolled,butratherthe 'Great Society' wasa construct of theirAncientOrdersandcompacts
that stretchedbackfor millennia.The GreatSocietyis rentanddividedbypoliticsandintrigue anda
martyredphilosopherisanincipientCivil War.Finallywe see the youngwoman,leaningonarusticpick,
workinga rusticgardenoutside asimple yetbeautiful adobe cottage lookingoutintothe morningsun
hangingingoldenlightabove the easternhorizonasatoddlingchildcoosina rusticcradle.This
culminationwasexpressedinaseriesof composedshotswithoutdialogue.Itmoved withatempothat
gave the audience buta count to collectthe implicationsof the imagerybefore movingtothe next
imperative sequence of frames, finallylingeringfora hesitatingmomentonthe goldenlightfromthe
easternsunshiningonthe childinthe cradle.Thenit cut.No credits.NoNames.NoStudioIconography.
Justthe gentle audioloopof the needle skippingatthe endof a record…
The movie hadher headswimmingwithconundrums,questionsandthe guttingeatingsensationthat
she was aboutto stumble intosome new realityasthe answersshe hadalwaystrustedsloughedaway
like gangrenousflesh.The moviewasn'tthe sole stimulustothisburgeoningphilosophical
metamorphosis,itwasmore of a catalystto a twistingawarenessthatRianne couldsensejustbeyond
hergrasp for some time.
Local time saiditwas Saturdaysometime around5in the eveningwhenthe movie letoutbutRianne
was prettysure time wasbeingmonkeyedwithdownhere 5000 metersbelow the surface.There wasa
small crowdflowingintothe lobbyforconcessionsbetween films.Rianne still had4more hours of
entertainmentwaitingbackinhersuite butshe was feelingstircrazy.She couldfeel herruttingsteed
snortingrestlesslyforahard run.It had beenmonthssince she hadletDark Riderburnhishealsand run
amok.
Rianne leftthe theaterstunnedandpensive.She wasn'tevensure the filmshe hadjustwatchedwas
real.What happenednext?Willthere be asequel?She wantedanswers.She wantedsolutions. But
more than she wantedanswersshe lovedthe questions.And the more she soughtsolutionsthe more
she foundconundrums.
8. She wantedto heardark riderscream. Somethinginthe soul of hersteedsangto her,broughtherinto
focus.Togethertheywere almostcomplete.DarkRiderneededtorunamuck.
There wasno place in Subopoliswere anybodywouldevenwanttotravel fasterthan40km/h and the lit
passageswere neverlimitedabove 100km, linedwithcamerasandpatrolledfeverishlybyMPO. Without
the cover of an EmergencyDispatchshe wasunlikelytogetDarkRidermuch over80 anywhere.
If she reallywantedtoletDarkRiderrun amuckshe couldonlyfree himinthe darkpassages.
She had heardthat 'some reallyweirds#@+'happenedin passage 116. It had beenblastedandsealed
but there was'a secretChariotBurrow that openedupintothe 116 systemandsoldierspartyor explore
there.The MPs don't knowaboutit soanythinggoes,butreallyweirds#@+still happens.'
Rianne feltlike alittle bitof reallyweirds#@+mightbe fun.Rianne wentouthuntingformore
questions.
9. Running Amok
in
Passage 116
Dark Rider sat stirring in anticipation. The lot was full of bikes, but dark rider was not like other
bikes. The lot was full of soulless machines. There were bikes decked with holographic paints,
neon lights, indulgent body work, fitted with all manner of gadgets and gimmicks and
technologies not available on the surface that ran on all manner of exotic fuels (even Dark rider
had received some hi-tech fuel fittings). Bikes were very practical and available in Subopolis but
nothing could replace Dark Rider.
Rianne settled into the saddle and her steed ignited. Dark Rider shuttered with anticipation. He
knew he was going for a run. Getting out of the confines of downtown Subopolis would be a
test of patience.
The Cheese Field was a chunk of unreinforced white stone that had been bored into by a
thousand chariots before Subopolis was under the map. It sat just outside the great dome of C-
Base Leviathan in a decrepit systemof caverns that was generally outside the MPO patrol. It
wandered about for more than 1000 meters and resembled a giant chunk of Swiss cheese. It
had an ominous ancient feeling about it though the bores had dug in less than a decade before.
Soldiers had gotten lost wandering though its internal tapestry and collapse was almost likely.
Its caverns moaned hissed, growled and sometimes spat dust and debris as corridors collapsed
and settled. Still stir crazy soldiers went there from time to time seeking thrills.
The 1 tunnel that drove into the belly of sealed passage 116 was a little known secret. It had
once been marked by a red swath about a meter inside the mouth on the ceiling but some
funny guy or the MPO had gone about decorating the caves with swathes of red or green or
yellow, obscuring the original marker and any subsequent marker that might be created in
another readily available color. Quite recently a culture of artist had emerged that were slowly
turning the field of cheese into a grand canvas. The MPO seemed quite content to allow it.
There was a restless energy that seemed to boil underground and the growing mural brought a
vital life to a suffocating culture. Still 200 meters in around a subtle bend and there was only
trace ambient light wandering in from The neon glow of Subopolis. Few artists had yet ventured
this far into the darkness.
10. Just beyond a housing complex mostly habituated by scientist the mulling congestion dissipated
and Rianne opened Dark Rider up to an anxious trot. The Cheese Field was clustered by artists
at work and on looking admirers but 200 meters in the crowd had dwindled to almost nothing.
The end of the paved surfaces terminated at about the same place and the unreinforced cavern
slowly twisted into darkness.
A couple hundred meters farther and Rianne was flagged by a couple of wide eyed Mercs
straining to find something hidden outside the dancing misty red penumbra of a tactical
flashlight thrusting its beam into the wounded mass of stone. Dark rider had no forward beam
just the subtle glitter of blue LED lights that flit like sprites in the darkness as she hustled over
the uneven terrain. Although Dark Rider's panting engine could be heard moving toward them,
the Mercs were confused seeing nothing approaching till the red beam landed directly on the
bike.
It was Mikey Frank, and Dyler Lions from her SLM unit. She slowed to a stop and laughed as the
2 boys panicked in fear of MPO fines that could be quite obtuse for what they saw as overpaid,
underage Mercs.
"Free Scotland!" Rianne hailed. And the two boys scurried from their rat holes like rodents.
"Changeling?" they questioned. But it could be no one else moving blind through the darkness.
They were desperately seeking the secret tunnel that fed into passage 116. They were on a five
day pass and bored stiff before they had wasted their first. They had small packs and intended
to spend a few days wandering about hoping for something freakish and weird. Rianne said she
had the same idea and assured them that if she should find it she would tell them after and
burnt off before they could make any more requests.
She didn't know where the entrance was. She only knew it was far towards the end of the
cavern and tucked in a nook so that one might not see it at all scanning the bore wounded
surfaces. She counted on her preternatural instinct to guide her.
She slowed as the cavity terminated, scanning the darkness. There was a chunk of stone jutting
out from the cul-de-sac of swiss that natural occluded a facet. she wound her bike around loose
rocks and debris. behind a sizable boulder, at the foot of the hidden face a bore opening cut
down at 45 degrees a strange cold pocket hovered at the mouth and the sharp pinch of ionized
air met her nose.
The tunnel was vitrified smooth and debris free. The funnel of the bore was tight but Rianne
tucked herself into racing position and opened up in that 1000 meter stretch of twisting and
winding terrain. She had mere centimeters of clearance overhead. Still she managed to attain a
11. smoking velocity then shot out the upward bent of the chariot bore, flying into the open
cathedral of 116 with enough speed to sail into the air with a twisting back flip for the
spectating specters of the Haunted Highway.
She settled to earth from her glorious floating leap like Baryshnikov and transitioned the energy
instantly into a burning spin out that stood into a backside wheelie then danced about in
graceful pirouettes and stooping swoops whirling like a capoeira dancer- skipping and swooning
torsions and illusory imbalances that seemed to defy the laws of physics until she let her
momentum die out and she settled onto both tires and placed her left foot to the ground.
Somewhere in her mind she could hear the circus crowd applauding with hiss and thunder but
the lightless caverns of 116 were still but for the smooth pant of her idling steed.
She had loved the tumult of the crowd once, but was just as pleased to perform for the
specters of 116. She never rode for anything but her own love and passion and a mystical
connection to the soul of her steed. But more than it was an exercise in joy it was a spiritual
compulsion. She had to ride.
* * * * * * * *
Dark Riderchompedat hisbit.The Spectersheldtheirbreathinanticipation.An endlesshallow
stretchedoff before her.She revvedDarkRiderintoanangry wail and disengagedthe clutchintoa
sliding,screaming,smokingstartthatpealedthe tiresintoastickytarring grip.
The passage of 116 was full of erraticchunksof blastdebrisbutRianne andherpreternatural sense of
hersurroundinghadthe animal gallopingat160km/hr+ in 4 seconds.She skirtedaroundthe huge
chunksof sinewyreinforcementthatlitteredthe hauntedhighway,oftenonlysubtlymanipulatingthe
gyroscopesandcorneringaroundobstaclessocloselyshe couldfeel agentle grindonherhelmetor
leathersasshe subtlygrazedtheirsurfaces.
The tunnel seemedtowanderonforever.She hadneverbeeninapassage thatstretchedformore than
7-8 kilometersundergroundbutshe hadbeenburningata hot pace for more than 10 minutes.She was
sure that she had put at least30 Kmbetweenherself andthe ChariotBore.Yetshe still sensedinfront
of hera seeminglyendlesshallow.
'Strange…' wasthe onlydialogue that traversedhermindatthe momentshe made the decisiontochase
the snake to itstail,' I wonderif anyone hasventuredthisfarsince the place wassealed?'
10 more minutesof franticsprintingintothe depthsof 116 andsomethingevenstrangerhappened.The
highwayopenedupintoagreat dome like thatof Subopolis,the massive gnarledmonumentsof debris
disappearedentirely,therewasn'tevenanerrantpebble onthe roadthat spedbeneathher.
12. Rianne'spreternatural senseof herenvironmenttoldherlittle…ornothing.The truthshe admittedto
herself,asshe priedoff herhelmettopeerintothe darkdepthswithhernakedotherworldlyeyes,'This
thingcouldgo on foreverforall Ican tell'.The mostpointedandfrightening oddity wasthatRianne's
preternatural sensesandotherworldlyeyestoldherthere wasnothing beneath herorDarkRiderexcept
a normalizingforce thatengagedafallingsurface whereverthe groundhadoughtto be.
She shouldhave beenleery.
She wasn't.
She revvedDarkRiderto a shrill screamand sentthe mostof the torque to the gyroscopes.She and
Dark Riderbeganto dance like courtingswans,spinningentanglements, tragicdramaticmomentsas
Dark Rider'sgyroscopicflywheels were manipulatedtocreate impossible perceivedimbalances.All the
beautyandgrace performedforthe rapture of the dancersand the delightof the spectersof 116.
…and the depthsof the dome seemedtostretchoutinfinitelyinall directions. Withnothingbeneathher
she feltlike she waspirouettingonapinpointprecipicethatfell intoaneternal well of emptyspace.
She shouldhave beenfrightened .
She wasn't.
She shouldhave beencautious.
She wasn't.
She was AnnaPavlova performingher fatal ballet. He wasVaslavNijinsky gracefullyleapingand
swoopingincounterpointthenunison.Everygesture,everytragicplunge,everyamorousturnandheart
rendingdiplandingeversodelicatelyonthe surface of an everexpandingseasoas to bell the surface of
the watersin a woven expanse of radiatingringswitheverytouchof the pointedslipper.Yetnever even
an errant dropwouldsplash.
Thenup-lightsilluminatedeverythingandtheywere ona greatstage movingto a hauntingnocturne
singingmournfullyfromapitthat separatedthe performance fromthe invisibleattendeesof the hall.
Andthe visionbegantobe intenselyvividandreal.Soreal she couldsmell the sweatfromthe playersin
the pit andthe starch fromthe collars chokingthe necksand perfume drowningthe breastsof the
attendeesof the hall. Soreal itseemedplaintoherpreternatural sensesandotherworldlyeyes.Even
the hypnogogicsymphonywasoccasionallyinterruptedbyashamefullystifledcoughintoasilken
kerchief.
Withouta momentstransitionorfracturedbreakthe strange immersingwakingvisionwandered
seamlessly,perfectlyandunnoticeablyinstantaneouslyfromagreattheatrical hall where the elite come
to be entertainedinhighculture, tounderthe MainTent of the circus were the Rabble come toseekthe
strange and wondrous, the slapstickandthe infantile, the curiousandprofane,anythingtospeedthem
away,if onlyfor a moment,fromthe pitswere theyfacelesslysweatawaytheirdaysandlives.
13. a serene musingof the Frenchhornand oboe cryingout froma facelesspitmorphed onthe beatintoa
fanfare of jazzybrass punctuatedbya gruesome metal riff insyncopation toa beatthat was more like
hiphop onstreettweakthanRock. The fanatical circus crowdwas an army of wailingbanshees
heraldingthe sure deathof anotherruttingteenage braggartatthe apex of insolence andstupidityas
Rianne pulledoff herhelmetandcrumbledthe claymaskrevealingherotherworldlyeyes.She
unsheathedherocculted SwissDegen,unzippedherblackleathernjumpsuitandlaidthe collarinan
openV . A rushingriverof sanguine pitchflowedbehindherasDark Riderleaptandwhinnied,rubber
burnedandtiressmokedasthey spedintothe inclinationof the ramp.
Rianne'svictimsdangledlike freshkillinthe gap.But as she jettisonedintosome defiantbladewielding
areal maneuvereverythingflashedamacabre redand the audience screamedinterrorasshe slitinto
the bloatedbellyof amonstrousbeastthatburst into a terrible seethingfractal of worms,clawingnails
and tearingteethina lustful feedingfrenzythatconsumeditself until all thatwasleftwasbone anda
coil of writhingintestine thatfinallytumbledfromthe skeletal cage andsloppedintothe catch nets.
The audience triedtoflee interrorbutwhile theyhadbeenimmersedinRiane'srivetingperformance
an insipidviscousooze hadseepedin …eerily…languidly.Hamperingeveryfleeingfootstep,deepening
slowlythe ooze patientlyconsumedthem,thoughtheyfoughtall the while.Theystraineduntil the
faintedandawoke tostrain until theycollapsedagain.Theyclimbeduponthe backsof theirfellows
buryingone another'sfacelessnessinthe drowningtrap,thinkingtoliftthemselvesabove the ooze, only
to findthemselvesboundtotheirneighbor'sback.
Rianne ran in terror then!Her steedburningfire andrubberoutthe circusdoors intothe nightas the
ooze flowedinpatientlybehind.Rianne knewshe couldn'tsave asoul butherself.Thoughsome place
deepinhersoul bellowed 'COWARD!' she neverdaredtoevenlookback.She knew she couldout-run
the ooze but itwouldalwaysbe there,flowingpatiently,drowningsteadily,until itranherintoan
inescapable cornerorcaughther ina vacant moment,sneakinginlanguidlyfrombehind.
In onlya fewheapingbreathsshe hadputenoughdistance betweenherself andthe horrorsof the
circus that the terrible screamsof the people hadquietedtosomethingmore likethe buzzingof flies.
The tormenting Kafkaesque buzzing of flies, wings beating in frantic hopelessness, beating with
the slow climbing, interminably mounting mania of terror as creeping insipid ooze slowly
suffocates and engulfs until every fly is locked in eternal failed flight, preserved for endless
ages, drowned in sap.
"TO HELL WITH THE CIRCUS!!" she screamed aloud racing into a foggy night in Wales. The
waking dream had cornered Riane's reality and she looked out into the luminescent beings of
the night sky, more proud and brilliant and vivid and real than she had ever known them to be.
All the stars kept their proper places in the nocturnal precession as she raced along the coast
content to flee the circus until sunrise. The first sunrise she had seen in a long time. She was
sure they had been monkeying with time down in Subopolis.
