Me and My Shadow

[Tomtomrawr]

The prelude is here. I'm sure that Akura and I will write enough to catch up to this story. Eventually.

Planet Manhattan - February 3rd 819A.S.

Axel's odyssey had been arduous to say the least, but he had finally reached his intended destination on the stolen "CTE FR-2302-K Civilian Freighter". His choice of ship had been justified when he was able to slip through Manhattan's docking ring without so much as a second glance from the drones controlling the gate. Every planet had one docking ring to restrict the flow of traffic to a more manageable size. If they allowed ships to enter the atmosphere at any point it would be impossible to monitor it all. Axel always thought of the docking rings as the giants Gog and Magog. In the old Sol Bible of Christianity they were generally depicted as negative beings, but were still believed to hold an important task: guard the City of London. Axel liked the imagery.

The drone that he imagined being Gog, judging all who entered, had given his shuttle permission to enter Manhattan's atmosphere. Magog, surveying those who departed, paid him no attention. Axel had thanked Gog - he was always courteous, even if it was to a machine - and was quickly descending to match the altitude the skyscrapers stretched to reach. He imagined them like the arms of children reaching for a piece of chocolate, their designers like children themselves. Just a little bit further.

He liked this imagery because it also helped explain the number of people centred around them. If the arms were reaching for a food of some sort, then the people were like starving ants. Desperate to also reach the sustenance and continue their petty, pointless existences.

The cities of Manhattan, spanning across the horizon for hundreds, if not thousands of miles, were like a banquet of commercialism and capitalist business for these ants. It was seen as the planet all others aspired to imitate. What was shown to the people of Sirius was a thriving metropolis, the profits of business being lifted upward like a helium balloon.

It was his first visit to Manhattan, and he had chosen his timing perfectly. Here was the business-centre of the world, so surely he could find some... shady individuals who supplied what he needed. Methyl isocyanate primarily. But also test subjects, a lab and contacts in which to gather information. He had nothing, so needed to get back onto his feet. Build an empire, then return to Rheinland and spread terror. Manhattan would be his playground.

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[17:45:39] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): Tom, you have problems. Go kill yourself.
[19:25:12] Johnny (Jam): Tomtom, I will beat you with a spoon.
[14:22:56] Prarabdh Thakur: KILL HIM WITH A SHEEP.
[17:40:48] Eagle (Junes): Tom should be slapped with a spoon.
[11:32:18] Warspite: Thank you for being so awesome Tom. <3
[18:17:36] Metano: I love you tomtom
[20:06:24] Warspite: I will seriously give you epic head.

Edit: also, Tomtomrawr, fappin' like a boss.