Starbolts #537: The Ghost in the Machine

 

Hail!

    Well, it looks like Syntax really is an actual "ghost in the machine". She was killed by Terra Nova and put into a metal form. Terra Nova likely picked her for Sven's experiment because she would be easily missed regardless of how attractive the young woman was. If you're in Vegas, what's one missing showgirl among thousands? That was Sven's philosophy. Don't ask me why Tom is smiling holding her unconscious body. That was clearly taken before the procedure.

    Either way, it looks like Sara and the rest of the Starbolts are fixing yet another of Terra Nova's leftover mistakes. I think I've lost count of how many nefarious plans the Starbolts have fixed since the fall of that terrorist organization. 

    So, what happens now? Well, Syntax is going to be uploaded into a new body. Norad, too. From there, Syntax is probably going to have to save Norad. After saving him and the nanobots, the future is unclear. Will she stay with the Starbolts? Will she leave and return to Las Vegas? That last one is extremely doubtful!

    I did talk to my co-writer, Sam about how Terra Nova seems to take in attractive women and turn them into weapons and do all sorts of experiments on them. We both figured it is a coincidence. Or it could be that Terra Nova likes to create femme fatales for their sick games. At least they are gone and now the Starbolts have to clean up what they left behind. Who knows what other loose threads Terra Nova has left hanging around? It's hard to say. They have so many secrets! More are bound to be revealed, soon!

 See ya next time!

Starbolts #536: Nanobots with Nothing to Lose

 

Hail!

    Well, it looks like the nanobots that inhabit Norad are no longer passive and docile. I suppose it makes sense that they are desperate now that they're facing their own extinction. Since their deaths are inevitable, they will do whatever it takes to get the Starbolts to listen. What do they want? Will they release Norad and Syntax?

    Speaking of Syntax, we've now got a glimpse into who she really is. Or was. Her name was Holly Demers and she was once a Las Vegas showgirl. Terra Nova seems to have a thing for women don't they? Sara, Crystal, Shenra and now Syntax have all been part of some sick experiments. Don't worry. Guys have been subjected to experiments, too. They were an equal opportunity terrorist organization after all. 

    Here's how I see Syntax's creation. Holly was a showgirl and she was taken out by Terra Nova after they found that no one would miss her. They took her mental engrams, personality and everything and put it into a metal shell. I'll explore this in detail next week as she is going to  have a heart-to-heart talk with Sara about her Terra Nova origins.

    Back to the Nanobots. Why didn't they just TELL Norad what was going on? Surely he'd have listened. Here's hoping for the best for the nanobots. They sure aren't making live easy for our android friends. Will Norad and Syntax get new bodies? If so, what happens to the Nanobots? Tune in and find out!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #535: Into the Blue Again

Hail!

    Well, it looks like Norad is in a pickle! Our android friend and Syntax have to deal with dying nanobots with nothing to lose. They used to be passive. What made them go aggro all of a sudden? We'll find out soon, I promise. It looks like the start of a new storyline featuring Norad and we will definitely delve into the origin of Syntax. I think you will find her to be a literal ghost in the machine!

    After Aquita's harrowing ordeal, it looks like it affected her more than she realized. A swim wasn't going to be enough to shake off the horror of seeing two black auras. She needed something more. She needed a reset to her brain. Thankfully, her husband was there and I don't think it takes a lot to figure out what they're doing by the pool.

    Aquita was swimming naked as she is comfortable with nudity. As Aquans swim a lot, they tend to not have the same view of nudity as some humans do. Sure they swim with clothes on. But, sometimes they like to swim naked as well. Also, if an Aquan woman were to show themselves as naked before a potential mate, that means they are ready to take a mate for life.

    In this case, Aquita wanted to swim naked as it was refreshing to her. Mateo showing up is an added bonus. After this is over, I wouldn't say she was cured. But, she is on the mend. It's going to take time and seeing a pink or blue aura will definitely help speed things along. Black auras tend to have a negative impact on Aquan psyches. It remains to be seen how this will effect Robkas and Kahlia going forward. The two are stuck with each other. But, I don't think they'll be happy with each other.

    At least we know Aquita will be fine. She has her husband, son, family and friends to help her. That's all we can hope for.

See ya next time for more on Norad and Syntax!

Starbolts #534: Losing Your Tail

 

Hail!

    I should probably explain what Aquita said. Basically, Robkas has ruined his life. Aquans take sex very seriously as they are a telepathic race. They bond with their mates for life and thus have to be very selective in choosing their life partner. They do not consummate their union unless they are ABSOLUTELY sure. And it's usually the woman who initiates the mating ritual. If their love isn't pure, their bond is meaningless and the two become hollow. Robkas also mated with Kahlia in an attempt to make Aquita jealous. This backfired horribly and now he has to live with his decision. As far as Kahlia goes, she has no real feelings for him. They can't read each other and if they can't read each other, there is no bond. That is a hard concept for an Aquan to deal with as they are a race of telepaths.

    This isn't to say personality and chemistry don't also play a role. They do. This scenario is more about being able to connect telepathically to one another. An Aquan can obviously connect to another Aquan or a non Aquan as we've seen with Mateo and Jenna in the past. However, problems can arise if they can't adequately sense the other person. In this regard, Robkas and Kahlia are probably doomed as their telepathic needs can never be met.

    I hope that clears things up. Robkas is now stuck with Kahlia, a woman who has also mated with various Aquans for the wrong reasons. In a way, this makes them a perfect pair. Now, there is no stigma attached to it because it was their choice. They just can no longer read each other like I said. They have to live with their choices and she was never able to read him anyway.

    I think this lesson will affect Marcus the most because he has been in a relationship for about a year. When he gets back to Earth, he's really going to up the romance with Crystal. He is the youngest of the original Starbolts and so he still has a lot to learn about love.

    We also learned a bit about Aquan development this week. Baby Aquans start off sort of like tadpoles. I didn't have space in the sprite to put in a tail. But, baby Criam definitely had one. And his hands and feet were like dolphin flippers. The baby has a lot of developing to do. I'm sure he'll swim circles around his older cousin some day!  

    I also liked writing that scene with Aquita and her mother. We seem to be doing many scenes with the Starbolts and their parents lately. Huh. I should probably write one with Marcus and his parents. That'd be cool. Perhaps I will since Aquita's words hit home for him. He loves Crystal and she loves him. But, now he has firsthand knowledge about auras and what all that really means. He's gonna be a changed man. Probably for the better!

Time will tell!

See ya next time!