Novel: The Bombardiers (Excerpts Part 2)!

Hey, guys. Sorry I vanished on you all. It's finals time, you know? Had to write a paper and then get all my notes organized and write everything down. Ugh! I hate finals. Anyway, I thought I'd stop by today for some more excerpts from The Bombardiers.

Do remember, these excerpts are from my first draft, so expect lots of typos and a shaky style and way too much introspection. I'll fix that stuff the second time around. xD



Warning: Some of the content is rather graphic. And there's some strong language. You have been warned!

Novel: The Bombardiers (Quotes 2)

Got some more quotes for you guys for my science fiction novel in progress!

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From Chapter 3, as Ganth is getting "rescued"--

“Congratulations, Mr. Richard Ganth, you have captured my attention. If you intend to utilize it in a timely manner, I would suggest you humble your brutish self and ask for help now. Preferably before more of the AJA shows up to spirit you off into the night.” 

-- Xi

 

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From Chapter 4, Xi's explanation of erasure--

“Well, you see, this whole erasure business can be a bit tricky. I mean, they could just erase entire families for one person’s wrong, but the more people you take out of the equation, the more things just don’t add up.” She laughs. “Ah, math humor! Anyway, sometimes, instead of just erasing children along with their oh-so-guilty-of-something-inane parents, they’ll just implant a plausible situation in everyone’s mind of how they died. Usually horrifically. Although I was particularly amused by the one about the microwave explosion.”

-- Xi

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From Chapter 4, Xi's explanation of why Ganth is "special"--

“Oh, you! You’re a special little bastard! I wish I’d found you sooner, but even my amazing self couldn’t spot the error. As it turns out, you’re little health implant, aka memory distorter, has an imperceptible defect that, well, renders it completely useless in terms of its underlying, unknown, sinister function that isn’t supposed to exist. In other words, it does exactly what it’s supposed to do and doesn’t do what’s it not supposed to do but normally does.”  

-- Xi

 

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From Chapter 4, Sara's angry rant about Xi's secrecy--

 

“I swear, you are the most infuriating woman I’ve ever met. You tell me groundbreaking things, and yet you leave the most important parts out. You tell me they erase people, and yet you never explains what happens after that! So, please, please, can you spare one moment of your precious time and tell me? What happens to the people that get erased? Torture? Prison? Soylent Green is people? What?”

-- Sara

Novel: The Bombardiers (Quotes 1)

Hey, guys! I've actually managed to start working on my outline for The Bombardiers. I was thinking it would be cool if I shared a few quotes that I come up with while writing it.

Here's a couple I've written so far:

From the Prologue--

"In your greed and ignorance, you overstepped your boundaries. You pushed beyond the realm of your own understanding. You played a god you had no right to play. Instead of advancing our wealth of knowledge in order to craft a better life for all, you created an invincible killer. And now that killer will kill us all."

- Millicent Barnes

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From Chapter 2, while Sara is calling her sister--

"You know, Miss Sara Miller, since you are so obviously concerned about the AJA finding you via your phone, I thought I might enlighten you to the fact that I have made it utterly untraceable. Hm, you also have unlimited service now. Not that you have anyone to talk to anymore, I suppose. Bit of a paradox, isn't it? Or is it just a pity? You know, I'm not entirely sure." 

- Xi

Novel: The Bombardiers, NaNo Cover

I lied, I do have something to post. I worked on this over the weekend when I was a bit bored (of doing homework). Here's my first attempt at a cover for The Bombardiers, at least a NaNoWriMo cover. Obviously I'd put in a bit more time for a legitimate cover.

Anyway, hooray for minimalism!

Novel: The Bombardiers- Character List

Now that I've teased you all with the little summaries enough, let's get a more in depth look at the characters of The Bombardiers.

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Xi

Name: Xi (another name is revealed within the story)

Age: Exact age unknown

Nationality: Altean

Occupation: N/A

Appearance: A young woman of average height with dark hair, green eyes, and a pale complexion. Occasionally, (usually in an attempt to further a point) Xi will reveal parts of her "inhuman" side. Fiber-optic-like lines will seem to run down her face, turning at sharp angles and disappearing beneath her collar, only to come back into sight as they run down her arms. These lines usually display light pulses of various colors, as do her eyes. However, Xi never specifies what any of her "inhuman" features do or mean.

Motives: Xi's main motive is gradually revealed to overwhelmingly be revenge against the Altean government, though she does seem to have some genuine interest in freeing society from the secret oppression of the Prime Executives. Her underlying drives remain a mystery to most of the characters in the story, even after she reveals her terrible past. Because Xi's emotional and mental states are so unpredictable, none of the other Bombardiers are able to fully decipher her.

Novel: The Bombardiers (Mystery Character Summary)

And it's time for the last The Bombardiers teaser summary. Have a look:

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Since Altea's inception, I have watched and waited. In different positions. In different places. With different personalities. And occasionally, different faces. But throughout it all, from beginning to now, I have been there.

And I will be there to see the end.

Because after so many years of watching and waiting, hoping and pleading, my prayers have been answered. By Xi. I'm not entirely sure who Xi is, though I'm almost positive I know where Xi came from and why Xi is doing what Xi is doing. 

But in the grand scheme of things, Xi's motives do not matter. All that matters is that Xi wins. All that matters is that Executives fall. It is only when every stitch that holds Altea together is ripped from its seams that I will be able to rest in peace. 

Until then, I will keep watching and waiting.

And at the end of all things, I will only have one thing left to say.

Every single god of man, bless the Bombardiers.

Novel: The Bombardiers (Norton's Summary)

And yet again, it's time for a little snippet from the world of The Bombardiers.

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Norton Sater considered himself successful. He'd graduated early. He'd gained valuable job experience. He'd achieved that which everyone in Altea wanted to achieve: a job in the upper echelons of the Altean government. 

And so Norton Sater walked right through the front doors of the Altean Justice Administration without a second thought. He signed the non-disclosure agreement without a second thought. He followed his new boss down three hallways, through two sets of double doors, and into a large monitoring room without a second thought.

And then he discovered the truth about Altean justice.

And he had many second thoughts.

Torn between the keeping the life he loves or throwing it away in order to expose to truth, Norton finds himself slowly breaking apart. It doesn't help that his only companions are a renown terrorist, an emotionally disturbed young woman, and a half-crazed ex-soldier.

But what's a man to do when faced with two such roads? Does he destroy himself in order to maintain the life he cherishes? Or does he let himself be destroyed for the sake of everyone else?

Novel: The Bombardiers (Ganth's Summary)

It's time for another The Bombardiers summary, guys! This round, we have another main character, Richard Ganth. That just leaves two more summaries before the character listing!

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His parents believed in Altea. They used their life savings, their every connection, to get there. And the next thing he knew, his parents were gone. 

And no one seemed to notice.

He's spent his entire adolescence trying to figure out where they went and why no one remembers them. He's prayed to the God he follows secretly to guide him to the truth. 

And then they found out about him. 

They tore him from his home, from his job, from his search, and locked him away in a van. They tried to spirit him off to where he couldn't be found. They tried to erase him. Like they did his parents.

But they failed.

Because just as they found him, so did Xi.

And now that Richard Ganth know the truth about Altea, he's set his sights on a higher goal: it's destruction.

Novel: The Bombardiers (Sara's Summary)

It's time for another The Bombardiers summary, guys. I know you all have been waiting for it. This time, it centers around another main character, Sara Miller.

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Sara's Summary

Sara's parents were born in Altea. So was her sister. So was she. She has grown up within the confines of the "perfect world," and she never doubted that it was all that it claimed to be. She has never in her memory been assaulted. She has never in her memory been afraid. She has never in her memory been worried about her well being or her future.

But after a single life-changing incident, Sara learns that her memory may have been lying to her all along.

She didn't mean to overhear them talking about the terrorist Xi. She was doing her job, her internship, doing inventory in a lonely supply room. And then they were there, standing outside the room, talking. And none of it would have amounted to anything if that camera hadn't been there the entire time, recording Sara's presence. 

And later, Sara thinks, after the memory of her entire existence has been erased from everyone she knows and loves, the camera should have been her first clue. But, she knows, it no longer matters how she ended up here, doing what she's doing. Because she wouldn't have it any other way.

She's a Bombardier, and if takes dismantling Altea piece by piece in order to get the world to see the atrocities its government has committed, then so be it. Because according to the world, Sara Miller no longer exists. And if Sara is nonexistent, then as far as she's concerned, she can do whatever the hell she wants.

And the only thing she wants is for Altea to fall.

Novel: The Bombardiers (Xi's Summary)

So, I've teased you enough about this, huh? Time for a first summary now!

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Xi's summary

There is a nation. It's name it Altea. And for the last fifty years, it has been proclaimed the utopia of the world. Millions try to immigrate. Millions more lament their inability to do so. And governments from across the entire planet use Altea as a model of the perfect world.

Altea has no crime. It has no poverty. It has no conflict. It has no social issues.

Except it does.

And for the last five decades, the people who control Altea, the Prime Executives, have been keeping that a secret by using their own technology against the very citizens they pretend to protect. The criminals, the delinquents, the poor...they exist. And when they come into existence, they are promptly erased from it. 

And not a single person knows this.

Except Xi.

Xi sees the truth. Xi hears the truth. Xi knows the truth. And despite the Prime Executives best attempts, Xi exists.

And Xi will do anything and everything to prove to all of Altea and the rest of the world that the others do too.

Even if it means destroying the hopes and dreams of all humanity.

Novel: The Bombardiers (Second Peek)

Hi, it's time for another The Bombardiers peek! Still no full summary for you yet, but we'll get there.


(On a brief other note, I'll get around to the Supernatural premiere and Secret Circle Ep 2 reviews tomorrow. No time for them tonight! Ack!)

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"Recent reports confirm that Xi is not working alone..."

"Xi has banded together with several others..."

"Attacked the national army..."

"...stole highly advanced weaponry..."

They were different.

"Can anyone stop these monsters?"

"We don't know what they want..."

"No demands have been made..."

"It's baffling!"

And yet, they were alike.

"What could these people possibly hope to gain?"

"Why hasn't the government been able to stop them?"

"We have yet to receive word..."

"The Executives have been silent..."

They came together by chance.

"Today, seventy two lives were lost..."

"A medical facility, of all places...!"

"These monsters must be stopped!"

"Why does our government seem...?"

"Since we have been so helpless?"     

And they have only one goal.

"The people want the truth..."

"...starting the suspect the Executives aren't..."

"Are they being truthful?"

"Some are starting to think that..."

To expose the truth.

"How many people have to die?"

"The people are living in terror..."

"We're afraid..."

"We're all afraid..."

"...Of these people, these..."

Even if the world hates them for it.

"Today, they gave us a name..."

"...signed their work..."

"...left us their signature..."

"These monsters call themselves..."

"They call themselves..."

The Bombardiers      

Novel: The Bombardiers (First Peek)

So, NaNo is still pretty far off, but my new novel is already stewing and steaming in the back of my mind. For a long time, this idea wasn't a novel at all, just a random conglomeration of characters with amusing attitudes.

And then, the other day, whilst watching that one great fanmade scene for the Hunger Games movie (you know, this one) after being disappointed in the first official sneak peek...

...I had an idea.

I don't know where it came from (but then again I usually don't), but I did know it was the best thing I'd come up with in a long time.

So, without further ado, the first peak at The Bombardiers.

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"For the first time in the history of Altea..."
"Today, the first recorded crime in our history was committed..."
"An unknown criminal hacked into the Central Bank..."
"...hacked the system..."
"...stole 3.1 million dari..."
"...and left a message..."

Xi sees.

"The federal police still have no leads..."
"People everywhere are panicking...."
"Today, at the National Armory..."
"...another message..."

Xi hears.

"The Prime Executives held a emergency meeting..."
"During a meeting of the Executives today..."
"...their computers were hacked..."
"...and yet another message..."

Xi knows.

"Bystanders stopped walking and cars stopped moving..."
"The entire highway was backed up for miles..."
"Everyone was staring at it..."
"On every single public digital billboard..."
"...is this the last message?"

Xi is.

"The country is in an uproar..."
"How do we combat this unknown...?"
"The world wants to know..."
"Who is Xi?"