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The Secrets of a Ghost - Printable Version

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The Secrets of a Ghost - Aristaan - 01-15-2016

Name: Dr. James Erzie
Occupation: Freelance Defender of Sirius


An Unexpected Start
Born aboard Freeport 5 in 771 A.S. the young boy lived with his single mother, Viktoria Erzie, and her co-worker Dr. Markus Artouras. Bound by their research, travels would commonly move them about the Borderworlds, shipping samples and equipment abroad. At Age 3, James took considerable interest in his mother's work, as she researched for cures for disease and developed better medical procedures. Dr. Artouras, a stand-in father figure for the boy, took care to educate him and teach him the ways of medicine. This was not the Doctor's only strong suit, however, for he was a skillful tactical pilot as well, and James found this more than entertaining. James would find the best ways to persuade Dr. Artouras to fly around asteroids or strange crystal formations around the Freeports, quickly learning with each turn. His mother, in the meantime, would expand her studies, working for the Doctorate she always dreamed of. Nearly completing it when the boy turned 5 years old. She never got her dream...

Agony Beyond Comprehension
James loved flying more than medicine, and was set on spending as much time as possible becoming the best pilot possible, and to teach him even more, his mother decided that for his 5th birthday, she would take him along on her supply run. They ventured into deep space in their freighter, and moved toward Freeport 9. As they ventured through Omicron Gamma, expecting a shortcut, they met an unexpected situation. Typical roughness as the Corsairs are, they made demands his mother could not fulfill. They fired upon them without warning, critically damaging the ship and setting fire to the cabin. In the last moments of desperation, Viktoria held James as tight as she could, firing the escape pod out of the fray before the ship was fired into oblivion. Helpless to the Corsairs, they were picked up and moved to Crete, where James' mother was tried for treasonous acts against the Corsairs. Through unfair trial, they found her guilty on the merit that the types of pharmaceuticals being transported were clearly targeted for Outcast consumption. Forced to watch her execution, James was also found guilty by association, and was forced to work a manual labor position among the rabble of the lower classes.

A Fight for a Chance
Essentially a slave, the boy was forced to work extreme hours in labor far beyond his capability. As the youngest hard labor worker, he was helped by others to survive, at their expense. For 7 years, the boy worked day in and day out, letting each day pass like a nightmare that would never end. This was the way of life until a more cruel option was unveiled. Being charged with mechanical engineering work, as an apprentice, James was forced to work under a cruel master who would beat and scold him for any lapse in ability. They gave the boy 3 years to clean up his act, to which he learned all he could. Or so James thought. Charged with a work order beyond his ability, he worked tirelessly to try and fill it - working for weeks on end to try and please his master. Using all the strength he could muster, he put all of his being into his work - and fell short. Disappointed, his master beat him senseless once more, until he could not take it - taking a stand against the injustice.

Judgement and Silence
Grabbing tools, shivs, or anything possible, James began to fight with the fury of a wild beast, smashing every ounce of himself against his master. It had been so long since James had hope, he forgot the feeling. All he knew was hard work, pain, and that he must live on. During the bout between apprentice and master, the two proved to be equally matched. With strength and durability on his opponent's side, but speed and strategy on his own. Both parties we exhausted, their time was growing shorter with every attempt to strike the other. They both bled profusely, and James dug his fingers into his eyes, blinding him, to which he conceded the boy's strength. But this was not enough - it had to end. James took up a laser welder, pointing it at the helpless man, and driving a beam through his skull. Wanted by the law, James remained hidden, planning his escape - Dozens of different plans, none of which finalized or enticing enough to try. During this same span of 7 years, Dr. Artouras tracked all he could to find his cherished friends, perhaps more than friends. He hunted down any lead he found, all to dead ends. The good Doctor would never see Viktoria again, for she was lost.

Not a Moment to Lose
James often went out to the landing pads before others had departed. A petty dispute about rocks, food, or something broke out, and the people quarreled for minutes before shots rang across the bay, leaving many of the subordinates injured and maimed. This was the chance James was alive for, one chance to make a run for it. As the two gangs shot from cover at each other, the fire was redirected at James as he ran for the landed ship. As he ran nearly 100 meters to the ship he took a shot to the leg, slowing him down as he boarded the spacecraft. With new hope surging through his veins, he did his best to get off the God-forsaken planet. His skills were long rusted over, but he quickly regained his footing with the controls, but as he cruised out toward Omicron Theta, response vessels arrived to stop him. Alerted to an escaped detainee, they fired on sight, quickly failing the shields of the sluggish fighter. James knew how to fly, but had little knowledge on how to fight in space. He tried dodging, but the guided missiles struck time and time again. In his last ditch effort to get free, he started cruise again, flying straight away from the planet. As he flew, inbound torpedoes struck just aft of the flight deck, severing it from the rest of the craft, and causing severe damage to the cabin. The explosion left James floating in a sealed compartment of what used to be a flight deck. The impact had so much force that James' lower body was separated clean away by the restraints of the seat, and blood quickly floated around the gravity-free pod.

Another Day, Another Chance
Unconscious and frozen, James floated through space in the pod drifting further and further away from the civilized life. It was at this time Dr. Artouras' search would finally come to an end. Stumbling across the derelict pod, the Doctor quickly acted on his medicinal instincts. As he pulled the pod in with his tractor, he set up what medical facilities he could in his transport, meanwhile setting a course for Freeport 9. The doctor started to bring James out of stasis, carefully revitalizing him with transfused blood, and additional oxygen. James was on the way to a rough recovery if he would make it.

On the Freeport, medical personnel worked their best to save the unknown soul, using the most advanced forms of experimental medicine available, along with artificial reconstruction. It took nearly 2 years for James to wake up from his nightmare, making the fullest recovery possible at that point. Dr. Artouras did not recognize the now adult James, and James himself did not remember his own name. In honor of the Doctor's lost son, he rechristened James' last name to Erzie, and left his first name for James to decide. And from there the doctor began to become great friends with the lad. The Doctor was determined to help Erzie learn about the history of the Sirius system, and about the new technologies, as the knowledge Erzie was lacking at best. Erzie spent the next 10 years learning what he had missed being kept in captivity, and in due time, became a scholar and skilled pilot.

The Nomad War
During the time of the Nomad War, Dr. Artouras left to help scientists around Sirius with the new threat. The Doctor himself had little contribution to the direct events in the struggle, but learned a great deal of the newest threat to Sirius. Set on preventing another episode of Nomadic terror, Dr. Artouras set off to educate Zoners and experiment with alien technology. It was this interest that Erzie wanted to stay away from, so he let the Doctor go out alone. Little did Erzie know that it was the last time he would see him.

From Then to Now
Erzie has spent the past years since the Nomad War advancing technology and helping good science. Fully qualified with a doctorate in thermodynamics, he is regarded as a brilliant scientist to work with. James has been in hiding for many years, avoiding public eye until he got terrible news. Dr. Markus Artouras had fallen prey to Nomadic vessels aboard The Sanctification in Cambridge. Outraged by the news, the Freelancer decided that enough was enough, and that he would destroy the evil of Sirius. He now dedicates his life to saving souls from senseless losses over petty crime, and saving those who cannot defend themselves from the biggest threat Sirius has ever seen. He has been linked to and taken action with Battlegroup Auxesia, the Order, Hessians, and many more, as their principles were well aligned with his goals. After his stint as a Freelancer and Order agent, James joined Ingenuus, quickly making his way to acting CEO in the absence of Finn McCool.

RE: The Secrets of a Ghost - Aristaan - 01-17-2016

Voice Log #1
Time: Day 1, 1200 hours
Location: Freeport 1

*There is considerable crackling, scratching, and popping before the recording comes to an end*

RE: The Secrets of a Ghost - Aristaan - 01-17-2016

Voice Log #2
Time: Day 1, 2100 Hours
Location: Freeport 1

*The man sounds even more somber than usual.*
Justice has been done this day... I have uncovered the records of my birth, mother, and the events of her death that I clearly remember... I traveled to the Omicrons to learn these things, and now I have the closure I have sought... The Judge and man responsible for my mother's death and my imprisonment, has perished at me hands... I feel just as empty as before... so this cant be true closure. I still seek revenge on the abominations who ended my friend's life... For this they will atone...
*The recording ends before he finishes.*

RE: The Secrets of a Ghost - Aristaan - 01-17-2016

Voice Log #3
Time: Day 2, 0900 hours
Location: Unknown

*The sound of dead air plays for several seconds before it is interrupted by a familiar coarse voice.*
I've uncovered Markus' work... He experimented on normal people, scientists and the like... If he really believed it he would've used it on himself. Despicable... Though he was my friend, I cannot help but feel betrayed. His lab was shut down to the fortune of others, but that is inevitably the reason he perished... He left all his things to start new research, and the Nomads found him first. From his remaining schematics and records, it seems he was building some sort of electromagnetic conduit, a device to allow for thoughts of people to be heard and acted out as one... similar to a hive collective... It was destined to fail, but not before it ruined the lives of many... I want to look into this work, I have all of his supplies and more, but my ship alone is not powerful enough to power a private lab. I'll need something bigger... I've met with Raven on the issue, and I received sufficient information, but it doesn't seem like I'm making any friends with my requests... I need to find a way to repay them if I follow through with my plan... Money alone will not be sufficient. I hope this plan works... It will be my end if it does not.
*The recording ends in a sharp click*

RE: The Secrets of a Ghost - Aristaan - 01-18-2016

Voice Log #4
Time: Day 4, 2300 hours
Location: Barrier Gate Station

*The recording starts as if the man is already talking to himself.*
...And I think we can truly tell that we'll need something bigger. Always something more. Ambition is endless - but I'll find my power somewhere.
*With a click the recording ends.*

RE: The Secrets of a Ghost - Aristaan - 01-22-2016

Voice log #5
Time: Day 10, 0900
Location: New London, open space

*The message has so much static that there's an endless hiss before the recording comes to an end.*

RE: The Secrets of a Ghost - Aristaan - 01-24-2016

Voice logs #6-11
Time: Day 11, 0931-1800
Location: New York

*The first 4 voice recordings were difficult to understand as the man rambles on about what seems to be nonsense. The last, however, displays a different tone entirely, as if the man has had revelations beyond his years.*

I see now what I must do... Madness cannot be avoided unless the work is finished... When it's done, will I be satisfied? No... I wont. I can't take this work too far, I must be able to part with it at any time... I want to observe the men and women of Sirius, see what they strive for... what they fear... And I wish to do the same with the infected. If I am to solve this issue, I must note their differences... If human instinct remains, there is hope. I cannot do this alone, and surely I will be alone for this task. I... I just don't know what to do...

*Powerless sobs can be heard as the recording comes to an end.*

RE: The Secrets of a Ghost - Aristaan - 01-27-2016

Voice Log #12
Time: Day 15, 1630
Location: Freeport 11

*The man's voice is heart-felt and tired, seeming exhausted*
Finally some sanctuary after three long days of events... I've seemingly been on the run from pirates and hunters for days, all for the same reason... My research. It started with a bounty hunter identifying me, so I guess that secret is gone... Raven has yet to see my progress. However, hardware included, I'm at a standstill with my work... I decided to take a break as two individuals took extreme interest in my knowledge of edge space. The "tour" as we sarcastically joked about it was filled by history, starting with the Order's. We went to Omicron Minor and paid homage to the fallen as I retold the story. We then traveled through the ancient gate to the Nomadic Dyson Sphere, proving just what they are capable of. After we explored that, we moved back to Delta, then to Kappa to view the convergence of gravitational anomalies, as well as the AI's base worlds... All was fine until an AI, XT-100, engaged hostile protocols against us. We were unfit to deal with the cruiser-class threat, so we retreated back to Delta, where we were followed. Desperate for help, I abandoned my better judgement of the Corsairs, whom cared little about the AI, and instead tried to pirate my research materials. Cowards; bringing two bombers, a gunboat, and a fighter all for one gunboat class ship with his power redirected to research and scanning equipment. I barely escaped to Freeport 11, where I challenged them to hand to hand combat. They declined my challenge and departed. During that time, the two individuals I was escorting fled to Kusari space, where I tried to catch up to them. With assurance that they were safe, I received a broad-banded set of distress signals from Kusari space that I went to aid with. All that alarm for a single unknown fighter that was already in trouble with the forces available. After we chased the vessel to Tohoku, I went to find a place to refuel which, on the way, I encountered a Blood Dragon checkpoint. They saw my materials and took specific precaution to remove an Azurite A6 sample from my safe-keeping. At threat of complete loss of life and research, I reluctantly gave up the sample, letting what ever fate they wish upon themselves ensue. Without the sample and low on fuel I departed to return back to Freeport 11, where the rest of the samples are contained for my work... The Zoners have yet to notice this stockpile, and I have to use negative energy fields just to hide their emissions signature... Time is running slim for my work...
*The recording is ended after a few moments of dead air*

RE: The Secrets of a Ghost - Aristaan - 01-31-2016

Voice Log #13
Time: Day 20, 1800
Location: Sigma 19

*Dead air permeates from the playback for several seconds before a sad voice is heard*
So many events have befell me as of late... Some of which I cannot recall. The stockpile of Azurite A6 I once kept has been moved to open space for safety purposes, and despite my best attempts at disposal, it was not possible... I have contacted The Order Overwatch concerning my research, and the task of aiding me has been placed in the capable hands of Operative Lannox and Schultz. I have yet to advance the assets that they have provided, for my findings on this sample have been mostly in open space... It seems to have a mind of its own, drawing energy from the field, using three-phase power in random sequences, never repeating... I've done my best to create a static energy field around it, but despite forming a gravitonic, molecular, and positronic shield around the sample, it wasn't until I included electromagnetic shielding, thermal shielding, and nuclear shielding that the sample ceased to take additional power... That is until a strange nomad appeared today. Destiny's Eye... I can still see it clearly, haunting my thoughts... It was composed of this substance... of Azurite; and the sample seemed to know. It took all of the power in my ship to counteract it's ability to manipulate gravitational fields... I had no weaponry, and hardly had thrusters to evade Nomad energy blasts. The Eye jumped in wave after wave of Nomad forces, all to be fortunately destroyed by Zoner, Core, and Order vessels... It's power wasn't even close to depleted when it decided to leave... This is what I fear...

After the attack, I decided that I should go back to House space to bid farewell to those I could call "friends," to which I successfully was able. Raven spoke that she would be in the Omicrons soon, she sounded distressed, and her work accomplished in Liberty seemed transgression-filled at best. After much hunting, I found Kole; she was unwell, and another voice spoke with her... It was disturbing, but I had no choice but to trust that the voice would keep her safe. This was when I realized that so much time has passed since this project started... I feel empty, tired, and alone. I truly hope the Order has enough insight on this subject to at least use it for their benefit.

For now, I must rest, but I have to move back to Delta... This work is far from over... Damn, I miss you Markus...
*The sound clips out as the recording ends*

RE: The Secrets of a Ghost - Aristaan - 02-02-2016

Voice Log #14
Time: Day 23, 2000
Location: Outside Mora Station

*The recording begins and a familiar voice speaks brightly*
At first I was reluctant, but now my spirit has been rekindled... The Order has given me access to their research facilities, and the great ability to work unhindered by both the Core and their own suspicions. I have christened my ship "Talandar," One of Great Heart, for this purpose. I anticipate this will put me on worse terms with the Core, as they already disliked the open use of their tech... However, the supplies the Order has access to will greatly accelerate my work. I need to upgrade my equipment, which I don't know exactly how to do... I'll likely outsource the ordeal to some specialists... Until then I'll make due with what I have. For now I'm going in hiding, only those with direct intention of working with me will gain my attention. Time is running slim, the Azurite is becoming more and more powerful over time, and will likely overpower my vessel within a few more months... maybe sooner. Raven... Kole... if you ever hear these recordings, know that I hope to see you both again... I don't know how long it will be before the Nomads are destroyed forever, but it may not be in my lifetime. Kole I hope you're better when we meet again...
*The bright enthusiasm that began the recording quickly fades as it ends in somber spirit*