Lo Lo Goes Fishing Loco...

.
It was a spur of the moment when Caroline and I thought of relaunching Lake Lo Lo as an ideal 7Seas fishing destination. Just the perfect time to officially release our LnN custom sets to the public, which were first given away during Alice Xue's rezday at Dragon Beach as a dry run.

It was a nervous start (as it always is for me anyways hahaha) having no idea how the public's reception would be like. So far, I thought they were quite pleased with the neko couple, which convinced me to make more of them bug-eyed cuties. But nothing beats Sindy Bracken's sexy nekos though!


Go Jump In The Lake!
Lo Lo Style...

Lo Lo had been absent in the fishing circuit for quite some time now, though fishing was pretty much available throughout the whole year. This weekend's tournament is the first for Lo Lo in 2009! Grey Nacht, iPala estate owner and manager, arrived to give us some support (many thanks chap!) with his super-large electro magnetic fishing gear in tow!

Grey's huge electro-magnet seems to attract more than just fishies. As the picture shows, he's surrounded by hot legs! Well apart from that long haired AVi in the background - that's Twisted Streeter hehehe. It seems Grey's sex-appeal hasn't totally greyed out on him yet winks!

At least 26 7Seas fishers came to Lo Lo's 2009 relaunch tourney. It was a quite a strong show of force from some of the community's die-hard fishing enthusiasts. The only fisher missing though is Lizzy who had been kidnapped by RL aliens in the past couple of days! o.O nanu nanu

We still have to convince Lisa and Drei to join us, and how can we forget Ellynore and Sammie? Dang! All of them have 7S fishing rods but are so lazy to fish hehehe. Maybe they are just too afraid to get sunburn, from all that summer weather we've been getting over the weekend? Use sunscreen gals, hotdammit! Besides getting a little tan shouldn't hurt! hahaha


Smooth Sailing and Fishing
No crashes... just sunburn!

Lag meter levels were stable, with no glitches and hitches recorded during the event. It was so unfortunate that Zolo Boyoma's rod was somehow acting up; her rod wouldn't autocast. Good thing that her knight-in-shining-armour, Sir Olive Pickles was there to save the day! Other than that, all went quite well.

Now where can my Princess Lizzy Mornington be on such a romantic moment like this? grumbles

7seas royal couple! Now if that doesn't make you feel in love, I don't know what else will! Aren't they lovely together? Hugz!

Adding a Lo Lo Golden Ticket was probably a good idea to keep those who aren't able to land their names on the score boards to fish. If you have not a clue on what I'm talking about here, think Willie Wonka (less the oompa-loompas of course hahaha). The prize for catching a coupon would be one Bulk Bait Bucket (redeemable upon surrendering the stub). Unfortunately, someone has yet to claim a single coupon. They are still out there, so just keep on trying!

Alright, I know! But having Ferrero Rocher is better than having some golden glow worms staring at you from the bucket, isn't it? hahahaha. mmmmm Ferrero.... yummy! Have you caught one today?

Glamour is Synonymous to Lo Lo

Indeed it must be summer as fishers donned their best outdoor outfits! Blyxa Darling, probably the best dressed fisher of the day catches the first custom: a Buttercup Nets A Fish. Call it a coincidence but I swear with all that black hair, green eyes and a net hanging around her waist; she is the human avi version of Buttercup!

SadieMae Jameson in an all A/X purple sexy outfit (try figuring that one out hahaha) catches fish with utmost finesse and poise. Somehow she reminds me of Alice Xue! Also check out her popular dragons at Dragon Beach, an innovator (and inventor) for multi-purpose customs.

People power! Lo Lo's 7Seas fishing relaunch was a success thanks to all who graced the event with their participation.

With the impressive attendance in this year's first tournament in Lo Lo, the probability of having impromptu contests (perhaps) on a bi-weekly basis is high.

The sun always shines for 7Seas Fishing, as the growing number of fishers is evident of its ever rising popularity among SL residents. With so many fisher folks to go around with, having conflicting schedules between two or three venues shouldn't pose a problem. Besides the sim has limits in handling multiple avis with various scripted attachments (including the rods) working all at the same time.

And the envelope goes to...
... drum roll please...

60 minute contests are usually quick, and to those who are on 7th-6th place it just isn't enough! hahaha With names going on and off the top 5 spots in an hour of endless casting and reeling, it will always be a battle between the lucky, the not so lucky and the very lucky peeps!

The top 5 players are:
1st: peppermintanne Diesel (and who said diesels never win over petrols?);
2nd: Blyxa Darling (must be her fancy rod or Buttercup netting extras);
3rd: ruzz3 Alcott (triplet fishing perhaps, or the phrase "all caught"?);
4th: NeoQueen Serenity (being a queen definitely has its perks!)
5th: Trixi Barbosa (being an early bird has its own tricks!)

Prizes were pegged at 600 (1st), 400 (2nd), 300 (3rd), 200 (4th) and 150 shiny lindens for 5th place... and in the spirit of Lo Lo tradition, random surprises to those who stayed after the contest. smiles

Oist! Caroline, wanna run away with the loot? hahaha. Many thanks to Ms. Apollo for her generous prizes!

What next for Lo Lo?

With Caroline Apollo releasing her own customs soon and LnN adding more to their sets, we may have just put Lo Lo back in the virtual fishing map. Lizzy is yet to surprise us with her own versions, and I am sure she has heaps hidden in her closet!

Hopefully this would be start of something more routine. In the mean time, this is where I go and say... let's keep fishing and building!

Tournament aftemath... stating the obvious on what's on these people's minds?

Okay! Okay before people get any crazy ideas what this picture is all about, Caroline has a new puppy! A cute and fluffy Great Dane! Congrats on your new and lovely Scooby Doo! hehehe

As for me? Well I'm just missing mah Lizzy-babes! sighs

Roll call, in order of arrival
Luckie Mendicant, Adena Benavente, Jefst Jolles, Trixi Barbosa, jodie0903 Palmer, Emo Biedermann, Davethenurse Petrovic, SadieMae Jameson, Twisted Streeter, Laura Polke, Zinbaco Kattun, billyjean Silvercloud, oopsie Oppewall, Jocelyn Finesmith, Davethenurse Petrovic, Grey Nacht, peppermintanne Diesel, pit Sharple, Caliba Sassower, Zolo Boyoma, Billybob Taggart, Fazed Lewinter, Georg Osterham, Sossa Heron, Georg Osterham, Dallas Russell, NeoQueen Serenity, Each Silversmith, Blyxa Darling, Aniri Tinkel, ruzz3 Alcott, Neon Jameson, MastersBabySlave Broome, Penni Praga

LnN's First EVER Customs Are Here!

.
Building our first ever fish-able customs took a long wait, and I am sure glad that I have breached the creative barrier. Deciding how to build our own versions turned out to be quite laborious. But with reference to some of the customs available to us in the fishing community, opting for the "cute and easy-to-build types" was the best choice to get us going.

The now classic Powerpuff Girls character inspired me to go anime-style. Builds from LnN are not for sale and will only be available to catch for FREE for a limited time only. (L-R) Bubbles Luvs Octi, Blossom Lures A Piranha, and Buttercup Nets A Clown make up the first batch.

A handful of creators behind some of the most popular customs have cemented their reputation as being one of the best custom builders around. It would indeed be quite a challenge to create something as interesting and innovative as the ones currently being offered to the community. Now that the level of expectations for custom building is high, bringing out variations at par with the accustomed standards would definitely have to be a work of art.


The gist so far: Vintage battleships and pirate ships are associated with Migizi North; Daemian Ember renowned for his preference for all-prim-customs, builds amazing modern battleships; Mialissa Masala for her limited edition fed jellies and crab cakes while fellow SugarRush entrepreneur Skinny Paine has popularised building block (aka lego) inspired-customs; Amara Twilight (with no relation to vampires whatsoever hehehe) is synonymous to exotic and sometimes erotic mermaids; Dragonfishes are Alice Xue's turf, Resisupo chipmunks are a mainstay in the Magic of Oz; and the list goes on with veteran builders like Rails Bailey (Van Deimen's Land-Shimano), Grey Nacht (iPala), Shelly Macci (The Pig and Whistle), Sindy Bracken (Original LOLRus and Neko Characters), Oasis, Aruba, Alien Isles, naniSL, katat0nik, Takeli-li among many others make up the ever growing roster of 7Seas celebrity builders.

The second batch of PPG customs: Buttercup Is A Tease, Bubbles Drops A Fishie, and Blossom's Bag of Fishies, adds a bit of emotion with poofer texture effects overhead.

Bug-eyed Cuties
Reviving the Powerpuff Girls (PPG) phenomena...

Going for anime-style made it easier for us to build customs and the PPGs were just the perfect models. The designs on our sets evolved to a more personalised/all-original version with Liz and I modeling our customs on ourselves.

Go bag yourself an SUR! LnN's Karaoke Queen and King and the Tulips For Two Lips customs will start a series of caricature versions featuring SL personalities.

Earlier versions were unorthodoxical by interpretation with customs depicting a bit of Britishness. The Good ole English Muffin (stylised in the form of a cupcake thanks to Alice Xue's craving for it) was the first to be crafted followed by the humble Fish n' Chips (with mayo). Variations of the two customs soon followed with the addition of the Scottish Haddock and Chips (with tartare sauce), the Naughty Fish n' Chips (Page3.com inspired - well it's a UK thing hahaha), the Blueberry Oz (Australian) Muffin; and of course a meal is never complete without something to help the food run down smoothly: NapsieCola (Coke inspired) with Lizzy-ade.

Nothing compares to traditional fish and chips freshly served at your local shop. Customs celebrating a bit of Britishness and the Commonwealth.

Let The Fishing Begin...
Exclusive to Lo Lo

You can catch these customs at the marvelous Lake Lo Lo, and many thanks to Caroline Apollo for giving these customs a home! Catch rates are currently 20-30% higher than the suggested percentage, which makes collecting a tad more pleasant. So enjoy the customs as much as we enjoyed crafting them for you!

Catnapped Neko shows the continuously evolving look of LnN customs.

The sets are also "housed" in an unannounced/undisclosed location, so don't be surprised if you do suddenly catch one out of the blue! I also carry a CPG with me whenever and wherever I fish, unless the area owners prohibits any form of squatting (hahaha).

We will try to bring out at least two sets (usually three customs in a set) each month, just keep an eye for any announcements. In the meantime, get those rods fully baited and let's all go fishing for more customs!

Who Is Lizzy Mornington?

.

They say that in every success of a man is a shadow of a woman...

... Lizzy Mornington an epitome of everything that is great and good in my life, is never a shadow. She is the lighthouse that helps guide me through all of life's stormy endeavours. A reliable beacon that constantly lights up a safe passage when darkness seem to cloud up logical reasoning and good judgment. She is a ton of morning stars that shines brightly in the horizon, as if Aphrodite herself had sprinkled the heavens with golden stardust.

... yes she is that beautiful... and yes she is absolutely awesome.

Hanging out at my condo in Hale Hakuna right after the wedding. We spent hours laughing and taking the mickey out of each other. Good times that still continues to this day, never a dull moment with Liz.

It's exactly a year today when I first met her at a common-friend's nuptial ceremony. An event which brought together some of the brightest and the most sophisticated people in Second Life. Who would have thought that on that very same day I would get acquainted with someone so amazing and true, that her simple "hello" had made my world stand still? (now I know what Renée Zellweger meant by that!)

Was it fate that brought us together, or serendipity perhaps? For whatever reason, I'm just grateful that I had crossed paths with such a remarkable person.


366 days in a roller coaster.
Yep 2008 was a leap year.

You are always unsure what awaits you on a roller coaster until you go through a lift hill. Despite all the anxiety and the uncertainty that comes along with the ride... with all the twists and the dizzy turns... those hair raising loop-the-loops... you end up realising that the journey ain't too bad at all. You would simply just want to go through the same experience all over again... and again... and again, reliving every single moment once more.

House warming at Royal Tropical with Liz and best mates Lisa and Drei, the special peeps who has been part of our roller coaster ride.

That's how Liz and I are the whole time we're together, a roller coaster ride. Not in the sense of having a lot of those ups and downs that couples usually have in a relationship, but more of the adventure and fun side of things. With her around, there is no way you would ever feel down and low...


There is no love where there is no trust.

I can't remember a time when we totally disagreed with each other. I believe that trust and respect always played a huge role in keeping things pleasant for the both of us. With so much pretensions going around in Second Life, not to mention how easy it is to create alternative avatars (alts); the absolute surrender of trust to your other half is the golden ticket to a long and lasting relationship... be it virtual, in real life or both.

By the power of Greyskull! Lizzy and I do a She-Ra and He-Man skit on our second day together in SL. We had ventured across the grid both enjoying the things we love doing most and everything just got exciting from there.

Yeah, it was a truly amazing year for us. Even if I had a chance to go back in time and switch everything back to default, I would go through the same experiences all over again, relive every single moment and not change a thing... BUT ONLY with the assurance that Liz would be there by my side. I would not want things to be in any other way, everything is awesome just the way it is.

For countless times, she has done great things aplenty to which I will surely remember for the rest of my life. How much she believes in me and the way she inspires me can move mountains, and trust me when I tell you this. If it does ever sound that she has done something so good that it goes well beyond Second Life, then... you are absolutely right!

Hanging out in Barcola at one of our Pay-It-Forward moments. The peak of our SL careers as self-proclaimed in-world NGO. The good times baby, yeah the great old times!

Some may think it sounds too ludicrous to say all these things for something you only get to experience in a virtual universe. Phantasmal as it may sound, but the impact of how much effort Liz has poured into every special occasion, on every given opportunity goes right through my heart. Uncanny yet unparalleled... Surreal, but fine.

Organising my first rezday which turned out to be even more grandeur than any of my past RL birthdays is just the tip of the iceberg. How she pulled that one off is what truly makes her an amazing woman.

The little surprises she leaves for me; the love notes which I get without fail when I log-in; messages she leaves on our Nokia answering machine; the personally crafted v-cards (which inspired me to create my own version of v-cards for her); the offline messages and e-mails which bridges SL over to our RL... and so much more!

I can go on and on counting all the lovely ways she can come up with just to nourish this special relationship we have for each other. The bottom line is, she has done more than enough to tell the whole world how important this is for her... for me... and for us.

She is very brilliant in transforming her feelings into action, while I am more expressive with words. I guess that's where we compliment each other, she is after all my superwoman... my better half!

Yes, she does complete me.
A day without her is definitely a day without sunshine!

On occasions when time difference and unholy working hours robs me of the only SL spare time I have got, being alone in-world feels like a lost cause. Utterly and bitterly lost I may say, it's simply just losing the whole plot. I guess everything is comparable to a daily dose of honey and lemon tea. Once you have tried them together, having one without the other is never the same.

They say that LDRs never work, but that was before the introduction of Second Life. The oceans between us did not seem to pose a problem at all. Thank heavens for modern technology and of course constant communication.

There is absolutely no one in the universe who can make me feel as special the way Lizzy does. In spite of having 10,496.09 miles and an incredible time difference between us (+9 hrs GMT), it always seems that she's just right there sitting in front of you as we talk the night away. It only is a shame though that both our RL work have taken some much needed attention, since both of our professions are directly (or indirectly) affected by the current financial turmoil.

Nevertheless, we always find a way to work around things, isn't that right babes?


She loves me... she loves me not... she loves me!
But of course she does!

With a very special occasion just looming in the horizon, you're just left amazed on how fast time really flies. Sometimes it does feel like we have spent a whole lifetime together. Getting ever more familiar with each other, and most of the time even words aren't needed to express how we feel.

Sitting in one corner sharing sweet nothings can be enough to uplift the spirits. Just mere presence alone can spark some magic. With the assurance that in spite of being clueless on what tomorrow may bring, everything is going to be alright.

Look into my eyes and tell me what you see? One of those special moments where music simply does all the talking.

... there is no substitute...
there can be only one Lizzy Mornington.

In the whole 12 months that had passed since, I carry with me memories that will always see me smiling. The whole Second Life experience has been a truly amazing journey, thanks to you. With everything in RL so chaotic at the moment (work and family related), it is comforting to know that you are still here with me.

Your patience... your thoughtfulness... your understanding is incomparable. With our 1st year anniversary just around the corner, the thought of going beyond what others deem to be improbable is good enough reason to celebrate 366 days of pure heavenly bliss.

Lizzy, you are such a keeper, and only a fool would want to let you go. Any man, be it in RL or SL would be very lucky to have you. As much as I tell myself that Lady Luck has eluded me for such a long time, you had finally broken that jinx.

I am both hopeful and optimistic the future would indeed be brighter for us both. It's a fact of life that everything surely gets tougher when you are about to cross that line: like in a marathon; deadlines at work; final exams at uni; roasting the perfect Christmas turkey; child labour; the last glass of Long Island iced tea; the final stage of your job interview; resignation letters; moving out of home on your own; mortgage payments; contest finals; engagement proposals; well just about almost everything. But with perseverance, confidence and the motivation to carry on; all that and a heaps of T.L.C. , nothing is be impossible.


A year down... and many more years to go.

Now tell me, how hard can it be if you have a good co-pilot for a companion in every journey? Better yet if your co-pilot is your bestest-best friend!

Thanks babes! It was the greatest adventure ever! Now the next question is, are you ready for the next one? Why not start another expedition by climbing that higher mountain over there. hahaha

Back to the question, Who is Lizzy Mornington? Well she's the love of my life... and I love her to bits!

.

Fulda Gap: The Underground And Much More...

.
The new Fulda underground can indeed be quite a challenge, especially for the novice explorer. With a vast network of corridors (with most leading to a dead end), finding your way around won't be easy! For those who are very familiar with the place may find it to be just the perfect spot for ambushes.

Being a lot bigger than last year's version (about treble in size), it features a labyrinth of illusions and traps. Troops who encounter it for the first time would enter uncharted territory. Well not if you have a detailed map of course! (sniggers) I am sure everyone would enjoy surveying every aspect of this fantastic new feature, and I'll bet my bottom linden on that.

First time in. Lizzy Mornington and N71 Aeon (En) explore the underground canals, and ended up discovering la chambre forte!

Fulda Gap's Side Quest
Solving the vault's combination...

First time together in combat this year, Lizzy and En had familiarised themselves with the canals, an added feature in Fulda Gap's constantly changing landscape. Not a lot of us are also aware that an underground vault exists, totally different from the bank vault located at the town centre. Both vaults have a digital (combination) lock for which any of us may try at cracking its code. It shows a series of patterns and numerical sequences which I'm sure must be arranged in order.

There may be a reason why Omega Concern have placed two vaults in Fulda Gap. Introducing a side quest (- quite popular in most console role play games) may indeed be a good way to past time, while a player waits for another to join the game.

There might be the need for a bit of IQ to help you decipher the code. Even the mathematically-inclined Liz was so challenged by it, she decided to give it a go. As we have tried it several times ourselves (in which we both were unsuccessful with), cracking the code wont be a walk in the park. It surely would be worth the effort as a very reliable source revealed that rewards "might" be given out to whoever unlocks any of the vaults first.

Interesting enough for you already? Then what the heck are you waiting for... XD

What's behind door number one? Dare to take the challenge? If you do find that little "needle hidden in the haystack", don't hesitate to proudly announce it in FG group chat! That would be awesome, and oh... don't forget to tell April too! hehehe

Testing The OCS Server
And how fast and smart it really is!...
... said as an "exclamation" and not a "question", just for the record!

With the new OCS viewer getting more and more popular within the OCS community (for being able to disable features that give players an unfair-advantage in combat), and the OCS HUD being the most sophisticated combat Heads Up Display available to date... one can't help but focus their next attention on the OCS server.

So we gave it a go! (ahem... but of course with permission!)
The only remaining disadvantage we can get from an opponent who wishes nothing more but to cheat you off for your points, is the use of Radar HUDs. Yep we have heaps of them in Second Life, from the most cheap but straight-forward ones to the most virtually-tech advance types. April did firmly specify that the use of such devices in Fulda Gap is not tolerated. A number of players have been banned for flaunting that rule, and it would be a shame if any of us would be joining the dunce list. (... and not the dean's list hahaha...)

Just because no formal announcement has been made of anyone actually getting banned doesn't mean that it hasn't already happened? Well you would be surprised! OCS folks are just pros in handling situations like these. They'd rather keep it between themselves and the parties involved to avoid further embarrassment... like I've said, they are professionals, believe me I know. /me sticks his tongue out

"Ignorance of the law excuses no-one"

It does not mean that the absence of a sign board stating the rules would allow us to be FREE to do as we wish. Even in real life combat, all troops must abide by the articles of war and with it are the rules of engagement. The same goes in Fulda as with any other combat simulators in Second Life. Basically, it boils down to conscience, common sense and good karma.

For those who aren't aware that the "basics" can be found in the official Omega Concern website: click here

It pays to be a "soldado honorável" when people would get to know you as an officer and a gentleman (not that you would end up looking exactly like a young Richard Gere... /me laughs), even if you are in a virtual environment. Nothing feels greater than earning the respect and friendship of a fellow player, don't you agree?

How did the test go?
Amazing!... as it was almost instantly that April was able to pinpoint and identify exactly when and what type of scripts were being used, which still leaves her a bit of more time to observe you in amusement (hahaha). Like I have said, the Gods of Olympus are "always" watching (online and offline, the servers never sleeps lol)... and with a Smart OCS Server working in our favour, how else could things go wrong?

Oh and a friendly reminder (something I am sure most of us already know by now), Radar HUDs and Sim Scanners launch probes in the air (for radars to do their scanning work), and in which the server also quickly picks up. Need I say more? You know what I'm talking about... winks hehehe

It is good to always have a combat-buddy with you at all times. Watching each others back promotes camaraderie, and helps us build more bridges that we would build walls.

Still haven't found the underground yet?
Alright, in the picture above: one of us is facing one entrance, and the other is standing a few clicks to its left. Another hint would be that one of them (entrances) is actually seen in the picture! Come on give it a try! You will surely feel proud once you have found it, honest! winks

Too Much Military Police
Where is all the fun?...

I have been told by some players that there may be too much policing in Fulda, compared to any other combat sims in Second Life. I beg to differ as one who has tried other venues in the past. Protocols have recently been introduced into Fulda Gap to help ensure that the game stays within the fair-play boundaries, as what a true role play sim should be.

As common knowledge would tell us: Only crooks or people who know they have done something wrong, would run at the sight of authorities. If you know you've done nothing wrong, then why fret? Unless you really have got something to hide. loud laughter

It simply is just amusing (if I may borrow April's words for a moment lol) to see some players who teleport out of the sim the moment April or any of the Game Managers (GMs) show up at Fulda. I mean, don't you think that would be the perfect time to show off your panache and impress the top honchos? Come on, convince yourself that they are just there to watch. hehehe, oh man I am soooo bad.. really! hahaha

With a lot of players getting "murdered" (even with the protection from a row of houses) stiff measures had to be introduced in Fulda, amid unfair combat practices from snipers who shoot through walls at the opposite side of the sim. No where near being plausible and realistic, isn't it?

There is always an underlying reason (and lessons even) why Omega Concern have to put their foot down on the matter. I have to admit, Fulda Gap had been in a bit of a muddle during the last quarter of 2008. Hungry "points/level-driven" players who would rather breach the barrier of "acceptable behaviour" than play fair in combat have prompted the GMs to bring up these policies, dramatically changing the way OCS combat should be played in the estate. The measures were absolutely necessary to inject new blood in the game, as veteran players have been put-off by the inconsideration brought about by these young bloods (or alts in my opinion hahaha).

The absence of policing have resulted in some combat sims closing down due to griefing, harassment and vandalism by some of its players. While some venues are inferior in ensuring a spontaneous and cheat-free game, others end up being nothing more but a Half-Life spin-off in SL. Though in fairness, I still have yet to try the new Keirman of the Brazilian OCS group. We just might have another OCS haven in the making here. smiles


Pushing The Envelope Further
... batteries not included...

The people behind Fulda Gap have laboured tirelessly to bring to its patrons a role play that is nothing short of being plausible and convincing. With all that has been accomplished so far, more improvements are still being carried out, as I have mentioned of more surprises awaiting the loyal OCS disciple (Judas Iscariot included haha).

Who doesn't have night vision at this age of 21st century warfare? For the sake of realism, we just might be having one of these added to the OCS armory... among many other things!

The mention of night vision being possible in Fulda Gap and the ongoing improvements to add weather factors affecting the way we play is simply incredible! Think: fog, rain or even snow!... anything is possible right? (ugh, just the mention of snow gave me a headache, having had too much of it in the past week in RL hahaha).

The idea of including weather would make combat exciting and a bit more arduous.

Well of course these are all still "beta" and are currently being tested by the GMs, with the exception for the night vision which might be released soon! And I was hoping that the night vision would come in "x-ray" vision as well. Do I have to tell you why? hahaha... /me waves at his Lizzy-babes! Who luvs ya babe?

Fulda Gap: The Rescue

EUFOR RECALL: The Sequel

An American UH-60 Black Hawk chopper flies above the cold North Atlantic ocean. On board is a EUFOR officer keen on returning to Fulda, twelve (12) days after EUFOR's massive pull-out from Eichenzell (amid a KV virus outbreak). The chartered American chopper took off at RAF Lakenheath, a former US Air Force facility in the United Kingdom which reopened recently in support for American troops in the NATO-led military action in Germany.

Braving the North Atlantic skies, EUFOR troops back on a special mission to Fulda.

It has been over a week since the last time EUFOR Central Command (ECC) had made contact with officer En Aeon, back when the bombings in Eichenzell began. First time since Operation: The Only Solution which forced the evacuation of troops (based in Heaney Air Force Base) out of Fulda, a previous order to send non-European personnel back to their home country has been revoked. All troops are to re-establish military presence in the German city to counter reports of an increased number of people moving in and around Eichenzell in the dead of night.

EUFOR Central Command (ECC) suspects N.E.B. (New Eastern Bloc) taking advantage of a signed truce, to establish their position in taking over the desserted German town. A directive to block all human traffic around Eichenzell is to be enforced ASAP. Unaware to the ECC of the horrors (resulting from the KV Virus outbreak) that would greet its forces.


12th of January, 2009: 0730 hrs
Saving EUFOR Troop En Aeon...

The sound of a chopper hovering nearby aroused the troop from an inconvenient slumber as he struggles to gain consciousness. He feels his feet are soaked in water but does not seem to know the reason why. Dazed with his eyes tightly shut, he attempts to make sense on what was going on around him.



"I hear thunder... it's getting louder... (grunts) I'm wet! Has it rained down on me?... who put out the lights?" (moans)


Taking off his gas-mask, exposing his face to the morning sun: "It's getting warm, I can feel it on my face... is it the sun?... Have I fallen asleep?!..."



"Arghh! the light!... it blinds!..." Still confused and seemingly exhausted, he rests his head on damp soil. "Where am I?... Where is this place?... Am I dead? I can't be dead!... I just can't die... not now... not yet..."



"Who's there?... Who are you?..." He sees a faint silhouette of a person, and tries to reach for his rifle in which he struggles.

"Anybody out there?... Arghh! my eyes... too bright... help!..." He hardly recalls what exactly had happened before, but his instincts tell him he must survive.

He gets flashbacks and the last thing he now remembers was being chased down by creatures in the dark. "Stop right there!... Befördern Sie nicht… mich sagte Anschlag!... Please stop... or I'll... I'll... unghhh"

Standing next to him is a familiar face he thought he would never see again. Lizzy Mornington came back to rescue her man. Her instincts convinced her to jump ship when the AWACS that would take her back to Australia went for a logistical stop-over at the RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Intuition made her believe that something was not right, and that she must find her way back to Fulda immediately.

While putting together a plan to rescue En, a new memorandum from EUFOR Command Central (ECC) was released, authorizing the re-deployment of EUFOR troops back to Fulda. It would be in response to a suspected N.E.B. (New Eastern Bloc) troop build-up in Eichenzell.

This would be the moment Lizzy was waiting for: a free-ticket back to no-man's-land.

An angel of the morning. Just in the nick of time, Lizzy saves En from untimely death who was severely suffering from hypothermia, dehydration and starvation.

The last time she and En were together was at the infirmary, before her sudden departure back to Australia. Her heart sank at the poorly sight of her man, beaten down by nature.

Like a scene from the La Pieta, Lizzy cradles a semi-conscious En as troops drop down from a UH-60 Black Hawk chopper: part of a redeployment effort of EUFOR troops to Fulda.

"Everything is going to be alright hun... it's all going to be okay..." Lizzy tries to comfort and reassure En as she cautiously look in the woods that surround them, aware of the abomination that may be lurking in the shadows.


10th of January, 2009: 1910 hrs
More than 48 hours EARLIER...

... as gunfire proved to be unsuccessful in holding back the advancing mutants, En leaps instinctively off a bridge behind the patrol outpost. It was the only way out as he was being swamped by a multitude of these ghastly creatures.

He screams as he came crashing down the cold seawater, as howls and growls echo above him. The water breaks his fall as he scrambles himself to safety, disturbing a herd of deer in the process. He struggles to keep himself afloat with all the attached military gear dragging him down the deep water.

A close call. En leaps off a bridge before an overwhelming crowd of mutants, bent on ravaging the lone EUFOR soldier.

10th of January, 2009: 1925 hrs
In an inlet just outside Eichenzell...

Shocked and exhausted, En swims safely to shore. The company of wildlife seems to give him a sense of security, as the calmness of these wild animals would mean the absence of savages in the area. Nature starts to take over as the bitter-cold breeze smother him... he feels very tired... dazed and ostensibly confused.

Tired and exhausted, En could barely move or more so react at the curious nipping of marine life, least notice the presence of a prying wild fox.

With dawn taking over the night sky, a full moon still beaming above him... he lays motionless... staring blindly into space. He feels very cold, shivering not because of fright or fear but of hypothermia that seems to blister the warmth away from his very core... he now feels very-very tired.



"Must not sleep... must stay awake... cold... bitter cold..." he mutters to himself as random thoughts besets him.



"Lizzy... you there?... Where are you?... Why did you leave me?", a feeling of abandonment takes over this once brave soldier as anger, frustration and even despair conquers him. Disoriented, he seems to blame everybody for what has happened to him... he blames God... he blames himself.



"What the bloody hell are you looking at!...", swearing at the sight of a taunting full moon. "Leave me alone... just leave me alone... leave me... alone... " he whispers as he sinks into sloom.

"Hey babes, you there?... Lizzy... Lizzy... please... come and help... me... save me..."