Hellboy_is_cool_indeed
09-25-2008, 08:51 AM
A selection from a book I am writing. Please give me your thoughts, I'd appreciate it greatly...
Next in line was a wooden crate. It stood taller than a man of good height and as wide as two of ample girth. It had the name “Victor” and the Barron estate crest burned into the boards across its front.
James read the name aloud and with a raised eyebrow and looked at William rifling through a large tool chest, eventually producing a crowbar. “This is my pride and joy James, a continuation of my fathers work on vacuum tubes and triodes”
“Triodes?” James asked.
“Yes, triodes. My father had proposed the introduction of a third electrode into his vacuum tubes…” William replied as he popped nail after nail out of the front of the crate.
“The resulting triode grid can be used as both an amplifier and a switch. This, my dear friend, has enabled me to do some marvelous things. Stand back.” With that warning, William sent the final nail tumbling to the stone floor.
The front of the crate slowly came away from its frame, crashing down with a gust of wind and dust. James rubbed the dust from his eyes and focused his gaze the best he could on the contents of the box, now breached. He found it hard to see what could possibly be inside as the height of the container blocked the nearest overhead lamp.
Poking out from the darkness were the tips of two large red bulbs. William entered the crate and disappeared into the inky blackness. “Victor, say hello to James Fairfield.” James heard a series of switches being thrown. With a burst of ozone and a few sparks, the light bulbs came to life and chased the shadows from the crate.
Standing before James was a mechanical man. His torso was barrel sized and his appendages were uncomfortably spindly. James stepped backwards and to the side from the sight, and Victor followed his movements by turning his head.
“So, what do you think?” William asked, cleared pleased with himself.
“What in Gods name is it?”
“It’s a synthetic man. Well not totally, but for all intents and purposes, it’s a thinking automaton…look here.” William struck a match on his shirt button and threw it. Victor turned his head towards the burning stick, stepped down from the crate and, powered by vulcanized belts leading from his torso to wheels on either side of his hips, made noisy progress to retrieve it.
“How is this possible?” James said in a panic as the robot bent down to clasp the match in metallic fingers.
William walked to the rear of his mechanical creation and lit another match. Victor swung his head clean around to stare at it. “I’ll begin with the brains of the mechanism.” William undid hand screws on the back of victor’s large metal skull.
“Is his head an olive oil can?” James asked astonished and amused.
“It is. I found it to be strong and lightweight, perfect for holding a most precious cargo.” William replied as he loosed the last bolt and swung the unfixed door open. Inside was a monstrosity - a clamoring, multi-legged hissing monstrosity, shaped like a bulbous armored spade. It was affixed via glue and strapping to a central post. Numerous wires ran through drill holes in its back, and a small tube delivered water and plankton across its beam, keeping the animal moist and fed.
“Outrageous!” James screeched. “Is that a, I mean it can’t be a…”
“Yes, it is indeed a Horseshoe crab. It serves as Victor’s eyes, and for a lack of more appropriate terms, nervous system and primitive brain. It is kept very much alive as you can see, attached via high connectivity wires to a set of twelve vacuum tubes on his back. Inside each tube, is a series of triodes, each one acting as a switch.”
James walked around to Victor’s back and marveled at the long heat fired glass vacuum tubes adorning his spine like a porcupine’s quills. Each tube was protected to its tip by a drilled aluminum sleeve.
“The switches are connected in a looped series, and are constantly firing.” William reached around his creations waist and began unthreading more hand screws, opening Victor’s chest plate.
“Look here James, you may find this interesting as well.”
Victor’s chest cavity was divided into four separate compartments, each one connected by every manner and size of hose and wire imaginable.
“His heart consists of a compact, high efficiency boiler, belt and piston motor. Seawater, contained in this tank serves both as a fuel and a life lotion for our crabby friend above. Here a battery sits to power the network of tubes. And here a small generator, enabled by the salt water and driven by belt, continuously feeds the battery.”
“Remarkable” James replied dumbfounded.
“His senses are restricted to light observance, as my little lit match demonstration shows. The light sensors - located behind the grid on his face - are fused directly into the eye sockets of the crab.”
William lit another match and moved it from side to side. “My belief is that he is able to learn and store information using the triode switches, exponentially bolstering the crabs primitive brain functions, by permanently etching experiences into a honeycombed container of gelled electrolyte and Humboldt squid jelly, found here beneath the battery casing.”
James stroked his chin. “I’ve seen the method William, though I must admit I still don’t understand completely how you accomplished it, now what is the reason?”
“I plan use him as a weapon dear friend.”
“You don’t say, and how?” James shot back.
“By fitting him with a heavy caliber, quick firing automatic pistol of course.”
Victor slowly turned his head from left to right, following the almost spent match in Williams hand like a child might.
James was so entranced in thought didn’t even notice the light footfalls behind him.
A pair of milky white hands wrapped themselves around his face and across his eyes from behind.
“Hello James.”
“Olivia? Is that you?” He asked, putting his cold hands over a pair much warmer.
James turned to face Olivia Barron, William’s younger sister. She was a mere child of twelve the last time James had laid his eyes upon her; In ponytail and checkerboard skirts she would follow the older boys like a piglet does a farmer. But this was no girl. This was a woman. She was remarkably tall and quite slender in most ways, not in others. Her strawberry hair played gently over her fine shoulders. Her features were remarkably symmetric and true. James stared into her eyes, a yellowy blue and almost wolf like. He was breath-taken.
“Have you seen a ghost James?” Olivia asked with a smile.
“I asked him the same thing earlier!” William laughed as he slapped James on the back.
“It’s good to see you Olivia… you’ve grown…” James blurted.
“I see my brother has introduced you to his metallic horror… God how I hate that tin monstrosity, melt it in the oven at once William.” Olivia said as she placed the silk scarf she was wearing around Victor’s neck. The robot’s left arm trembled as if in protest.
“Damn it woman, I’ll melt you first” William screamed as he tore the scarf away, tied it around his waist and danced a pirate jig.
“That idiot butler is screaming throughout the house, William. He can’t find the good brandy!”
“Good lord, tell him to find the cook and he’ll find the brandy.” William snarled.
“Honestly I don’t know how my brother spends all his time in this ghastly room. Goodbye James, I hope I see you again very soon.” Olivia whispered, as she made her way back to the stairs, softly stroking his face as she went past.
James turned to watch her curved body disappear up the stone curved staircase.
“Your little sister is not so little anymore Will”.
“Indeed. Wretched thing... she’s peaks about you incessantly.” William said with a half smile as he led Victor back into his crate with another lit match.
“Really” James replied embarrassed.
“What is your situation with the finer lot James?” William asked from inside the dark box.
“And I inquire only because I know Olivia will pester me to no end about it.”
“A confusing and tragic tale I’m afraid.”
“Really? Do tell.”
“Victor doesn’t resent being in that crate?” James asked trying to change the subject.
“Not at all... Victor has stored nothing but pleasant memories of his father, most importantly my refilling of his feeding reservoir. Now let’s hear it, who’s imprisoned your heart?”
“Someone has imprisoned my heart Will, yet the one who has done the deed is imprisoned herself.”
“How’s that?” William asked while driving the final tack into Victor’s crate.
“Lucy, a medical study subject of mine, or more correctly a former medical subject I was studying for my thesis on neurosis and compulsive delusions, is the lady.”
William noticed the seriousness of James’ predicament and sat down beside him. “Go on Jim.”
“At first I only noticed her outer beauty, which was at odds with the ugliness swirling beneath. But then slowly, over time, I felt empathy for the poor creature. That empathy led to something much more I’ve come to realize.”
Next in line was a wooden crate. It stood taller than a man of good height and as wide as two of ample girth. It had the name “Victor” and the Barron estate crest burned into the boards across its front.
James read the name aloud and with a raised eyebrow and looked at William rifling through a large tool chest, eventually producing a crowbar. “This is my pride and joy James, a continuation of my fathers work on vacuum tubes and triodes”
“Triodes?” James asked.
“Yes, triodes. My father had proposed the introduction of a third electrode into his vacuum tubes…” William replied as he popped nail after nail out of the front of the crate.
“The resulting triode grid can be used as both an amplifier and a switch. This, my dear friend, has enabled me to do some marvelous things. Stand back.” With that warning, William sent the final nail tumbling to the stone floor.
The front of the crate slowly came away from its frame, crashing down with a gust of wind and dust. James rubbed the dust from his eyes and focused his gaze the best he could on the contents of the box, now breached. He found it hard to see what could possibly be inside as the height of the container blocked the nearest overhead lamp.
Poking out from the darkness were the tips of two large red bulbs. William entered the crate and disappeared into the inky blackness. “Victor, say hello to James Fairfield.” James heard a series of switches being thrown. With a burst of ozone and a few sparks, the light bulbs came to life and chased the shadows from the crate.
Standing before James was a mechanical man. His torso was barrel sized and his appendages were uncomfortably spindly. James stepped backwards and to the side from the sight, and Victor followed his movements by turning his head.
“So, what do you think?” William asked, cleared pleased with himself.
“What in Gods name is it?”
“It’s a synthetic man. Well not totally, but for all intents and purposes, it’s a thinking automaton…look here.” William struck a match on his shirt button and threw it. Victor turned his head towards the burning stick, stepped down from the crate and, powered by vulcanized belts leading from his torso to wheels on either side of his hips, made noisy progress to retrieve it.
“How is this possible?” James said in a panic as the robot bent down to clasp the match in metallic fingers.
William walked to the rear of his mechanical creation and lit another match. Victor swung his head clean around to stare at it. “I’ll begin with the brains of the mechanism.” William undid hand screws on the back of victor’s large metal skull.
“Is his head an olive oil can?” James asked astonished and amused.
“It is. I found it to be strong and lightweight, perfect for holding a most precious cargo.” William replied as he loosed the last bolt and swung the unfixed door open. Inside was a monstrosity - a clamoring, multi-legged hissing monstrosity, shaped like a bulbous armored spade. It was affixed via glue and strapping to a central post. Numerous wires ran through drill holes in its back, and a small tube delivered water and plankton across its beam, keeping the animal moist and fed.
“Outrageous!” James screeched. “Is that a, I mean it can’t be a…”
“Yes, it is indeed a Horseshoe crab. It serves as Victor’s eyes, and for a lack of more appropriate terms, nervous system and primitive brain. It is kept very much alive as you can see, attached via high connectivity wires to a set of twelve vacuum tubes on his back. Inside each tube, is a series of triodes, each one acting as a switch.”
James walked around to Victor’s back and marveled at the long heat fired glass vacuum tubes adorning his spine like a porcupine’s quills. Each tube was protected to its tip by a drilled aluminum sleeve.
“The switches are connected in a looped series, and are constantly firing.” William reached around his creations waist and began unthreading more hand screws, opening Victor’s chest plate.
“Look here James, you may find this interesting as well.”
Victor’s chest cavity was divided into four separate compartments, each one connected by every manner and size of hose and wire imaginable.
“His heart consists of a compact, high efficiency boiler, belt and piston motor. Seawater, contained in this tank serves both as a fuel and a life lotion for our crabby friend above. Here a battery sits to power the network of tubes. And here a small generator, enabled by the salt water and driven by belt, continuously feeds the battery.”
“Remarkable” James replied dumbfounded.
“His senses are restricted to light observance, as my little lit match demonstration shows. The light sensors - located behind the grid on his face - are fused directly into the eye sockets of the crab.”
William lit another match and moved it from side to side. “My belief is that he is able to learn and store information using the triode switches, exponentially bolstering the crabs primitive brain functions, by permanently etching experiences into a honeycombed container of gelled electrolyte and Humboldt squid jelly, found here beneath the battery casing.”
James stroked his chin. “I’ve seen the method William, though I must admit I still don’t understand completely how you accomplished it, now what is the reason?”
“I plan use him as a weapon dear friend.”
“You don’t say, and how?” James shot back.
“By fitting him with a heavy caliber, quick firing automatic pistol of course.”
Victor slowly turned his head from left to right, following the almost spent match in Williams hand like a child might.
James was so entranced in thought didn’t even notice the light footfalls behind him.
A pair of milky white hands wrapped themselves around his face and across his eyes from behind.
“Hello James.”
“Olivia? Is that you?” He asked, putting his cold hands over a pair much warmer.
James turned to face Olivia Barron, William’s younger sister. She was a mere child of twelve the last time James had laid his eyes upon her; In ponytail and checkerboard skirts she would follow the older boys like a piglet does a farmer. But this was no girl. This was a woman. She was remarkably tall and quite slender in most ways, not in others. Her strawberry hair played gently over her fine shoulders. Her features were remarkably symmetric and true. James stared into her eyes, a yellowy blue and almost wolf like. He was breath-taken.
“Have you seen a ghost James?” Olivia asked with a smile.
“I asked him the same thing earlier!” William laughed as he slapped James on the back.
“It’s good to see you Olivia… you’ve grown…” James blurted.
“I see my brother has introduced you to his metallic horror… God how I hate that tin monstrosity, melt it in the oven at once William.” Olivia said as she placed the silk scarf she was wearing around Victor’s neck. The robot’s left arm trembled as if in protest.
“Damn it woman, I’ll melt you first” William screamed as he tore the scarf away, tied it around his waist and danced a pirate jig.
“That idiot butler is screaming throughout the house, William. He can’t find the good brandy!”
“Good lord, tell him to find the cook and he’ll find the brandy.” William snarled.
“Honestly I don’t know how my brother spends all his time in this ghastly room. Goodbye James, I hope I see you again very soon.” Olivia whispered, as she made her way back to the stairs, softly stroking his face as she went past.
James turned to watch her curved body disappear up the stone curved staircase.
“Your little sister is not so little anymore Will”.
“Indeed. Wretched thing... she’s peaks about you incessantly.” William said with a half smile as he led Victor back into his crate with another lit match.
“Really” James replied embarrassed.
“What is your situation with the finer lot James?” William asked from inside the dark box.
“And I inquire only because I know Olivia will pester me to no end about it.”
“A confusing and tragic tale I’m afraid.”
“Really? Do tell.”
“Victor doesn’t resent being in that crate?” James asked trying to change the subject.
“Not at all... Victor has stored nothing but pleasant memories of his father, most importantly my refilling of his feeding reservoir. Now let’s hear it, who’s imprisoned your heart?”
“Someone has imprisoned my heart Will, yet the one who has done the deed is imprisoned herself.”
“How’s that?” William asked while driving the final tack into Victor’s crate.
“Lucy, a medical study subject of mine, or more correctly a former medical subject I was studying for my thesis on neurosis and compulsive delusions, is the lady.”
William noticed the seriousness of James’ predicament and sat down beside him. “Go on Jim.”
“At first I only noticed her outer beauty, which was at odds with the ugliness swirling beneath. But then slowly, over time, I felt empathy for the poor creature. That empathy led to something much more I’ve come to realize.”