5Hey everyone. Just to let you know I've been having a long period of writer's block with the combination of having a busy life. However, I will try to update the other stories as best as I can although anyone who can volunteer help please PM me, it would be greatly appreciated. So without further ado, Lets' get on with the show!
Chapter 1: Prototype Reunion
-It has been 4 years since the arrest of Zebulon Wright who caused the Civil War and in this time much has happened. Slavery had been abolished with the application of ironclad technologies in the great plantations of the South. Joseph Ashdown and Maxwell Prosser invented the Prosser Drive which used Belgian Anthracite (which powers the ironclads) to power the great industrial factories of the North. Victoria Roebling was made part of a new department in the US Postal Service in charge of dealing with mail fraud cases. Rufus Mitchell and Madame Millie both became powerhouses in the DC political scene, Rufus being a lobbyist for the new energy industry and Millie being the head of the woman rights and suffrage movement. Colonel Crane retired from the US Army to San Francisco after a bout of soul searching and in doing so discovers Kung Fu, now he is a major proponent for teaching martial arts in the military curriculum. Everyone is enjoying the new found peace and currently Joseph and Maxwell had invited their old buddies of that fateful train ride (doesn't include Madame Millie) to the testing of a new development that they were both secretly working on that would revolutionize the known world.
Private Workshop of Max and Joe; Bureau of Steam Engineering; Albany, New York; 1865
It was a cold winter's day in Albany, New York. Just like that day that changed all of their lives forever five years ago when Zebulon unveiled his greatest creation: The Ironclad. It had been a rough time for everyone since then with the rumblings of war, fighting the confederacy, discovering a third party, and finally defeating said party which was in fact led by Zebulon.
It had hit Maxwell hard when he found out that his mentor betrayed the country, but he had gotten over it and had vowed to surpass Zebulon not only in achievement but in character as well. That is why he is now hosting a private testing of a project that he and his colleague had been working on for the past 3 years ever since their success with the Prosser Drive, just like how his mentor did for them in 1860. However, this time around their creation would be the developer of peace with no way of being utilized as a weapon of war. He steeled himself for the presentation for his gathered friends of that train ride leveled his eyes to his colleague and friend Joe.
"Are you ready to change the world?" his voice barely a whisper to anyone else.
"Well, I'm ready. It's just that I can't believe I'm so nervous now that we are actually going to do it."
"Everything makes you nervous, Joe." He chuckled remembering how ironic it was since they were the exact same words he used with the unveiling of the Ironclad so many years ago. "Just that this time we are the ones doing the unveiling not the other way around."
"You're right." Joe sighed, "Well since we agreed to this and all, might as well get this over with and face the music."
"My thoughts exactly. Well now let's get on with it!"
They both stepped in front of the cloth covered device and welcomed everyone to the private testing.
"Welcome dear friends to our workshop! We are gathered here today to the unveiling and testing of something that both Joe and I have been working on for the past 3 years. But before we get started I just have to ask, does anyone here know anything about electricity?"
Everyone in the room was thoughtful for a moment until Victoria asked, "Isn't it something that is involved with the telegraph?"
Rufus eyed her replying, "Yes electricity is used in our telegraph technology, but that is just simple understanding. My sources are saying that electricity is an energy source that could possibly be utilized to do things that our current steam technology can't do. And quite frankly unless someone can figure out how to make it work, it could possibly become the next big thing after steam."
"That is correct. I'm impressed on how you even known about this even though you are a politician."
Rufus shrugged, "It comes as being a lobbyist of the energy industry. You hear things from interest groups that want to get things passed through the Hill." he smiled, "But that doesn't explain what exactly that you and Joe cooked up here relates to electricity."
"Ahem, you're right and we shall immediately rectify that." replied Joe, "When we built the Prosser Drive, we were just utilizing tried concepts and technology to create a better power source. It was done that way mostly because of Edgar Dalhousie's demands of adhering to the protocols set by the Bureau."
Joe then turns to face Max saying, "But after the completion of the project. Max, being as who he is got the interesting concept that if we could use Belgium Anthracite to power steam engines. Why not utilize the radiative properties of Belgium Anthracite to directly power everything? That way in doing so we would increase efficiency and decrease the amount of materials required for construction."
"We thoroughly examined how exactly would be the best process of converting the radiative properties of Belgium Anthracite into something that could be used and made an interesting discovery. The radiative energy had a peculiar effect on metals, energizing them in the way that dynamos typically do, but at higher energy levels. Zebulon probably discovered this property when he studied the Anthracite which would explain why he replaced the mechanical calculating machine with the box and wafer calculating machine in the Ironclads. In discovering this property we were able to find a way to complete the project, but also possibly improving the calculating machines of the Ironclads to do things that they currently can't do effectively."
"Well, whatever you say. I'm still unimpressed by the ironclads even if you are able to improve them." retorted Crane.
"Yes, yes. We all know that. But the thing is, with their new electrical power source, it would possibly create the drive needed in the development of electrical technology. If this is any indication, I would say that this could change the world as we know it. Possibly would even get the funding needed for the research with contracts from the government!" exclaimed Rufus.
"Good to know that there is someone here who can see the implications of our little project." replied Max. He then walks over and removes the cloth covering the said device.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let us introduce you to our creation that would revolutionize the energy industry: The Ashwell Dynamo."
It was a rather simple design. It was shaped like a giant silver pill with wires coming out of it to the control and monitoring switchboard. According to the handouts that were given to them before they entered the workshop the device was fueled with 4 containers of Belgium Anthracite set up in a tight circular formation in the center of it, surrounded by radiation capturing modules that would convert the energy directly to electricity.
"According to our calculations, theoretically we could be able to generate 2.1 gigawatts of power." Joe announced with pride, "However, in this test we will try to generate 1 kilowatt of power, which would be a realistic level of power generation that can be used by the new electric motors that are being developed."
He looked over to Max who had positioned himself behind the control panel, "Are you ready to initiate the test?"
Max smiled and yelled, "As ready as we would ever be!"
"Alright then let's throw the switch!"
Max activated the main switch that would release the governors on the 4 Anthracite cores, thus initiating the radiation reaction. It was during their research that they found that putting individual anthracite cores in close proximity would amplify the amount of radiative energy released than from what they would've gotten from the individual cores combined.
Joe was standing-by with the electric motor that they ordered for the experiment so to show that the electricity that was generated would be able to power the motor. Everything was going smoothly as the electrical meter moved up to the 1 kilowatt mark of which Joe activated the motor showing for all to see that the dynamo really worked.
"As you can see we can power this motor with just only a very small fraction of the total capacity that the dynamo is capable of. Now that we have successfully completed the experiment Max will shut the…. Max? What is going on?"
The electrical motor that was being used for the test was increasing its RPM and since the speed was directly related to the amount of energy coming from the reactor it would true to say that the reactor was generating more power than the 1 kilowatt that they were trying to test.
"I don't know. I reengaged the governor switch, but for some reason it's not turning off." Max replied with a little panic in his voice.
Things were starting to look bad since the electrical meter was rising beyond the kilowatt range and was quickly going through the megawatt range. At the rate it was going it was going to hit the max power generation level in about 1 minute.
Max and Joe were frantically trying to activate the manual emergency shut-off lever, but the lever was a tight fit so trying to quickly move it was becoming a problem. "Forget it! Everyone quickly evacuate! Joe and I will try to shut it off before it blows!"
No one needed any more prompting since they were trying to quickly get out of the workshop before the possible explosion, but before everyone managed to get out of the double doors the dynamo reached critical mass.
Now you would think that something like that would just plain out explode, but since the full properties of Belgium Anthracite was not known there were surprises that would not show themselves until the right conditions were reached. It was in this case that the conditions for one of those surprises had been reached.
In a flash of yellow light and a blast of hot air everyone and everything in the workshop that was not tied down was sucked into the general area of the reactor. This lasted for about a full minute just as quickly it appeared the phenomenon suddenly disappeared. Leaving behind a slightly emptied workshop with a reactor missing all four cores and a burned out electrical motor with not a single person in sight.
-Area no too far away from Night Raid hidden base
Najenda was heading towards the general location of the Revolutionary Army's base camp. "Even so, we're still short handed…and the report Leone brought back say Esdese is Organizing a special force of teigu users….looks like things are about to get more difficult…"
-Night Raid Base
The activity at the base had mildly settled down for the day. Everybody was coping in their own ways with the recent death of Sheele and the more recent death of Bulat. Yeah everything is a normal, average day for Night Raid. What could possibly go wrong?
The answer to that question came in a giant blast of light and wind in the area in-front of the base. This came as a surprise to everyone, but everyone except for Tatsumi quickly reacted to the unexpected situation. Mine quickly brought her gun to bear at the light while shielding her eyes, Lubbock brought out his wires, Leone went to leo mode, and Akame went into a sword fighting stance. Tatsumi however went down yelling, "My eyes! Oh God, my eyes!"
When the assault of both light and wind finally died down after a minute, they were greeted with a rather odd sight. There was a pile of groaning people surrounded by tools, strange teigu looking machines, and most importantly 4 giant glowing glass vials containing a rock that they never seen before.
They were contemplating whether or not they should attack or not when one of the groaning people said, "Is everyone all right?"
"Do I look like I'm alright Joseph?!" yelled a rather gruff looking man. Apparently he seemed to have some fighting experience if the way he moved showed any indication.
"O.K. Colonel Crane is yelling so that is a good sign. What about you Rufus?" called a skinny looking man.
"Chester and I have seen better days, but we feel alright….We're not dead. Are we Max?"
"No. I don't think so. But why did you ask?"
"Because, either I'm dead and gone to heaven or there is a big breasted woman with animal ears and claws standing over there."
Everyone in the group followed the man's pointing hand to where the members of Night Raid were currently standing. The man named Joseph stared at them for a bit before visibly shaking himself and asked, "Um.. pardon me, but may we ask who are you people?"
The members of Night Raid looked at each other wondering for a moment what sane person would ask that question to people who were visibly ready to fight them, but decided for Akame to reply.
"We are the assassination squad Night Raid. Who are you and how did you get here? Depending on your answer you will or will not be killed."
Dun Dun Duuuuun! I just had to do this. So if anyone can give some reviews it would be welcomed. I will continue with trying to write more chapters for the other works, but that would have to be seen in the future. Well this is PhantomGuardianoftheRepublic signing off!