From: sutherla@twain.ucs.umass.edu (Edward Sutherland)
Subject: ORABU : End of the line.
Date: 5 Nov 1993 11:11:48 -0500

Remember "Orabu"? that interactive story where you, the reader, get to tell
	part of the story?  Well, just one more thing...

Forget it.

I suppose that here might be one or possibly two people out there that are
	sorry to hear this, but "Orabu" is dead.
Initial response indicated that there was not as much interest as I had
	initially anticipated and that, in fact, the purposely vague part 1
	was exceptionally lacking.
As a result, Orabu is killed as of 11/5/93.
Not like I'm stemming a tide here, but all submissions for Part II will be
	disregarded.
In addition, any posting of follow-up parts to the story is strongly
	discouraged, as follows...

			Orabu : The Lithium Quest

	     All parts copyright (c) 1993-1994 Ed Sutherland

			  All rights reserved

		Any use of Part I of Orabu with any subsequent
		parts written by individual authors, or any
		adaptation of characters, settings or existing
		plot by any individual excepting the original
		author is prohibited under the Copyright laws
		of the United States of America.

So that's it, folks... so much for "interactive storytelling"... if anyone
	else would like to try it, be my guest.
Oh, BTW... thanks to the TWO people who actually deigned to respond to any
	of the Orabu material at ALL. (no parts written, just comments)

							-MetalMaster (Ed)



From: sutherla@titan.ucs.umass.edu (Edward Sutherland)
Subject: * ORABU, Part I *
Date: 13 Oct 1993 15:02:40 -0400

			      * * * Orabu * * *

			      The Lithium Quest

      Original Story/Characters/Concept Copyright 1993 Edward Sutherland

	         Orabu, Part I Copyright 1993 Edward Sutherland

	      Other Parts Copyright 1993 their respective authors

	E-mail address for submissions : sutherla@titan.ucs.umass.edu

------------------------------|"Orabu", Part I|--------------------------------
In the Year of Reform 3746, there evolved a new race of human beings.  A race
	designed to withstand the mounting pressure for survival caused by
	the fierce competition to stake claims in the new frontier of Space...
This new race of humans is known as the "Orabu".
Orabu are more rugged than ordinary humans, possessing over ten times the
	strength of a normal man.  Their blood content, which is heavy in
	Lithium, renders them immune to all known toxins, as well as allows
	them to survive extended periods in hard vacuum...
Although the Orabu evolved in deep space, they began to find their way back
	to Earth, driven by the need for their lifeblood, lithium...

						    -Encyclopedia Del Sol
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

	    EARTH : New Portland, Federated States of America, 3748-723

	John Wilkes stared out the window of his 23rd-floor office.  He much
preferred the smoggy, bustling, confusing view of the city to the stark,
geometric, black-and-white of his own mundane office.
	At age 44, Wilkes had everything a man could hope to have; a loving
wife, a multi-million dollar company under his control, and little to no
responsibility.
	It drove him crazy.
	He scratched his rapidly balding head with coarse, wrinkled fingers
as his sunken eyes followed a Soni-Plane that hummed by, its stray waves
rattling the SteelGlass window very slightly.  What he wouldn't give to
trade in his extra-large pinstripe suit for a pilot's uniform.  Or space
station gear.
	Or even...
	He shook his head in the usual attempt to clear away the longing for
what he wanted, but knew he couldn't have.  His comm button beeped for his
attention, and he answered it automatically, receiving a warning from his
secretary that, if he didn't stop moping and start moving, he would miss the
very important meeting across town.
	He thanked his secretary and clicked off the comm button.  As he
shrugged on his formal coat to leave, he sighed inwardly at the thought of
another long, dull meeting with the executive staff of Cybertron, Inc.  Then
he headed out the door to catch the 18:30 Soni-Train to East New Portland.
	What he wouldn't give to be heading out to the New Frontier instead!

				     * * *

  EARTH : A back alley in New Portland, Federated States of America, 3748-723

	"Hey, Ayama!  Bet'cha couldn't hit the side of a 'scraper!"
	"Aw, stuff it, Dak!"
	Tochiro Ayama waited, bat raised, as his friend Dak Cooper prepared to
hurl the white sphere towards him.  Although Ayama was a full year younger than
Dak, and measurably lighter, he didn't feel he had to take any of his insults.
Especially since he had beaten him five times at bat already.
	Further away, five other kids prepared to catch the ball, if it was
ever thrown and ever hit.
	Dak, however, seemed to prefer hurling insults instead of baseballs.
	"You're so slow, they post a schedule of when you're gonna reach each
base, Tochi!"
	"You forget how to pitch, or maybe your arm not work, Dak?  Come on!"
	Dak grinned, then wound up, looked to either side in nostalgic fashion,
spat, and hurled the sphere directly at Ayama's head.
	Startled, Ayama leaped to one side, swinging instinctively.  He caught
the ball with the outer edge of his bat's Resonance Field, causing it to fly
off wildly to the left, straight at a window.
	The ball chimed off the SteelGlass and fell toward the ground, to be
caught by one of the five boys in the outfield.
	Ayama glared at Dak.  "Hey, no fair!  What you throw at head for?
That violation!"
	Dak just grinned his semi-toothed grin.  "What violation?  You're
out, Tochi!  Get in the field!"
	After a bit more protesting, Ayama headed out to the field, muttering.
Dak picked up the discarded bat while the boy who had caught the ball took
Dak's place in the pitcher's circle.
	"'What violation?' he ask." Tochiro said under his breath.  "Throw at
head stupid!  That 'what violation', moron!"
	Meanwhile, Dak prepared to hit, as the other boy hurled insults at him.
	"Hey, Dak, I hear that Soni-Planes have to plot courses around you!"
	"Aw, put a sock in it, rats-for-brains!  Just pitch, huh?"

				  * * *

	   SPACE : Orbiting station 32-R, Sirius sector, 3748-723

	The command center of the giant space station lay quiet, bathed in the
dim red glow of the emergency lights, the dead silence broken only by the
occasional snap and spark of a severed electrical conduit.
	All of the crew was there, their faces frozen in that single moment of
realization before death overtakes them, their bodies frozen in a cruel
mockery of the positions they had once maintained in life.
	In the center of the room, a humming could be heard.  It intensified
until, preceded by three or four more bodies, a man entered via the Sonic Lift
set into the deck floor.  He was young, about 30 or so, and gave off an aura
of superiority usually associated with a leadership position.  He did not look
at the carnage so vividly displayed around him, but calmly strode to a
starboard panel.  He pressed a button, and it lit up.
	"Hello, hello..." he said, testing.
	"Yes, Darak?" crackled a voice in response.
	"Can you hear me Creok?"
	"Loud as a Soni-Blast."
	"Good."  Darak was pleased.  He had been afraid that, in their
eagerness, his group may have unwittingly damaged the station.  "Communications
console operative." he said.  "All other command functions..." he paused,
pressing a few more buttons.  The lights on the bridge came up.  "...operative.
Prepare to fire up the main Sonic Reactor on my mark."
	"Ay, Darak."
	Darak paused, glancing around the deck.  He hated this kind of
violence, but it was necessary.  The phobia had already spread out much farther
than this, and they needed more than a simple scout ship to survive the long
journey ahead.
	A needle wavered, then entered the green area of its dial.
	"Mark!"
	Suddenly the station hummed to life, all systems coming back on-line
as the main Sonic Reactor powered up the engines.  Darak smiled.  That part,
at least, had been easy.  The rest would most certainly not be.
	"Very good, Creok." he said.  "Prepare to break orbit in one-half hour.
Assign all personnel to respective stations as planned."
	The voice on the other end sounded apprehensive.  "Do you think that
we can make it all the way to Earth, Darak?"
	"For the good of all Orabu, Creok, we have to.  Darak out."  He
clicked off the communications panel, activated the outer viewscreen and stared
out at the stars.
	"We have to." he whispered.

		* * * END TRANS PART I "ORABU"  CC-1210A * * *


From: sutherla@titan.ucs.umass.edu (Edward Sutherland)
Subject: ORABU Submission Guidelines - Please Read Before Submitting!
Date: 13 Oct 1993 15:05:38 -0400

	    "Orabu" - basic story pointers/character descriptions

		      Copyright  1993 Edward Sutherland

			        -*-*-*-*-*-*-

	So there it is.  Part 1 of "Orabu".  Now, a few basic pointers on
follow-up submissions.

(1) Initially, I am planning to allow up to 2 weeks for submissions to be
	received.  I will revise this schedule to allow more or less time
	depending on response.

(2) DO NOT submit a follow-up to a part that you have written BEFORE that part
	is declared.  (i.e. don't put in a part 3 before your part 2 has not
	been integrated into the story; it will be disregarded)

(3) FORMAT

	Dates    : 12/25/93 - 1993-1225
	History  :  Source - Encyclopedia Del Sol - begin each submission with
		   a brief entry from E.D.S. to lay down basic facts or
		   to summarize the submission
	Time     : The entire Orabu War lasted about 2 1/2 years (3748-7 to
		   3749-11), so no major leaps of half- or full-years.  Months
		   maybe, with good reason, but mostly days and weeks up to a
		   month.
	Location : Note each change of scenario with a date and location, per
		   the above format.
	CC-1210A : Part two will be "CC-1210B", part three "CC-1210C", etc.
		   If it gets up past CC-1210Z, it will become CC-1211A, and
		   restart the letter cycle.

(4) TECHNOLOGICAL BITS

	SteelGlass : Just what it says; transparent steel.
	SoniPlane  : All transportation and power sources rely on Sonic Energy,
		     developed by Cybertron Inc. in 3652.  This invention, of
		     course, necessitated the development of SteelGlass. (see
		     Part 1, loc. 1)
	Resonance Field : A kinetic field, based on Sonic Power, that can be
			  used as a bat, hammer, etc.

(5) MAIN CHARACTERS

	_The_Humans_

	John Wilkes : President of Cybertron Inc., a company which specializes
		      in the development of deep-space machinery and ships.  He
		      detests his office job, however, and wants to pursue
		      adventure in deep space.  Age : 44  American.
		      Characteristics : Quiet, gentle, yet able to respond
		      quickly when necessary.  A born leader.

	Tochiro Ayama : A child who holds the key to the destruction of the
			Orabu; his yet undiscovered telekinetic powers are the
			only equalizer between the humans and the Orabu.  Age :
			13.  Characteristics : Hot temper, but good control.
			Very intelligent, and quick.

	Darak/Creok : The two leaders of the group of Orabu headed for Earth in
		      search of Lithium, their lifeblood.  Darak is the eldest,
		      and therefore commands more respect, but either can
		      override the other's command if necessary.  Because of
		      their advanced physical status, both look much younger
		      than they actually are.  Ages : Darak - 106  Creok - 102

	Dak Cooper : Tochiro Ayama's best friend, he is a short, pudgy boy one
			year and two weeks older than Ayama.  Secretly, he is
			also an Orabu spy.  Age : 14

	The Orabu : In general, Orabu live to be about 150-175 years old, but
		    they maintain a youthful appearance (about 25-30) from
		    about age 25 to about age 140-150.  They are exeptionally
		    strong, have amazing recuperative powers, and are immune
		    to all known toxins.

(6) GENERAL STORY LINE :

The Orabu War : In the years 3749-3750, the Orabu invasion reached its climax
	with the penetration of Earth's perimeter defenses.  However, the Orabu
	met with great resistance from an unlikely team composed of John Wilkes
	and Tochiro Ayama.  Together, they struggled valiantly to defend the
	Earth from this great menace...

	...The exact outcome of the Orabu War is not known, but no Orabu have
	been seen in the solar system since 3750-3.

	SEE ALSO : Ayama, Tochiro; Wilkes, John

						-Encyclopedia Del Sol

The Orabu are not a malicious, bloodthirsty lot; in fact, they are exactly
	like any other human except for their newly gained powers.  They are
	forced to kill because a great phobia has spread outwards from the New
	Frontier and has reached all the way to Earth, an "Orabuphobia" of
	sorts.  Therefore, the Orabu are not your typical kill-for-fun
	"baddies"
The Orabu Invasion, as it was known to humans, was known as the Great Orabu
	Expedition to the Orabu themselves.

(7) MISCELLANEOUS

When writing for "Orabu", remember that, in addition to chronicling the Great
	Orabu War, you are free to expand upon the Orabu's home planet(s), any
	character's background, or anything else pertaining to the characters,
	story, etc. (i.e. - the Federated States came into being after a World
	Alliance for Space Exploration was formed [true fact])
Other characters may be added; Wilkes' wife, Tochiro's mother, other Orabu,
	etc.  These can add whole new facets to the story.  For example, a
	renegade Orabu may threaten Darak and Creok's authority.  Wilkes'
	boss may try to fire him.  Always include a character summary when
	introducing a new major character.
The E.D.S. report above contains many vague references; feel free to expand
	upon any of them except how the War came to an end; that will be the
	final chapter, which I will write later.
Finally, refer extensively to previous installments of "Orabu" to keep the
	story accurate and smooth-flowing.

There you have it; the basic layout for, and beginning of, "Orabu".  I look
	forward to receiving your submissions.  The unofficial "Due Date" is
	10/25/93 (1993-1025).

							-MetalMaster (Ed)

						sutherla@phobos.ucs.umass.edu
						sutherla@titan.ucs.umass.edu