by Red WolfThe mahogany skinned woman stepped out of the oppressive summer heat into the climate-controlled station. Blinking rapidly as the photochromic filters in her eyes adjusted, the colour bleeding from her skin now that it was no longer needed to protect her from the UV outside.
She eyed the air monitors in the corridor suspiciously. It was the latest rage in citizen profiling, sniffing passersby and matching them against a database of scents.
The woman fingered the heavy rainbow band tattooed around her wrist, she idly considered programming in the aroma of a warthog in heat, but settled for generic businessman instead. No point calling attention to herself. The tattoo paled as it altered her scent.
As always, the trains were delayed and she was forced to wait, but it gave her the chance to check her news feeds. Headlines overlaid her vision, one caught her attention and she called up the article.
Someone had taken out the Prime Minister, it was the third one this year. According to security sensors, the man was killed by a hormonally unbalanced llama.
The woman smiled to herself. Revolution was in the air and the government hadn't seen it coming. Some things never changed.
Warren Ellis' Strange Machine Challenge — futurity
Published Babble Horde — 16.10.2004
Published Strange Machine — 16.10.2004
Published FictionPress — 16.10.2004
Published Wrasp.Net — 01.01.2005
fiction | original fiction
Good use of senses. People don't use scent enough in stories. I would totally read further into this — via LiveJournal
— posted by Little Miss Gun to a Knife Fight at 21.10.2004 19:54 AEST | 
I figured that if people could readily change their physical appearance, face recognition cameras would be useless. Not that they were ever any good in the first place, way too many false positives and bugger all real positives. So I thought the government would be quick to jump on the next never able to be circumvented surveillance technology and smell seemed like an interesting idea — via LiveJournal
— posted by Red Wolf at 21.10.2004 19:55 AEST |
Nice! Being heavily tattoo myself, I especially like the fact that the tattoo was the device of subterfuge... — via LiveJournal
— posted by lysdexic420 at 21.10.2004 19:56 AEST |
I liked the idea of tattoos as functional rather than decoration. At least it would mean you couldn't forget you watch or whatever in the morning — via LiveJournal
— posted by Red Wolf at 21.10.2004 19:56 AEST |
You know what? As far-out futuristic as all this stuff sounds, I wouldn't be surprised if it actually comes to pass. Skin pigment changes, programmable body odours, live data feeds directly to the brain? Yeah, I can see that happening.
But a hormonally unbalanced llama? ::snerk:: Only you. :D — via LiveJournal — posted by Moonbeam at 21.10.2004 19:57 AEST |
But a hormonally unbalanced llama? ::snerk:: Only you. :D — via LiveJournal — posted by Moonbeam at 21.10.2004 19:57 AEST |
I don't think most of it is too far off either. Implantable contact lenses are a reality, what's to stop the helpful addition of photochromic filters to cut glare?
As for the llama, if you're going to mess with sniffer detection, you may as well really mess with it — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 21.10.2004 19:58 AEST |
As for the llama, if you're going to mess with sniffer detection, you may as well really mess with it — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 21.10.2004 19:58 AEST |
Very cool stuff, wolf. And the llama cracked me up! — via LiveJournal
— posted by DebXena at 21.10.2004 19:58 AEST |
You've got to watch those llamas. Or in this case, assassins pretending to be llamas — via LiveJournal
— posted by Red Wolf at 21.10.2004 19:59 AEST |
Hormonally Imbalanced Llama. Great name for a kung fu flick — via LiveJournal
— posted by Michel Lacombe at 21.10.2004 20:00 AEST |
It does have that ring of something badly translated into English — via LiveJournal
— posted by Red Wolf at 21.10.2004 20:01 AEST |
Speaking of incorrect English, may I friend you?
I'm discovering how LiveJournal works on rare spare time, you'd be my first — via LiveJournal — posted by Michel Lacombe at 21.10.2004 20:01 AEST |
I'm discovering how LiveJournal works on rare spare time, you'd be my first — via LiveJournal — posted by Michel Lacombe at 21.10.2004 20:01 AEST |
I'd be honoured.
LiveJournal is an interesting beast, full of overlapping circles of friends and communities.
My LiveJournal is fiction only, mostly fan fiction with the odd original work thrown in. I write almost exclusively to challenges from various communities, which sounds pretentious now I've written it, but it seems to keep me writing, so all is good.
I never bother with the usual ugly lump of fanfic disclaimers for reasons of site aesthetics, so if you don't know what I'm waffling about, please feel free to ask — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 21.10.2004 20:02 AEST |
LiveJournal is an interesting beast, full of overlapping circles of friends and communities.
My LiveJournal is fiction only, mostly fan fiction with the odd original work thrown in. I write almost exclusively to challenges from various communities, which sounds pretentious now I've written it, but it seems to keep me writing, so all is good.
I never bother with the usual ugly lump of fanfic disclaimers for reasons of site aesthetics, so if you don't know what I'm waffling about, please feel free to ask — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 21.10.2004 20:02 AEST |
Thanks for making it extra easy by friending me first! And for the compliment — via LiveJournal
— posted by Michel Lacombe at 21.10.2004 20:03 AEST |
Scent changing chamelion assasin revolutionary tattoo wearing goodness. Matt like — via LiveJournal
— posted by Lowkey Knight at 21.10.2004 20:04 AEST |
Your fic kink is quite a mouthful, pleased to have scratched it for you — via LiveJournal
— posted by Red Wolf at 21.10.2004 20:05 AEST |
LOL! You had me eating out of your hand! I was practically bouncing on my chair: political intrigue and SciFi — heaven!
Is there more? Do I sense a series? — via LiveJournal — posted by Murielle at 21.10.2004 20:13 AEST |
Is there more? Do I sense a series? — via LiveJournal — posted by Murielle at 21.10.2004 20:13 AEST |
Warren Ellis made me do it. I don't know how that will hold up as a defence in court.
There's no plans immediately, maybe once I've finished off current fic commitments I come back to it again. Really happy that you enjoyed it — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 21.10.2004 20:13 AEST |
There's no plans immediately, maybe once I've finished off current fic commitments I come back to it again. Really happy that you enjoyed it — via LiveJournal — posted by Red Wolf at 21.10.2004 20:13 AEST |
That's a very interesting future you have there. That's a really cool story you have there. So much can continue on from it. So many things unanswered. I like. :-D Good job! — via FictionPress
— posted by Ben Dandurand at 28.10.2004 18:58 AEST |
According to security sensors, the man was killed by a hormonally unbalanced llama.
that's great man — via LiveJournal — posted by sxyblkmn at 28.10.2004 19:07 AEST |
that's great man — via LiveJournal — posted by sxyblkmn at 28.10.2004 19:07 AEST |
If you're going to mess with securities sensors, you may as well go all the way. Thanks for dropping by — via LiveJournal
— posted by Red Wolf at 28.10.2004 19:07 AEST |
Nice nanofiction piece. Short, sharp and to the point.
And a cracking final line — via LiveJournal — posted by Lee "Budgie" Barnett at 28.10.2004 19:08 AEST |
And a cracking final line — via LiveJournal — posted by Lee "Budgie" Barnett at 28.10.2004 19:08 AEST |
Many thanks. It was nice to get my teeth into original fiction again. First time I've really taken a shot at playing with the future — via LiveJournal
— posted by Red Wolf at 28.10.2004 19:09 AEST |
I'll risk being redundant to compliment your piece. It is one of my favorites so far — via LiveJournal
— posted by hir0protagonist at 28.10.2004 19:10 AEST |
Many thanks. I appreciate you reading and am pleased to hear you enjoyed it — via LiveJournal
— posted by Red Wolf at 28.10.2004 19:11 AEST |
According to security sensors, the man was killed by a hormonally unbalanced llama.
::snickers:: Well, if you're going screw with the government, why not make their job as difficult as possible?
Loved it. Bravo — LiveJournal — posted by MAC at 27.11.2004 17:24 AEST |
::snickers:: Well, if you're going screw with the government, why not make their job as difficult as possible?
Loved it. Bravo — LiveJournal — posted by MAC at 27.11.2004 17:24 AEST |
This one was fun and I like the idea of messing with the government in subtle and confusing ways. Just imagining the committee meetings of dull, grey-suited men trying to figure out the anomoly is amusing — LiveJournal
— posted by Red Wolf at 27.11.2004 17:25 AEST |
Originality/Concept: 8
Grammar/Style: 8
Overall Rating: 8
the trains were late and she was forced to wait for being a seemingly random piece of work, I really get annoyed at rhyming words! Haha, it gives me a feel for a sudden rhythmic pulse within the sentence that doesn't need to be there. I dunno, maybe I'm just crazy — via Wrasp.Net — posted by Michæl Carey at 14.01.2005 14:51 AEST |
Grammar/Style: 8
Overall Rating: 8
the trains were late and she was forced to wait for being a seemingly random piece of work, I really get annoyed at rhyming words! Haha, it gives me a feel for a sudden rhythmic pulse within the sentence that doesn't need to be there. I dunno, maybe I'm just crazy — via Wrasp.Net — posted by Michæl Carey at 14.01.2005 14:51 AEST |
Originality/Concept: 10
Grammar/Style: 9
Overall Rating: 9
Wow, this was short, sweet, to the point, and rather amusing. Nice statire you got here. I really think the short ammount of words really add to it's satyrical nature. I really don't kow what eles to say because of the 200 character requirement. I hope I reached it by now — via Wrasp.net — posted by Teagan at 09.06.2005 20:30 AEST |
Grammar/Style: 9
Overall Rating: 9
Wow, this was short, sweet, to the point, and rather amusing. Nice statire you got here. I really think the short ammount of words really add to it's satyrical nature. I really don't kow what eles to say because of the 200 character requirement. I hope I reached it by now — via Wrasp.net — posted by Teagan at 09.06.2005 20:30 AEST |
Originality/Concept: 9
Grammar/Style: 6
Overall Rating: 8
This is wonderful. The idea of proiling by scent is definitely neat, and the last bit just made me smile because it is, of course, true.
However, the second sentence in the first paragraph is a fragment — maybe
Grammar/Style: 6
Overall Rating: 8
This is wonderful. The idea of proiling by scent is definitely neat, and the last bit just made me smile because it is, of course, true.
However, the second sentence in the first paragraph is a fragment — maybe
she blinked asinstead of
blinking as,and then
the color bleeding from her skinshould be
and the color bled from her skin.Grammatical quibbles — I didn't even notice until the second read-through — via Wrasp.net — posted by Sorrel at 02.08.2005 20:58 AEST |
Originality/Concept: 8
Grammar/Style: 9
Overall Rating: 10
Different for a babble. Read something like this elsewheres from another writer or two. Under 500 word short stories are quick to read, but not fluent enough to create a storyline. Overall, the story was unique, catchy, and interesting. I would love to see a full version of at least 2500-5000 words for the pure enjoyment of reading this type of sci-fi/action — via Wrasp.net — posted by Garak at 09.09.2007 13:29 AEST |
Grammar/Style: 9
Overall Rating: 10
Different for a babble. Read something like this elsewheres from another writer or two. Under 500 word short stories are quick to read, but not fluent enough to create a storyline. Overall, the story was unique, catchy, and interesting. I would love to see a full version of at least 2500-5000 words for the pure enjoyment of reading this type of sci-fi/action — via Wrasp.net — posted by Garak at 09.09.2007 13:29 AEST |