Adding short stories directory to practice

Baseline.md

@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ Tech School. These are satellites to their main locations.
 
 \* Small glimpses of pre-draft life.
 
-***1. Defense Force Academy of Computer Professions and Cyberspace
+***1****. Defense Force Academy of Computer Professions and Cyberspace
 Defense***
 
 The Naivete
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ agonizes over.
 
 (False Hope)
 
-***2. Hutspace Base Complex Base 108***
+***2****. Hutspace Base Complex Base 108***
 
 **Big Things *****Are *****Coming, Right?**
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ suggesting otherwise.
 
 (Apathy)
 
-***3. The Boroughs, Air Force Headquarters***
+***3****. The Boroughs, Air Force Headquarters***
 
 Of Course I Have A Say!
 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ Adir is restationed again, this time aware of the faults in his new
 station -- but powerless to prevent or face them, he grows proud and
 distant -- a facade that comes crashing down and leads to depression.
 
-***4. University***
+***4****. University***
 
 It's So Nice To Feel Human Again
 
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ forth, earn lots of money, fund his Biotech degree and go about saving
 the world.
 
 Here comes the Sacred Cow, and that* 'Meaningful Service'* everyone's on
-about. What could go wrong?
+about. What could go wrong?* *
 
 V. Point Of View:
 

Basics.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ I.  Distill the 'Big Idea' -- a single sentence. ('Elevator Pitch').
 
 II. Create a one page outline of the plot:
 
-IV\. Grow the plot, and decide its' general type
+IV. Grow the plot, and decide its' general type
 (Adventure/Change/Mistake/Lure/Race\...)
 
 I.  Decide on a schedule. \[300 words a day\]

Short Stories/The Server

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+The Server
+
+
+It was a warm spring's late morning when Adir decided to hunker down in the lab, pile up the many carcasses of failed computers around the workbench and bring them all back to life.
+
+The air conditioner was still broken, and he had both windows open, soft motes drifting in the breeze and sunlight they brought in. Adir sat down on the good chair, set the least disgusting chassis in front of him, and set on about his work.
+
+Prying apart the rusty, salted metal bits and pieces proved physically exhausting, and soon Adir shed the uniform's torso piece and was left in his worn, sweat stained white T-shirt. He was alone, after all - might as well make use of it.
+
+He had a strict procedure: First, he tears off everything than can be teared off, sets the remains on the largest window's sill, and runs it over with the blower, mindful of anyone who might approach the passage on the other side. Since the window lay behind an iron curtain, even commanders were often surprised to find it there - before Adir, it had not been opened in years.
+Once blown away, he gently lays the bare computer next to the screen, and connects two brand new cables - one to the outlet, the other to the small, beat-up screen. After powering it, depending on the noise the computer makes or fails to make, he disconnects it, discharges it, and swap out one of the parts with a somewhat newer equivalent from the box he'd fetch earlier from the storage room across the hall. Finally, he tries booting again, repeating the cycle with a new part until the computer lives, or until he runs out of parts.
+
+This was dirty, low work; so despised it was, in fact, even the command staff preffered to perform merely a weak facade of effort before deeming a computer broken, and requisitioning a new one. Adir found it thearaputic - every hunk of junk he could make usable again was a small victory against the culture of ignorance and waste. He did it better than anyone here, and not by virtue of excessive skill.
+
+Between last evening and even a small excursion early this morning, Adir had managed to amass just over a dozen computers - even pausing his usually distant demeanor to gather them from reluctant users. As soon as they were piled neatly, he set aside the small box of compoments from the storage room, made himself a cup of scalding hot black coffee, and began his work.
+
+He himself had trouble rationalising his actions ("If we don't know what we're doing, our enemies sure as hell don't either", he mused to himself), only just managing to raise feeble excuses - it was to acquire experience, to create goodwill from key personnel around the base, to appear busy enough to avoid some other, demeaning task to be dropped on him. He liked the latter of explanations best.
+He could not know what any of the others plan for him, and the computers at least were predictable. Though most questioned his actions, Adir decided himself wise - he only sheds the false hope of avoiding some other unpleasant task, and by doing so manages to regain some feeble measure of control. The rest didn't seem to see it.
+
+One by one, Adir tested them rigoursly, systematically - swapping out parts in order until they finally boot. Each booting computers then gets connected to a different outlet, to run the same set commands on the operating system to help restore it to good condition - much like a patient recovering after a medical operation.
+
+By the time Ronen burst into the room the coffee was long gone. Adir had but three computers in the pile and one set neatly in front of him, strewn on it's side and much of its' part on the table.
+"What's this?" Ronen asked.
+"I'm working."
+"Adir? Hello? Could you look at me when I'm talking to you?" 
+"Give me a second. I'm in the middle of something."
+"Adir."
+Adir begrudginly set aside a part and turned towards Ronen.
+"What are all these computers doing here?"
+"In the computer lab?"
+"There's, what - one, two, three... Eight computers in here! what for?"
+"I'm fixing them."
+"Well, drop it now. We're going to the Safety Meeting."
+"I'll be there in a moment."
+"Adir, I said we're going now."
+Adir sighed deeply.
+"Give a minute - I've been here all morning. I need to use the restroom."
+"I'm waiting."
+Adir stood up, and eyed Ronen with a skeptical look.
+"Fine. David will be here in a moment. You can go with him."
+"I can find my way just as well."
+"You go with David. Now go use the restroom."
+
+Adir neatly set the compoments aside, swept up his cup into the bin and wiped down the spot where he'd set it. He didn't like leaving his workspace dirty - even here.
+David appeared perhaps a minute after Ronen, already in a full-blown panic.
+"Adir! we have to go. Come on. I know you're busy, but let's just get this over with, please - It's very important to Gilad."
+"Sure it is. Let me just use the restroom. You can go, if you're in a hurry."
+"You hadn't gone yet?! Oh, Adir, Ronen told me to go with you, and now we're both in a hurry! could you ple-"
+Adir shut both doors behind him, for once thankfull for the restroom's bizzare design.
+
+"When we come back, there's that NCO in Medical, Guy - he -"
+"I'm sorry, David. I'm busy."
+"Oh, but I've no one else! eveyone is busy. What are you doing?"
+"There's been a range of hardware malfunctions. I've been working on them all morning."
+"Well, if that's all, we'll just order new ones! that's good, great. I'll see you a-"
+"These are all really urgent, David. Otherwise, do you think I'd have bothered on these old husks of salt? Give me a few more hours, and I'll take care of it."
+"I... I don't know, I... Well, there we are. Come on inside."
+
+
+ 

The_Difference_Between_an_Idiot_and_a_Moron.md

@@ -595,8 +595,8 @@ The officer considered this gravely.
 
 "You mean to say you're absent in service?"
 
-"In December, I was an absent in service. By now, I'm well into defector
-territory."
+"In December, I was an absent in service. By now, I'm well into
+defection territory."
 
 "I'm sorry, but I just don't believe you."
 
@@ -696,51 +696,58 @@ heart. A decision was made, and he will stick to it.
 
 He got out.
 
-Chapter I -- Security Service Candidate
+***Chapter I -- ****Security Service Candidate Adir Levin***
 
 Private Adir Levin was just shy of 19 years of age when he was drafted.
 
-Unlike most of his peers, he had had the privilege of knowing his date
-well in advance -- upwards of a year, which was almost unheard of. It
-had been six months since he graduated highschool, shortly after which
-he began working at a big city coffee shop aiming to overcome his social
-awkwardness.
+He'd had the privilege of knowing his date well in advance -- upwards of
+a year, which was almost unheard of. It had been six months since he
+graduated highschool, shortly after which he began working at a big city
+coffee shop with the declared aim of overcoming his social awkwardness.
 
 Though hesitant and neurotic at first, Adir quickly grasped the nuances
 of working in the rush -- operating the register, sending out the
-orders, and even making recommendations and casualy chatting with the
-customers coming in. He had been the youngest to ever work there, and
-rarely came across anyone near his age, yet he seldom felt out of place.
-It was exhausting, physical work and Adir worked fairly often, well
-after he felt his goal was achieved.
+orders, and even making recommendations and casually chatting with the
+customers. The youngest to ever work there, and rarely coming across
+anyone near his age, he seldom felt out of place. It was exhausting,
+physical work, and Adir worked fairly often - well after he felt his
+goal was achieved.
 
 Two weeks before his draft date, though, even Adir put in the towel and
 went off to get a buzzcut and olive green T-shirts, like everyone else
 told him he should. Adir was never a confrontational character, so he
-did.
+did. He would recall this with potent irony a few months ahead, after
+being assigned to the air force, where olive green t-shirts were
+strictly forbidden, ridiculed and widely regarded as a sign of
+inferiority. But more on this ahead.
 
-He sought, above all, a moderate life. A life of purpose, achievement,
-sure -- but without tribulations, without drama. Certainly without
-conflict. Generally speaking, Adir simply did not like having much on
-his plate. Hand him exactly one to three things going on in his life --
-however big or difficult -- and he would cruise along gently being
-generally content. Any more than that, however, he would get intensely
-uncomfortable, hunker down, and his mind got the better of him.
+Adir sought, above all, a moderate life. A life of purpose, of
+achievement, sure -- but without tribulations, without drama. Without
+much conflict -- it's terribly upsetting. Generally speaking, Adir
+simply did not like having much on his plate. Hand him exactly one to
+three things going on in his life -- however big or difficult -- and he
+would cruise along gently being generally content. Any more than that,
+however, he would get intensely uncomfortable, hunker down, and his mind
+would get the better of him.
 
 Though moderate and unassuming, Adir was not humble nor meek. He knew
 his ability and especially his unrelenting determination will get him
 wherever he should desire, so long as he should truly desire it enough.
+
 If he succeeded, it was proof of his superior determination. Should he
 have failed, it was simply an indication that he did not really seek to
-achieve whatever it was he failed at. It was this blend of determination
-and non-confrontational, moderate policy that somehow led him to be a
-coursee in the Communication Corp's luxurious Computing Systems
-Infrastructure Management course. Widely considered to be one of the
-best occupations in the army (or so he heard at that communication corps
-convention), CSIM candidates go through a grueling screening process,
-and those successful later undergo extensive training at the Defense
-Forces Academy of Computer Professions and Cyberspace Defense, where
-Adir now found himself.
+achieve whatever it was he sought.
+
+It was that blend of determination and non-confrontational, moderate
+policy that somehow led him to be a coursee in the Communication Corp's
+luxurious Computing Systems Infrastructure Management program. Widely
+considered to be one of the best occupations in the army (said that guy
+at the communication corps convention, who was an officer, Adir thought
+he could recall), CSIM candidates go through a grueling screening
+process. Those precious few successful (under 10%, the figure was
+rumored to be) later undergo extensive training at the Defense Forces
+Academy of Computer Professions and Cyberspace Defense, where Adir now
+found himself.
 
 "What would you like to do in the military?" the Officer who is Not a
 Commander (why not? He remembers wondering) had asked him at early 16,
@@ -784,8 +791,8 @@ The ONC audibly *tsk*ed.
 military's best interest that you like your role as well -- makes you
 more productive. So it tries. For a bit."
 
-"I really don't care for all that. I'll do whatever the country needs me
-to. I have no preference whatsoever."
+"There's no need to try with me. I'll do whatever the country needs me
+to, really. I have no preference whatsoever."
 
 "Really?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
 
@@ -852,24 +859,28 @@ hardware monkey."
 
 "What on god's green earth is a hardware monkey?"
 
-"Some people write the code for the computers, because they've got
-something that I really really don't. And others, those who have
-something else, take care of the computers themselves. The code monkeys
-and the hardware monkeys."
+"Some people write the code for the computers, because they've got a
+developed realist side of the brain. And others, those who don't or just
+don't like coding, take care of the computers themselves. The code
+monkeys and the hardware monkeys."
 
 "So you... what, *take care* of computers?"
 
-"I assemble them, yeah. I built a good dozen by now. It's really
-interesting. I really like it."
+"I assemble them. I built a good dozen by now. It's really interesting.
+I really like it."
 
-"What if the army asks you to build computers?"
+"Sounds complicated. You'd need to be a, uh, realist for that, wouldn't
+you?"
+
+"I don't have it. It's not hard. Like a big, weird Lego."
+
+"But what if the army asks you to build computers?"
 
 "Oh, they have that? I had no idea! That'd be swell!"
 
-"They have that, sure, sure. Would you mind if I list that as your
-preference?"
+"They have that, sure, sure. I'll list that as your preference."
 
-"No, not at all".
+"Cool!".
 
 The CNO hunched over a flowery pink notebook. Using a bright pink pen
 with a big pink fuzzy whatever on top, she scribbled in it with small,
@@ -881,17 +892,18 @@ He could just make it out -
 
 She then abruptly stood up and surveyed Adir quickly.
 
-"Good luck," she said and left.
+"Good luck," she said and left. That was surprising, because they were
+sitting in her office.
 
-And now he was here.
+Now he was here.
 
 The Computer Science School was nothing like he had envisioned a
 military base to be -- not that he had done much envisioning at all.
 Spring Buds, where he went through boot camp, had been* exactly* like
 what little he had envisioned -- it was stuck in the middle of nowhere,
 it was full of big, ugly green tents and ancient structures torn
-straight out of the 1920's, and it had guard posts and lots of dirty
-empty space.
+straight out of the 1920's. It had guard posts and lots of dirty empty
+space.
 
 Above all it was generally repulsive.
 
@@ -902,13 +914,13 @@ or was it just his vivid imagination.
 This place, however, was a strange mix of that classic vision and a
 high-tech office space. Adir's classroom was in a structure that was
 clearly meant to be temporary. It was positioned in a big dusty patch of
-bare earth, thrown into it in a strange angle. Their commander's
-offices, and the units stationed in the base, sat in a trio of rather
-small but quite modern buildings, surrounding a paved cobblestone
-courtyard. It was very well kept and had lots of emblems and flags
-protruding from the upper floors, with a million passages to and from it
--- as if it was the beating heart of the base, and the soldiers flowing
-into it it's lifeblood.
+bare earth, thrown into it in a strange angle, only several paces from
+the army's convenience store. Their commander's offices, and the units
+stationed in the base, sat in a trio of rather small but quite modern
+buildings surrounding a paved cobblestone courtyard. It was very well
+kept and had lots of emblems and flags protruding from the upper floors,
+with a million passages to and from it -- as if it was the beating heart
+of the base, and the soldiers flowing into it its lifeblood.
 
 The base was, however,* ridiculously* small -- Adir could circle it
 leisurely in just under eight minutes. Also unlike Spring Buds -- which
@@ -919,6 +931,116 @@ barbed wire fence covered with thick opaque fabric to keep prying eyes
 away. It resembled, perhaps, an overly protective neighborhood school
 much more than a full blown, top secret army base.
 
-Yet an army base it was, and Adir would not soon forget it. He and his
-peers may have waltzed in from the city each morning, sure, but after
-coming in through the old-school guard post, it was army alright.
+Yet an army base it was, and the bastards would not let Adir soon forget
+it. He and his peers may have waltzed in from the city each morning,
+sure, but after coming in through the old-school guard post, it was army
+alright.
+
+Chapter II -- Rookie Adir Levin
+
+It wasn't a direct transition to the Academy. However glamorous Adir's
+station, he and those whom he would later study with must of course go
+through the standard ordeal of having their souls crushed by the army,
+so that the pulp can be remodeled.
+
+There are many special facilities to do so, and Adir had had the great
+privilege of enjoying one of the oldest and finest of them -- the Spring
+Buds Rookie base, in the desert 15km off the border.
+
+Adir adapted quickly, but it was a forced, animal adaptation, and he
+often didn't quite register what exactly was happening - and least of
+all why. He did figure it out at some point, which he remembers
+especially well.
+
+It was a fiercely cold night -- a cold Adir had yet to know,
+nonchalantly seeping into your bones and joints and draining you. Sharp,
+slanted rain smashed bitterly against the hard, worn fabric of the tent.
+Adir, in his arrogance had hardly come prepared and was shivering
+peacefully in his team's tent.
+
+Everyone else was getting ready to sleep, and Adir knew he had no point
+trying to rest himself before they all arrive and sat in idle misery,
+which rapidly became a familiar pastime of his. He so enjoyed it that he
+always hurried off and got ready much faster than everyone in order to
+*really* take it all in.
+
+His usual solitude was broken this time by Regev. Regev was a
+fascinating person -- he was quiet, but not of shyness like himself --
+but of silent, poigant sarcasm. Under the right circumstances, Regev
+could stun the entire brigade with a few words of wisdom, uttered
+clearly and without hesitations, unsullied by so much as a twitch of
+facial muscles to convey his deep and rich misgivings. The commanders
+despised him - even their own team's unengaged, apathic commanders
+coming to real fury with him. Naturally, the soldiers greatly admired
+him as a result.
+
+Adir was greatly in awe as well and so avoided him with great
+determination, and the extremely passive Regev made no real note of it.
+This time, however, as he slumped on his sleeping bag, he immediately
+turned to Adir.
+
+'You mark my words, Adir', he told him with his clear, ringing voice
+utterly devoid of emotion. 'Within three months or less, I will be a
+civilian'.
+
+Now, many proud fools make similar claims -- and Spring Buds is ripe
+ground for it. They come like flies to the mush of rotting vegetables
+behind the dining hall, and the military swats them accordingly.
+
+Adir had already heard dozens (that day!) make similar claims - but from
+a person such as Regev, however, it was worthy of consideration.
+
+"\...But, we've only been here a week!" he squeaked back.
+
+"A week too long, and I will not stand many more like it. I have made up
+my mind."
+
+Even in the dark, Adir could see Regev's severe face looking him
+straight in the eyes.
+
+"You mark my words -- should I still be in uniform 90 days from now, I
+am a stupid, spineless whoreson."
+
+"I mean, you could give it a try, sure, but 90 days - "
+
+"A s*tupid, spineless whoreson*."
+
+Adir let that sink for a bit in his feeble faculties.
+
+"What will you do outside?" he prompted eventually.
+
+"Whatever the hell I want", Regev shot back quickly.
+
+Adir was shaken to his core.
+
+"Should I still be your coursemate in 90 days," Adir replied
+respectfully after a time, "I will put you in your place as the stupid,
+spineless whoreson you are"
+
+Regev smiled widely, the first time Adir had ever seen him do so.
+"That's all I wanted to hear," he said, and quickly rolled up and fell
+asleep.
+
+The next month or so was supremely strange. Adir found himself woken up
+to a starry sky by hail smacking his face, or running for shelter from
+hostile mortars (which were 'thunder', according to Adir's commander,
+'But what does thunder have anything to do with it?' He asked her,
+stunned - 'None of your business, soldier' she'd replied), rolling over
+the sand dunes simulating combat ('It was great, but when you rolled
+just now, you were completely exposed, and you would've been shot, and
+killed', she'd told him then, 'but great otherwise'), and shooting on
+the range twice on each round ('I've never seen anyone without a
+dominant shooting hand in my life', the stunned Company Commander had
+said, 'Do it all over again until you figure it out'), and even going up
+on guard duty for thirty minutes at the middle of the night ('You have
+to get used to it,' said their Commander, to which Regev replied 'I
+won't, but you do you' and lost a weekend at home), and many other
+bizarre scenarios, forced on him at random, the consequences of which
+often registered many days later.
+
+Throughout all that madness, Regev's words rang often in Adir's fragile
+psyche.
+
+"What will you do?"
+
+"Whatever the hell I want".