Sunday, September 26, 2010
.:. KK .:.
I can't cut my bday cake...
We managed to surprise Sushan for her bday!!! Woohoo...thou technically her bday is in 3 days time. But still we did it ;p yay! Thou the outing didn't really last very long, settling for just a meal, but cos ryan has to pack for wallaby and Sushan has to study, we jus have to cut it short...for now. Continue to celebrate after her CA...next sat. Anyway its the thought that counts rite Sushan?
Revealed on [3:49 AM]
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Friday, September 24, 2010
.:. It hurts. .:.
Signals kena jammed...
Army has done it again. Once again army has resulted in me being left out of the loop, until the last minute. I really don't like this kind of feeling, I noe its done with good intentions, but still I wished I was there, if only I could be there, even if not physically at least mentally.
The feeling is like one signaller not receiving anything because his radio set got jammed by the enemy, and only till the end of mission then he found out that others were trying to comms him.
I want to be more...
Revealed on [7:54 AM]
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Sunday, September 19, 2010
.:. 15mins before bookin .:.
Sometimes things just dun go the way you plan in life. But you take the risk, and it happens. What can you do, but to go with the flow of it.
Fate brought this to my life, and fate made this happen. But I trust...
Revealed on [4:39 AM]
.:. Hellgate London .:.
Do you fight for honour or victory?
One positive thing that army has done to me is develop the passion for reading. With the small pockets of time inbetween activities in camp and nothing really much to fill it with, I've begun bringing in books to read. Novels, namely sci-fict books. So far I've been on Halo and Hellgate London series, cos its always good to start on familiar grounds right :)
I only recently started on the Hellgate London series, which is really interesting I must say. A combination of science plus fantasy theme. Here's the low-down on the storyline so far. Hellgate open up in London, releasing demons from another dimension into our world. What stands in their way is the Templar, a group since King Arthur's era, more commonly known through the fable of Arthur's knights of round table. They've prepared since ancient times, staying underground of London away from society, yet when the demons appeared, their efforts were futile. Their spells worked, blades sliced and armour witheld, but the demons overwhelmed them. In the end, in a last ditch event for survival, most of the Templars engaged the demons on a night known as Al Hallow's Eve, and they all gave their lives. Seeing the massacre, the demons no longer hunted them, leaving the remaining few to hide underground in an attempt to find ways to gain the upperhand.
In the middle of the plot is Simon Cross, a trained Templar. When he was young, he was trained by his dad, till he was a teenager, when he grew tired of all the "stories" his dad tells him, and ran away. Now that its happened, he has returned in search of his dad, thou hopes aren't much. And in the midst of this is a government organisation which aims to defeat the demons, yet not alias with the Templar.
So that's pretty much how the storylines gets from here. What I like about the storyline is how realistic it is, where the main character isn't almighty, filled with guilt and the good guys dun always win. Its amazing how in the midst of all the chaos, death and eminent end of the world, there's still chance for people to engage in politics and even bare to bring arms to one another. And another thing I find very applicable from the storyline, is how similar it is to our NS. Simon has been trained to fight the demons, yet because of the fact he disbelieved, he gave up and moved on. We guys now in NS, training in our various vocations, yet how many of us are really training, in preparation of war. I dare say next to 0, for how many of us have actually witnessed the brutality of war, apart from make belief movies.
That's basically how it is, a good read. And since I have abit of time (which I dun usually have), lets do some fiction writing for my own pleasure :). Note: all below are fiction and in no relation to the actual novel, I am meerly borrowing the content, credits to authors of the Hellgate London series.
Dave stood in the doorway, personally supervising the evacuation of the survivors from their underground stronghold. He was towering over the frail looking humans, covered in whatever rags they wore, his armour showing the signs of wear-and-tear from the past years of engagements to save the very survivors walking past him now. "Smile, you look no different than a demon to them now. They see you as their only hope, give it to them." Dave over his shoulder, seeing the reflection his face in the silver faceplate of his 2nd-in-command, Fuller. His own appearance gave him a shock, the years of pain, death and encounters all showed on his face. He looked haggard, almost too haggard. The smiles on the children's faces were not reciprocrated. He pulled a smile onto his face, bringing more among the survivors they've worked so hard to gathered.
The siren from the blinking red light had wiped the smile off his face. Standing in a thin skirmish line in the tunnel, the Templars stood steadily. Dave locked his helmet into place with a satisfying click, granting him night vision in the darkness. The small rectangle on his HUD showed that the evacuation was still in process, he only hoped it would be done soon. The first of the demons scouted through the corner, following behind an endless mass. Darkspawn, Stalkers, Blade minions littered the march. "On my mark...MARK!" Dave shouted, even though they were all linked by their comms. A wave of grenades slammed into the first wave, bursting into bluish Greek Fire that blazed upon the demons. Made of arcane energy, the grenadiers hold an almost infinite ammo count, and the Templars made good use of it. Darkspawn, the cannon fodder in the demon hierachy, screamed when lit. The fire bit through their hide, and into their flesh. But spurred by the "food source" before them, the Darkspawns pushed through. Some fell, only to trampled upon by their fiends. Ignoring the damage done by the blaze, demons continue pouring through. The skirmish line on both fronts extended and charged forward...
Covering ground was nothing with their augmented speed the palladium armour granted them. A darkspawn launched itself into the air at Dave. Calmness took over survival instincts, Dave aimed a forward kick at the minion, catching it in midair and them bringing it under his feet. On his command, anchors shot from his boots, biting into the gravel with a satisfying crunch of the demon's spine. Locked in place, Dave drew his broadsword with his master, as his green arcane energy blazed through the edges. A side swing slew a blade minion on his right, as he unholstered the spike bolter from his hip and fired at his left. Six palladium spikes bit into the face the Darkspawn, and a fellow Templar moved up to finish off. Dave shifted, as an energy bolt missed his shoulder by inches. Without breaking momentum, Dave recalled his anchors and charged, firing spikes into the hord. He parried with a blade minion, bipedals with blade sticking out from their elbows and knees. Unmatched, green arcane energy blazed as demon fells. A red arrow flashed on his HUD, and instinctively Dave reversed his sword and shoved it above his head, catching a Stalker in the chest. Almost looking human but on fours, with claws for fingers, Stalkers spread throughout the ceiling, attempting to cut off the Templars from above. Spikes dug into the gravel, as the Stalkers proved too fast for the Templars to track on the ground. "Mike, your call." Dave barely heard the crack through his enhanced audio. A palladium spike cut through the air, barely biting the Stalker's hide. Scratching at the spike, the explosive tip blew with arcane energy, dropping parts into the war below.
It was a war, a blood gulch. Snipers took out Stalkers on the ceiling, swords bit into demon flesh, but Templars fell too. "Armor integrity at eighty-three percent" the suit AI said in a most calm voice Dave ever heard. He backhanded the Darkspawn that tried to bite through his thigh. He surveyed his surroundings, assessing the situation. His defence line was spread out, but it held. Some of the older, and more skilled, Templars were ahead of the pact, lessening the burden of the fresh Templars that held the back. He looked at some of the suits that lie on the ground, not moving. They had given their life, so that more would live. He only hoped he could provide them later with a proper burial, after this battle Dave snapped back to reality. He noticed that the Templar suit that lie on the ground was shaking more, definitely not from the battle going on around it. He looked up, barely in time to see a Carnagor charging towards him. Size of an elephant, massive claws that could peel through palladium like paper, and a massive jaw with rows of bloodied teeth, a carnagor is not a killing machine, it can easily break though his ranks here.
Dave dived to his right, but his augmented reflexes barely saved him, as his left arm got caught in the charge, spinning Dave in midair. Luckily, he managed to land himself on both feet still, bearing the pain of the contact that almost through his arm from his shoulders. "Bones broken, administrating aid." spoke the AI. "Override safety measure!" Dave called out. If he were to survive, he needed all his assets and couldn't afford having his arm anesthetized. "Mike!" he shouted at the Templar battling a Stalker directly infront the charging beast. A seasoned Templar much older than Dave, Mike pivoted his arm on the carnagor's head and leap into the air, letting the Stalker disappear under the carnagor's feet. Plucking two grenades from his pocket, Mike released the tin cans into the roaring demon's mouth. Greek fire immediately filled the throat of the carnagor, burning from the inside. Stamping around a futile effort, the carnagor choked on the flames, dying a slow death. A rampaging beast still a threat, Dave fired the last of his spike bolter and ran towards it. Picking up a sword stuck askewed to the ground, Dave used the momentum to drop into a slide right under the carnagor. The two blades slit the legs of the carnagor, releasing blood that stained the already red gravel. Giving out a last cry, it fell, missing Dave by inches. Releasing the anchors, Mike dropped onto the fallen beast in triumph.
A green beeping light appeared on the HUD. "Evacuation complete." confirmed the AI. Finally Dave thought to himself. With all their comms linked, the Templars all received the cue and broke from their engagements, all speeding back into the tunnel. Unforgiving and hungry, the demons pursued, but the suit granted Templars speed greater than most demons. Those that tried to stop the Templar meerly fell under the sniper covering fire. Running past the evacuation gate, the Templars faced a small metal door. This was what held back the evacuation, but it was what Dave had put in place in case of a last stand. A narrow corridor meant superiority for the close combat Templars. One by one they entered, as fast as they could while the others provided covering fire outside. Dave made sure he was last, as he looked back at the battlefield, looking at the brothers and sisters he had no choice but to leave behind. He would give anything to risk his life to bring them with him, but they all gave their word that the survivors come first. With a heavy heart, he clicked the detonator and threw it to the demons. Laid around the tunnels, greek fire spilled out, engulfing everything in its path, demon and Templar in all.
A whole convey of ATVs, Templar's main mode of transport, surrounded dozens of trucks filled with survivors. The team of Templars, beaten and blackened armoured, received a rousing cheer from the people. Boarding the ATVs, they moved off. Dave loaded on a spike bolter , and grabbed onto a handle on the side of the leading ATV. The battle was done, but the war has yet to start. They still have a city filled with demons to cross. Like a siren to the demon patrols, the engines roared alive and they sped off into the open roads, holding onto whatever hopes they have...
Wow...this went alot longer than expected sia :)
Revealed on [1:55 AM]
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Saturday, September 18, 2010
.:. Hullo 00 .:.
Sending wrong signals? Learn how to setup the radio first then talk...
Begun my first week at stagmont camp, home of the signal institute. And I have to say there's alot of getting use to. The main and most drastic change I am facing now is having to study, YES u din read wrongly, study. Before one actually gets to handle all the fanciful radio equipment and lines, we have to learn the theory from the basics, and I really mean the basics. Like how waves are propagated, what affects them etc etc, i.e to say its pure physics. Which my friends around me would know isn't exactly my pet favourite subject. So a day could be spent entirely sitting infront of the computer, clicking away while trying to absorb all the theories and stuff, which up till now I am still having doubts about real field applications. But what can I say, i am still a SCT and its onli the first week, so lets not pass any judgement and carry on to see how la.
But for the record, its totally not slack at all, whoever says it is I will take the radio set n throw at u, and believe me the radio set is heavy :)
GOF outing on sat, meeting was at 10.30. When I saw the sms I already had my doubts, which was confirmed. But its not about what time they're there, its as long as they are there that matters to me :) Without sharon as a guide, ryan, ter, wendy and me went to serangoon gardens food centre for bfast 1st. Then met up with sushan for dessert at dessert bowl, which was a really nice cosy place to sit n chat, but too bad we have plans. Left wendy at paya lebar, remaining of us proceeded to bugis to shop! Mainly cos ryan want to re-get his shirt haha. But in the end he couldn't find it, sushan din find any nice shoes and no fkat hats for me to look at (so hard to find meh?). The rest of the time was left roaming around till we disbanded. Sounds kinda not very happening huh, but to me its always the company that counts. I dun need some some elaborate plan to fill the day, jus friends will do. Simple, easy and sweet, just the way I like outings to be :) Thou I know because of this sometimes there would be interjections of silent moments, which I dun mind either but dunnoe bout the rest la. Its like "silence...then we look at each other n smile" haha , guess that close we are ba :)
Revealed on [9:41 AM]
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Saturday, September 11, 2010
.:. 9 days .:.
Saliva makes you fat too.
That's the number of straight consecutive days that I got to sleep on my home bed. Needless to say its been maximum shiokness. So ya it's been an awesome week, resulting me having is sian feeling again of having to book in.
Met up with sharon on mon during her lunch break :) thks for sparing time for me. Ate QQ mian at park mall (my 1st or 2nd trip ever there), then we went to hunt for ryan's bday present. They say its usually hard to buy bday present for a guy, which is totally true, or maybe i'm just not detailed enuff to notice things ba.
Booked in on wed to Stagmont camp. Go in, pat bed and come out liao haha! My camp is surrounded by schools (PJC and chua chu kang sec) and HDB right infront of the entrance, which makes things alot more civilised and less feeling of confinement. But the sight of welcome with a bed covered with books isn't exactly appealing, but we shall see.
Fri was the long awaited sleepover at ryan's house :) last one we had was at my house during my bday thks to gof. So in the afternoon met up with sushan at her house bus stop and proceeded to taiseng mrt together. The movie, 1 2nd b4 <3,>
Leaving sushan, me and ryan went to meet up with ter n zy for lan, CoD. Kinda getting hang of the game , M16 is still my fav. Mid range auto weapon, excellent for urban warfare. I jus the feeling of covering corners not knowing where your enemy is, makes it more real. And I managed a 15 kill streak, was on seed-mode then haha :)
By 10.30, met sushan at marymount. Wendy arrived later, so we left sushan to accompany her while we went to get prata for supper. Tried to surprise ryan for his bday, but failed epicly. Sry I am not good at planning surprises, cos it involves too much spontaneous change of plans to sooth my nerve. Photo taking, sit n chat before going to ryan's room for HTHT session :) Somehow I jus luv to spend time at nite with friends, maybe cos I dun club so not much of such opportunities ba. Awesome time I dare say :)
Slowly 1 by 1 fell asleep, leaving me, ter n sushan. Still quite proud of my body stamina to stay awake at nite. In the end we all rested till bout 9am, bfast was pancake courtesy of ryan's dad. That's basically bout all there is for the sleepover. Not much, jus simple plans, simple people, great time.
Revealed on [11:39 PM]
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Sunday, September 5, 2010
.:. Footsteps .:.
Familiarity of the present
I've been here before,
is what I tell myself.
Yet now there's more to see,
beyond the still background.
By coincidence or fate,
thorugh chance or motives,
I know that we stood here,
once and forever.
Past and present,
blurred passer-bys change.
But the path we walked,
will always stay the same.
They say leave nothin but footprints,
remnants of our presence,
and what was left there,
is so much more.
The food we had,
furniture we sat on,
convos we shared,
were just of the few.
Its not about me or you,
nor me and her,
its the aftertaste,
the feeling that lingers.
Because of these,
places never seem the same,
ever again.
memories
Revealed on [5:33 PM]
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Saturday, September 4, 2010
.:. Army lottery .:.
Signals Institue has chosen me.
Not sure what to expect, but so far I hear from my friends its supposed to be slack, although much brain power is needed. And after that it depends on where i get sent to, combat or instructor or something else, hoping for the latter xD Friday, the last day in Mike coy. Did a very simple parade in the morn, then spend the rest of the day in bunk waiting for posting. It felt like A-levels results day, or even worst. The piece of paper willo determine our livelihood for the next 1.5yrs leh, no joke lo. All sit in bunk, scream "I DUN WAN ASLC!" haha. But in the end its still a matter of boh pian la, kena sent where means must go, suck thumb. During the announcement, it was like dunnoe wat la. People can start screaming, either in happiness or pain, strike lottery also dun hv like tat la. Or wat my OC would say "cry father cry mother" haha!
Sat went out with ryan,ter n sharon to play lan at paradise. Got to try Call of Duty, which I must say is the most realistic game I ever played. A stark contrast to Halo genre which I am so used to playing. Its quite cool thou to have seen an actual M16 and to use it in the game haha. Mostly in urban warfare, and without a radar to depend on, it really puts urban ops to the test. Must cross danger area with cover, swing rifle when covering corners and always aim when you shoot. Tink I am too use to using the radar on halo to determine my enemy's location liao, needed abit of adjustment to start learning tactical on coms. Another thing I find super realistic, and abit shock when I first encountered it, is the sniping. The reticle actuals wavers when you scope, which is very life-like unlike most games. No one can hold a rifle so steady until the reticle is perfectly on sight one. So ya that took away quite abit of my sniping skills in the game, thou I dare say I managed to scrap through the game just fine, matching below ter for a few rounds :)
For now, its time to fiddle with my itouch and to lepak till wed, woohoo!
Revealed on [9:13 PM]
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