Saturday, December 27, 2014

Reid Stories: Wool by Hugh Howey and Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 4.9

Here's a book trailer for Wool by Hugh Howey:



"Silo is a series of science fiction novellas, also available as a single novel, by American writer Hugh Howey.[1] Film rights to the story have been sold to 20th Century Fox;[2] director Ridley Scott and Steve Zaillian expressed interest in the film adaptation.[3][4]" - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy it: Wool

And here's the last Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Reid Stories: X-Men: Days of Future Past and Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 4.8

Here's a trailer for X-Men: Days of Future Past:



 "The X-Men are a fictional team of superheroes that appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The X-Men were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and were first published in 1963. They are among Marvel Comics' most popular and lucrative intellectual properties, appearing in numerous books, television shows, films, and video games." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy it: X-Men: Days of Future Past [Blu-ray]

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Reid Stories: DBZ Android 13 Fight and Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 4.7

Here's a clip from Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13! movie (spoilers):



 "Dragon Ball Z (ドラゴンボールZ(ゼット) Doragon Bōru Zetto?, commonly abbreviated as DBZ) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Toei Animation. Dragon Ball Z is the sequel to the Dragon Ball anime and adapts the last 325 chapters of the original 519-chapter Dragon Ball manga series created by Akira Toriyama, that were published from 1988 to 1995 in Weekly Shōnen Jump. Dragon Ball Z first aired in Japan from April 25, 1989 to January 31, 1996 on Fuji TV,[1] before being dubbed in several territories around the world, including the United States, Australia, Europe, India, and Latin America." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the complete series: Dragonball Z Complete Seasons 1-9 Box sets (9 Box Sets).

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Reid Stories: Neon Genesis Evangelion and Vecto Vengeance Chapter 4.6

Here's a trailer for Neon Genesis Evangelion:



"Neon Genesis Evangelion (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン Shin Seiki Evangerion?, literally "Gospel of a New Century"), commonly referred to as NGE, Evangelion or Eva, is a Japanese science-fantasy mecha dystopia genre animation series that first aired from October 1995 to March 1996. The 26 episode series was created by the anime studio Gainax and was both directed and written by Hideaki Anno. The original Japanese cast of the show includes the voice actors and singers Megumi Ogata as Shinji Ikari, Megumi Hayashibara as Rei Ayanami, and Yūko Miyamura as Asuka Soryu. The music was composed by Shirō Sagisu and would top the Oricon charts upon release; the theme song continues to receive recognition for its lasting impact in the decades after its release. The Evangelion franchise also includes a movie tetralogy called Rebuild of Evangelion, as well as several other spin-off anime, manga and video game series." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the series: Neon Genesis Evangelion: Perfect Collection.

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

(Previously: As Leroy and Vecto battle, Leroy tells Vecto that he didn't fight Morphaal because if he left the area, he would lose his power.)

Vecto continued his rampage, firing at Leroy as he flew past the blasts. "There's no bailing out of this one, Leroy." Vecto rapidly fired at him, locking on to him. Leroy spun around and came at Vecto head on. He dodged Vecto's blasts and pounded Vecto's chest. He pounded again as Vecto's shields vibrated. Then he pressed with his other hand and started to phase his fingers through his shields. Vecto swung with his arm at Leroy but was stopped by energy blocking the side of Leroy's head. Vecto quickly expanded his exterior shield and encompassed Leroy between his two outer shields, suspending his body in between.

"It will only take time before my shields devour the carbon from your body," Vecto said.

"Ain't you curious--how I slipped through ya shields?" Leroy asked.

"I don't care at this point," Vecto said. "My only concern is to find Morphaal and kill him. So you're going to tell me where Zendora is!"

"Well I'll be a monkey's uncle. So Morphaal knows the road to Zendora, you say?" Leroy exclaimed inside Vecto's shield as his tough skin barely flaked. "Doesn't bode well."

"And yet you won't help me take him down, coward!" Vecto said.

"How many times I gotta tell ya? I cain't leave these parts, boy," Leroy said. "I put my energy, my life force, my chi, into this here land. And only when I'm around here can I use my power."

"That's improbable," Vecto said.

"Ya got a lot t' learn, my boy," Leroy said. He focused his chi energy in the air on the other side of Vecto's shield and the energy began to destabilize his Force Field Shield. Soon, Leroy was able to slip through it, exiting the bubble he was in.

Vecto was baffled, trying to analyze the technique.

"Good ole chi is life, an' carbon builds that life," Leroy explained, tipping his straw hat and noticing that Vecto's shields had eaten part of it. "Ya shield's alive and sucks carbon to live. But there's two sides of chi: good and bad. That pain ya feel when I strike means ya shields are growin' negative, you hear?"

"So how'd you pass through the shield?" Vecto asked, amused by his explanation.

"By forcin' a balanced chi level against your shield's, neutralizin' it," Leroy continued. "Like I said, my life's around me."

"It is quite difficult to believe you," Vecto said. "My shields are impregnable!"

"Or so ya think," Leroy hovered above him.

(As the match nears a finish, who will be victorious? Find out more in the next installment of Vecto: Vengeance!)

(You can buy my Vecto: Vengeance light novel on Amazon here: Vecto: Vengeance.)

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Reid Stories: Xenoblade Chronicles and Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 4.5

Here's a scene from Xenoblade Chonicles, my favorite video game (spoilers):



"Xenoblade Chronicles, known in Japan as Xenoblade (ゼノブレイド Zenobureido?), is a science fiction role-playing video game developed by Monolith Soft and published by Nintendo for the Wii console. The game was announced during E3 2009 under its original title Monado: Beginning of the World. It was later renamed Xenoblade in January 2010 to honor Tetsuya Takahashi, the director of the game that had also directed all prior games in the Xeno series." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the game: XenoBlade Chronicles [RP].

And here's my Vecto Vengeance scene of the week:

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Reid Stories: Sin & Punishment Game and Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 4.4

Here's a review of an awesome shooter game for the Nintendo Wii called Sin & Punishment: Star Successor:



"Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, released in Europe as Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies, and in Japan as Sin and Punishment: Sora no Kōkeisha (罪と罰 ~宇宙(そら)後継者(こうけいしゃ) Tsumi to Batsu: Sora no Kōkeisha?, lit. "Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Universe") is a 2009 rail shooter video game developed by Treasure and published by Nintendo. It is the sequel to the Nintendo 64 video game Sin and Punishment." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy it: Sin and Punishment: Star Successor - Nintendo Wii.

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Vecto: Vengeance is published! Get the scoop on how I got my start.

Front cover proof.
My Vecto: Vengeance book has finally been released! It was officially released as an ebook on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, and is available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, and other online retail websites. The print edition is coming soon.

It was edited by Paul Witcover, who has worked with Tor, Del Rey, Tokyopop, and DC Comics. Also, it has been described as the first original English language light novel published by an American company. It's published by Vic's Lab, LLC, a startup company that want's to start a community of sci-fi/fantasy fans who like superheroes, anime, etc.

I'm already working on Book 2, so hopefully if the first book does well, I can get the second one published.

Ever wonder how I started to write and how I found Wattpad? Here's my story:

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Reid Stories: Sonic Movie Scene Plus Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 4.3

Here's a scene from Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie:



"Sonic the Hedgehog refers to the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series released by Sega, and starring its eponymous mascot, the video game character Sonic the Hedgehog. The video game series is the primary product in a multimedia franchise, including products in a wide range of media." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the Sonic CD game for Android phones: Sonic CD.

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Reid Stories: Xenosaga Trilogy plus Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 4.2

The Xenosaga video games for the PlayStation 2 are spiritual prequels to Xenogears. Here's a fan-made trailer of the three Xenosaga video games for the PlayStation 2:



"Xenosaga (ゼノサーガ Zenosāga?) is a series of science fiction video games developed by Monolith Soft and published by Namco Bandai. Xenosaga's main story is in the form of a trilogy of PlayStation 2 video games. There have been three spin-off games and an anime adaptation. The Xenosaga series serves as a spiritual successor to the game Xenogears, which was released in 1998 for the PlayStation by Square. The creator of both Xenogears and Xenosaga is Tetsuya Takahashi, who left Square in 1998 along with Hirohide Sugiura. Using funds from Namco, they started MonolithSoft and the Xenosaga project." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the first game of the trilogy: Xenosaga - PlayStation 2.

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Reid Stories: Gunstar Heroes and Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 4.1

One of my favorite gems for the Sega Genesis video game console is Gunstar Heroes. Here's a gameplay trailer:



"Gunstar Heroes (ガンスターヒーローズ Gansutā Hīrōzu?) is a run and gun video game developed by Treasure and published by Sega. Treasure's debut game was originally released on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in late 1993, and later on, ported to the Game Gear by M2. On February 23, 2006, Gunstar Heroes was released as part of the Gunstar Heroes: Treasure Box Collection for the PlayStation 2. It is also available on the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console. In 2009 it was released on June 10 for Xbox Live Arcade and June 11 for PlayStation Network.[1]" - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy it: Gunstar Heroes - Sega Genesis.

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Reid Stories: CheatNotes Summary of Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 3

Here's the CheatNotes summary version of chapter three of my Vecto: Vengeance story:

VECTO book cover by Rafael Fitzgerald
Crysilis and Streamline search for Vecto at two o'clock in the morning on the roof where his last transmission came from. Streamline finds a misspelled note from Chais that says that Vecto is being held ransom for 3,000 credits. It contains an embedded a chip sensor that activate a holographic Nexus screen. A saved video clip played a news broadcast of police looking for Streamline for allegedly attempting to rob Greenback World Bank. He is described as a 6 feet 8 inches tall, 38-year-old male Diamese knight wearing brown full body armor and alludes to him destroying a hovercopter.

An updated story appears, which reveals that members the Alpha Squad killed the SS6 Formation. Vecto Botland is described a robot who leads the group and was once part of the old Alpha Squad of 14 years ago--a group that saved Acaterra from Morphaal, a 9-foot-tall cyborg. Streamline is identified as a member who was at the scene of the deaths. Both are classified as fallen heroes who are extremely dangerous. Crysilis wasn't mentioned.

As Streamline worries about being a wanted man and finding his rifle, Crysilis figures that Vecto willingly went with the thief and shut off communication because he either didn't want him and Streamline to follow him or didn't want the Acaterran government to intercept the signal. One of Vecto's orbs brings Streamline's Omega Blaster and Crysilis asks the device where Vecto is. It tells Crysilis that Vecto is 14 miles away, traveling west, which is where an abandoned airshaft is.

***

During their travels, Vecto tells Chais that Earth used to have forests, oceans, and mountains, which Chais compares to Zendora. Vecto explains that although parts of Acaterra have that, old Earth's surface is scorched, the oceans are desiccated, and the gravity is overbearing. He says that Earth is inhabited by Nagorians, a ninja clan that uses Zero Point Energy to survive. Vecto's former teammate, Shadow, is part of the clan. He explains Zero Point Energy as the fundamental energy source that powers everyday technology and is used in weapons such as his Blaster 3,000. It exists everywhere, is the absence of matter, and can be subtracted from its dimension for use.

Vecto tells him that he is from Planet Cubix, Icon System 532, in Parallel Universe Geom. Parallel universes are described as massive planes of space other than the Central Universe they are in. The Dinishmen were the first to discover the existence of these planes and originally considered them as dimensions. In addition to this universe, there are seven universes known to man rotating around it. The void space between the Central Universe and parallel universes is called the innerverse, and beyond that is the outerverse. They comprise of the omniverse, about 253 teraparsecs in diameter.

Vecto describes Dinishmen as a genetically altered race of people who live on Cubix and are known for their intelligence and inventions. They are three feet tall, and Vecto was created by a Dinishmen named Vic. Upon more questioning from Chais, Vecto says that a telekinetic race of blue humanoids called Asterites were instrumental in Acaterra's construction--which consisted of asteroids from the main belt; dwarf planets Ceres, Pluto, and Eris; several planetary satellites, and the Trojan asteroid belt--lured by a massive gravity well. They are guardians of the Gateway, which is a portal of time. Chais tells Vecto that he tried to get in the SS6 but couldn't so he makes a living through the black market. Vecto snatches a coin-sized disc that Chais had and warns him that it's not a toy.

Meanwhile, in one of the dilapidated buildings, an assassin named Axe fired a sniper rifle that was aimed at Vecto's Flummox Capacitor orb that was visible from a slit in his chest. The sniper, who had a mechanical right eye and was clad in black, was 98 yards away on the forth floor. Vecto fired a charged zero point energy blast at the sniper. Axe took cover, slid on a mask, and activated a heat-signature masking device. Realizing that Vecto had a shield, Axe fired different bullets that released gases in the air that ignited, creating miniature fireworks around Vecto.

It didn't work, so Axe fired a rocket launcher at Chais. Vecto enveloped Chais within his sheild to protect him, but it suffocated Chais and caused his skin to flake off his hand. Vecto contracted the shield and shot a missile from his gun's main teleportation disc. Axe used a flare, then shot Vecto with a bullet that fazed through Vecto's shield and blew up. Veto had multiple shields, however. Axe then aimed a nuclear warhead missile at him. Vecto fired a small Foot Missile from a compartment in his foot that tossed in the air almost drunklike. Axe scanned it to discover that its explosive content was a thousand pounds and jumped out the building.

The assassin threw an orb the surface, which expanded into an illuminating purple foam. Although Axe landed on it and used an arm-attached umbrella shield, part of the roof crushed Axe's legs. Chais points his sword at the assassin and removes Axe's mask to reveal a female with brown, silky skin and her hair straightened and tied in the back. She gives her name as Accura and tells Chais that Vecto killed the entire SS6 Formation elites and she was hired to take him out. Chais is taken aback by this news since he could have been in the SS6 and died. He tells Vecto to find his own way to Leroy and tries to free Accura from the metal piece on her legs. Although Vecto figures she was likely hired by the Acatarran government, he removes the metal and leaves, wondering why Chais wanted to help the enemy.

(You can buy my Vecto: Vengeance light novel on Amazon here: Vecto: Vengeance.)

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Reid Stories: Trigun Death Scene and Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 3.7

Here's a scene from Trigun (spoilers):



"Trigun (トライガン Toraigan?) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yasuhiro Nightow. The manga was serialized in Tokuma Shoten's Shōnen Captain in 1996 with a total of 3 collected volumes when the magazine was discontinued in in 1997. The series continued in Shōnen Gahosha's Young King Ours magazine, under the title Trigun Maximum (トライガンマキシマム Toraigan Makishimamu?), where it remained until finishing in 2008." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the series: Trigun: Complete Series Box Set (Classic).

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Reid Stories: Outlaw Star Fight Scene and Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 3.6

Here's a fight scene from Outlaw Star:



"Outlaw Star (星方武侠アウトロースター Seihō Bukyō Autorō Sutā?, lit. "Outlaw Star: Starward Warrior Knight") is a seinen manga series written and illustrated by Takehiko Itō and his affiliated Morning Star Studio. The series takes place in the "Toward Stars Era" universe in which spacecraft are capable of traveling faster than the speed of light. The plot follows protagonist Gene Starwind and his motley crew of an inherited ship dubbed the "Outlaw Star," as they search for a legendary, outer space treasure trove called the "Galactic Leyline." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the series: Outlaw Star: Complete Collection.

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Reid Stories: Gundam Wing and Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 3.5

When I was in high school, my friends and I watched Gundam Wing and each picked a character to represent us. The character I was left with was Quatre. My favorite in the series is the movie Endless Waltz. Here's a trailer of it:



"Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, known in Japan as New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz (新機動戦記ガンダムW: ENDLESS WALTZ Shin Kidō Senki Gandamu Uingu: Endoresu Warutsu?), is the sequel to Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, both of which are set in the 'After Colony' timeline, an alternate universe to that of the original Mobile Suit Gundam series. Aside from being a continuation to the Gundam Wing TV series, it also reveals details regarding the pasts of the five Gundam pilots and the true objective behind 'Operation Meteor.'[1]" - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy it: Gundam Wing the Movie - Endless Waltz (Special Edition).

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Reid Stories: I, Robot Trailer and Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 3.4

Below is a trailer for the I, Robot movie. It's based on the theme of Isaac Asimov's stories of the same name.



"I, Robot is a collection of nine science fiction short stories by Isaac Asimov, first published by Gnome Press in 1950 in an edition of 5,000 copies. The stories originally appeared in the American magazines Super Science Stories and Astounding Science Fiction between 1940 and 1950. The stories are woven together as Dr. Susan Calvin tells them to a reporter (the narrator) in the 21st century. Though the stories can be read separately, they share a theme of the interaction of humans, robots, and morality, and when combined they tell a larger story of Asimov's fictional history of robotics." - Wikipedia

Here is where you can find the movie: I, Robot (Widescreen Edition).

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Reid Stories: Chrono Trigger Intro and Vecto: Vengeance Chapter 3.3

Below is the original preview of Chrono Trigger video game for the Super Nintendo that's played if you sit at the start screen. I thought about showing the animated version that was made for the PlayStation release but wanted to go old-school. This is one of my favorite games.



"Chrono Trigger (Japanese: クロノ・トリガー Hepburn: Kurono Torigā?) is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. Chrono Trigger's development team included three designers that Square dubbed the "Dream Team": Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Square's Final Fantasy series; Yuji Horii, a freelance designer and creator of Enix's popular Dragon Quest series; and Akira Toriyama, a freelance manga artist famed for his work with Dragon Quest and Dragon Ball. Kazuhiko Aoki produced the game,[6] Masato Kato wrote most of the plot, while composer Yasunori Mitsuda scored most of the game before falling ill and deferring remaining tracks to Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu.[4][7] The game's story follows a group of adventurers who travel through time to prevent a global catastrophe." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the most recent version for the Nintendo DS: Chrono Trigger.

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Reid Stories: Cyborg 009 Trailer and Vecto: Vengeance - Chapter 3.2

If you like cyborgs, check out this trailer to the anime version of Cyborg 009:



"Cyborg 009 (サイボーグゼロゼロナイン Saibōgu Zero-Zero-Nain?) is a manga created by Shotaro Ishinomori. It was serialized in many different magazines, including Monthly Shōnen King, Weekly Shōnen Magazine, Shōnen Big Comic, COM, Shōjo Comic, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, Monthly Shōnen Jump and Monthly Comic Nora in Japan. The first two arcs of the manga were published in English by Tokyopop with all the sound effects left out untranslated; as of 2006 it is out of print. However, in 2012, comiXology acquired the digital distribution rights to Shotaro Ishinomori's catalogue.[1]"

Here's where you can buy the eight episodes of the 2003 anime version: Cyborg 009 - Uncut and Unedited.

And here's my Vecto: Vengeance scene of the week:

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Reid Stories: Mystery Science Theatre 3000 Clips Plus VECTO Chapter 3.1

Here are some clips from Mystery Science Theater 3000, a show I used to watch:



"Mystery Science Theater 3000, often abbreviated MST3K, is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc. The show premiered on KTMA in Minneapolis, Minnesota on November 24, 1988. It later aired on The Comedy Channel/Comedy Central for another six seasons until its cancellation in 1997. The show was then picked up by Syfy (then known as The Sci-Fi Channel) and aired for another three seasons until its final cancellation in August 1999." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy a collection of movies that appeared on the show: The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection - The Essentials (Manos, the Hands of Fate / Santa Claus Conquers the Martians).

And here's my VECTO scene of the week:

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Reid Stories: CheatNotes Summary of VECTO Chapter 2

VECTO book cover by Rafael Fitzgerald
Here's the CheatNotes summary version of chapter two of my VECTO story:

Vecto justifies killing the SS6 soldiers because of their affiliation with Sable, who Vecto knew resurrected Morphaal. He reviews memory data of the first time he met Gyro on Gyro's home planet, Hodos, when Vecto joined the Magnatronian War 21 years ago in 3005, the same year he was created. Gyro--a Magnatronian whose race conquered Magus, Iados, and Hodos--despised Acaterrian robots and stabbed Vecto in his shielded head after saying they will never bow to the Terrans, but Vecto was not afraid. Over the years, Gyro's hatred for robots didn't apply to him perhaps because Vecto was not an Acaterrian robot but created by a Dinishman, an ally of the Magnatronians during the war.

Vecto bumps into someone in the business sector of Acaterra, or New Earth, and Crysilis thinks it's odd that a robot can daydream. They are surrounded by a crowd of people, tall buildings with slanted solar roofs, domes, and wind tunnels. Many of the buildings are linked together with bridges. Crysilis, who sticks out with a blue and black metallic body, tells Vecto he doesn't have to keep his human disguise, but Vecto reminds him that genetic beings and robots are shunned from the planet. Even though there are many Acaterrian robots, they serve humans. Crysilis points out that his emotions make him unique, but Vecto dismisses it as only mimicking. Crysilis says that his programming seems off since Gyro died and suggests that Azmeck take at look at him. Vecto dismisses the offer, but Crysilis reminds Vecto that he's probably on Acaterra's most-wanted list after what happened at the police headquarters and that Vecto has put the team in jeopardy by killing the SS6.

Streamline is leaning on a rail curving around the campuslike space between buildings. There are no roads because the hover vehicles drive above them. He realizes that someone stole his Omega Blaster, a prized possession. Vecto and Crysilis search for the thief, and Vecto, while levitating in the air, scans the crowd with his shield (which he sees with) and finds the gun's nozzle sticking out from the trench coat of the guy Vecto bumped into. Vecto patches a comlink to him and Crysilis and describes the thief as a 5-10, Caucasian male around 17 with brown hair and wearing a black trench coat. Streamline runs after the kid, who then puts on a mask with a slit for his eyes.

The kid runs into a building and blends in with the crowd. To find him, Streamline shoots in the air with his Turbo Blaster and tells everyone to get down. The thief runs up some stairs but Streamline uses his jet pack to meet him at the balcony and throws him into a handrail. The thief slings a wire from his coat around Streamlines gun and arm which latches to the rail. Although Streamline pulls out his Disrupter pistol with his other hand, he doesn't shoot the fleeing kid.

***

The thief blends in with a crowd on one of the enclosed bridges that connected buildings. He notices New Earth police cars barricading the front entrance but is startled when Crysilis appears behind him and asks for Streamline's gun back. The kid acts like he is returning it but shoots a hole in the glass and flips though it before it automatically seals. He shoots a hook to the nearby building and swings to it. Now on a ledge, he gets dizzy. The police spot him and ask him to surrender. Instead, the kid blasts a window and enters the building as they shoot at him. A police hovercopter shoots a missile at him but the thief throws a device to it which redirects its path back to the hovercopter. With the hovercopter destroyed, he goes up an elevator that stops. He blasts a hole in the roof of the elevator with the stolen Omega Blaster and climbs the shaft with adhering gloves since there were no cables.

At the top, he extends a sword from a small black blade, stabs it between the two doors and opens it using side blades that flip out. He is met by Crysilis on the rooftop and tosses a purple smoke bomb at Crysilis that makes a cocoon over his body. Vecto arrives but the thief falls backward off the building and lands on a hover vehicle, then jumps on a transport truck. Vecto transports his Arc Velos XT vehicle, nicknamed "V-Extreme," to the scene and goes after the thief. The silver vehicle is shaped like a halved spade, has a curved glasslike frame that slides forward like a jet's, has a self-sustaining magnetic propulsive engine, has three underbelly spherical wheels, and uses antigravity systems. Vecto is reminded of the time he raced Gyro, who rode a motorcycle, and the time they chased a thief together.

***

The sun is setting as Vecto fires at the thief but strikes the autopiloted, holographic, ad-laden truck he's on. The kid shoots a wire at the V-Extreme and hangs from it. As he climbs it, the vehicle's thrusters melt the wire, and the kid drops the Blaster Omega. Using the sword from earlier, he detached the blade, which was connected to the handle by a small-but-lengthy chain, and strikes it into Vecto's thrusters. After hitting a switch on the handle, the vehicle explodes.

The thief lands on a sloped, solar-paneled roof. Vecto crashes to the roof and deactivates his human image to reveal floating weaponry. The weapons dropped to the surface to show a floating orb accompanied by a small slab of graphite that was disintegrating in the shield. Vecto transports body pieces to form the shape of an 8-foot-tall humanoid robot with floating parts, then forms a tip from the graphite and points it at the thief's eye. The kid lies about why he needed the gun, and Vecto removes the thief's mask to reveal a well-shaven face, black hair that slicks back, and purple eyes. The kid attacks Vecto with his blade, but it does nothing. Vecto knocks the sword away and pounds the nozzle of his Blaster 3,000 gun in his chest, sending him crashing through the slanted solar panel.

Vecto contacts Crysilis and transports three orbs to look for the rifle. Crysilis and Streamline are being chased by police. It turns out that the thief is hanging on a string from the roof and swings back up. He attacks Vecto and takes his Alpha Deta Flint. Vecto warns him that it is a nuclear weapon that would destroy anyone in its radius of 5.25 miles. The thief grabs a chain gun instead, but Vecto strikes a conversation with him. The thief wouldn't give his name so Vecto calls him Chase, which the kid misspells as "Chais" and likes because it sounds like "Chance," one of the greatest fighters on Zendora. Vecto is surprised by the mentioning of Zendora and offers to trade his weapons for the location of the planet. Chais tells him he stowawayed on a ship leaving the planet and can't return but said that a Zarlero master named Leroy Johnson might know where Zendora is. He said that Leroy refused to train him and lives at a farm 30 miles away to the west--past an abandoned factory site. Vecto recognizes the name Leroy Johnson as a traitor, and Chais offers to lead the way to him.

(Oct. 23, 2014, update: You can buy my Vecto: Vengeance light novel on Amazon here: Vecto: Vengeance.)

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Reid Stories: Metroid Scene Plus VECTO Chapter 2.9

Here's a scene from Metroid: Other M, which recaps the ending of Super Metroid:



"Metroid (メトロイド Metoroido?) is a series of science fiction action-adventure video games by Nintendo. It chronicles the missions of space-faring bounty hunter Samus Aran who protects the galaxy from the depredations of the Space Pirates and their attempts to harness the power of the eponymous Metroids. Metroid combines the platforming of Super Mario Bros. and the exploration aspect of The Legend of Zelda with a decidedly darker atmosphere and a greater emphasis on nonlinear gameplay." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the Metroid Prime Trilogy, which is better than Metroid: Other M: Metroid Prime Trilogy.

And here's my VECTO scene of the week:

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Reid Stories: Batman vs. Superman and VECTO Chapter 2.8

Here's a fight between Superman and Batman in The Dark Knight Returns animation:



 "The Dark Knight Returns is a 1986 four-issue comic book miniseries starring Batman, written by Frank Miller, illustrated by Miller and Klaus Janson, and published by DC Comics. When the series was collected into a single volume later that year, the story title for the first issue was applied to the entire series. The Dark Knight Returns tells the story of Bruce Wayne, who at 55 years old returns from retirement to fight crime and faces opposition from the Gotham City police force and the United States government." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy it: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Deluxe Edition) [Blu-ray].

And here's my VECTO scene of the week:

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Reid Stories: Firefly Airlock Scene and VECTO Chapter 2.7

Here's an airlock scene from Firefly:



"Firefly is an American space western drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as an executive producer, along with Tim Minear. The series is set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a "Firefly-class" spaceship. The ensemble cast portrays the nine characters who live on Serenity. Whedon pitched the show as "nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things".[1]" - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the complete series: Firefly: The Complete Series [Blu-ray].

And here's my VECTO scene of the week:

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Reid Stories: Transformers Chase Scene Plus VECTO Chapter 2.6

Here's a cool chase scene from Transformers: Dark of the Moon:



"Transformers (トランスフォーマー Toransufōmā?) is an entertainment franchise co-produced between the Japanese Takara Tomy and American Hasbro toy companies. Initially developed as a brand by Hasbro and made up of renamed, rebranded transforming toys from Takara's Diaclone and Microman toylines,[1] the franchise began in 1984 with the Transformers toy line, and centers on factions of transforming alien robots (often the Autobots and the Decepticons) in an endless struggle for dominance or eventual peace. In its decades-long history, the franchise has expanded to encompass comic books, animation, video games and films." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the animated series: Transformers: The Complete Series.

And here's my VECTO scene of the week:

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Reid Stories: Back to the Future Clip and VECTO Chapter 2.5

Here's a scene from Back to the Future:



"The Back to the Future franchise is an American science-fiction adventure comedy film series written and directed by Robert Zemeckis, produced by Bob Gale and Neil Canton for Amblin Entertainment, and distributed by Universal Pictures. The main plot follow the adventures of a high school student, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), and an eccentric scientist, Dr. Emmett L. Brown (Christopher Lloyd), as they use a DeLorean time machine to time travel to different periods in the history of Hill Valley, California." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can find the trilogy: Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy [Blu-ray].

And here's my VECTO scene of the week:

Friday, August 15, 2014

Wattpad Tournament Entry: Semifinals: Vecto vs. Nixon

The semifinals are here for the Ultra Hyper Hero Battle Mark I on Wattpad that my character Vecto is in, and Vecto has already won. In this battle, Vecto faces Nixon from the story Hadis by ViktoriaRay. You can see the rules by clicking on the first link, so I won't go over them.

ViktoriaRay was busy this week and didn't have time to write her story, so Vecto wins by default and moves on to the finals. I'm predicting the final battle will be between Vecto and Sigma from Sigma/Star by Nick Uskoski, who organized the tournament. Here is the tournament lineup: http://challonge.com/UHHBM1.

Let the match begin!

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Robin Williams and Science Fiction: From Mork to Bicentennial Man

You've likely heard about comedian/actor Robin Williams' unfortunate death. Like many people, I enjoy watching his movies and shows and was shocked to hear about his death. In honor of his life, I'd like to highlight his contribution to the science fiction community since that's where he got his big start in showbiz.
Robin Williams and Pam Dawber as Mork and Mindy (Wikipedia)

Williams had his break into popularity when he played the alien Mork in Happy Days. The character was so successful that he got his own show called Mork and Mindy. He also hosted the TV movie E.T. and Friends: Magical Movie Visitors (1982) and played as Professor Philip Brainard in Flubber (1997). In addition, he showcased some of his comedic talents as the voice of Fender in the animated movie Robots (2005). But he's also played more serious roles. Although his role as the voice of the hologram Dr. Know from A.I. - Artificial Intelligence (2001) may be a stretch, he played in a serious role as Alan Hakman in The Final Cut (2004).

The movie I want to share a scene from is Bicentennial Man (1999), where he played as an android named Andrew that tries to become human. The film is "based on the novel The Positronic Man, co-written by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg, which is itself based on Asimov's original novella titled The Bicentennial Man." (Wikipedia) Here is a scene from the movie (spoilers):



In memory of Robin Williams, here is a quote from his Andrew character: "I try to make sense of things. Which is why, I guess, I believe in destiny. There must be a reason that I am as I am. There must be."

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Reid Stories: Robotech Fight Scene and VECTO Chapter 2.4

Here's fight scene from Robotech, my favorite animated show:



"Robotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985. It was adapted from three original Japanese television series.[1] In the series, Robotechnology refers to the scientific advances discovered in an alien starship that crashed on a South Pacific island.[2] With this technology, Earth developed robotic technologies, such as transformable mecha, to fight three successive extraterrestrial invasions.[3]" - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the episodes: Robotech: The Complete Set.

And here's my VECTO scene of the week:

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Wattpad Tournament Entry: Round 1: Vecto vs. Reiji

My character Vecto is participating in a fighting tournament on Wattpad called Ultra Hyper Hero Battle Mark I. It's organized by Nick Uskoski (author of Sigma/Star). Vecto will battle characters from other writers in a fight to the death (or destruction) in a virtual reality setting.

The rules are that I will write fight scenes with Vecto losing while my opponents will write separate fight scenes with my character winning. The audience will then have two days to vote for the winner after each round. The character who wins will move on to the next round (not the author). This means that in order for Vecto to advance, you need to vote for the fight scenes (on Wattpad) created by my opponents! You can always comment on my fight scenes (please do) without it affecting the results. After the tournament is over, you are welcome to vote for my fight scenes if you like them.

The first character Vecto that fights is Reiji from Brooding Guy, Quite Girl created by TheBloodEdge. Click here to read his story and vote for it (you will need a Wattpad account to vote). You can read my story here or just read below for the whole story.

Here is the tournament lineup: http://challonge.com/UHHBM1.

Below is my story. Admittedly, it was difficult to write because I wrote it in Reiji’s point of view, a character I just recently read about. "First person" isn’t my favorite, either, but I wanted to capture the feel of his story.

Remember: Vote for Vengeance, Vote for Vecto! But really, revenge is bad ....

Let the tournament begin!

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Reid Stories: Cowboy Bebop Scene and VECTO Chapter 2.3

Here's a fight scene from Cowboy Bebop:



"Cowboy Bebop (カウボーイビバップ Kaubōi Bibappu?) is a 1998 Japanese anime series developed by Sunrise. It featured a production team led by director Shinichirō Watanabe, screenwriter Keiko Nobumoto, character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto, mechanical designer Kimitoshi Yamane, and composer Yoko Kanno. The twenty-six episodes (sessions) of the series are set in the year 2071. It follows the adventures, misadventures and tragedies of a bounty hunter crew travelling on the Bebop, their starship. Cowboy Bebop explores philosophical concepts including existentialism, existential ennui, loneliness, and the past's influence.[1]" - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the series: Cowboy Bebop Remix: The Complete Collection (Anime Legends).

And here's my VECTO scene of the week:

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Exclusive: Vecto Light Novel Will Be Published

Great news! My Vecto story will be published by Vic's Lab, LLC, a start-up company focusing on young adult science fiction and original English light novels. On top of that, I have one of the best editors for the job. He's worked at Del Rey, Tor, Tokyopop, and DC Comics and has been nominated for a Nebula award for one of his books. More information will be released closer to publication, which is expected in November.

Since my Vecto story carries inspiration from anime and superheroes, it's awesome to have an editor who has worked in these areas. The working title to my book has been changed to Vecto Vengeance, so the cover will likely change.

Also, free copies of the draft version of the book are available for on VicsLab.com for a limited time to registered users of VicsLab.com. The idea is to get reader feedback through the editing process as well as build a community of people who like similar things. I can still continue to release the draft of my story in bits on this website and Wattpad, but I may have to take the story down before it's published.

Right now, the site is fairly empty, but hopefully that will change. The site is still in its early stages (alpha or beta), but it has potential. It's open to free registrations via social media. You can sign up without a social media account if you have an invite code. I have some that I can give out, so contact me for them.

The site doesn't say if it is accepting submissions, but if you write similar stuff, I'm sure you can ask via the site contact form.

(Oct. 23, 2014, update: You can buy my Vecto: Vengeance light novel on Amazon here: Vecto: Vengeance.)

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Reid Stories: Iron Man Drone Fight and VECTO Chapter 2.2

Here's the drone fight scene from Iron Man 2:



"Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. He made his first appearance in Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963)." - Wikipedia

Here's where you can find the first movie: Iron Man.

And here's my VECTO scene of the week:

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Reid Stories: Avengers Fight Scene and VECTO Chapter 2.1

Here is a scene from the Avengers movie:



"The Avengers is a team of superheroes, appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 (Sept. 1963), created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, following the trend of super-hero teams after the success of DC Comics' Justice League of America.[1]" - Wikipedia

Here's where you can buy the digital movie: Marvel's The Avengers.

And here's my VECTO scene of the week:

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Reid Stories: CheatNotes Summary of VECTO Chapter 1

VECTO book cover by Rafael Fitzgerald
Here's the CheatNotes summary version of chapter one of my VECTO story:

Botland stands at the center of a dark hallway and cuts through a monochrome metallic door using a laser from his finger. He has a red powersuit with a black stripe down the sides and is the leader of two others. One is Crysilis, a fully clad cybernetic-armored entity who has a blockish helmet with a light-blue visor and transmitters that can retreat into the helmet. He has no visible weapon. The other is Streamline, a fully-armored ex-commander who has medals and insignias on his battle-worn, blood-stained, plated armor. He carries a disrupter gun and Omega Blaster Rifle. The three are trying to track down Morphaal and kill him for good.

It's revealed that they are cutting through the door of a room filled with New Earth Police. The officers grab weapons from the blue wall, make a barricade with five-foot-tall energy shields and wait for the intruders. When the three-inch-thick cut-out crashes and the leader enters but doesn't surrender, the police officers unleash Ira bullets at him. The smoke clears, but Botland stands there, covered with black bullets. He scoops a pile of bullets stuck to his suit and crushes them into powder, then dusts himself off.

Although the leader doesn't attack back, Streamline fires a stream of energy at the front line of police officers while the officers flip the nozzles of their rifles around for pulse power and shoots laserlike blasts at him. Streamline dodges the blasts and beats the officers with the blunt end of his rifle. Crysilis zips by them in a blue blur and takes them out. Botland walks toward the commander, named Sable, who can't believe that nearly 50 officers were taken out so easily. Sable wears a black and gold military uniform and has brown eyes.

The red-suited figure rushes to him and jacks him up by the throat against a wall, demanding to know the whereabouts of Morphaal. He accuses Sable, who is the father of Phantom, of betraying his son and "all life." Although Sable says he doesn't know where Morphaal is, when the figure raises his index finger to eye level, Sable tells him that there are rumors that Morphaal plans to go to a hidden planet called Zendora. The red-suited leader recalls that the planet is the one that Phantom was born and raised at but one that he and Sable couldn't find again.

Sable comments that only top officials and the Alpha Squad know about that planet, then assumes that they must be the new Alpha Squad. He tells Botland that the A.S. came from the SS5 organization, which he formed and which Phantom, Gyro, and Vecto were members of. The figure denies that he was a member of the SS5, and Sable sees the insignia on his chest which looked like a "V" with three wavy lines crossing it. He realizes that the red-suited figure is Vecto Botland but is confused because Vecto is supposed to be a robot.

Vecto accuses Sable of helping to bring back Morphaal, asks what Morphaal wants with that planet, and threatens him by saying his Force Field Shields can suck the carbon atoms from his body. The wall splits apart to reveal a mirrored room with soldiers in a group called the SS6 Formation. They have the latest in technology and weaponry, are trained in all forms of combat, are fused with DNA Matrix 1.2, and have their own specialization of attacks, techniques, and weapons. Sable offers to tell Vecto what he knows if Vecto can beat them. Vecto agrees and is sealed in the room with them. His body, which is a holographic image of a red suit over a shield in the shape of a human, flickers as coded information scrolls down his body. The shield becomes translucent and reveals a robotic orb surrounded by floating weapons. The soldiers are shocked as Vecto resumes the body image and attacks.

He blasts rapid pulse-beams and bullets through his palms, shoots missiles from his back, catapults cannons from his chest, slings blades from his arms, and uses triangle bombs. He forms a cylinder gun over his arm and blasts Zero Point Energy. A soldier changes the room to zero gravity. The soldiers use a variety of weapons such as guns, swords, a staff, pulse-saber, and cybernetic parts.

Vecto shoves Air-to-Ice down a soldier's throat, uses Flame Boosters in a warrior's face, and slices a extended energized electro-sword, grav-sword, and pulse-saber through his image of a fake body before using them against a foe. When a soldier wraps a wire around Vecto that grows, a knife made of tyrannium (which Vecto boasts can cut through anything) comes from his head and cut the wires. Other weapons Vecto uses includes tiny-but-powerful Toe Missiles from his feet, Vecto Bombs, acid bombs, hydro-bombs, electro-bombs, and napalm stingers. The gravity converts and they fight on the ceiling.

During the course of the fight, Vecto does many things with his shields: He pushes a soldier away, catches a sword with his head and snaps it in half, shoots a piece of the shield inside someone before expanding it, lets an arm enter the shield before solidifying and slicing the arm off, and sucks the carbon from the air and their lunges, suffocating the rest. His shields feed off carbon.

For the last soldier, he fires a three-foot-long nuclear warhead called the Alpha Delta Flint. The heavily reinforced room survives the blast and Vecto opens the door as anti-radiation gases blanket the room. Sable is shocked that his soldiers are dead and punches Vecto in the back, but Vecto twists his arm and breaks it. Crysilis chastises Vecto for killing them. The New Earth Police were only knocked unconsciousness, have mufflers on their mouths, and were tied up in a corner by Streamline. Crysilis says that ever since Gyro died, Vecto has lost his morality.

Sable tells Vecto to talk to his brother Azmeck to find Zendora. He says that Morphaal has the location of the planet and plans to conquer it and make it his headquarters. He reveals that Morphaal was on the planet when he, his son Phantom, and his brother Azmeck crashed on it. They left Zendora 20 years ago by boarding Morphaal's ship.

Vecto, Crysilis and Streamline then leave, and Sable vows that Vecto will get what he deserves.

(Oct. 23, 2014, update: You can buy my Vecto: Vengeance light novel on Amazon here: Vecto: Vengeance.)
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