The Butterfly Dragon: Night Boat - Episode 06 (Started March 4, 2024 10:30 AM EST)

 


Chapters

  • Heir To The Throne (Finished March 4, 2024 2:30 PM EST)
  • Simulcast (Started March 4, 2024 2:30 PM EST)

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The Butterfly Dragon: Night Boat - Episode 06


Heir To The Throne

The convention hall was mostly darkened, much like a movie theatre before the main presentation. The stage set, which was setup to appear like that of an immense corner office, the kind of which most modern executive officers had as their own. The location of their throne, behind a large, modern desk lined unobtrusively with even more advanced modern technology through which they peered at the world.

In the background was a city, which might have been New York, Seattle, San Francisco or even Los Angeles. Arrays of LEDs made up the background lights, and gave the audience the impression of a living city behind the illustrious office set. The whole charade felt much more like a lavish Ed Mirvish theatrical production than a corporate rally and pep talk meeting, and its audience appreciated the lengths that Tynan And Associates would go to in order to drive home the point. One which punctuated the future of Tynan And Associates and its grip on the entire world.

Hushed conversation staved away the silence, until  finally the loudspeakers came to life with the voice of a professional announcer:

"Ladies and gentlemen, he started at the desk as a Stock Analyst and Purchaser at the ripe young age of twenty one. During that time in his life, he set a record for moving the most Tynan And Associates stock since it first went public. A record that still stands until this day. Early in the millenium, he helped advance and advocate Tynan's own business ethics code, bringing it to the next level for responsible corporate leadership and accountability. A code of conduct that has become a hallmark brand of Tynan And Associates ever since, Tynan being the leader of the world in this arena both by example and execution. In 2021, he rose to the heights to take up the reigns of Tynan And Associates from its former, morally bankrupt leader to become the CEO of the new generation. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for CEO Jason Michael Santers!" the announcers voice withdrew after its final elevated projection, and Jason Michael Santers the man himself came running out on stage, his arms extended to the sky, much like the man who'd run the ball into the end-zone of the opposing team's goal post.

He paced the stage back and forth, keeping his arms up, his hands clenched in fists as he reached for the sky. He threw his canned smile out to the audience, who were too caught up in the illusion to notice its insincerity or rehearsed nature. He occasionally nodded to members of his audience, as if he knew them personally, even pointing at a few in recognition, through the truth was that he did not know a single member of his audience, nor did he recognize any of them. Nonetheless, they bought it all, hook, line and sinker. Sometimes the fervor was more important than the reality of the matter, and most of that audience being part of the upper management of Tynan would never be ones to question that opulant, spit polished illusion.

In all irony, his predecessor, Walton Norler, had abhorred pep talks with introductions like these, preferring instead to take to the stage with a simple introduction and nothing more, for it was what he had to say that was the real star of the show, and his words did not represent himself as an icon, but rather the people of the company for which he was CEO. He was the Captain, Sextant and Compass, however his crew took precendence above all else.

Alas, he'd faded into obscurity as JMS was moulded into his replacement, even taking over the credit for Norler's own advances of the company he'd so dedicatedly guided to its current position of global economy and power, for by that time, Tynan was the most powerful Medical Sciences and Pharmaceutical company the world over. By the time it had arrived in that position, Walton Norler was ousted, as were most of his original team. They were all eventually replaced as part of Mentis' methods of execution and by way of their plan.

The only company that held a torch against the behemoth that Tynan had become was at one point, a corrupted giant whose large feet seldom missed any opportunity to crush the competition. Now however, Future Tangent Industries had over the course of nine years, become what Tynan And Associates had once been under Walton  Norler's leadership. Former Tynan And Associates Chairman of the Board, Helmut Werner had taken up the mantle, keeping Norler as one of his most trusted allies in business. Together, the two of them had turned Future Tangent Industries around from being the bad guy on the big business block, to becoming the savior of big business and the people's trust.

As Mentis' ideology and methods spread throughout the business world, quickly ejecting those who did not comply and replacing them with Mentis' own growing numbers of followers, Future Tangent, and other companies like it became the rescue ships of those thrown over the corporate deck rails and into the churning and tumultuous sea. These businesses maintained a strong bond of allegiences that extended throughout the globe as more and more people realized what was actually happening, while companies like Tynan And Associates grew in their monstrosity and gluttony, in terms of the societies they were helping Mentis  and his followers to devour.

Good P.R. was a valuable commodity and now more so than ever. So much so that much Tynan And Associates' own P.R. Firm had been  paid millions upon millions of dollars to strategically redefine what P.R. actually meant to the audience, as a counter strategy to Future Tangent's use of publicity by modesty and policy for the people ethic, something Norler himself had advised Helmut Werner on adopting to counter the flashy Tynan P.R. hype that took so many media formats by storm. This very corporate meeting and pep talk was simply the latest assault put forward by the Tynan And Associates team, as it sought to seal the deal with the East.

"Great to see you all tonight!" Michael Santers kept one fist in the air, as he held onto an older style handheld microphone. A suggestion put forth by the director of the event to give it the feel of a concert, and to brand Jason Michael Santers as a hands on kind of guy.

The device felt heavy in his hands, and should the need arise, he assumed that he could probably use it as a weapon, much like the Morning Stars or Flails wielded by the men-at-arms of old.

"You know, looking around, I have to ask myself, how did I make all of this possible?" Michael Santers shook his head, as if perplexed by such a question.

"I mean... here we are, now in 2024. Our sales numbers into the first quarter are lining us up for another record year if the trend continues. Our future projects division is preparing for releases of some of the most advanced medical hardware to have ever existed, and most of it fits in the palm of your hand. The Tynan Titan Treatment System, the triple TS, or what we used to call the SY-349, well, there isn't a month that goes by where our dedicated team of researchers hasn't found at least two or three other uses for its miraculous properties. We're at the very top of the world, right now. This very moment, Tynan rules!!! And I couldn't have done it without you!" Jason Michael Santers raised both of his clenched fists into the air again, in self congratulations.

"Where are our adversaries now? Last I heard, Walton Norler is running a startup, and is the target of litigation by our own legal department for taking with him when he left, the plans for a device that he is marketing as Medi-Friend! A device we designed, our team of dedicated hardware researchers, and were planning for release into the third quarter of 2024. Thanks to this litigation however, our release has been pushed into the future substantially, until this situation is resolved. Now tell me! How low is it that someone with the reputation of Walton Norler has to have fallen in order to stoop to such standards to even be able to compete with us? I think you all deserve a hand!" Jason Michael Santers tucked the heavy microphone under his right arm and began clapping for the audience, alleviating himself of the burden of truth of the matter, for in reality, it was a team of mercenaries working for Tynan corporate intelligence that had stolen the design from Norler, and his protegé, Gregory Epsen.

The applause eventually died down, and Michael Santers continued.

"So maybe many of you are asking, why I gathered you all here today?" he looked around the convention hall, looking for anyone who might guess as to why.

Someone raised their hand. 

"The pretty lady in the lavender dress...?" Michael pointed to the astute woman whose suggestion it was.

"A new product release?" she suggested.

"That's a good answer. Anyone else?" asked Michael.

A man near the front raised his hand.

"The man in the dapper sports coat. Nice touch with the button down by the way..." Michael pointed to him.

"Management Bonuses!" he said enthusiastically, drawing a short round of applause and a few whistles.

"That's a good one. Since when do managers get bonuses? That's a contradiction in terms, kind of like employee raises," Michael answered, getting a stifled laugh from the audience who didn't know whether they should take him seriously or not.

"Improbable... but not impossible," Michael added in order to keep the audience on his side without betraying the company.

"I can answer you with one question..." Michael continued.

"Who are the only uncracked market in the entire globe. The one market that Tynan and Future Tangent Industries fought over only six years ago, leading to many arrests amongst the leadership team of Future Tangent Industries? Do you remember that one?" Michael quizzed the audience, neglecting to bring up the fact that Tynan at that time was headed up by Walton Norler.

"If you anwered: The Asian Alliance, you'd be absolutely correct! Well I have some news for you, because 2024 is not only the Year Of The Dragon, but its the Year Of Tynan!" he once again raised his hands in the air, stoking the audience for what was to come.

"This year, on the island of Cora Hau, Tynan will be opening its brand new facility. A facility that promises to change the entire world, but in the name of securing the only market that has managed to remain free of the grip of the west, we're launching in the East! Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you: Tynan And Associates'  Aeon Technologies Division!" a three gigantic screens descended from the ceiling of the stage, each screen taking up one third of the entire backdrop.

A movie immediately began playing, a wide angle drone shot of a large manufacturing and research facility located on a picuresque island in the Pacific. Shafts of sunlight beamed down from breaks in the clouds and the sun emerged, over the facility.

"Welcome to the new Aeon from Tynan And Associates advanced technologies division. Presenting our new Cora Hau Aeon Facility. A manufactory, research center and the living spaces and amenities for a population of a half a million people, in one of the warmest and paradise-like islands in the Pacific Ocean..." lush pad filled majestic digital music played in the background as the drone shots converged on beach front property, extending out to an aqua shaded oceanic atoll, brimming with aquatic life.

"Hi, I'm Warren Tenders, Supervising Manager of Aeon Research here on Cora Hau. I've been eating, sleeping and breathing this project for the last four years of my life..." the closed in on the face of a modest employee, who donned a hard hart and lab coat in his first shot.

"This is my wife Donna, and here's our daughter Lizbeth," the camera panned to show a little girl clasping her father's hand as they walked along a beach in the evening.

The camera then panned to show the setting sun far to the west, where it met the horizon another sun rose from the waters to converge with it.

"Not only is our home here on Cora Hau, the future of Tynan And Associates, but its the future of our lives. Our daughter's life. Everything begins here at the Aeon facility. I can't say how much this is like a fantasy... a dream come true..." Warren's wife explained for the camera.

"We're building the future here at Aeon, and we'll be bringing the entire world into a future beyond imagining. Come join us here..." Warren smiled for camera, aiming it to first his wife's face, and then to that of his daughter.

"Bye bye!" the little girl waved to the audience, pulling on their heartstrings.

The screens, all three of them slowly disappeared into the ceiling once again as the audience applauded, even getting to their feet for Jason Michael Santers.

He waited as the applause continued, and when it had sufficiently died down, he continued his presentation.

"Who? You might be asking yourselves. The answer? The best and brightest. We're filling Aeon with the best that Tynan has to offer, and our selection process has already begun," the audience once again applauded for him, and for the fact that they actually had a chance at that life, as residents of Cora Hau.

Once again, the applause died down and Michael continued.

"By June 22nd, we'll have compiled the complete list, and those who have qualified will be given notice via email. We have two hundred and fifty thousand residences, and each of those is included as part of the Aeon Employment Contract and  Residential Package," Michael explained to his audience.

"Now, do any of you have questions?" he asked his audience.

"What currency is the native currency of Cora Hau?" asked one of financial analysts of the audience.

"Cora Hau was, up until very recently a private island and project. However, we've opened it up for tourism as well. As it stands right now, the most common currencies present in terms of paper money and digital transactions are the Japanese Yen (due to it being the closest country in proximity), the South Korean Won (the second closest), the Chinese Yuan (the third closest), the United States Dollar, the EU Dollar and finally the Canadian Dollar. The contractors who built the facility are essentially made up of the nationals of these countries. Some have remained as permanent residents, while most others have left as Tynan fills the facility with its own employees and hires others regionally. Digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Etherium are also accepted," Michael explained to the audience.

"Whose legal code does Cora Hau operate under?" asked a corporate board member of her peer, but more so for the audience than her own interests.

"Cora Hau has its own constitution, most closely modeled after a mish-mash of Capital and Parliamentary Democracy, which includes a Senate, and a House Of Representatives as part of a two tier system. There's an independent oversight of electees who are voted in at the same time as the local representatives during the voting and election process. The oversight committee remains independent of any party however, and has authority to call into question any activities put forth by government and to call for investigation. Taxes are decided in much the same way as any parliamentary democracy, though the Aeon Facility bills the local government for the use of its residential facilities, which drives the cost of infrastructure and most fundamental amenities, including a private Police Force," Michael answered, explaining to the audience.

"What about regional conflicts? Does Cora Hau have its own armed forces? Its own coast guard?" asked another concerned employee.

"The Aeon Facility has an agreement with the Asian Alliance and NATO, whereby certain aspects of its research are cooperatively shared in exchange for militiary protection and for FARP operations: Fuel And Rearming Points for those navies. Cora Hau has two large scale ports, one on the East side of the island and the other on the West, though the East port experiences the most activity seeing as it it used by the supplier port traffic from Japan, South Korea and China. Cora Hau's only GDP/GNP is based upon research, manufacturing and tourism. That's it. There is no national produce other than small scale local fishing, which is heavily regulated by the big three neighbours. Cora Hau relies entirely upon its supply chain from the big three, with two supply drops each month from West Coast North America," Michael explained.

"What about schools and hospitals?" asked another member of the audience.

"Aeon has the most advanced facilities for either. Schools are graded from Kindergarten to University Degree, all under one roof. The Hospitals are state of the art, utilizing the latest technology from Tynan And Associates and its strategic partners. There's an extensive fire fighting infrastructure, most of which is automated and technology based, that can handle any number of different scenarios such as chemical fires versus oil fires versus simple carbon and oxygen based combustibles. You're safer here than just about anywhere else in the world. For those of you who are selected, it will be paradise," Michael smiled as he waved goodbye to his audience.


Simulcast

Mutano sat back in his favourite chair as he watched the Tynan CEO deliver his presentation to the immense audience somewhere in the midst of a convention hall in Niagara Falls. A border city between the United States and Canada, whose countries housed many of the employees of Tynan And Associates.

"It seems that the line is being drawn, and that we are headed into the final curtain call... and yet the Butterfly and the Wytch still thwart us..." Mutano said aloud from the main floor of the condominium that they called home.

"I like this Jason Michael Santers guy! He just stands there and says nothing, and these people are eating him up like he's the messiah or something," Dan threw back the remainder of his whiskey, burning the back of his throat in a most pleasurable way.

"That is why we're here," A group of nine men in black designer suits stood around the bar, while a group of three elegantly dressed women stood amongst them in seductive white skirts.

Dan, who listened to them banter from the end of the bar moved in closer to one of the three women,  the shortest of them for she seemed the least intimidating to a man like him.

"You know, I make love like a man who's just gotten out of prison..." Dan said to her, sizing her up as being the kind of woman who desired to unleash the tiger's fury.

The woman he'd just addressed then turned to one of the other men in the black suits and whispered something into his ear. Once she'd finished, he then spoke aloud.

"You know, I've killed many men just like you, and all for fun," he responded.

"Then why can't she answer for herself?" Dan seemed to take the threat personally, looking to her first, and then back to him.

"She can't understand you. She can't understand English," the same man responded, a fierce look in his eyes.

Dan looked to the woman in question, whose immense beauty and soft appearance seemed very deceiving.

That same woman then leaned over and whispered in the ear of the same man again.

"I don't know what you say..." he responded to Dan, in a thick Asian accent he could barely decipher.

"I know what he says!!!" one of the other men, a man with a pinstripe moustache drew a blade from his left side, much shorter than a Katana, though nearly the same shape.

He brought it down to within an inch of Dan's fingers on the bar.

"This boxer has no honour, and the IQ of a blueberry," the same man sheathed his Wakizashi in a scabbard hidden in his pants.

"If he flirts with her again, he'll have no member or jewels," one of the other men stated, a threatening smile on his face.

"Care to try to make those words into action?" asked Dan, not willing to back down from such a threat.

"Enough!!! Mr. Gurdy here, formerly known as Jack Warren, is our doorway into the nest of the Butterfly. Treat him with the respect he deserves as such, for he'll get each of you in much closer, and one Butterfly versus the three unforgiving forces of nature is certain to end in tragedy for their host," Mutano reminded his troops of their sole purpose.

The same woman that Dan had flirted with turned to the man with the pinstripe moustache again and whispered something in his ear.

"I don't trust the one with too many minds. They'll betray us after we've given them what they want," he suddenly said to Mutano.

"And they think the same of us, and that is why this plan is going to work. Besides, we need only to look after ourselves and what is requested of us. When the true powers clash, and the dust settles, there will be many opportunities whose doors have opened in the absence of the fallen, and the future will simply fall into our lap," Mutano reminded them, very obviously referring to the Two Dragons.

"And what about the Wytch?" asked Dan, who felt uncomfortable amongst these mystical mercenaries Mutano had found in the reaches of the hidden in the depths of an old prefecture in Osaka, Japan. A dark community frequented by Yokai, demonkind and other treacherous beings.

"The universe is preparing to take care of her and her friends, and without their hidden guardians, the Aerth will soon fall, and the Two Dragons will wage war against each other and humanity, and all will be done," Mutano smiled at the prospect of world that had lost its protectors.

Mutano though knew there was more to this situation than anyone knew. A hidden factor that at this very moment was crossing the sea in search of the shores of Cora Hau. Not far behind it, something big and dark submerged in the depths, pursued it with eyes made of sonar.


To be continued in...


Credits and attribution:

Artwork: Amy Wong, Wendy Pusey, Ghastly, Birdman, Brian Joseph Johns, Daz3D, Unreal Engine...

Tools: Daz3D, Corel Painter, Adobe Photoshop, Lightwave 3D, Blender, Stable Diffusion (Easy Diffusion distribution), InstantID, Sadtalker, Google Colaboratory, Microsoft Copilot (Windows 11), Hitfilm, Borderline Obsession...

InstantID by: Wang, Qixun and Bai, Xu and Wang, Haofan and Qin, Zekui and Chen, Anthony. Research Paper Title: InstantID - Zero-shot Identity-Preserving Generation in Seconds.

Sadtalker by: Zhang, Wenxuan and Cun, Xiaodong and Wang, Xuan and Zhang, Yong and Shen, Xi and Guo, Yu and Shan, Ying and Wang, Fei.
Research Paper Title: SadTalker: Learning Realistic 3D Motion Coefficients for Stylized Audio-Driven Single Image Talking Face Animation.

Gratitude: Our Mentors, Senseis, Sifus, Sebomnims, lifetime inspirations, family, friends, the Nomads (ask Stanton about that one), the Music, the Movies, the Theatre, the Arts, ASMR, (both YouTube and Bilibili and the many other creators on those platforms), the Gaming and Developer communities and of course, the audience.

Martial Arts (in the words of real experts and at least one comedian): https://brucelee.com (home of the real Dragon and an entire family of inspirations), http://iwco.online International Wing Chun Organization (International presence of a very scalable intensity martial art, protected and developed by Shaolin Nun Ng Mui), https://iogkf.com International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karatedo Federation (even Hanshi had his teachers), https://itftkd.sport International Taekwondo Federation (Here there be Taegers), https://tangsoodoworld.com Tang Soo Do World (the path of Grandmaster Chuck Norris), https://www.aikido-international.org International Aikido Federation (how else would Navy Chef Steven Seagal liberate a Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier from a team of hijackers?), https://www.stqitoronto.com Shaolin Temple Quanfa Institute (The City Of Toronto's own Shaolin Temple), https://www.enterthedojoshow.com Master Ken's Ameri-Te-Do presence (If we can't laugh at ourselves, then we can at least laugh the loudest at others, and other Zen)

Special thanks to Aitrepreneur, Hugging Face and the YouTube educational content producers, including those catering to the AI content production pipeline and of course AlphaSignal.

Something to give you perspective: The very first teacher had no formal education, didn't graduate and was self taught, but only because they had no other choice. We do.

This content is entirely produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at 200 Sherbourne Street Suite 701 under the Shhhh! Digital Media banner.