The Industrial Sky

[Dugan195]

Jason sat in the garden of his villa on the outer edge of the circle platform he lived on. The platform was a giant ring surrounding the main body of the colony. There were many platforms circling the main cylinder body of the platform, only two of which were used for residential. The other rings were used for culturing food, feed animals, power electricity, treatment plants, etc. The middle and top platforms were the only ones where people lived, at the top of the colony were the villas of the nobility that ruled over the colony since its creation. On the very middle ring was Jason’s home, were all the rich and wealthy gentlemen of the colony lived, the coal company CEOs, the factory owners, the council men of the districts, etc. Those not fortunate it enough to live on a platform lived inside the cylinder of the colony where only the most successful doctors, Captains, merchants, etc got a balcony or window to the outside world, able to get real sunlight and air. The unfortunate people who couldn’t afford such luxuries most live in the cylinder in different sections districted off by levels. The colony moved up and down in levels with the platforms surrounding it. The only sunlight these people received was from sections cut out of the top of each layer of the colony out of the cylinder so that airships could fly in and out of each section, moving travelers, workers, goods, etc from area to area. The most unfortunate were those who lived on the walls of the inner cylinder that, hollowed out, contained various engines, propellers, gas pipes, etc that helped keep the colony afloat. Ever surrounded by banging, clanking, and dripping the lowliest of low, the coal shovelers and other hard manual laborers restlessly sleep before returning to the long hard days.
As Jason sat reading a book one of his servants came up and whispered news about the tragic death of a prostitute by the infamous Jack the Ripper, a serial killer that went from colony to colony torturing, raping, and killing working girls and leaving their carved bodies for the police to find. No one has caught on to his identity or whereabouts. At first Jason didn’t take anything of the news. Who cared about some random prostitute being killed. Then the servant weeped and drew Jason’s attention. The servant then named the girl’s name, Irene, the name of Jason Vonphile’s fiancé.  

[Joa-Boo]

“This is an outrage. Do you think it funny to rouse me in such a way? Your to tell me my bride to be has been murdered by some freak. You must be mistaken simple maid. My Irene has been loyal to me, yet you slander her name with prostitution.” Jason was standing before the maid’s crying eyes could land on his shoulder. Showing by the way the ruffles in his white shirt and tight leather vest already bled with sweat, Jason was distraught. No one joked about murder but this was so outlandish he could barely breathe. He had half a mind to sheath his blade and make the maid swear on her life.

He turned away from her view once the anger melted into tears. Could she really be dead? Murdered, who murdered people for prostitution? His mind raced through so many scenarios and logical worlds but everyone broke down before reaching causality. It was without understanding. The anger grew back like a tropical fever. Jason turned to the maid and glared down at her with two fiery green eyes. “Tell me his name. What do you know of my maiden’s slayer?” The words came out direct, harsh, and demanding, very similar to the same way he ordered the maids to make his sandwiches.  

[Dugan195]

The maid trembled scooting back from her Master as she cried, "It was the Ripper, Sir. The madman going from colony to colony killing the working girls. It's the talk around town Sir. I am so sorry Sir. I know Miss Irene was a fantastic lady. She will be missed." As the maid finished she started to break down in tears. "No one knows who he is or why he is doing it. He has killed 17 other girls as well." Anger washed over Jason as the maid spoke to him of his fiance's death. A man had just killed the love of his life for no reason as far as Jason could tell. There was only one thought going through Jason's head, if he was going to catch this scum to exact his painful revenge he would have to go into the depths of hell. Looking around at the beautiful villa around him, Jason knew he would have to leave this world of luxury and happiness to find Jack The Ripper. All his life Jason had known money, lavish parties, fine education, people calling him Sir or Master. The time to leave this behind.  

[Joa-Boo]

“Fetch me a collection of essentials. I shall leave this place tonight in search for this Jack. He will know he chose wrong when he messed with a Vonphile.” Jason ordered before landing himself in a fine cushioned chair. He never looked at the maid. His mind raced through alleys, streets, even bars. HE brought himself to all of his past places anyone could possibly find his beloved Irene. Revenge sounded so sweet it quickly glazed over the terrible pain he felt over loosing the love of his life. “Someone also gather me some from the family treasure. Not so much in money for I do not one to appear rich. You will all be charged with carrying for the estate. My family cannot know I am out on these errands.” Jason spoke as if in a trance. He was already on his feet and moving towards a glass case displaying in the foyer. Inside, with a light beaming around it was his handed down pistol. There were not many bullets to the thing but Jason liked it best because it was easy to modify. He grabbed for the weapon, picked up his pack, and then exited the estate down the streets of the city in the air.  

[Dugan195]

Jason's journey took him from the clear, sunny, majestic outer ring of the colony to the very heart of the floating city. As Jason went further and further into the city the streets became dirty, buildings run down, people went from wearings suits and gowns to denim overalls and torn rags. Small children covered in dirt and wearing clothes torn to scrapes scampered about looking for food or work. This was the opposite of everything that Jason knew, it was the sorry sight that he tried to keep from his mind, no matter how open minded he thought himself. As he walked along the side of the road he felt the touch of a warm hand on his shoulder and breath on his neck, "Why hello there cutey, might I interest you in a love potion. Not that you would need one, but a smart fellow like you must hate to have to work hard," a soft femine voice in his ear. As his head turned he saw a young girl with greenish hair in ponytails and a long flowing white dress with a purple corset exposed under it.

The girl whirled around his side and wraped an arm under his and pulled him towards a cart on the side of the road, "You look like a man in love. One sip of Dr. Oh's love potion and she will be yours forever." The girl said as a young man came out from around the chart in a red suit top and white pants with bone white long hair, "And here is the genius himself, Dr. Oh"

The man smiled as the girl whirled around and warpped her arms around the young man in the red suit. "Well, well, well Sella you seem to have found someone in the need of our assistance." Seeing the protest forming on Jason's lips, and the anger in his eye the girl, Sella, spoke up again, "Ofcourse he needs some of our love potio....."

The young man rose a hand and put a finger to her mouth, "This man doesn't need our losely trinkets or potions; though he is in need of us. He just doesn't know it yet." Leaning back on the cart he rolled the girl off him onto street next to cart, "Make me some tea for us Sella." Turning towards Jason the man smiled and bowed, "I am the Amazing and Mysterious Dr. Oh, pleasure to meet a member of the Vonphile family." the man said looking up at Jason with glowing blue eyes. "Now I can see the hurt on your face, what is troubling Mr. Vonphile, I am a man of many talents, this stand you see before you is just for ends meet, I have many other talents and know more than just useless parlor tricks."  

[Joa-Boo]

“Dr. Oh the pleasure must be yours because you are unfamiliar but somehow you know me by face even when I am attempting to conceal my identity.” Jason was still reluctant to even reply to the man. Strange people that approach you on the street usually lead to trouble and the only one he wants trouble for is Jack. “What makes you a doctor?” This was a trusting question could the man answer correctly.  

[Dugan195]

Dr. Oh laughed as the young girl came spinning around the side of the cart, her long dress flying up in the air revealing riscay clothing underneath as she wielded a tray of tea. "Tea is ready Dr. Oh. It's that rare Sioues tea we picked up a while ago."

Dr. Oh smiled and patted Sella on the head as she put the tray infront of him. "Good girl Sella. Did you hear our esteemed guest's question? He wants to know what makes me a doctor. A valid question if I do say so myself." Dr Oh sipped his tea as Sella extended the tray towards Jason for him to grab a cup. "Well Mr. Vonphile I am a qualified doctor of medicine, machinery, philosophy, law, economics, mythology, meteorology, art, literature, and most of the subjects out there. You hear of the expression Jack of all Trades? Well I am a Master of all trades, believe it or not. I am quite the learned man Mr. Vonphile and the one you need right now. I know many things, but not all things unfortunately. Sella here would like to argue otherwise, but at last it is not true. And the thing I currently don't know if what brings a man of the outerring, a member of an esteem family, and a very wealthy man to the grit and grime of the inner cylinder. So Mr. Vonphile, help me help you."  

[Joa-Boo]

“If only trust could throw so easily. I come because my trust for the inner sorts are lacking. Yes I born to riches but everything I pride myself in I worked hard for. I can understand what it is to earn your survival. Seeing the inner city life helps me appreciate it that much more.” Jason poked with small talk along wide Dr. Oh. To be polite he even grabbed the tea that was so nicely prepared for him. Suddenly Jason seized up. At this point so little was known about Jack the Ripper that he couldn’t exclude anyone as the possible murderer of his fiancé. When Dr. Oh referred to himself as the Jack of all trades it worried him. Call paranoia if you will, Jason just didn’t want to take any chances so far from him comfort zone. He lifted the tea to his lips but laughed it off among conversations to make it seem as though he took a drink or was obviously not drinking. Jason was too fragile at this point to trust anyone. “Do you think you could tell me a bit about how life works down here?”  

[Dugan195]

"Oh I'm sure I could, but life in here is just something you must experience. Nor do I happen to live down here either. I am a traveler, a nomadic man myself, just Sella here to keep things normal. Can't be a man of the world if you live in just one place." Dr. Oh noticed Jason's suspicious tone and body language, " And now you wonder if I am the terrible Jack The Ripper!" Dr. Oh said with a laugh as he raised his hands menacingly at Sella who feigned terror. After a second they both ended up laughing. Dr. Oh turned back to Jason with a serious look on his face before slowly changing to a smile. "But, no I am not the man you seek. If I was the man you sought and knew without you telling me that you were seeking this man, would I have talked to you? Unless I wanted to gloat in your face about killing your fiance that is."

Dr. Oh had a sick smile on his face, before Sella hit him on head with the empty tray lightly, "Stop teasing the man Dr. He must still be hurt from her death." Dr. Oh looked at Sella frowned then turned his head towards the ground. Sella looked at Jason with an apologetic face, "Sorry Mr. Vonphile, The Dr. is amazing man, but is quite the sociopath, and sometimes border on cruel. No he is not The Ripper, and I know this to be true, because Dr. Oh saved me from the b*****d." Sella reached at her chest and started to undo the laces on the side of her corset, when they were undone her side showed a huge scar down the length of her side with many smaller cuts around it. As Jason took this in Sella wnet on talking, "I was a working girl in Bulag, he came for me two years ago when I was just 14. He took me to the ground, felt me up, tore my cloths off..........did what all vile men do." Sella paused for a second as her eyes glazed over, "Then when he was done he started to cut into my side, telling me how he was gonna pull my ribs out and stab them through my abdomen. I was screaming and crying, then I heard him shout. When I opened my eyes I saw the Dr. standing above me throwing the Ripper off. They fought for a few minutes before the Ripper took off. So you need not worry about the Dr. I can assure you he is not the Ripper."  

[Joa-Boo]

“You filthy SON OF A…” I could hardly hold back. Who did this man think he was? How dare he bring up my fiancé in such a way? I moved forward on him with agility only anger could bring out and had my pistol pointed at him in a flash. I couldn’t see straight until the whore started speaking. I wished to stay angry at Dr. Oh but the story she told was so convincing I figured to play nice and dig for more later. The two together could tell the perfect lie. I wouldn’t feel safe until I heard the same thing from them separately. “Well if you are not the Ripper then you are just another annoying psychopath who knows too much.” I bit my tongue. He did not deserve to hear that. “Forgive me. You have got the best of my nerve. Serves you right though. Saying things the way you have. Sorry again.” I wanted to cry but not in front of this stranger. “If you can help me then do otherwise let me to my business.” I still refrained from drinking, not because I did not trust the tea but because I had lost my appetite.  

[Dugan195]

Dr. Oh smiled as Jason pulled his gun out and aimed it out him. Dr. Oh didn't react to his actions in the least, in fact he simply smiled. "Oh Mr. Vonphile, getting caught up in the past is no good. Life moves...." As he started another inflammatory statement Sella walked over and smacked his head. Dr. Oh looked at Sella and pouted as he looked back at Jason, "My apologies, Mr. Vonphile I did not mean to upset you, sometimes I forget the finer points on civilized conversation. Well then back to business. Yes I can help you, but how.....hmmmmm good question. What should I do for you. Oh oh oh," Dr. Oh stood up and walked to the far side of his cart where he grabbed a bottle, pulled the top off, and drank down its contents, "Yes, yes, yes that is percisly it. So Mr. Vonphile, as to the Ripper's identity or location I can't say, but I can tell you where to go. A couple blocks from here is a bar, the Yellow Cat. A little hole in the wall barn, that factory workers and ruffians use. No one there is related to Jack the Ripper, but if you wish to carry on your journey this is where you must go. At this bar is where you will start down the path of truth. There will be love, sorrow, laughter, crying, pain and sorrow. If you go to this bar your life will never be the same again, once you go to this bar you may never return to your own way of life, but if you wish to avenge your Fiance you must go to this bar."  

[Joa-Boo]

“Then this conversation has been nearly a waste of time for that is precisely where I was headed. Next time we meet, which I am assuming we will, I hope you will have a bit more information. Hell you may even be able to help me stick the son of a b***h!” I allowed a faint smile to fill the gap in my face. I more of perused it as smiles did not come as naturally as they used to. With that last gesture I pulled myself away from the strange duo and continued down my path toward the bar. I did gain one useful bit of information; I was still noticeable. Oh the pains of being rich and powerful. I moved closer to the bar, just outside the entrance, took a deep breath, and then entered. This was the place I hoped to get real answers.  

[Dugan195]

Dr. Oh smiled as Jason told him his plan to head to the bar already, "Ofcourse you were going there. I did say that you must go there did I not?" Dr. Oh laughed as Jason walked off down the ally, "What a peculiar man Sella," Dr. Oh said as he sipped his tea.

Sella laughed twirling around in his dress, "You, of all people, are calling someone else peculiar?" Dr. Oh laughed again as Jason faded into the black down the street, no moonlight made it this far into the colony, only a small area near the opening in the colony cylinder received moonlight else where relayed on gas lamps thrown up in the hundreds.


As Jason entered the Yellow Dog he saw dozens of people in a dimly lit room filled with fiddle music; dancing, singing, drinking, smoking. Everyone was having a good time. The factory workers hated their jobs, they got paid barely enough to live, they had harsh and unsafe work conditions under uncaring and mean bosses. However, when that whistle blew and they got off they flooded bars, clubs, shops, and tried to enjoy their lives anyway they could. It was a simple life compared to Jason's life of wealthy parties and standards, and moral codes. Ladies ran around in skimpy clothing, some as far as exposed breasts and asses that would be the scandal of the century on the outer rings.

Jason made his way to the bar to try and adjust to the setting of the bar so he could begin to try and collect information. As he did no one paid him any mind, the workers didn't care about anyone they didn't know, they were here to have a good time. A couple of girls propositioned him as he made his way through the crowded bars. These whores were unlike his beloved fiance, or at least Jason hoped they were. Once he made it up to the bar he was got slammed in the back by someone. The man who fell into him knocked him aside and fell past him hitting the bar in front of Jason. "God dammit!" the man said as he hit his head. He slumped to the ground before pulling himself back up using the bar as a stand. The man was a young man maybe a year or two younger than Jason. With a slender, but muscular build, he looked pretty normal except for his right eye. The area around his right eye was covered in brass Attached to the brass was a green glass monocle that covered his eye. It wasn't uncommon for people that have suffered injuries to get the damaged part replaced with metal, if they could afford it. "Sorry friend, didn't mean to fall into you. That a** over there just sucker punched me in the face, you creatin!" The man called out across the room with a laugh, a few people around them laughing with him. "Let me buy you a drink as an apology. I insist," The man turned around to the bar and raised his hand and called out, "Seth, get me and this gentleman right here a shot of whiskey!"  

[Joa-Boo]

“Whiskey! No…uh..no sr… I mean sure. Are you alright?” I was worried about fitting in. As impossible as that seemed noting the ruffians without morals around me, I posed the best hard working middle class man I could and took the drink. I was not good with alcohol. The burn forced my face to screw almost in a complete circle as I coughed up a storm. This hard alcohol was nothing like I had ever drunk before. It reminded me of gasoline. This man seemed to know a lot of the people in and about the bar. He was possibly a good place to start. After bracing myself through the storm I straightened up and held out a hand to shake. “Call me Jase. Please allow me to get you another drink in a way of extending my kindness. What might I call you?” That was two years of swatting at my ankles. The properness came naturally, beaten out of me at a young age, and I couldn’t turn it off. The man could probably see right through me.  

[Dugan195]

The man laughed as he downed his shot as Jason began to speak. "Jase huh? Sure, I will call you Jase. The name is Alex, Alexander Row. As to the drink, be my guess. Never turn down free alcohol, well never turn down anything free, but especially alcohol." The man laughed as he snapped, causing the bartender to look up and pour them another shot. As Alexander lifted his shot he looked Jason up and down, "You sure arn't from around here arn't you? No one from around here would cough that much from that little shot. Not even good liquor. Would have got you that, but I'm way too poor for that s**t. Nah I like the cheap stuff....lots and lots of the cheap stuff. So what brings you down to the Yellow Dog tonight? Rounding up some ladies? I know quite a few if so. They love new guys, love to eat them up haha."