First look

As typical when starting a new writing project, you have to spend additional time seeing what characters will stay, which will go, which receive lesser roles, which receive larger roles etc. etc. Looking at the list in front of me has an incomplete at best set of names that will stay, and some receiving larger roles, which others may be more compact and defined. One thing I have wanted to do is incorporate more of the minor characters from the first book into this one and perhaps give them some measure of control over how the story flows. One, for instance, is Commander (Captain?) Benjamin Harris, the CO of Travi Gladius's former SEAL Team Seven. The man was like a mentor to the main character, and the penultimate father of the team in the opening prologue of my original book. Something akin to the way that Captain (later Major General) MacMillan was for Captain John Price in the "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" series.

I would imagine he approves. Only he can say Oi Suzy.

As stated in the previous entry, the team of the Mavericks will be history as I am wanting to focus this go around more on a personal level for Travi Gladius and all related characters. The shadowy organization that led us to the ending of the first book will have a more prominent role this time around and the dealings of this organization versus SOCA and the world will bring about severe consequences. I've yet to figure out yet if this organization is something of a conspiracy theorists wet dream such as the Illuminati, or Freemasons, or something different. Though, I would imagine that if I were to include elements such as that, I would have people telling me to watch my back.

Because aliens.

My other idea has the organization associated with some sort of religious extremist. Looking at the story of "Final Fantasy Tactics" and seeing the control of the Church of Glabados over Ivalice and their manipulation of the war that would follow, using it to weaken both sides so they can broker a peace with the good will of the people and gain more control and power. Though these seems to be the norm for modern day religion anyhow, the actual ones pulling the strings behind the scenes are the Lucavi, demons looking to revive their master. Such a tale is obviously WAY too farfetched for my line of storytelling, but going with the original thought of this organization being some sort of religious organization has merit, and it could be something of a conglomerate of every major religion in the world all working toward one goal, complete control over the population of the Earth. SOCA would be the ones who are tasked with putting an end to this, albeit perhaps in a more secretive way as it may be one of those plot twists where they have to work independently. One assertion I was looking at was SOCA being completely disaffiliated with the government, said to have disbanded, and then work in complete secrecy, operating under their own jurisdiction. Many have said this would never happen as the government would never allow such a thing to go unsupervised, but it is not as far out in left field as they think. The activities of the CIA was largely unknown to anyone except the highest security clearance, and the President of the United States during this timeline has a backbone.

Yep, kind of like this former President.

Next update will probably have a closer look at the characters that will be front and center this go around. Laying out ideas and sorting as I sift, and tossing as I sort. Till next time folks.