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ISSUE.

52

THE FORGOTTEN
by Martin Turton

THINKING LONG TERM


by Darrell B. Nelson

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND


THE MONKEY
by Andy Heizeler

PLUS
Thrilling New Serial Fiction from
Lee S. King, Justin Macumber
M. Keaton, and Keanan Brand

RGR REVIEWS
GRADISIL by Adam Roberts
CONQUISTADOR by S.M. Stirling
CYBERABAD DAYS by Ian McDonald

AND MUCH MORE!


WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
ISSUE 52

v52d

TABLE OF CONTENTS
2 Overlord’s Lair: A Personal Note About What’s Happened Here 25 Bop Bop
by Paul Christian Glenn by Jodi MacArthur
Daddy brings home an alien doll, or is it more than that?
2 The Good, the Bad, and the Monkey
by Andy Heizeler 27 Featured Artist: Gabriel Gajdoš
Dean the Space Rogue and the crew of the Tachyon
Valkyrie must fight mythic heroes and a ruthless bounty 28 The Forgotten
hunter to save a...monkey. by Martin Turton
A cold blooded killer seeks out the humanity in his victims,
7 DEUCES WILD: Threshold of Escape but will he discover his own before the end?
by L. S. King
With his friends held hostage, Tristan must try to pilot a 33 Thinking Long Term: Don’t Let the End of the Galaxy
strange ship safely through an entire Confederation fleet. Spoiler Your Plans
by Darrell B. Nelson
10 TALES OF THE BREAKING DAWN The eventual end of the galaxy isn’t a problem, only an
Part One: The Ties That Bind opportunity.
by Justin Macumber
The crew of the star-freighter Breaking Dawn struggles to 35 CALAMITY’S CHILD: ROP: Rodeo Bull Ballet, Part One
survive pirates and poverty—and desperate calls from old friends. by M. Keaton
Red Dog unfairly outnumbers Earth’s 455-member Senate as
14 RGR Reviews he testifies before their investigatory committee, but the real
by Matthew Scott Winslow and Donald Jacob Uitvlugt action skulks behind the scenes.

17 THIEVES’ HONOR: Chapter 7—The Game: Leaping the Circle


by Keanan Brand Ray Gun Revival Issue 52 © 2009 by Double-edged Publishing,
a Memphis, Tennssee-based non-profit publisher.
Enemies converge on Kristoff and crew, Finney fails an escape
attempt, and Zoltana closes in on her prey.

OVERLORDS (FOUNDERS/EDITORS) Serial Authors M Keaton, Keanan Brand. L. S. King, John M. Whalen
Johne Cook, L. S. King, Paul Christian Glenn
Cover Art
Matthew Winslow Book Reviews Editor “Cor” by Gabriel Gajdoš (Prešov, Slovakia)
Shannon McNear Lord High Advisor, Grammar Consultant, Listening Ear for Overlord Lee
Paul Christian Glenn - PR, Executive Tiebreaker, Desktop Publishing Bill Snodgrass Site host, Web-Net Solutions, admin, webmaster, database admin,
L. S. King - Lord High Editor, proofreader, beloved nag, muse, webmistress mentor, confidante, liaison – Double-edged Publishing
Johne Cook - art wrangler, desktop publishing, chief cook and bottle washer
Special Thanks
Submissions Editors John M. Whalen, Alice M. Roelke. Jenn Silva, Martin Turton Ray Gun Revival logo design by Hatchbox Creative

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ISSUE 52

Overlord’s Lair: The Good, The Bad, and The Monkey


A Personal Note About What’s Happened Here by Andy Heizeler
by Paul Christian Glenn

Already, I can hear you, crying out Meanwhile, Johne and Lee were “Drop the monkey and nobody cursed like a solar sailor, the monkey
in confusion and disbelief: What in busy building a ‘zine, and a commu- gets hurt,” said the young man with made a laughing screech.
the name of Blast Flanagan has hap- nity around it. With no experience, the tin star on his brown shirt. His “Dean! Not in front of the mon-
pened to Ray Gun Revival? This isn’t limited funds, and persistent space- firm grip kept the barrel of his laser key,” admonished Cloey. The monkey
our beloved ‘zine! Someone must be monkey infestations, they managed pistol neatly aimed at Dean’s heart. smiled at her.
held responsible! to create a haven for the finest fiction The winds whistled down through “Look, it’s not my concern what
Funny story... on the web, and to attract you fine the valley on Arca-Delphia. High happens afterwards. It’s my job to
Many of you don’t know me, but as folks as readers. It’s already a legacy above, a hawk variant screeched. uphold United Galactic Law, and right
a founding Overlord, I’ve always been of which we can all be proud. “What about the monkey? That’s a now you’re on the wrong side of it,”
here, lurking just behind the curtain, As our forum members’ already long fall for such a little guy if we just said the lawman. His face had seri-
whispering vile nothings into the ears know, Johne has taken a hiatus from drop him,” said Cloey, keeping her ous written all over it, complete with
of Johne and Lee, your more visible writing The Sky Pirate so he can fo- stunner aimed at the closest man. square jaw and steely eyes.
Overlords. cus on creating a new chapter in Real “That’s not what I meant. Set the Dean struggled to keep his mouth
I was there when the spark that Life(TM), and while I have no desire to primate on the ground and slowly shut. United Galactic Law? With at
would become RGR spontaneously prolong his absence, I felt like it was back away,” said the lawman. least five competing governments,
ignited in Johne’s labyrinthine mind. time to step up and do my part for Dean struggled to hold onto the no such thing as United Galactic law
I was there when Lee joined the col- RGR. I volunteered to take over the glow-in-the dark squirrel monkey existed, which meant the men before
lective and got her very first planet- desktop publishing for a while. while keeping his own laser pistol him were either delusional or highly
vaporizing button. (It was adorable! It should have been very simple. pointed at the brown shirts. Three drugged. Either way, the crazies had
No planet was too puny for her to After all, he’d already done the hard of them, two of us—bad odds even the drop on him, which meant play-
obliterate in those days!) I was there, work of designing and fine-tuning a without a squirming animal under ing along would probably be the best
holding umbrellas in the brainstorm gorgeous ‘zine that our readers loved. one arm, thought Dean. The grassy option. Before he could cater to their
as torrents of inspiration rained down All I had to do was ... well, I can’t leave valley offered little cover or conceal- fantasy, the lead lawman’s laser pistol
upon us, pooling into big, sploshy well enough alone, I guess. What can ment. If it turned into a shoot out, started to glow an interesting shade
puddles of rippling creativity. Ah, I say? I’m a fiddler. things would get ugly. Overhead the of red.
those were heady days, indeed! We’re looking for feedback on the binary suns of the backwater planet Sparks flew and the lawman
And then, I was gone. new design, folks! Love it? Hate it? shined brightly. dropped the melting gun with a yelp.
Okay, I was never completely gone. Take to the forums and let us know! “We’re saving this animal from be- “Drop your weapons! We’ve got
I continued to serve as Executive Tie- Next month’s issue may be tweaked coming some lord’s evening entrée. you surrounded,” yelled Captain Se-
breaker, sometime serial author, and slightly, or it may be completely rede- Don’t you have a heart?” asked Dean. dona from the hill above the valley.
human sounding board. I remember signed again. It’s as much yours as it It was always a long shot to appeal to Dean thought his heart might burst in
this one time, I even read a few sub- is ours. someone’s better nature, but it might joy. Cloey let out a “Woo hoo!”
missions. But as a virtual presence This office, though — this is mine buy time. The young man scowled in deep
around the office, I went notably now. I might just do a little redecorat- The monkey bit Dean’s thumb and rage but motioned for his men to
missing. ing, too. Nothing major, of course... scrambled onto his shoulder. Dean drop their guns.

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ISSUE 52

“Kick those over here if you don’t a good idea to tip over their tea party “They won’t be chasing anyone with- “That guy back there looked just
mind. Well, not the hot one, that too violently. Sam Dodge, Galactic out this,” said Arc, holding up an an- like Ranger Dodge,” said Captain Se-
looks pretty useless now,” said Dean. Ranger was a Holo-Hero, played by gular chunk of metal with wires pok- dona wonderingly as she holstered
“You haven’t seen the last of us, Hugh Wilson in the twenty-nine thir- ing out of it. her pistol. The floor plates vibrated
space pirates,” growled the lawman. ties. “You weren’t able to get Mad causing Dean to grab a strut out of
His partners, both wide in the shoul- “The Rangers are real enough to us, Mike’s electro-pulse weapon I see,” self defense. The Tachyon Valkyrie’s
ders and not too bright looking, glared son. Mark my words, the arm of the said Captain Sedona, joining them at powerful engines roared to life, hurl-
as they kicked over their turbo rifles. law may be long, but the spiral arm a trot. ing the old cruiser skyward.
Up until these jokers, the mission of United Galactic Law is even lon- “His whole ship was rigged with ex- “The question is, why?” asked
had been going well. Dean and his as- ger,” said Wesley—or Ranger Wichi- plosives, and he wasn’t about to tell Dean.
sociates had recovered the monkey ta, depending on your belief system, us how to disarm them,” said Dean as “He obviously just wants us to be-
from Mad Mike the Bounty Hunter thought Dean. he walked up the ramp. lieve he’s a crazy fan,” said Arc, pilot-
whom they had stranded here by “Get to the ship, we don’t need any “Don’t worry boss, we murdered ing the ship from his hand held tele-
melting his Bohm Drive. Mike had sto- more distractions,” shouted Captain his engine, Mad Mike’s not going pad.
len the monkey from the Eco-Fascists Sedona. Dean nominally secured the anywhere either,” said Cloey, making “What could he possibly have to
of Planet Hannah, who in turn had res- monkey again, while Cloey gathered kiss-kiss noises at the monkey. gain by that?” asked Captain Sedona.
cued it from the Exotic Foods Corpo- up the rifles. They left the valley at a “Good. Everyone load up. Arc, take “Anything,” said Arc ominously,
ration, who had abducted it from the jog. us out of here,” ordered the Captain, heading for the couch in the mess
rainforests on Planet Hannah to begin Once to the field where the Tachy- making him leave the hat. lounge.
with. All this because Lord Spence of on Valkyrie waited with the loading The monkey screeched and show- Dean decided a shower and change
the Pure Human Coalition thought it ramp down, Dean saw the spaceship ered Dean’s back in warm excitement of clothes took precedence over a
would be amusing to eat an endan- of the Rangers right next to it. As he as the ramp closed behind them in pointless mystery involving stranded
gered glow-in-the-dark monkey. If had suspected, it was a replica of the the cargo bay. madmen.
Planet Hannah had been anything but one Ranger Dodge had used in The It’s going to be a long trip, thought #
an independent world, the act would Turbo-Rifle Man. It had the curves of Dean, forcing himself not to strangle
have sparked a war with the Pure Hu- a sleek blue strato-jet complete with Between jumps, deep into inter-
the monkey.
man Coalition. unnecessary wings and a big silver star stellar space, the engines died. Every-
Cloey lifted it off his shoulder and
Despite knowing he would regret painted on the side over the lettering thing went dark, somewhere a mon-
gave Dean a warning glance. “He was
it, Dean had to ask. “Just who are you Ranger Patrol Ship: Steel Mercury. key screamed in terror.
just upset by the noise,” she said de-
guys anyway?” In front of it, Creon guarded two “Nuts! What now?” asked Dean
fensively.
“I’m Wesley Wichita, Galactic more tied and gagged rangers. The from the cockpit.
“Well, tell little skull face there if he
Ranger and these are my Deputies, big ex-mercenary wore an expres- “Total power failure, it had to have
does it again he rides on the outside
Dave and Duke,” said Wesley with sion of sympathy and a bit of guilt. been an electro-pulse weapon,” said
of the ship,” said Dean.
rehearsed grace. Dave and Duke nod- Between Creon and Captain Sedona, Captain Sedona. As their eyes adjust-
“Don’t call him skull face, and he’s
ded and touched their cowboy hats. they owned every Galactic Ranger ed to the dim starlight, a dark shape
coming to engineering to bless the
Dean shook his head, mystified. Holo known to man. hovering in the blackness beyond the
engines with me,” she said, making
“You do realize the Galactic Rangers Arc strolled out of the patrol ship viewport resolved in their vision. It
an angry, squinty face at Dean be-
are fictional right?” said Dean careful- with a piece of their engine. On his suspiciously resembled the Steel Mer-
fore heading off. The monkey made a
ly. With crazy people, it wasn’t always head sat one of the Ranger’s hats. cury.
squinty face too.
The auxiliaries came on-line a few
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ISSUE 52

seconds later, bathing the crew in red lactic Rangers are about to board us. you see an electro-pulse weapon on burnt look.
emergency lighting. The primaries re- I’ll have them come through the top the Steel Mercury?” “The monkey or your lives. Your
quired thirty seconds to reset and the lock. We’ll set up the ambush in the “Nope. It’s obviously a conspiracy,” choice outlaws,” he said, holding his
Bohm Drive needed another twenty- corridor,” she ordered. said Arc. chin high.
three to cycle up for a jump. Before Dean glared at the spaceship point- Dean ignored the paranoia and “Have it your way, lawman. We give
that could happen, the comms panel ing at them. “They’ve got one lousy turned to Captain Sedona. “Captain, up,” quoted Dean from The Outlaws
lit up. laser cannon on that thing. When you does the Valkyrie have a tow cable?” of Asteroid Valley. Wesley looked im-
“Low band message coming in,” re- decided to become space pirates, “Yes, but the winch is manual pressed.
ported Dean. At the Captain’s nod, he didn’t you think it might be a good crank.” She cocked her head. “Why?” “You be nice to him, space weirdo,”
flipped the switch. idea to arm your spaceship?” “If we ignored safety, could we get said Cloey, reluctantly handing over
“Don’t even think of starting your “It was either weapons or life sup- back to that planet before they pass it the monkey.
Bohm Drive, pirates. We’ve got you port. Which would you rather have?” on the way to Coalition space?” “I’m always kind to animals,
scanned three ways to Sunday and asked the Captain. “It would be insanely risky but we ma’am,” he said, carefully putting
we’ll know if you try. Resist, and our “Right now?” could do it if we skipped every other the primate into a pressure bag. The
laser cannon will introduce you to the “You have ten seconds to respond, jump,” she said, “What are you get- monkey made a forlorn squeak.
long cold hell. Prepare to be boarded,” outlaws. And don’t even think about ting at?” Cloey glared at the man with seeth-
said the voice of Wesley Wichita. an ambush because I’m doing this “I know exactly how to solve this ing anger. Captain Sedona stepped
“I can’t believe it,” said Dean. High Orbital Planes Drifter style,” said situation and still save the monkey for forward. “I’m sorry for melting your
“He said long cold hell, just like Wesley over the low band. the Eco-Fascists,” said Dean boldly. laser pistol. My name’s Valerie, I’m
Sam Dodge,” said Captain Sedona, “He says don’t even think a lot,” Captain Sedona arched a question- kind of a fan,” she whispered breath-
obviously amused. commented Dean. The Captain had ing eyebrow. lessly.
“Should I see if we can get his au- not yet subjected him to High Or- “We give them what they want,” Wesley narrowed his eyes. “Re-
tograph?” asked Dean with mounting bital Planes Drifter on Holo night, so said Dean happily. ally? Then what did Sam Dodge say
anger. These guys just didn’t know he looked to her for help. As he had # to Anna when he left her to go face
when to give up, he thought. Typical guessed, she’d watched it enough off with Brains McGee?”
times to know exactly what the uber- Several minutes later, Dean, Creon, “I love you Anna, but I just can’t
Holo hero behavior, it was worse than
fan out there was talking about. Cloey, Captain Sedona and the mon- get Brains off my mind,” answered
he had imagined.
“When Sam Dodge faced off against key waited at the top airlock in the Creon and Captain Sedona at the
“Very funny, Dean. Don’t wor-
the notorious Black Hole Pirate Zip, cramped corridor. Arc had stayed on same time.
ry, we’ll get them once they come
he entered the pirate ship himself the couch. Everyone laughed, despite the fact
aboard,” said Captain Sedona, patting
with orders for Deputy Doug to fire Cloey harbored an untrusting look that Dean and Cloey were lost.
the grip of her laser pistol.
the main cannon if he was ambushed. as she held the monkey close. The “I don’t understand it. You guys
“So much for your job on their en-
Sam Dodge died in that one, even monkey managed to look concerned don’t seem all that bad, what made
gines Arc,” said Dean into the inter-
though he came back for the sequels. as well. you get into piracy?” asked Wesley
com.
If we don’t give up that monkey, we’re Wesley lowered himself into the after a bit more reminiscing.
“How was I supposed to know
all dead,” said Captain Sedona with an corridor and took off his helmet with “When laws are outlawed, even
they’d have a spare starter?”
expression of admiration. the trademark Ranger spin flip before the lawful are outlaws,” said Dean.
“Don’t worry about that,” said
Everything fell together in Dean’s it ended up under his arm. His hand Everyone stared, so he explained.
the Captain, hitting the intercom
mind. He hit the intercom. “Arc, did rested on the heel of his laser pis- “We’re in a sector of space where
switch. “Everybody arm up. The Ga-
tol, which now sported a somewhat
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ISSUE 52

none of the star nations has any Metal wreckage and black scorch canyon with a sob for her lost Valky- just where she had indicated, on the
dominance. This is lawless territory, marks vandalized the cliff walls as rie. same spot where Captain Sedona had
the wild spiral, neutral space. That heavy smoke drifted up from the deep “We were skipping jumps, our ambushed them the first time.
means a man with a laser gun is a law canyon. Captain Sedona lay panting regulator blew. The pilot never saw “Who would have thought things
unto himself. That bounty hunter we on the rim, her face smudged with it coming, my engineer was killed would turn out like this?” asked Wes-
took the monkey from, stole it from soot. She held the emergency trans- instantly. I couldn’t save the ship. ley, seeing a bright future for himself,
the people we’re returning it to. The mitter from the Tachyon Valkyrie in They’re all dead,” she cried, holding once his number one fan recovered
monkey is innocent, the bounty hunt- her hand as if holding onto life itself. on to him for support. from the trauma anyway. Just as he
er just wanted to get paid, same as us “If anyone can hear this, please re- Wesley patted her back and waved reached down for the bag, Captain
only for different results, so who’s the spond. I’m stranded on Arca-Delphia, one of his men to go look at the Sedona took a few steps back.
outlaw?” challenged Dean. my ship crashed. All hands lost. Please wreckage. Dave jogged over to the “Drop your laser pistol and reach
In the clear cut, perfectly polar help,” she cried into the low band. rim and peered down. for the sky, Ranger!” shouted a voice
world of Sam Dodge, such questions It was only a matter of moments “There’s nothing left, Ranger Wich- from the ridge. Wesley’s jaw dropped.
were never asked. before she caught a glint of blue rap- ita. Just exploded bits of metal and Dave and Duke just shook their heads
“I say the law is the man with the idly descending through the clouds. a lot of fire down at the bottom,” he in defeat.
badge,” said Wesley, clearly upset. She struggled to her feet and limped said forlornly. Wesley carefully drew his pistol and
He retreated up into the airlock and into the grassy field before her. “I pushed out the bundle of cred- dropped it to the ground. He looked
slammed it behind him with a loud Fifty meters away, the Steel Mercu- sticks as we were passing over the to Valerie with betrayed hurt.
clang. ry touched down gently as its jets cut grassy valley, just before I jumped,” “But how? Your ship was destroyed,
“Oscar Wilde put it best. If you out. The door cycled open to extend a Captain Sedona whispered into Wes- I don’t understand.”
want to tell people the truth, make ramp, which folded into stairs. ley’s ear. She gave a meaningful and “Not my ship, Mad Mike’s. We knew
them laugh, otherwise they’ll kill Wesley dashed out first, racing to- distrusting nod towards the bounty he came with you as soon as you hit
you,” quoted Creon. wards the Captain. Dave, Duke, Dar- hunter. us with his electro-pulse weapon. We
“Let’s hope he forgets the killing win and Dick fanned out behind him; “Not to worry, little lady. We’ll take melted the engine of his old ship, but
part and just takes the monkey and eyes open for an ambush but with care of that. Can you walk?” asked she had plenty of explosives left in-
runs,” said Dean, earning an eye roll only one broken and burnt laser pistol Wesley. side to make a pretty convincing dis-
from the Captain. between them. Mad Mike sauntered Captain Sedona kept quiet about play when we dropped her into that
“They’re leaving, Captain.” said Arc down the steps last, his sniper pulser being three inches taller than the canyon,” said Captain Sedona with an
over the intercom. resting comfortably on his right shoul- man calling her little lady. Instead, apologetic look.
“Cloey, set the Bohm drive for skip der, the monkey on his left. He looked she nodded with tears in her eyes. “You tricked us! You people don’t
jumps, override the safeties and say smug that no one had found his hold “Dave, Duke, you’re with me. Dar- really like the Galactic Rangers at all,
a prayer over the nav computer,” or- out while searching his ship. win and Dick you stay with Mad Mike do you?” he raged accusingly.
dered the Captain. “Valerie? What happened?” asked and the monkey. We’ll be back,” said “On the contrary, Ranger Wichita.
“Whatever you say, boss. Fifinella Wesley, slowing down. Captain Se- Wesley confidently. We think you guys are great, if pre-
be with us,” said Cloey, running off to dona embraced him, dropping the Valerie’s limp slowed them a great dictable,” said Dean, coming down
the engine room. transmitter. “Oh it was horrible! Dean deal, but they managed to make it the slope now with Creon in tow.
Dean winked at the Captain. “Now had this crazy, stupid idea. He wanted to the valley just as the binary suns “So what now? Are you going to
for the fun part.” to race back here. I shouldn’t have started slipping towards the hori- kill us?” said Ranger Wichita bravely.
# listened to him,” she looked into the zon. The bag of cred-sticks rested Dave and Duke looked interested in

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ISSUE 52

the answer. “That’s going to become the fa- Captain Sedona. writing in spurts, submitting randomly
“Nope. I’ve got a better idea,” said mous laser pistol of Wesley Wichi- Dean shrugged. “All I cared about but mostly pursuing the art of daily liv-
Dean, handing Captain Sedona her ta, first Galactic Ranger,” said Dean was the finder’s fee we collected ing (as opposed to the art of daily starv-
laser pistol. Creon handed the turbo- charmingly. for those Rangers, in addition to the ing.)
rifles over to Dave and Duke. monkey money of course.” He joined the Army in 2001 after
#
“What’s this, you want a shoot “Being good and heroic had noth- the terroist attacks of 9/11 and has
out?” asked Ranger Wichita hopeful- The Galactic Rangers and the crew ing to do with it then?” she asked deployed to Iraq a total of three times.
ly. It was how On The Lagrange had of the Tachyon Valkyrie had Mad Mike teasingly. During his third deployment, at the
ended after all. surrounded. The vicious glare of the Dean knew she loved heroes, of all age of 32, he decided after a near miss
“Certainly not. Not with us at least. bounty hunter encompassed all of his things. He hated to disappoint her. (which is just as safe as a far miss, only
Tell me this, how do you pay for your betrayers. “Well, at least now the Eco-Fascists more personal) by a mortar round that
Captain Sedona had a clear bead on it was time to achieve his dream of be-
activities?” asked Dean. have someone to protect their ani-
Mad Mike’s forehead. If he so much ing published.
“Well, we pooled all our money mals. I still feel a little bad about Mad
as twitched that sniper rifle on his The pen name Andy Heizeler was cre-
after a Ranger Dodge convention on Mike, though.” ated as a conglomeration of the initials
Planet Moore to buy the ship and ev- shoulder, she’d burn a hole straight Captain Sedona thought about the
through his brain. After informing him of his favorite authors, under which he
erything. Since then we’ve been kind agony of having to take a tour guide created a series of stories about Dean
of going on donations when we an- of that fact, he surrendered. job after being a bounty hunter for so
Cloey ran forward and claimed the the Space Rogue. The first Dean the
swer distress calls,” said Wesley guilt- long. She shuddered. Space Rogue story to be accepted ap-
ily. monkey, hoisting it to safety on her “Rough turn. I just hope Wesley’s
shoulder. The monkey screeched in peared in the anthology “Star Step-
“So when you answered Mad happy,” she said. ping” by Wild Child Press. The second,
Mike’s distress call, did he offer you a joy as she gave it a hug. Dean glanced at her with mild
Deputy Duke discreetly dabbed at but first chronologically, “Dean the
donation too?” asked Dean. amusement. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry Space Rogue,” appeared in Ray Gun
“A small one,” said Wesley. a tear. about that,” he said. “I think he’ll be Revival #40, with another “Galactic
“How would you guys like to get # just fine.” Saviors,” that appeared in Newmyths.
paid to wear those tin stars, and have The crew had moved the couch and They watched as Ranger Dodge com magazine. A separate story will
the legal authority to back them up?” chairs down from the mess lounge and waved back, sitting high upon his be appearing in issue 42 of the print
asked Dean enticingly. arranged them along the starboard mount. Turning away from the holo- magazine Cosmos, titled “The Broken
“What do you mean?” asked Dave, bulkhead in the cargo bay. Above and cameras, he faced the future and Hourglass.”
checking the breech of the turbo- around them the Holo played. They new adventures as he rode off into David and his wife Kit have recently
rifle. watched as Ranger Dodge saddled up the binary sunset. moved to the northern artic regions of
“I mean, you guys could really on his cybernetic horse variant, Silver- WI where they will be rediscovering the
start the Galactic Rangers, and have joys of deep snow and cars that need
Oxide.
a whole government standing be- to be thawed before starting. Since he
Captain Sedona had her arms flung
hind you,” said Dean, grinning. He ex- is now a U.S. Army Recruiter, he won’t
around Dean and Cloey on the couch.
plained his plan in detail. By the time Creon sat on the floor and shared David Bridgette started writing at have as much time for writing, but as-
he finished, Ranger Wichita shook his popcorn with Arc who relaxed in the the age of ten in 1985 on a Tandy TRS- sures his small but untimid fan base
hand. Dean handed over his pawn- lounge chair. 80 computer. By 1995, he had enough that ultimately, more Dean will come!
shop bargain laser pistol. “That was a pretty nice thing you rejection slips to account for the shrink- The Good, The Bad, and The Monkey © 2009 by
“What’s this?” did back there, Dean,” whispered ing rainforests. Off and on he continued Andy Heizeler.

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The dandy frowned, then he looked “It’s not far now,” Granger said.
Dueces Wild: Threshold of Escape enlightened and stared at Tristan. “So “We had to hide the ship under a cliff,
by L.S. King you’re using ‘Tristan’ now. How tell- since we are now as wanted as your
ing. But”—he adjusted his collar— dear ‘Tristan.’ Fortunately, the rocks
Granger pulled the collar of a heavy “Don’t.” Tristan’s voice was low and ”shall we continue our conversations there have a high mineral content,
jacket up around his face, his breath commanding—and stopped Slap right where it is more comfortable? I have and thick evergreens also help cover
steaming in the cold. “Stand up slow- before he lunged. three cabins prepared.” He bowed us from visually being spotted. The
ly, and hand over the weapons.” “He is well trained, this backwa- to Addie. “I shall instruct a fourth be ship’s transponder is, of course, cur-
Slap turned as he rose, two PBRs ter lacquey of yours,” Granger mur- made ready.” He held out his arm in- rently disabled.”
trained on him. mured. dicating they should begin walking. As they drew close, Slap saw the
“I see you wasted no time,” Tristan Slap scowled, and the fancy- “Gentlemen. Lady.” lines of the yacht gleaming in the
said. “The canisters?” dressed slime smirked, as if daring Addie opened her mouth, but be- moonlight; much larger than Bertha,
“Astute, as usual.” Granger smiled, him. He glared back. Just wait, you fore she could say anything, Slap long and clean—Jaguar class. Grang-
his eyes glittering with victory. “This smarmy lizard. grabbed her ear and hauled her er’s boss, the mysterious Dray, must
is only a precaution, you understand. Granger’s eyes wandered past Slap along—much as his father had done be loaded. He stopped gawking as a
We’re here to rescue you, you know. and narrowed. “So, this is the one to him years ago—heedless of her guard shoved a rifle in his back. He
But considering our previous misun- who turned the tables earlier. The ace yelping, “Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!” sure hoped Tristan had some sort of
derstandings, I feel this is prudent. up your sleeve. What is your name, “Gonna get yourself killed,” he plan...
Now—your weapons, please.” young lady?” hissed, “and us too. Now, hush, girl!” #
One of the men marched past Slap “My name’s Addie, and I’m not a The snow crunched under their
to get Carter’s weapon, and anoth- young lady.” The wildcat’s voice was feet as they all followed the one Each of Tristan’s companions had
er to Tristan. That left one for Slap, as willful as ever. Slap wasn’t sure if guard holding a light. The other two been shown to a cabin aboard Reg-
along with Granger. He didn’t think that was good or not, but Granger’s guards brought up the rear. Granger gie’s yacht and locked in. Tristan,
he’d need to even let Tristan know eyebrows lifted, an amused smile sauntered along slightly to one side, however, was brought to the bridge—
he would try something, but would crossing his face. and Slap swore he’d find a way to which was a true, albeit tiny, bridge
Carter react fast enough? With slight bow and a sweep of his knock the self-satisfied expression off with a semi-circle layout, not merely
Slap gingerly lifted his PBG out of arm, Granger asked, “Shall we go to the man’s face. a functional cockpit as Giselle’s had
its holster. He handed the weapon, my yacht?” They appeared to be heading east, been.
along with a glower, to the nearest “Why should we go anywhere with if they were indeed going in a straight His old friend sat in the captain’s
guard. The man nodded toward the you?” Addie lifted her chin. line since leaving the camp. Slap re- chair, and the crewmembers at the
fire, where Slap’s blade rested, stuck Slap stifled a groan. membered seeing a dark line in the left and right stations had their eyes
into a piece of wood. “Your knife.” Granger chuckled. “Perhaps you distance, but hadn’t been sure if it riveted to Tristan. Reggie gestured
As Slap bent over, the man added, should examine the fact my men have had been more trees or mountains. toward the empty center station: the
“And don’t try anything funny.” particle beam rifles aimed at each of He wondered why they’d landed so pilot’s seat. “Would you like the hon-
“If I were gonna try anything, be- you.” far away. They trudged on. ors?”
lieve me, it wouldn’t be funny.” Slap “You wouldn’t be so brave if it were Addie finally broke the silence by Too many competing questions
flipped the knife and held it, hilt out. just you and Tristan. He’d have no sniffling. “I can’t feel my feet,” she flitted through Tristan’s brain, but he
The man met his eyes with a sneer. trouble walloping you!” whispered. kept his response to: “Why?”
“You are the best pilot I know. And,

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due to your genius, my standing with “Designed for it,” Reggie said with activated—probably with a program cellent was their amount of fuel—to
the Confederation has been left in pride. similar to the one Giselle used. What have enough for the jump drive, he
some doubt. Leaving the planet will Of course. Dray would only get the was the old saying? Locked doors only couldn’t use the Alcubierre for a sus-
prove to be tricky, and since your life best, not some inferior ship with an keep honest people honest. Registry tained amount of time. That wasn’t
is in as much jeopardy as ours, I be- after-market drive having one-tenth Transponders only worked well in po- his biggest worry though.
lieve I can trust you to get us safely the speed because that’s all the struc- licing honest people. “Because of the probes,” Tristan
away.” ture could handle. And Carter had al- “I assume you have sensor damp- continued, “our most dangerous mo-
“Staying here would be safest,” ready ascertained the vessel had fire- eners or scatterers?” ments will be when we’re using the
Tristan responded untruthfully, just power on par with Giselle. This yacht “A three-tier ECM. They should not standard engines to get through the
to see what reaction he’d provoke. was as deadly as she was beautiful. be able to detect us once we’re in ionosphere to the threshold point so I
“For how long? The fleet won’t “She’s fast then, 100c or near that, space.” can activate the Alcubierre, not in the
leave orbit until they have secured probably on par with the Confedera- Tristan whirled in the chair to face five to ten seconds after cutting the
the planet. And since you so very tion patrol ships,” Tristan murmured. Reggie with a cold stare, recalling a drive and waiting for the distortion
spectacularly destroyed their base, I “Jump drive?” time when Reggie had almost gotten field to dissipate so we can jump.”
have no doubt finding you is their top “Military.” them both killed with a similar pre- Tristan studied the readings on the
priority.” Good. The capacitor would charge sumption. “’Should not.’” fleet dispersal in orbit. “I need to talk
“Then you were foolish to bring me in one-fifth of the time compared to Reggie paused, then accepted the to Carter.”
aboard.” a civilian drive. Not much chance that correction—and memory—by tipping “Who?” Reggie sounded honestly
Reggie’s sneer turned cold. “Don’t he’d get lucky twice, but: “Twin ca- his head with a slight shrug, almost confused.
give me that. My life is on the line as pacitor?” apologetic. “For a while, anyway. “Donegal.”
much as yours now. I never remem- “Are you out of your mind? Where Long enough.” “Whatever for?”
bered you having a death wish, so as in the world would one get a twin ca- “That’s subjective.” Tristan turned to face Reggie. “He
long as our asses are in a sling togeth- pacitor?” Reggie asked. “Why would A smile spread. “Don’t be pedan- can tell me what the Confederation
er, I know mine is safe. Now—” Reg- anyone even want one?” tic.” procedures are. I can guess, but I’d
gie paused and leaned forward, his Alas. That old freighter spoiled him. An old in-joke. Hilarious when they rather deal with facts.”
hazel eyes flinty. “Fly us out of here.” But Reggie was right; a twin-capacitor were still cock-sure boys in men’s Reggie sighed, and inclined his
“I’ll need time to see what she’s jump drive was rare—between cost bodies, bitter now, so many years af- head at the crewman at Ops/Com-
got.” and the fact even the paranoid Con- ter the betrayal. Tristan’s lips thinned, munications. “Very well.”
“You have until they find us. And federation military found little use for and he turned back to the console. The man returned the nod, and
although this rock face has kept us them. Had Lyssel stumbled upon a “The Confeds most certainly sent out Reggie lifted a hand in permission.
from being discovered, I doubt we derelict with a twin-capacitor or paid probes to look for us. The second we Tristan hoped he kept his icy façade
have very long. I’ll leave it to your dis- some exorbitant amount for one? lift off, they’ll find us, despite your intact despite seething inside at Reg-
cretion how much time you need.” Most likely the former; Tristan doubt- three-tier system.” gie’s imperious posturing. He kept his
Tristan sat and began examining ed the dead gangster had possessed Propulsion had been set to hot gaze on Reggie as he asked, “Cart-
the controls. Familiar design, similar the money or means to search for and standby—the ship was powered er?”
to his previous yacht. “Alcubierre en- buy one. down, so it could not be detected, “Sir?”
gine,” he commented without look- Reggie had already stated the Inter- but could be in the air in as little as “They’re letting me pilot us out of
ing up. stellar Registry Transponder was de- thirty seconds. Excellent. Not so ex- here, and we’re getting ready to take

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off. The moment we do, the probes “How far do you want me to push waving red lines, indicating engine the negative energy of the bubble cut
will locate us. Tell me what to ex- the engines to cut our time in atmo?” stress and overload and then at the down the range of the wormhole, but
pect.” Tristan asked over his shoulder as the Alcubierre engagement threshold. it still took them beyond the reach of
“The probes must have already yacht lifted off. This was going to be close... the patrol ships. They couldn’t arrive
found the canisters, just as our cap- “I want my ship intact—through He entered the course for the drive, where the yacht was before the ca-
tors did—” both your piloting and from the Con- and waited. Just as the patrol ships pacitor was ready for the next jump,
“Rescuers,” Reggie corrected in a feds. I leave it to your discretion.” came within range, he set the yacht even if they could extrapolate where
sing-song voice. Tristan reserved his wonder as to into a corkscrew, hoping to gain a few the wormhole exited.
“—which means patrol ships are what Reggie was up to in entrust- extra moments before their targeting They were safe from the Confed-
loitering above atmo. As soon as the ing him with this—his pilot certainly computers could lock on. eration. Tristan spun to face Reggie.
engines fire up full the probes will could handle the situation, if not, he A shudder ran through the ship. Now the true danger loomed.
detect us. The patrols will be able to or she wouldn’t be working for Dray. “Hostiles firing, Captain,” the wom-
zero in and project our course, then He could theorize later, if he got them an at Tactical announced.
plan an intercept for when we pass out of here safely. The ship rose, and “Return fire,” Reggie ordered.
through the ionosphere. They’ll lock he pushed the engines until they red- “Belay that!” spat Tristan. Thresh-
on to the yacht and start firing to crip- lined, screaming. old! He hit the Alcubierre; the world L. S. King is a science fiction and
ple the engines.” “It’s too much!” Reggie shouted. bulged. fantasy writer with one book, several
“That’s about what I suspected.” “Pull back!” The two crewmembers let out an published short stories, a column on
“Also, patrol ships have the capabil- “My discretion,” Tristan retorted, audible sigh. Tristan let his breath out writing, and an ongoing monthly se-
ity to cut through interference from inwardly pleased that he managed slowly in satisfaction, but stayed alert. rial story to her cred­it.
their own Alcubierre drive to detect to provoke Reggie into raising his cul- One more spot of danger lay before When on the planet, this mother
the distortion from another ship’s tured voice in such a gauche manner. them. Lack of fuel, short Alcubierre and grandmother lives in Delaware
drive. We’ll likely have several ships “I want to beat their patrol ships’ in- run; Tristan dare not use it for more with her husband Steve, homeschools
on our tail, so be careful.” terception—if possible.” than a minute, maybe two. Patrollers their young­est child, and also works
“Anything else?” Patrollers were built for speed— would likely be clinging to their hull as a gymnastics coach. In her non-
“Not really, Sir. You know what and if Carter was right, they were as soon as they dropped into regular existent spare time she enjoys gar-
you’re doing and don’t need any en- already zeroing in, waiting. He had space. dening, soap making, reading, and
gine room kibitzing.” to hit the Alcubierre drive as soon as Tristan deactivated the Alcubierre, online gaming. She also likes Looney
Tristan snorted and swung back physically possible, before the patrols the field began to dissipate, and—as Tunes, the color purple, and is a Zorro
around to the console. That’s a first. could take out their engines. predicted, his fears formed into five afi­cionado, which might explain her
He entered his flight plan into nav and He watched the display, the count- patrol ships materializing alongside. love of swords and cloaks.
held his breath as he switched the en- down until he could safely engage the “They’re creating a localized Alcu-
gines from standby to full power. The Alcubierre... bierre bubble around us to try to stop Deuces Wild: Threshold of Escape © 2009 by L.S.
King.
resultant thrum through the ship ran Blips appeared, triangulating, clos- us,” Tactical called out.
through him as well, invigorating him ing in. Their intersection coincided A warp lock would be a worry if
despite the situation. He waited the almost to the second when Tristan Tristan wanted to engage the Alcubi-
forever it seemed to take for all sys- would have the yacht high enough to erre again, but he had different plans.
tems to show green. activate the drive. He looked at the He activated the jump engine. True,

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Tales of the Breaking Dawn into space. “Have you spotted the Bloodpack
Part One: The Ties That Bind The aft bridge door slid open. yet, Cam?” she asked. “Harkens has
by Justin R. Macumber Through it rushed Boo, Jessica’s sec- got to be out here somewhere.”
ond in command and the Dawn’s “Negative.”
usual pilot. Boo brought up a display panel that
For several long and agonizing sec- tiple keyboards.
“Jessie!” he yelled, two of his four sat on an articulated arm and called up
onds, Jessica Quimbly, captain of the “Though I risk stating the obvious,
long arms reaching out to grasp Navigation. He already knew where
star-freighter Breaking Dawn, felt Captain,” he replied, his too-smooth
handrails so that he wouldn’t fall as they were—the Loomis’kka System—
like her insides were being pulled in face composed, “it appears we are
the ship bucked beneath his broad but he wanted to know exactly how
multiple directions at once. Her head under attack. IFF isn’t picking up any
feet. “Please tell me we aren’t under far they were from Loomis’kka Prime,
throbbed in pain. The space around transmissions though. I have our
attack.” their destination.
her ship was a swirling abstract of drone fighters cycling up now, and
“They came at us right after cross- The freighter shuddered as the
darkness and kaleidoscopic light. And they’ll launch in thirty seconds. Point
ing through the gate,” she replied as pirate fightercraft unleashed their
then, as quickly as it began, it ended. defense systems are activated.”
she spun the ship into a sharp angle. particle guns. Cam fended them off
The universe reverted to its normal Jessica tightened her grip on the
Never taking his mechanical eyes with their drones and cannons, both
dimensions, and her body sagged control sticks and glanced at the radar
from the monitors before him, Cam working in harmony as his cybernetic
into her pilot’s seat. screen near her left knee. There she
said, “The markings on the fighters mind tied their efforts together, but
Suddenly, red lights flared inside saw five red symbols buzzing around
indicate that they are from Captain against such agile ships there was
every corridor and room of the ship, her ship like angry hornets. What few
Harkens’ ship.” little he could do.
and a sharp bleet erupted from over- weapons the Dawn had were firing in
“What?” Boo said. “I thought those Jessica glanced at a status display
head speakers. Flashes of light lit up a near constant barrage. The red dots
pirates stuck to the other side of the and saw her ship’s hull weakened
the hull, followed quickly by flacks of danced through the fusillade nimbly
spin!” slowly but surely. Her options limited,
metal debris that racked across the and fired back in return. The ship
“They usually do,” Cam replied. she hit her afterburners and forced
windows surrounding the pilot’s sta- shook with each blast.
A dull series of thumps reverberat- the freighter to fly in ways its makers
tion. Drifting into the distance behind
ed through the body of the freighter. had never intended. Sweat poured
“Cam!” she shouted. “Would the them was the reason for her recent
“Drone flights Alpha and Gamma down her back.
weapons specialist like to tell me discomfort, the Coven Gate Sisters
have launched,” Cam said. “Hull in- After several nerve-racking min-
what the hell is going on?” Weirding. Nearly identical to every
tegrity is at ninety-six percent.” utes the pirates began to fall back,
Behind her, standing at a worksta- gate Jessica had encountered in her
Pushing the engine throttle for- and the hits became less and less
tion that was a rat’s nest of monitors travels, it was circular in shape and
ward, Jessica spun the Dawn away frequent. She wasn’t sure if that was
and wires, Cam was an island of calm had a diameter of just over a kilo-
from the pursuing fighters as grace- because of her fancy flying or Cam’s
in a sea of chaos. Considering that he meter. Large though it was, its most
fully as the lumbering vessel would remarkable tactical skills, but either
was an android, such a disposition notable features were the four mas-
allow. On her radar screen she saw way she was grateful. Her ship was
was only to be expected. Dangling sive coolant fins that sprang from its
ten small green blips burn away from designed for transporting cargo, not
network cables terminated at plugs outer edge like the petals of a flower
them and race toward their attack- heavy combat.
near the base of his hairless skull, and and radiated heat generated by the
ers. “Captain,” Cam said, “our attackers
his hands danced quickly across mul- gate’s immense power core safely

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have ceased pursuing us.” throttles to their safety stops. To her use their gate as a way of setting up a Cam nodded. “Of course it does.”
She grunted and twisted her lips. relief, the Bloodpack didn’t change its presence in the system.” “Oh, and go ahead and stable
“Not that I’m looking a gift horse heading. Once both ships had their Thinking his words over, she nod- those drones now that the excite-
in the mouth, but wasn’t that a bit engines to each other, she brought ded. “Could be. But, how would they ment is over.”
easy?” the ship back to its original course. have known far enough ahead of time “Aye aye, Captain.” Cam working
“Were I to theorize,” Cam replied, “Captain, it would seem we are to move it? That couldn’t have been quickly and quietly. Beneath the low
“I’d say their primary mission was to clear of danger,” Cam said. quick, or easy.” hum of his servos, she just barely
keep the gate secure.” With a grateful sigh, she pulled back The Kleeetan thought for a mo- heard him whisper, “Supernatural
“Perhaps, but don’t recall the on the throttle and locked her con- ment and then said, “Maybe they had powers. Really.”
drones just yet. No use tempting trols down. After that she removed a premonition.” Smirking, she exited the bridge.
them to come back for more.” her headset and jumped up from the As Boo’s words entered the air, Coming down the short corridor from
“Aye aye, Captain.” pilot’s seat. When she was clear of Cam stopped typing, and the absence the opposite direction was Duka, the
The Dawn blazed its way further the lowered enclosure, she gestured of the ever-present clicking noise ship’s engineer. His usually dark and
into the system, and the pirates faded to it with a sweep of her arm and said, caused Jessica to turn. hairy face was pale.
into the distance. As seconds turned “Boo, she’s all yours!” “Captain,” the android said, his “You should warn me when we’re
into minutes, their minds began to The Kleeetan chuckled and lowered tone flatter than usual, “I am aware going to get into a tussle, Jessie,”
ease. Jessica was almost ready to is- himself to the seat. “Aye, Skipper.” that most of the galaxy believes the he said with a laugh like rocks being
sue a Stand-Down order for the ship “Cam, how much longer until we Coven to be some sort of mystics ground over each other. “That way I
when a large red blip appeared on hit Loomis’kka Prime’s orbit?” or seers, but that is, and I mean no can prep the engines properly.”
her radar. The android paused for a moment offense, organic superstitious non- She returned his laugh. “The funny
“Captain, we are picking up a ves- as he interfaced with the ship’s sys- sense. It is more than likely that thing with pirates is that they don’t
sel inbound from the direction of tems, and then said, “Six hours.” contacts the Coven have within the like to give much in the way of a warn-
Loomis’kka Prime,” Cam said. “Again, “That can’t be right,” she replied. criminal community alerted them to ing. Besides, I never fear the Dawn’s
there is no IFF, but by its size and hull “No, that’s accurate,” Boo said. “I Harkens’ plan. They could not refuse engines giving out. You’re a marvel of
design I would say it was the Blood- saw it on the nav screen while you him passage through the gate with- your profession.”
pack.” were busy keeping us from getting out risking a pirate war, so instead Duka reached out and patted her
Jessica tugged at her left earlobe. shot out of the sky. The Sisters Weird- they moved it closer to the safety on the shoulder with a hand that
“Any indication they’ve spotted us?” ing gate is now only half as far from of Loomis’kka Prime and its military held too many fingers with too many
“Unless they actively ping us or Loomis’kka Prime as it was when our forces. It doesn’t take voodoo or psy- knuckles. “You flatter as well as you
transmit a hail, there is no way to navigation charts were last updated.” chic powers to see that.” fly, and I thank you.”
know for sure.” A line formed between Jessica’s Jessica wanted to laugh at Cam’s The alien engineer lapsed into si-
“All right then, let’s play this safe.” eyes as her brow furrowed. “How? all-too proper tone, but she decided lence, and Jessica was content to stand
Her steady hands guided the And better yet, why?” it would be better to just nod and quietly next to him. She’d known him
freighter into a shallow turn to angle “I think they knew.” smile. all of her life, and his presence was a
her vector well clear of the approach- “Knew what?” “Very good,” she said. “Makes per- comfort. Her father, Patrick Quimbly,
ing vessel, and she pushed the engine “That Harkens was going to try and fect sense.” had purchased the ship just before

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she was born, and the first crewmem- “No. You know how we feel about the The trip from the Coven gate to manifest you have supplied us with.
ber he’d hired had been the E’Loean Coven, but you’re the captain.” Loomis’kka Prime was brief, but the If this manifest is not complete, I will
engineer. In the years since Patrick’s Biting back the retort that had wait to dock with Vimm’skka Sta- need to have you submit a new one,
death, the engineer had become a sprung to her lips, Jessica sighed. “You tion felt like an eternity. Hundreds of and it will then have to be personally
mentor and something of a surrogate should have Zen give you something ships flew in orbit around the planet, inspected by an import official.”
parent to her. for the nausea.” all of them waiting for clearance to “Now, now. No need for all that.
Finally breaking the stillness he “No. I’ll be okay. Just a small glass land, clearance which was often long I just meant that our employer re-
said, “Perhaps it’s just me, but that of Refflik Tea, and then I’ll hit the in coming. But, as soon as the Dawn quested this cargo to be delivered as
last gate crossing was especially pain- tube. Sleeping makes it better, except was docked, unloading its cargo fell quickly as possible. Our manifest is
ful.” for the nightmares.” to their cargo chief, Ferron Cth. most certainly complete.”
A pensive expression crossed her “You don’t always have them,” she “Will you tell that bucket of rust to That wasn’t entirely true, but it
eyes and mouth. “I’d have thought by said, her tone hopeful. get the hell out of my way?” he shout- was said with enough conviction that
now you’d be used to it.” “No, I don’t. As you humans say, ed at a nearby dock robot. The droid few would challenge it. Ferron had
“I’ll never get used to it,” he grum- knock on wood.” He raised his right wasn’t perturbed by the fierceness been inspected only once in his en-
bled. “Your father never used the Co- hand and rapped it against the top of of Ferron’s voice, but the Dunadon tire career, luckily during a shipment
ven.” his large head. wouldn’t have cared even if it had. that actually had been above-board,
Despite herself, Jessica grew hot Jessica smiled. “That’s more like Gray skinned and nearly hairless, so his record was clean. He intended
where she stood. “Well I’m not my fa- stone than wood.” Dunadons are a large and incredibly to keep it that way.
ther. I know the rest of you don’t like “So it is. Call me if you need me.” strong species. Like most Dunadon “Then perhaps you should have ar-
the Coven, and to tell you the truth The E’Loean engineer patted her males, Ferron sported a single small rived sooner,” the robot replied flatly.
I don’t either, but they’re willing to shoulder one last time and then am- horn above his nostril ridge, which Rolling forward, the droid extended
let us use their gates, and sometimes bled away to the galley in his odd but he’d had capped with a brass tip, and one of its many arms and handed him
that can shave days from our travel endearing three-legged gate. formidable tusks descending past the a slim computer pad. “Please keep
times. Advantages are too few and far Jessica watched him go, sad that sides of his grim mouth. this on you at all times while working
between out here to not use them.” her choices caused those close to her “They will be moving in just one in the dockyard. From our records I
“But at what cost?” pain, and angry at the universe for moment,” the dock robot replied, see that you have been here once be-
She shifted around in her chair and forcing her to make those choices in one metal hand extended toward a fore and are qualified for dock han-
fluttered her hands in the air. “Cost? the first place. But, she knew noth- hovering pallet practically overflow- dling by the Dol’mire’s Conglomerate
Yeah, the Covens charge a steep fee, ing could be done to change things, ing with bags of grain. “Please wait Board Of Commerce and Transporta-
but it all works out.” so she turned to her cabin door. She until I give you permission before you tion. As such I will expect your work
“That isn’t what I meant.” needed to get all the rest she could begin unloading your cargo.” here to be efficient and problem free.
“Oh, what, are we going to go into before they arrived at Vimm’skka Sta- Ferron snorted thickly. “I’ve got Are we clear?”
that again?” she asked. “Are we re- tion. Once all of their cargo was un- time sensitive stuff here!” “Crystal,” Ferron replied.
ally?” loaded, the task of finding another Its hands still moving in precise “Yes or no, please.”
Duka opened his mouth, but then job would begin. motions, the droid gave a negative Grumbling, the Dunadon rubbed
he closed it and shook his bushy head. # beep in reply. “Not according to the his lips against his long tusks and said,

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“Yes, we’re clear.” to call Zen as soon as our provisions Nodding, Boo grumbled, “You read The one he sat down in front of her
“Very well. Your loading area is get here. She’s been breathing down my mind.” was bright red and fizzled furiously,
now ready, so you may begin moving my neck all week to get the kitchen With shared smirks they entered while the one he placed before his
your cargo at this time. Is there any- stocked again, plus she has some the lounge. Pulsing music nearly own chair was dark and thick.
thing else I can assist you with?” medical supplies coming in for sick hit them like a wall when the doors “The least they could do is put a
Ferron tucked the pad into a pock- bay.” opened. A few of the lounge’s occu- gun to my head while they’re rob-
et on his dungarees and turned back “It’ll be good to have new grub pants turned to look their way, but bing me blind,” he grumbled as he
toward his ship. “Nope, I’m good, tin aboard,” Ferron told her, patting his after little more than a cursory glance sat down.
head. Off you go.” belly. “Pickings have been slim.” they turned away without looking a “Prices getting that bad?”
Not insulted in the least, the droid “Too slim, I know. We’ll get that second time. Neither Jessica nor Boo “Bad? How does twenty Glomers
spun around and wheeled off toward fixed.” rated more interest than that. sound?”
the next ship on its list. Around the back of the Dawn ap- “You go and get us some drinks, “For just two drinks?”
“Everything okay?” Jessica asked peared Boo, his shaggy face showing and I’ll find a table,” Jessica shouted. “Two drinks, my right eyes! That
as she walked down the cargo ramp how happy he was to be on the sta- “Your usual?” he asked. was for just your Zoodien Twist! Mine
from her ship. tion and able to stretch his legs. Jessica nodded and handed him a was another fifteen! I suggest you
“Aye, Skipper. It shouldn’t take “You ready to make some money?” credit chip. He declined it with a hurt drink it slowly. There won’t be anoth-
more than a couple of hours to clear Jessica shouted to him over the din of expression, and then walked toward er one. Not from my meager wages
everything out.” the docking bay. the crowded bar. She then searched anyway.”
“Everything?” “I’m always ready!” around for an unoccupied table, even- Gently picking up the glass before
“Yes, Ma’am. Everything. No prob- Grinning, Jessica nodded to her tually finding one near the back. As her, Jessica took a shallow drink,
lems at all.” cargo chief and then walked off with soon as she was seated she activated and then carefully put it down to
She hadn’t expected anything less, Boo toward the entrance to the inner the computer screen that sat on the the right of the screen, far from any
but it always came as a comfort when sanctums of the station, leaving Fer- table top and entered her credentials danger of being accidentally spilled.
unlisted cargo wasn’t searched or ron to his work, which he set to with so she could access the Intergalactic “Don’t whine just yet,” she said. “Sar
sniffed out. his usual dogged determination. Trade and Transportation Network. Donn’hha threw a bit more in than
“Very good. Sar Donn’hha will be # After entering her identification, we contracted for, so we’re all a little
most pleased.” she pulled up the details on her latest richer.”
Looking through the glass entrance
“I do what I can, Skipper.” job and saw that Sar Donn’hha had A twinkle appeared in the pilot’s
doors, Jessica saw that the Stargazer
Patting his thickly muscled left arm, marked her contract as completed. four eyes. “Zen’s contacts really came
lounge was busier than she’d ever
Jessica smiled. “And you do it well. If He’d also transmitted the remainder through.”
seen it before, and the sight of it de-
you need me or Boo, we’ll be in the of his payment, along with an un- “For a doctor, she sure knows some
pressed her. She preferred the bar
Stargazer seeing what jobs are avail- expected bonus. Jessica smiled and unscrupulous people,” Jessica said.
the way it had been when she was
able.” tapped a key that marked her accep- After taking another sip, she looked
young, before the Conglomerate had
Ferron nodded his gray head. “Will tance of the contract closure. back at the monitor and hit a button
become a powerhouse in the galaxy.
do.” Boo appeared at the table a second that brought up a screen of freighter
“Sometimes progress just isn’t worth
“Oh, and before I go, make sure later, drinks in two of his large hands. contracts. As they filtered through
it,” she said.

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ISSUE 52

the list, a light started to flash in the RGR REVIEWS


lower right corner of the screen, indi- by Matthew Scott Winslow, Donald Jacob Uitvlugt
cating an incoming transmission.
“A call?” Boo said. “Who could pos-
sibly be calling us?” Gradisil by Adam Roberts novel traces the efforts of Klara’s
Raising her eyebrows, Jessica hit Pyr, 2007, 464 pages daughter, Gradisil, to weld the citi-
the CONNECT icon with a tentative Reviewed by Donald Jacob Uitvlugt zens of the Uplands into a nation
finger and said, “This is Captain Jes- in the face of US belligerency. The
sica Quimbly.” Adam Roberts’s Gradisil is a com- events are told from two perspec-
A window opened on the monitor. plicated novel about classic themes. tives: that of Lieutenant David Slater,
At first it was dark, but then a face Love. Death. Family. Revenge. Free- the man responsible for planning
suddenly filled the frame, and the dom. Betrayal. The birth of a nation. It the war against the Uplands, and of
man it belonged to huffed air in ner- is set in the middle of the twenty-first Paul Caunes, Gradisil’s rich, cuckold-
vous gasps. to the middle of the twenty-second ed husband, who chooses to betray
“Oh, Jessie!” the man shouted, his century, and humanity now has the her to the US. (This is not a spoiler,
head trembling. “Thank the Gods I means to climb into orbit using the as Paul himself tells us about his be-
found you! I need your help, and I re- Earth’s electromagnetic field. Gone trayal in the first chapter we meet
ally need it fast!” are the days when government agen- him.) The third and final part of the
cies and hyper-expensive rockets mo- novel—also the shortest—deals with
nopolized space travel. Now space is Gradisil’s two sons, Hope and Sol,
in the reach of any amateur wealthy who encounter Paul decades after his
A victim of the economy, Justin is enough to retrofit a plane with elem betrayal and bring him to justice. At
now a full-time writer of space–far- technology and lift a habitat into or- least as Sol understands justice.
ingopera and daring-do, working to bit. Thus the Uplands are born. The publicity blurbs on Gradisil call
earn his big break. He’s written sto- The first of the novel’s three parts the novel a space opera, and compare
ries in almost every genre, but science is told from the point of view of Klara it to the work of Robert Heinlein. One
fiction is where his heart belongs, and Gyeroffy, daughter of Uplands pio- might see a superficial resemblance
it always will. He also created and neer MiklÛs Gyeroffy. Klara’s father to a work like The Moon Is a Harsh
co-hosts a writing podcast called The is killed, and the remainder of this Mistress. Both deal with a successful
Dead Robots’ Society, which you can first part deals with Klara’s choice be- revolution in space, a revolution at
find at www.deadrobotssociety.com. tween coming to terms with her fa- great cost. Both Heinlein’s work and
And, if you want to learn more ther’s death or seeking revenge. Her Gradisil have an anti-establishment
about him and read some of his oth-
actions are set against the backdrop feel, Heinlein in a libertarian direc-
er work, you can go to www.justin-
of rising tensions between the US tion and Gradisil along the lines of
macumber.com.
and the EU. Tensions that lead to the classic anarchy.
Tales of the Breaking Dawn: The Ties That Bind © first war in space in 2081. But Roberts’s novel is much more
2009 by Justin Macumber. The second and largest part of the complicated than a straight-forward

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ISSUE 52

space opera. Indeed, it is much more words like black or pick, dropping the in more philosophical SF or the use of be made bringing the mineral wealth
accurately “anti-space opera” or per- final G from ING-words) has the effect postmodern narrative techniques in of an unspoiled North America to a
haps “post-space opera.” Gradisil is of jarring the reader. We are never al- speculative fiction may find Gradisil resource-depleted twentieth-century
not the account of the lone individ- lowed simply to settle into the world interesting. Earth.
ual changing the universe through of the story, but are constantly jarred, By the closing years of the twen-
her heroic struggle; it is about how like driving along the rumble strips on tieth century, however, Rolfe’s Com-
that struggle affects—but does not the highway. Conquistador by S.M. Stirling monwealth of New Virginia has been
change—those around her. How a This is all intentional. The way Rob- Roc 2003, 596 pages around long enough to develop a fac-
struggle for freedom locks others into erts writes the novel makes it impos- Reviewed by Matthew Scott Winslow tion that wants to break the rules and
the gravity of fate. sible for the reader to disappear into bring prohibited items to ‘Firstside’
And it is about the war in Iraq. the story. He forces the reader to S.M. Stirling has made a reputation Earth to make more of a profit, but
There can be no denying this, espe- remember that he is reading a text, for himself with a series of alternate- jeopardize the secrecy of the Com-
cially given the way Roberts portrays with the goal of forcing the reader to history novels, akin to what Harry monwealth. On Firstside, fish and
the U.S. military of the future han- interact with the text. To wrestle with Turtledove has been doing for years. game warden Tom Christiansen dis-
dling the war with the Uplanders. the meaning of revenge and tragedy. Stirling’s novels seem to fall into two covers a new strain of the near extinct
Roberts posits, with only the slight- The title of the novel, and the name broad categories: future histories California condor during the bust of a
est of extrapolation, that wars in the of its largest character, is derived where he changes something in the smuggling operation. He quickly real-
future will be more about PR and from Yggdrasil, the great world-ash past to create a different future, or izes something odd is going on. As he
perception, and fought more in the of Norse mythology. But this refer- current histories set in an alternate digs deeper and deeper, he gradually
courtroom and in the forum of pub- ence to Norse mythology is a misdi- world where something in the past uncovers the truth about the Com-
lic opinion than in actual combat. The rection. The three parts of the novel has changed. monwealth and the woman he knows
future of international politics that are all tragedies, in the classical mold. Conquistador is a bit of an odd duck as Adrienne Rolfe.
Roberts presents is all too plausible. Indeed, a very interesting study could in the Stirling opus in that it deals After discovering too much about
Knowing that Roberts is the author be written comparing Gradisil to the with the real world unchanged but the Commonwealth, Tom and his
of a number of parodies, such as The Oresteia by Aeschylus. (Roberts’s text also has an alternate world. In this partner Roy are kidnapped over to
McAtrix Derided and The Sellamillion, itself begs this comparison.) Both deal case, World War II veteran John Rolfe the Commonwealth’s side of the in-
it is not a stretch at all to see Gradisil with characters locked into cycles of in the early post-war years is muck- terdimensional gate where they find
as parodying the war in Iraq, or at the violence and revenge. In both there ing about with a wireless et in his San themselves fighting on the side of
very least satirizing it. (Swift’s Gulliver are characters aware of these cycles Francisco house when he mysterious- their kidnappers to help maintain the
is a very visible presence in Gradisil.) who desperately want a way out but ly opens up a portal to another earth secret that they were previously try-
Gradisil is postmodern in style: cannot escape their fates. where, because Alexander the Great ing to expose.
indirect and often unreliable narra- Gradisil is meant to raise questions, never died an early death, the New I’ve been reading a bit more military
tors; the fact that we never get into not answer them. Those who want World was never discovered by Eu- SF recently and I have to admit that
Gradisil’s head; even Roberts’s habit escapism or gut-level action-adven- ropeans and is thus almost perfectly Stirling is probably the best militaris-
of systematically misspelling words ture SF will come away from Roberts’s unspoiled. An entrepreneur at heart, tic writer I’ve discovered so far. Even
(“wat” for what, leaving out the C in novel disappointed. Those interested Rolfe quickly realizes the fortune to though he has a penchant for lovingly

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ISSUE 52

dwelling on weapons details, only oc- Cyberabad Days by Ian McDonald striking images. They draw the reader Donald’s India of 2047 will find Cy-
casionally does he go overboard and Pyr, 2009, 330 pages in from the first sentence, like the start berabad Days a welcome addition
derail his story. In addition to this Reviewed by Donald Jacob Uitvlugt of “Kyle Meets the River”—”Kyle was to their enjoyment of this unique
problem, though, the plotting of the the first to see the exploding cat.” Or world. Speaking for myself, I enjoyed
story also stalls midway through as A young man who becomes the of “An Eligible Boy”—”A robot is giv- the stories even more than the novel
there’s a huge middle portion of the caretaker of a troop of battle robot ing Jasbir the whitest teeth in Delhi.” (though I also enjoyed it). A story col-
book where the plot basically is put pilots. A boy whose father is part of McDonald’s prose delights, though at lection linked in theme and setting al-
on hold as Stirling goes into intimate an international peacekeeping force times it is experimental, with shifts lows McDonald to focus on individual
detail about the Commonwealth and befriends a local boy. A girl who be- in tense or in person within a single characters while at the same time
how it is set up to be a combination comes the heir to a vast corporation story. gives him the freedom to highlight
of agrarian and industrial economies. when her family is assassinated. A The rich prose well suits what for even more aspects of his multifacet-
Once the plot gets back on track, young man looking for love in a coun- most readers is an exotic setting. ed future. However it is by no means
though, it’s a breakneck adventure try where men outnumber women There is a wildness to the language necessary to have read River of Gods
told with great pacing and lots of de- four to one finds help from an AI. A suitable to the wildness of McDon- to enjoy Cyberabad Days. All lovers of
tail. girl who had been a goddess finds out ald’s future India. Yet the heart that human adventure will enjoy this pre-
Even though there are problems, what life is like when her time as a beats at the center of each story is sentation of McDonald’s vision.
this is still a captivating and en- goddess is over. A classical dancer falls universal, human. Each story is a
thralling story that is a joy to read. in love with an artificial intelligence. A coming-of-age tale, about the main
The characters are real enough that genetically engineered man comes to character finding his or her place in
you find yourself rooting for them terms with the age he lives in. the world, or failing in that quest.
as they face their enemies and sad Ian McDonald’s Cyberabad Days re- Not that Cyberabad Days is an exer- Donald Jacob Uitvlugt grew up in
when some of them don’t make it. turns to the world of his award-win- cise in clichés. The unique setting and western Michigan and now lives in
The greatest strength, though, has ning 2004 novel, River of Gods. The style prevents that. But even more so Arkansas with his wife and dog. He
to be Stirling’s ability to write battle setting is the India of the near-future, the vividness of the characters. These can be contacted via www.myspace.
scenes on a grand scale. He keeps all centering on 2047, the centennial people and their stories are totally com/DonaldJacobUitvlugt
the details in the air like a master jug- of Indian independence. This future engaging. It is no surprise that “The
gler, not dropping a single piece. The India is a fractured, lively place, the Djinn’s Wife” won a Hugo award, or Matthew Scott Winslow has been a
cumulative effect leaves you almost subcontinent divided into a number that “The Little Goddess” was nomi- science fiction and fantasy addict since
breathless. Thankfully, Stirling leaves of smaller nations. It is a land of a bil- nated. My personal favorite in the he first discovered Isaac Asimov’s
the ending open enough for sequels lion and a half people, of strange new collection was “The Dust Assassin.” Foundation series on his dad’s shelves
without committing himself to such. genders, climate-change induced Readers familiar with River of Gods at a young age. He can be reached at
I hope, though, that he will return to drought, and a soap opera within a will find special enjoyment in the no- reviews@raygrunrevival.com.
the Commonwealth of New Virginia soap opera performed completely by vella “Vishnu at the Cat Circus,” which
sometime soon. artificial intelligence actors. presents a kind of Ender’s Shadow to
The seven stories in the collection the events of the novel.
are rich, full of vivid language and Readers already familiar with Mc-

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Thieves’ Honor rest of you don’t interest me.” “You wanna know? Come with us,
Episode 7: The Game: Leaping the Circle “That’s as may be, sir, but I c-can- quiet and easy—”
by Keanan Brand not allow you to take these men.” “Other than his own life, money’s
“Stand aside, boy, and I won’t what an extractor values most, and
have to kill you.” Then, with a raised you don’t get paid unless I’m alive.”
eyebrow at the front of the officer’s Kristoff pressed his forehead against
Previously, on Thieves’ Honor: And now, on Thieves’ Honor:
tunic-like coat: “Those shiny buttons the gun, and the hunter’s eyes wid-
make mighty tempting target prac- ened. “Where’s Finney?”
The Martina Vega carries legitimate Kristoff surveyed his crew: Sahir,
tice.” The hunter’s nostrils flared, and his
cargo—she tries to at least appear le- Corrigan, Wyatt, Alerio, standing solid
Governor Bat’Alon looked around breath quickened. His trigger finger
gal—but her crew has caused a ruckus as the Pillars of Constantine. Where
at his guards, caught between the twitched but didn’t tighten.
in Port Henry, and the constabulary is was Mercedes?
constabulary and the extraction Silence claimed the hold. No feet
seeking the return of a stolen bag of He turned his head, met the cold
team, then frowned at one of them shifted on the grate flooring, no
marbles and the winnings of famed gaze of the leader of the extraction
and made a gesture, jerking his head clothing rustled, and the only audi-
gambler, Big Bryson Fry. team, and felt a sudden desire to
in a silent command for the man to ble breathing came from the hunter.
The day before, Captain Kristoff twist the man’s head until it popped
move forward, start shooting. Sweat welled on his forehead.
was shot in the chest by a fellow pi- off his neck. “What’s your name?”
Kristoff clenched his jaw. Blasted Kristoff’s legs felt like unstrung
rate, but he refuses to follow doctor’s “Not here to chat.”
fool. A ship’s hold full of folk, and the rope, and a comfortable breath
orders and stay in the infirmary. “Always like to know a man’s name
old man wanted bullets ricocheting brought downright uncomfortable
Finney, the Vega’s pilot, is still in before I kill him.”
off the metal walls. Kristoff shuffled pain, but anger kept him on his feet.
captivity, taken by an extraction team A harsh laugh. “Bold words for a
forward, and stood between the Anger, and a fierce will that refused
hired by Governor Tarquin, a former man with empty hands.” The hunter’s
guard and the bounty hunter. “You to let the other man win.
port governor with a long memory glance flicked to the sleeve dangling
and me. Out in the street.” Anger, a fierce will, and the hard-
and a vengeful patience. down Kristoff’s left side. “Hand.”
The hunter’s gun wavered—not won friendship of Fiona Grace. A
In disguise, Captain Iona Zoltana, “S-sirs?” The constable in charge
much, just enough to tick toward freelance pilot, she’d no desire to
of the merchant constable Orpheus, aimed his gun somewhere between
Kristoff’s right eye. “This ain’t an old- join a crew or answer to a captain,
has left her docked ship and is travel- the extraction team and the crew.
fashioned shootout, captain. We get but she had a grudge against certain
ing across Port Henry, a piece of top- “May we settle this some other way
paid for the whole crew. Alive.” folk in government places, and she
secret information in her pocket. than violence?” His words shook, but
Kristoff stepped closer until the didn’t mind doing them a bad turn
And aboard the Martina Vega is he stood straight in his dark blue uni-
mouth of the barrel blurred. “Then whenever possible. Besides, the Vega
an eclectic group of armed enemies form, shoulders back, and addressed
why the guns?” was grandmother to the tub she first
crowding her hold, guns drawn: her the bounty hunter with a strong
“Kinda like cattle prods. They get flew solo. Kristoff still didn’t know if it
crew, a squad of port constables, voice.
people moving.” was his winning charm or her love for
Governor Bat’Alon and his personal Kristoff suppressed a smile. Well
“We’re not going anywhere.” boats that kept her aboard. If she was
guard, and the extraction team that done.
Kristoff clenched his fist. “Where’s hurt—worse, if she was dead—
took Finney. “We want the crew of the Martina
my pilot? Where’s Finney?” He pushed until the gun mouth bit
Vega,” said the bounty hunter. “The

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ISSUE 52

into the skin between his eyebrows. Finney woke, yanked back to con- name.” ment nearby. Maybe a rebel contact
Familiar pain radiated from the base sciousness by the stab of broken ribs. Aye, ‘tis your granny’s. But Gracie’s with a long-range analog radio that
of his skull; any minute now, a killer Her hands were numb, her wrists raw, so I don’t call ye both at once. could reach all the way to Port Henry
headache would send him to his but she twisted and pulled against the “You called my father ‘Gracie’, and Captain Kristoff.
knees. “Where is she?” manacles until her arms shook and too.” The toes of her boots banged
# blood ran from her fingertips. It wet It’s what he gets for having such a against the rise of a shallow step. She
the chain, slicked her skin so that one wee family name. Grace. How’d he in- stumbled, caught herself against a
The splintered, weathered edge of
hand slid free—slow, like a ship ris- spire fear in his enemies with a name pillar then stepped up, crossed the
the headsman’s block digging into the
ing in heavy gravity, or a shoe tugged like that? portico, and found a recessed door
back of her neck, Finney stared at the
out of thick mud. Drawing her hands “He was fine man and an excellent that might lead from the villa to the
night sky until Prospero’s two moons
forward, resting them palm-up on her sailor. And he did make you afraid.” desert. Running a hand along the in-
blurred to four, then six, then her
thighs, she closed her eyes, feeling It’s that shining handsome face, ye set panels, she expected wood but
eyes closed in sleep. She dreamed of
strained muscles ease. She almost fell see, and that proud way of walking. felt instead cool, smooth metal.
the day that had sent her here, saw
asleep again. How’s a father to maintain order in A large, broad-shouldered figure
again Devlin’s puzzled surprise that
Gracie. Wake up, Gracie. his home when his daughters hie af- carrying a hand-held Ginchon stepped
she had shot him, felt once more the
“Grandfather?” ter braw lads in airships? from the darkness. “It’s locked.”
helpless anger that Governor Tarquin
A soft breath of wind like a whis- “You only had one daughter. And Of course it is.
still lived.
pered laugh. You’ll not be escaping you’re dead.” “Set foot outside the perimeter,
Then, as dreams are wont, colors
the Tarquin that way, lazing about Ye quibble over crumbs. Up, lass. the collar explodes.”
and shapes and time itself warped
on these great soft stones. Up, lass. Up. “Might get messy, I expect.” Finny
into scenes strange yet familiar, and
Away with ye. One arm folded over her ribs, sagged against a column.
Finney was fifteen, sitting in the pi-
Finney dragged her eyelids open. Finney stood, and looked again to the “Little bit.”
lot’s chair of an old freighter and
One hand was still manacled to a chain night sky. She was in the desert, and “And you’re not the only one on
clinging to the calm, assured voice
embedded in the courtyard, and the from the way the moons tracked, the patrol.”
of her grandfather as he guided her
carlinnian collar set with explosives white crossing the path of the blue, “Nope.”
sweaty-palmed young self through
still circled her neck. She rose to her Port Henry lay eastward. She could “Well, then,” she slid to the floor,
her first flight beyond planetary at-
knees, gathered her strength, then follow the blue for another three “reckon I’ll stay a while.”
mosphere. He lifted a hand, pointed
pushed up to sit on the block. Using hours, maybe four, before sunrise ob- #
toward a star, and helped her find
the liberated hand to apply pressure, scured it.
the course. Then the hand contorted, With his fingertips, Mars tugged
she folded the imprisoned one over She moved toward the shadowed
clawed at the air, and the dream shift- the small, white square of napkin
on itself and pulled against the taut portico, her boots scuffing along the
ed again: the night Andronicus Settle- back and forth on the bar, dragging
chain. In scraping increments, the stones. No guns, no knife, not even
ment burned, then the morning af- the frosty glass with it, the beer in-
hand slipped free. the pencils that had held up her hair
ter, ash-strewn and smoke-streaked, side sloshing up the sides.
What’re ye waiting for? Applause? in a loose knot. Well, the buckle on
when meager survivors found one He should have kept a copy of
Get up, Gracie. Get up! her belt might make a nice weapon.
another, gray ghosts haunting smol- those files. It would have been in di-
“You know, old man, I have a first No radio. Maybe there was a settle-
dering ruins. rect disobedience of a command, but

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Captain Zoltana was up to something course that she be obeyed. He took a long step back, not too Without the barrel to prop him up,
dangerous. But he should have kept a copy of fast, and nudged Holmes. Nudged Kristoff dropped to the floor, next to
In order to put together a puzzle, those files. him again. the head constable. The kid hadn’t
one started at the edges, the bound- “Doesn’t matter how far we ad- Holmes turned his head. Ezra held discharged his gun yet.
aries—the known—and then filled in vance, lieutenant”—Ensign Gaines out the tea tray, and Holmes lifted his “What’s your rank?”
the great blank at the center. What leaned against the bar, in his eyes bandaged hands to accept it, but his The law officer stared at him then
did he know? One, there was a signal the too-bright gleam of a man who’d eyes were vacant of everything but winced as a sliver of fire shot past his
coming from the freighter Martina imbibed a couple pints already—”no fear. City bloke. face. “S-sergeant. Sergeant Frank.”
Vega. Two, the signal originated in an amount of staring at that beer will “Where. Is. Finney.” Kristoff’s words “Well, Sergeant Frank”—a chunk
implant in a crewmember. Three, such make it jump down your gullet.” pushed out through clenched teeth. of something skipped across the deck
devices were secret government sur- Mars downed the beer, pushed the Ezra slanted another glance at Doc. between them—”I’m gonna need
veillance, equipped with kill switches glass toward the bartender, picked up She winked, then looked at Holmes those marbles back.”
should the bearers become liabilities. the duffel slouched on the neighbor- and jerked her chin toward the rear “They’re no-not your property,
Four, Captain Zoltana now carried all ing stool. “See you in a couple days, of the hold. Ezra grabbed a fistful of sir.”
his not-quite-legal research in a case Gaines. Fly true.” Holmes’s shirt and guided him back- A bullet brushed Kristoff’s cheek. “I
on her belt. Gaines lifted his mug. “You, too, ward, praying the cups and saucers don’t have a gun, sergeant.”
She had a plan, and she was shut- sir.” didn’t chatter. “Take mine, sir.”
ting him out. Shielding him. # They were musical, like falling “Noble of you, but I’d rather have
Not quite the behavior he expected coins. the marbles.”
They stood as still as convicts in sus-
when he first boarded the Orpheus Guns swung toward the sound. Frank shoved the mesh bag at him,
pension cells. Captain Kristoff looked
almost a ship’s year ago. A latecomer “Oh, crap.” Ezra dove for Holmes, and Kristoff rose to a crouch. Some-
like the only thing holding him up was
to the constabulary—he worked as a knocked him to the deck, and sent thing plucked his empty sleeve, and
the gun pressed to his forehead.
civilian technician and programmer Sahir’s prize tea set crashing against it caught fire. Frank pounded out the
Something flickered, and Ezra
for a few years after academy—he a crate. Gunfire erupted. Slugs car- flames, and in doing so hit thick pad
glanced up. Above the hold, beside
had still known about Captain Iona omed off the inner hull, and fire spat of gauze over the gunshot wound.
the winch at the end of the catwalk,
Zoltana: impeccable reputation for across the hold. Kristoff bent over, forcing down the
the doctor sighted down a shotgun.
integrity and perseverance in the “Stay down!” he ordered Holmes vomit at the back of his throat.
Red-tufted darts lined the belt slung
pursuit of criminals, precise in her then ran for the emergency kit. The sergeant pressed a hand
low on her hips.
command yet at ease with her crew, Something stung his left buttock. against his bowed back. “Captain?”
Excellent notion. He’d toss the
and they with her. Some female of- He staggered, the world went wavy, Man up. Kristoff ran the back of his
whole pot of chandimay tea at the
ficers seemed in competition to be and the floor rushed up to meet him. hand across his mouth. You can be
bounty hunters, except topical appli-
tougher than the men, barking orders # sick later. A slug screamed overhead.
cation took at least an hour to make
and exacting sharp discipline, but Zol- “Ever hear of leaping the circle?” The
a full-grown man even a little woozy. Like the others, the leader of the
tana wore command as if it were an threatened headache arrived, radiat-
Doc’s tranquilizers, now—there was extraction team snapped his gun in
old coat, worn and stretched into a ing from the back of Kristoff’s skull
a dart handgun in the emergency kit the direction of the noise and started
comfortable shape. It was a matter of and pushing at the back of his eyes.
beside the hatch. firing.

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Fingers shaking, he tugged open the He swatted aside Frank’s hand. boys lead you out here.” He chuckled. not friends.”
mouth of the drawstring bag. “It’s In seconds, the only sounds in the “Seems a few of ‘em had a limp.” “No reason we can’t talk.”
when a player shoots the taw so it hold were groans, snores, and sleepy Despite herself, Finney smiled. Ye don’t much like talking, Gracie,
arcs up then comes smack-down in mutters. “Fortunate for them, your hands do ye? Except to that crew and its cap-
the middle, scattering marbles every Then, from the cage in the corner were tied.” tain. The admiral’s voice held a slight
which-way.” near the forward hatch, a groggy “Had I been free, your friends harrumph. Captain Kristoff. Can’t say
“Not the best time for a game, cap- voice—Jink Turner’s—slurred a com- might have been more cautious. No I approve his chosen trade—or yers.
tain.” plaint as the man wakened from his fun then.” Pilot on a reputable ship might make
Kristoff grinned. “Hide and watch.” drunken sleep. “Noisy. Keep it down. “Good point.” a grandda proud, but on a pirate ves-
“Wha—?” Hey. There’s a guy bleeding over here. Finney’s eyes wanted to close, but sel?
He stood, and as he did, he threw Is he dead?” she widened them, blinked, forced Fewer rules, she replied. No uni-
the marbles straight up, keeping a Fortunate fellow. Kristoff tried once herself to stay alert. Still her thoughts forms. No salutes. No blasted colonial
grip on the bottom of the bag. They more to stand. wandered strange fields, guided by government.
looked like varicolored stars, gleam- “I pick you up many more times, the brogue-lilted voice of the late Ach, Gracie, now yer talkin’ like a
ing against the dim ceiling of the cap,” rumbled Corrigan, lifting him as Admiral Archibald Cunningham. She rebel.
hold, then they streaked downward, if he were child, “folks might get the refused to answer him aloud. Aye, Grandfather, and were I brav-
hitting men on their heads and shoul- wrong idea about us.” The guard settled the gun into the er I’d have joined them years ago, but
ders, pinging against gun barrels, the # crook of his arm then leaned a shoul- it’s safer in the supply line.
smaller marbles clattering through der against a nearby column. “There There was a snort. Safer? And with
“So,” said the sentry after a long si-
the square holes in the grating. The are so many militias infesting the supplies stolen from honest citizens!
lence, “who were you talking to out
larger marbles, though, rolled un- backside of the colonies, extraction Then the imagined voice gentled. Not
there?”
derfoot. Men staggered, flailed their teams are being contracted by port always so honest, I suppose. Still, the
Finney turned her head, and the
arms, toppled into one another. Some governors to deliver the leaders to goods are not yers for the taking. Look
pillar was cool against her cheek. “A
of them were aided in their falls by government jails. Good money.” where yer piracy has brought ye.
ghost.”
little feathery darts in their hindquar- “Not good enough to stop your Not piracy. She looked down, and
“I gathered that. Whose ghost?”
ters. team from tracking me down.” wrapped one blood-crusted hand
“You’re an incurious fellow.”
A scrap of red zinged past him and “Like I said, you’re an uncommon around the collar. Murder. Vengeance
“It’s a long watch, and you’re an
thunked into a hunter’s shoulder. prisoner.” He chuckled again. “I imag- for you. Tears slipped from the cor-
uncommon prisoner. Whose ghost?”
Kristoff looked up. Mercedes waved. ine your crew brings in decent money. ners of her eyes and dripped from her
After a short silence, she replied,
Light burst on the edges of his vi- There are a great many governors and chin. I acted in haste, and the wrong
“The man your employer ordered
sion, but it wasn’t the result of gun- officials who didn’t seem too eager to person died.
killed.”
fire. He took a step, went down on help us find you. Lotta lowlifes, too. “No tears now”—Bosko sounded
“I don’t work for Governor Tarqu-
one knee. The agony in his head Figured they’d been paid off—or they nervous—”and no pulling at that col-
in.”
shoved aside all other pain. He tried do business with the Vega. Name’s lar.”
“For Gregor, then?”
to push up but his legs failed. Bosko, by the way.” Which bothered him more: the
“Three years.” He was silent for a
“Captain!” Finney looked up at him. “We’re thought of exploding into bloody
few moments. “Saw Gregor and the

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ISSUE 52

bits, or the sight of a female crying? ribs. Bomb around her neck. She’s not in the eye. Blinking, her eye stinging, the other two men. “Bring the girl.”
Coward. Finney let go of the collar, going anywhere.” Finney groped for the trunks. A brief Finney moved backward; her heel
and her hand dropped to her lap. Stepping so that her boots touched exploration revealed the rough edges butted against a wall, the space be-
Across the courtyard, an armed the stones heel-first then rocked for- of a waist-high clay or stone planter, hind the planter just wide enough
man stepped from the depths of the ward, slow and quiet, Finney moved long and rectangular, and on the wall to allow the leaves air and growth.
opposite portico, looked toward the along the portico, feeling the way a metal spigot for watering the small Gritting her teeth, Finney sank down,
headsman’s block and the empty with one hand. Thank God for boots trees. The spout was dry, not even and stretched along the ground. She
chains, then snapped his fingers and so old the leather didn’t creak with a drop or two lingering inside, and lay on her uninjured side, her back
two other men appeared from the each step, and with heels so worn Finney’s mouth was dryer than the pressed against the planter, her legs
darkness, one with an orb of light in down they didn’t click on the hard bottom of her boot. She couldn’t risk drawn up so her boots wouldn’t show
his hand. surface. turning on the water, though, so she in the gap between it and the wall.
Bosko cursed under his breath then The snapping man stepped closer continued her exploration. The plant- “Bosko, ain’t nobody here.”
went out to meet them. “Hey, boys, and folded his arms, looking up at er crossed the opening, but on the far “She sat right there. We talked.”
no need for panic.” Bosko. “Why so soft on this one? She side, away from the spigot, there was “Yeah. What was that about her
The man who’d snapped his fin- make you promises if you help her es- enough space for Finney to squeeze not going anywhere?”
gers strode forward. “Where is she? cape?” between the planter and the wall. Silence. Finney imagined the men
How’d she get free?” “Our orders are to see she doesn’t Out of breath, arm gripping her mid- looking at one another, each expect-
“Don’t know.” leave, and she hasn’t.” dle, she rested against the wall and ing someone else to answer. Cold
“I’d say she played you, but you The wall ended, and Finney’s fin- looked out toward the courtyard. seeped from the stones, and she
don’t have the key.” gers bent around a corner. The light The two antagonists still faced one shivered. Pain speared her side and
“She didn’t need a key.” of the dual moons did not penetrate another. Bosko’s Ginchon gun rested chest, and she caught her breath.
Bracing herself against the column, here: an alcove or a hall, or the door- against his leg and pointed at the Someone let loose a long and vi-
Finney stood. Carpe diem, and all that way to a room. ground, but was held with a decep- brant string of curses.
rot. She took a step back into deeper “So. Where is she?” tive looseness. No doubt he could tip “Everybody take a quadrant. And
darkness. More like carpe nocturn. “Over there.” up the barrel and squeeze off a shot be quiet about it.”
She almost laughed out loud, but “Won’t make Gregor happy, you before the other man drew his side- Thudding footsteps vibrated along
clamped her lips tight. Not a great making use of her without his leave.” arm. the stones. A light flashed high on the
time for hysteria. Bosko’s voice turned ugly. “One of “Hey, boys,” said the man with the wall behind the thicket of miniature
The man with the light held it low- these days, I’m gonna do something light, “you start shooting, you wake palms, but the searcher only paused
er then he crouched to examine the about that bilge between your ears.” the household. Wake the household, for a second or two before continuing
manacles. “There’s blood here.” He The snapping man’s hand hung the governor’s gonna demand an ac- along the portico.
moved the light. “And here. Tighter beside the holster on his hip. “Why counting. Stow this till later.” Finney closed her eyes, calmed
shackles next time.” wait?” After a few tense seconds, Bosko her heartbeat, slowed her breathing.
“Those are the smallest we’ve got,” Finney stepped around the corner— took a step backward. She twisted the collar so the clasp
said the snapping man. straight into a palm tree. A whole flock His challenger shrugged—”Later, rested just under her chin. Prying the
“No worries,” said Bosko. “Broken of ‘em. The tip of a frond poked her then”—and snapped his fingers at lock apart would trigger an immedi-

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ISSUE 52

ate detonation, but surely whoever “Dang. I knew I should have lis- tinue in this vein, I will be forced to Kristoff’s jaw clenched; he strove to
made the device included a safety, tened to my mother.” arrest you.” keep his words civil. “I need to know
some way to turn the thing off—not His best butcher knife tucked ca- “Then I won’t add to your trou- where she is.”
that Governor Tarquin wanted Finney sually into his apron, Sahir herded a bles—with this lot, you’ll be entering One of the constables approached,
anything but dead, but that the bomb couple of groggy hunters out of the reports until your eyes cross—but I telling Frank that all the hunters were
maker would want a fail safe in case hold, and a constable confiscated will ask a favor.” secure, and that Governor Bat’Alon
the collar were accidentally closed their weapons. Corrigan and Wyatt, Frank waited. and his guards were being transport-
or otherwise mishandled. He’d keep voices raised in argument over which “Leave Jink Turner in the cage over ed to lodgings. Frank nodded, and in-
himself safe. of them knew how the standoff would there, and toss in the leader of the structed the officer to get a key to the
Finney rubbed her thumb over the end and when, dragged tranquilized extraction team.” cage and collect Turner.
lock. Dead or alive, she was going to bodyguards by the heels, the uncon- “That would be against the law, sir. Then, turning back to Kristoff, Frank
be here a while; might as well play scious men’s heads bouncing with Extraction teams are illegal, and Mr. spoke in low tones. “Captain, were a
Oburian roulette. each bump down the gangway. How Turner is clearly inebriated.” casual collector to go looking for a
# quickly normality returned. Muttering to himself, Turner long-range analog radio, which shop
Kristoff closed his eyes. “Your turned in circles like a dog trying to would you recommend? And how
Propped up on a cot in the middle
mother, huh?” catch its tail, and he kept patting his much should said collector expect to
of the cargo hold because the head-
“Yes, sir. She wanted me to join the pockets, but the money he’d been pay for such an item?”
ache wouldn’t let him stand and the
military, thought it might toughen me paid by the extraction team was now “Risto’s Flea Market. And not
wheelchair was still in the corner
up, but my father wanted me to stay stuffed into the cookie jar in the gal- much, maybe less than the cost of a
of Jay Mulligan’s bar, through half-
close to home.” Frank took a deep ley. The bounty hunters could have couple beers at Jay Mulligan’s.” Again,
closed eyes Kristoff watched the
breath. “I’ve never been off-planet. pummeled information out of him, Kristoff leaned back, eyes closed. All
removal of bounty hunters and per-
Never been outside Port Henry.” but likely they’d intended to get the this talking made him tired, made his
sonal bodyguards by his crew and the
“We have two empty guest cab- money back—or perhaps it was a pit- head hurt even more, and medica-
Port Henry constabulary. Governor
ins.” tance compared to what Governor tion didn’t dent the pain. “Rebels use
Bat’Alon sputtered and threatened
“I’ll think about it.” Tarquin offered them. analog radios.”
and demanded to know the where-
Kristoff squinted up at him. “Stand “We could have all died tonight, “So do schoolboys who find them
abouts of his daughter Rebeka. Krist-
around looking all official and legal- Sergeant Frank, but then you handed among family heirlooms.”
off ignored him until the older man
like, I might even let you fly for free.” over a bag of stolen marbles.” “What are you getting at, ser-
bent down and thrust his wrath-red
Frank moved aside as two of his “Yes, sir, but I cannot allow those geant?”
face into the captain’s field of vision;
deputies hefted the governor and car- men to remain. Besides, Governor “Though I understand your need
Kristoff floored him with a right to the
ried him toward the gangway. “In oth- Bat’Alon has accused Mr. Holmes and for recompense, I cannot, in good
underside of his chin.
er words, you want me to make the Mr. Turner concerning Miss Bat’Alon, conscience, leave those men in your
“That’s quite a negotiating skill you
Martina Vega look—respectable.” and those charges must be an- custody.” Frank added, “I can, how-
have, sir.” Frank stood with his hands
“I was going for honest.” swered.” ever, extract the information you
clasped behind his back.
“That’s almost a confession, sir.” “Those bounty hunters took my need.”
“Officer’s training. Military acad-
Frank cleared his throat. “If you con- pilot, and Turner helped them do it.” “Why would you do that?”
emy.”

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ISSUE 52

“We could have all died tonight, The harbormaster shot her a glance gaming dens surrounding the docks. still telescoped against her hull, and
Captain Kristoff, but you play a mean laden with irony. “Restraint.” Drunken men wove down streets coiled the ropes while crew and con-
game of marbles.” “You’re still alive.” lined with flophouses and cafes and stables hauled bodies down the gang-
# He nodded, then lowered the brothels. Down an alley, two sailors way and into a waiting shuttle or two
gun again. “Slip twelve, close to the tried their best to bash one another’s horse-drawn carts. The shuttle doors
The civilian harbormaster whirled,
street.” heads against the wall. A woman with bore the logo of an expensive resort
a pistol in his none-too-steady hand.
“Thanks.” a pound of makeup and an ounce of on the far side of Port Henry—a gray-
His uniform was rumpled, a couple
She stepped out of the office and clothing approached Zoltana, an in- haired man in a tailored suit was set
buttons were missing, and his face
into the night. Most of Prospero’s viting smile on her carmine lips, un- inside, and strapped upright into a
was a patchwork of pallor and bruis-
year was summer, and the long coat til Zoltana raised her eyebrows and seat—and the carts were the bat-
es.
Zoltana wore, lightweight as it was, shook her head. tered, wood-slatted kind used by
Zoltana stopped just inside the
held heat close. Sweat trickled down The streetwalker’s smile tilted, and caravanners to cross the desert. Bod-
door, and lifted her hands out, away
her sides, and there was a large damp she shrugged one shoulder. “Hard to ies were piled in the back, weapons
from her body. “Your pardon, sir. I did
patch underneath her duffle, where it tell what’s under that coat, love. Was tossed into boxes under the bench-
not mean to startle you.”
rested against her back. Yet, despite I a good woman, reckon I’d do the like seats. Two men in handcuffs were
He lowered the gun but didn’t set
the discomfort, it had been a long same as you. Hide it all away. Safer.” escorted down the gangway.
it down. “Apologies. Difficulty on the
time since she’d been alone, well and “Here’s to safety.” Zoltana tucked a Zoltana stepped behind a stack of
docks tonight.”
truly alone, without crew just beyond couple bills into the woman’s hand— crates, leaned back against them, and
She took a step forward. “I’ll be
her door or within instant communi- ”Take the night off”—and kept walk- stared at the dim patch of dusty dock
brief, then. Which slip is assigned
cation, and she’d enjoyed the excur- ing. She smiled to hear the startled between her feet. First a gunfight on
to the Martina Vega? She’s an old
sion through the streets of Port Hen- gasp behind her. the Katy Joy, and now one aboard the
freighter—”
ry, stretching her legs in long strides The Martina Vega hunched be- Vega, in less than two days. Kristoff
The gun whipped up. “Who are you,
instead of in the monitored steps tween a sleek yacht and modern had always been bold, but he never
and why do you want that ship?”
required for the passages aboard the freighter, each of them larger than drew attention. Resentment snaked
“I’m an old friend of the captain’s.”
Orpheus. the ancient tub built more for the through her. He had evaded every at-
“His name?”
The civilian docks were louder, rapid transit of small shipments than tempt to trap him, turning the chase
“Helmer Kristoff, runs with an inter-
more crowded than the military or for the transport of passengers or into a game, each player sharpening
esting crew: big guy named Corrigan,
constabulary wharves, and casks, bulk cargo. She was in need of a good wits on the other, until she almost
nervous little man named Wyatt, an
crates, carlinnian barrels, trunks, por- scrub, and some of her seams bled a looked forward to their encounters,
engineer called Alerio who’s always
table freight lockers on wheels, were rusty blend of tarnish and grease, but but now a city constable was going
wearing a white lab coat—sound fa-
stacked into mountains and walls like someone had painted an interlocking to get credit for bringing down one of
miliar?”
impromptu mazes. However, with no blue M and yellow V on her nose, an the most elusive pirates in the colo-
“Too familiar.” With his free hand,
ships docking, and these being the attempt to dress up the old girl. nies.
he dabbed a handkerchief at one
early hours of morning, no stevedores Of all the vessels in port, she alone Death and damnation, life was a
bloody nostril. “Corrigan dropped by
were about to load or unload freight; was busy. Men released the grap- cosmic comedy.
earlier to get a little information.”
the noise came from the pubs and nel lines draping the Vega’s wings, She straightened. Kristoff’s vagary
“Looks like he exercised restraint.”

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ISSUE 52

must be contagious. She’d come here “Pardon?” She turned. Ezra shook his head, but the mo- the air and nothing else. He ran.
without much of a plan aside from “Well, maybe one or two of them, tion disoriented him, and he leaned The contest continued through the
somehow sneaking aboard, becom- but the rest are unconscious.” on the mop handle for support. “Must rear hatch, up the companionway,
ing the spy Rebeka Bat’Alon hadn’t She waited, hoping a bland expres- be the tranquilizer.” through the passage, past the infir-
been, and perhaps learning who car- sion hid her relief. “Go to Doc.” mary, to the crew deck, Sahir declar-
ried the implant. Pointless now. “The doctor has an arsenal of tran- He took a deep breath, and his ing victory at last when an exhausted
Footsteps approached, and she quilizer darts. I, uh, heard the port head cleared enough for him to keep Ezra couldn’t get up from the floor
looked up. “I sent you on leave.” constables talking.” mopping. “She’s the one who shot before the count of three.
“Aye, captain.” Mars loomed out of “I see.” me.” “That’s because you’re sitting on
the shadows, his face crossed by a bar Shrugging, Mars glanced aside then Grinning, Sahir slopped his mop my legs!”
of light from the Vega’s bow lamp. back at her. “I’ve been here a while.” to the floor and pushed a line of wa- Sahir shrugged as if to say the
“Why are you here?” “And what were you planning, lieu- ter ahead of the tangled strings. Ezra problem was not his. Then he
“Same reason as you, ma’am.” tenant?” shot him a frown, but the cook’s grin slapped Ezra’s chest—”Not so bad”—
She looked at him. “Stow away for a day, find out what only widened. They worked in silence and heaved himself to his feet. “Go to
He shrugged. “I couldn’t let it go.” I could before my leave was up. What then rinsed the mops and buckets, sleep. We find Finney soon.”
“More fools, we.” Zoltana tucked a were you going to do, ma’am?” and hung them in a corner of the Arms outstretched, Ezra lay on
thumb under the duffle straps. “Too None of his dang business. Never- hold. Light glowed through the for- his back in the middle of the pas-
late, lieutenant. Go on. Don’t waste theless, Zoltana smiled. ward hatch. Sunrise. Ezra yawned. sage, waiting for feeling to return to
your leave.” # Sahir clapped him on the shoulder his lower extremities. His thoughts
He didn’t move. “The engineer, Al- “Maybe today, we find Finney.” flickered from Finney (please, God,
Ezra and Sahir cleaned up the mess
erio DiGianni, is the most logical can- “Yeah.” protect her) to Rebeka (God help the
in the hold, sluicing the grated floor
didate for the implant—government “She likes my cooking.” next guy she tries to sucker) to Hol-
with buckets of saltwater drawn from
laboratory, and all that—but the kill “That’s what she says,” Ezra mes, who’d nodded good-bye as the
the public pump, which piped wa-
switch should have been thrown the punched him in the arm, “but she’s constables took him away. Gleason
ter from the Gonzalo Sea. They let
day he disappeared, or whenever the just afraid of that carving knife.” Holmes wasn’t crew, but he was all
the bloody water drip down through
government discovered his inven- Sahir locked an arm around Ezra’s right. Maybe he’d be back, after the
the grated flooring and into the rec-
tions were in rebel hands. But he’s neck, squeezing just enough to im- law realized there was no reason to
lamation system, but the solid floor
still alive. That makes him clean, or a mobilize him. “You afraid of knife. hold him.
plates they swabbed with mops. As
spy.” She afraid of nothing. Braver than No. Holmes was rich. He’d be de-
he dunked the mop head into a buck-
“That eliminates one crewman.” Kristoff.” fended by the best lawyers, stay in a
et of lather, Ezra laughed to himself,
Zoltana took a deep breath. “Six more Ezra punched with his elbow— cell more comfortable than the best
remembering Holmes trying to swab
to check off the list.” She stepped ”Nobody’s braver than the captain”— cabin on the Vega, and he’d forget his
the galley but getting more blisters
around Mars, but his voice stopped and caught Sahir in his ample stom- days as an almost-pirate.
than dirt.
her. ach. The cook grunted and released Ezra looked up into the dim arch of
Sahir plunked his mop into the wa-
“The bodies just now—those men him, but then sprang after him. Ezra ceiling. He ran away with a girl. He’s
ter, too, and sloshed suds over the
aren’t dead, captain.” let loose a flying kick that damaged more a pirate than I am.
side. “What so funny?”

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ISSUE 52

The infirmary cots had thicker mat- pending on the results of the game. Bop Bop laugh again.
tresses than the bunks in the crew Anybody else remember steelies? by Jodi MacArthur “Dada brought you a present.” Da-
cabins. Ezra stood, his legs feeling Cat’s eyes? Tiger stripes? da’s eyes watch me.
gelatinous, and headed back toward FYI: No references to other science I grab his nose and push.
the infirmary. He’d ask Doc to check fiction or to Veggie Tales this time, but “How’s my sweet girl today?” “Beep!” he says.
him out, make sure the drugs were there’s a one-word nod to The Lord Dada gazes into my eyes and pats my “Beep!” I say.
head. He holds up a small, silver, squishy
filtering out of his system, then he’d of the Rings in this episode. Hint: It’s
“Dada!” I say and smile—smile real thing. “It’s an alien doll, Tosha. See
conveniently fall asleep on one of the near the end. this on the front, it says, Roswell,
big. Happy, so happy, when he picks
extra cots. Keep up with Keanan on his website me up and swings me in the air. NM.”
He heard an instrument clatter at http://adventuresinfiction.blog- “Honey, careful, she just ate.” “Ahhhhh,” I say and grab at the
and fabric rustle. Ezra stopped in the spot.com/ I frown at Mama who is frowning. doll. Mama reaches over and pushes
doorway. Mercedes peeled away the Will she take me away? No, I wrap my the middle of the doll’s face.
last layer of bandage, rolled an uncon- Thieves’ Honor: The Game: Leaping the Circle © “Beep!” she says.
2009 by Keanan Brand.
arms around Dada, I want to stay with
scious Kristoff onto his side, folded this familiar fuzzy creature. I hear a sound like Dada’s in my
the sheet down to his waist, then held “Oh, come on, Cheryl, this good head.
his shoulder with one hand while she girl’s eighteen months now, she’s not Commune, Tosha, I am Boppsord.
used the other to run a scanner along gonna hurl!” Dada looks at me, and “Moon?” I smile big. Nice voice,
his back. Aside from the exposed smiles. happy voice.
“Good guyrl...” I poke at the white Commune, Boppsord.
gunshot wound, the thread of light
squares attached in his mouth. “Bop!” I say and push the doll’s
showed only bruises and scrapes. All face. “Bop! Bop!”
“Tosha! Ouch! Don’t put your fin-
good, then. Ezra started to step inside Mama frowns at me.
gers in Dada’s mouth. Cheryl, when
the infirmary. did you last clip this girl’s nails?” “No, no, A-L-I-E-N,” says Dada.
Doc pushed the captain’s shaggy Mama comes over and puts her “Bop Bop,” I say.
hair away from his neck, and tilted arms around Dada and me. I put my Mama pushes my face. “Beep!”
the scanner. head in Dada’s fuzzies. Want Dada, I push her face. “Beep!”
A blue light pulsed under Kristoff’s not Mama. She pushes the doll’s face. “Beep!”
skin. “Today, that’s why their sharp.” “Bop Bop!”
Mama’s voice is nice and she “George, don’t you think that’s
laughs. I pat her face, and laugh too. strange?”
I rest my head against Dada. Then I “Awww, she’s already named the
watch their faces smoosh together. doll, Cheryl,” says Dada.
Keanan Brand used to play mar-
Dada isn’t looking at me. “No!” I say Mama takes away Bop Bop from
bles with his brother and some of the
to Mama. I push her away. Dada. “Tosha, who’s this?”
neighbor­hood kids in rural Oregon, “Bop Bop.” I hold my hands out. I
Her mouth grows wide with a
and became a fair hand at the game, smile. “Tosha, you have to share our get mad. I want Bop Bop.
carrying around his own mesh bag man.” She smooshes her face to mine Good guryl, Tosha.
with a population that fluctuated de- and blow. I throw back my head and “Bop Bop! Bop Bop!”

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ISSUE 52

Mama frowns. Outside. Suffice. Bop Bop swoops in the air and falls
“For heaven’s sake, Cheryl, give the “Ahhh!” I kick my feet. Dada sets Step of second—commune with in the fire.
girl her doll,” says Dada. me down. earthling minor. Mygnor, commune, transmission
I make loud noises. Get what I want “Outs,” I say and stumble towards Suffice. urgent! Mission thwart! Commune
when I make loud noises. the door. Step of third—mind control inhib- repeat: Mission thwart...do NOT dis-
Good, good... Such a good guryl, Tosha... ited. Failure. Minor’s self will stronger patch fleet!
Mama gives me Bop Bop. I smile “Good guryl outs.” I smile and hold than communing minds of calculation Bad, bad hurts in my head. Scary
and rub him on my face. Bop Bop Bop Bop in front of me. due to possible brain matter leakage bad hurts - hot! I cry, fling my arms,
feels soft and slippery. I feel happy. The door is open. I walk to the out- through air openings. Implementing pull Mama’s hair. “Ouch! Ouch! Bad
“Roswell? What were you doing in side. brain trauma coercion. ooowwweee!”
Roswell?” says Mama. Walk, Tosha, walk. Mama’s voice says, “George? And then it’s gone.
I glance up from Bop Bop. I look I walk like a good guryl. I step on What’s wrong with Tosha? Tosha, “Shushhh, shush...it’s okay now,
at Dada because Mama is looking at green stuff, feels fuzzy like Dada. honey? Come here.” honey, it’s okay.” Mommy squeezes
Dada. Another voice, scary voice. I put my hands over my ears. The me.
“I had to drive through there to get Commune, Boppsord? Commune, voice is not nice, it hurts. The ouches are gone. Mama pats
to Albuquerque.” Boppsord? Tosha, elevate Boppsord—up! my back. I pat her back.I sit up, sniff,
I look down at Bop Bop. Scratchy noises. Then I hear Bop “Up, up, Bop Bop, up.” rub my eyes, and look at Mama.
Elevate Boppsord— up! Bop. Mama picks me up. I shiver and cry. “All gone,” I say and spread my
“Up!” I say and hold him up the Commune, Mygnor: static virus Afraid of hurt. Face in Mama’s hair. I arms wide. “All gone.”
way Dada holds me up. from earthling minor causing interga- smell flowers. “Bop Bop ouch!” I say
Good guryl, Tosha. latic goblic frequency inhibitor... looking at her face.
“Good guyrl,” I say. “Walks, Bop Bop,” I say. Mama gets that strange, worried
“I made the sale, signed the paper- Sit, Tosha. look again and studies me. “Is Bop Exiled in deep southern Texas, Jodi
work, all went smooth as honey,” says I shake my head no. Walk, walk on Bop giving you ouches?” MacArthur is a Seattle author hoping
Dada. green fuzzy. I nod my head. “Bop Bop ouches.” to write her way back to the Pacific
Mama looks at me as I hold Bop Sit, Tosha. “Give me Bop Bop!” Northwest. In her spare time, she twit-
Bop up. “What did you say, Tosha?” “No, No,” I say. NO. ters at her beloved finches, Edgar and
“Oh yeah, you should of heard Bad guryl. “No,” I say and water falls down my Emily, and drinks coffee - but never at
what Bob, the district manager, said “Ouch!” I scream. Bad hurt in my face. the same time. Her short stories have
after we sealed the deal...” head, bad hurt. Water falls down my We walk to the big black thing out been published at Six Sentences and
Mama glances back and forth to face, I clutch my head. “Oweee!” back where Dada carries out the trash Ray Gun Revival. Forthcoming works
Bop Bop and me with a strange look Mama’s voice, “Tosha? Tosha? to the hot, hot, burn barrel. I see hot can be read in Yellow Mama (Oct
on her face. “What is Tosha talking Where are you?” fire. “Hot.” I snivel into her hair. ‘09), The Absent Willow Review (Apr
about?” SIT. She yanks Bop Bop out of my ‘09), and 6SV2 Anthology (Mar’09).
Dada raises a brow at Mama. “She’s I sit. Owee, is all better. I fall on hands. Websites:
just babbling like she always does...” fuzzy green, sniff, and wipe my noise. “No, no!” I cry out. My head hurts! www.jodimacarthur.blogspot.com
Mama’s worried gaze rests on Bop Mygnor, commune: “Owee! Ouch!” I scream. www.myspace.com/evokka_lair
Bop, but then switches to Dada as she Step of first—sacrifice and embed- “Bop Bop is going bye bye, Tosha.”
says, “So what did Bob say?” ment of stuffed emblem. Mama tosses Bop Bop. Bop Bop © 2009 by Jodi MacArthur.

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ISSUE 52

FEATURED ARTIST What are your favorite tools /


equipment for producing your art?
Gabriel Gajdoš Photoshop CS3, a mouse, and my
“skill.”

What tool do you wish you had?


I wish I could have more skill.

What do you hope to accomplish


What inspired the art for the cover?
with your art?
Mainly, my idea was just to create a
My dream is for my art to be my
planet.... the rest was just improvisa-
work, but it’s bit hopeless, I think,
tion, with a some influence from Star
heh. I just want people to know and
Wars.
like my work; the more people that
know of my work, the happier I’ll be.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Maybe from viewing the work of
other people, but I’m trying to not
copy them.

Have you had any notable failures, and


Name: Gabriel Gajdoš Where should someone go if they want- how has failure affected your work?
ed to view/buy some of your works? Well, if that means failure in my
Age: 18
http://pipper-svk.deviantart.com/gallery personal life... yes, I did have and still
Country of residence: Prešov, Slovakia
am having hard time... you know...
Hobbies: Space art, listening to music, How did you become an artist? women... and that has affected my
bodybuilding, martial arts, movies. A friend made some space art, so I work. I didn’t create anything in two or
said, I’m going to try that too...just three months. Now, I have some new
Favorite Book/Author: Lord of the Rings for fun. That was two years before...
pictures but, I can’t say I feel better.
Favorite Artist: Alexei Kozachenko let’s say I discovered beauty of the
universe. What have been your greatest success-
When did you start creating art? es? How has success impacted you?
I guess in November ‘06. What were your early influences? My biggest success was Daily Devia-
Mainly Alien Hunter, Hameed Navaz, tion on deviantART. But I found that
Where your work has been fea- and Jeff Michelmann. I had no time to create anything, be-
tured? Here, on the community of cause I tried to answer all the people
Slovakia on DeviantART, and also on What are your current influences? who contacted me. Finally, I stopped
Daily Deviation on DeviantART. Maybe Fernando Rodriguez and trying to answer them every single
Alexei Kozachenko. one, so now: thanks to all.

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ISSUE 52

The Forgotten Sandy’s was a quiet bar, common you’d be so kind.”


by Martin Turton in Stanisdor with its low lighting and Rourke was beginning to feel claus-
quiet corners and curtains drawn to trophobic in the low, dimly lit bar.
shut out any prying eyes. Upstairs His forehead felt damp and clam-
“Excuse me.” ing his move. But he tired of that; for some dingy rooms could be rented for my; there was a pulsing pain in the
Rourke stopped dead in shock. The a while he would awaken, locate the a small fee with no questions asked. back of his skull. He wanted nothing
Mark had spoken to him. His careless- Mark, strike and then spend the rest As Rourke followed the Mark into more than to go back to his room
ness stunned him as he stared at the of his time in bars and whorehouses, the bar, he noticed three Skallians and add the credit disc to his collec-
man. even though the drink had no effect crouched over a table, staring at each tion of Mark possessions. Every night
“Are you all right? You don’t look and he had no need for sex. That was other with their bright, unblinking he would go through the collection,
well.” when he had invented the Game. black eyes. He shivered as he hurried holding each one and remembering.
Rourke was making things worse, And the Game had suddenly taken after the Mark. He never remembered names. He
he knew. He shook his head and ran a an interesting new turn. “Mal! Good to see you again.” barely remembered the strikes, but
hand over his face. “No...no, I’m fine, Rourke felt a wide smile spread Sandy was a barrel of a man, all sweat he always remembered which pos-
really.” The words sounded strange as across his face. “I’d like that, thank and rolls of fat under a dishwater- session belonged to which Mark. The
Rourke uttered them. How long had it you.” coloured vest. He glanced question- little figurine of some long forgotten
been since he had spoken to an actu- Stanisdor was a busy city. A fat ingly in Rourke’s direction before the idol that belonged to the blonde,
al person? Two weeks? Maybe even red sun hung low and heavy in the smile returned. “Brought a friend dark-eyed woman on Karond; the
three. sky, lighting a towering city of spires with you today, then?” broken, flat timepiece that had be-
The Mark didn’t look convinced as and skyscrapers in its warm red glow. The Mark gestured to Rourke. “Ah longed to the little man with white
he studied Rourke, his head tilted to Rourke followed the Mark across the yes, this is my good friend—” he hair on Ricol’s World...
one side. “Well, I was just heading plaza, the only open square in the en- smiled brightly, waiting. “Are you sure you’re all right?” the
over to Sandy’s for a drink.” He nod- tire city, a square lined by trees and “Rourke.” Rourke said quietly, be- Mark asked. Rourke cursed under his
ded towards the bar which Rourke flowers. It was a bright sanctuary in a ginning to wish he hadn’t followed breath, he had drifted off again.
had watched him visit every day for city of grey. the Game through so far. He was get- “Sure.” Rourke smiled and took
the past six days, exactly the same This far into the city the crowds ting careless. It had started out as a the offered drink, a strange green-
time each day. “Come with me. You were mainly human—the native sudden need to touch each Mark, to ish liquid with a smoky head. He
look like you could do with a drink.” Skallians still seemed uncomfortable have his skin touch theirs, to have a frowned dubiously as he looked at it.
Looking at him, Rourke realized with the hurry and bustle and giant human contact with them. That had “Thanks.”
that the Mark was younger than he buildings of the city and kept to their developed into the need for posses- Mal smiled, a flash of perfect white
had first thought, possibly mid-thir- own flat, domed habitats out in the sions, anything that belonged to a teeth. “So, what brings you to Stanis-
ties, with thick, fair hair, clear, green scrubs. Only the occasional Skallian Mark he wanted, he craved, he stole. dor, Rourke?”
eyes and a strong, firm jaw. wondered past. Shorter than a man He reached into his pocket and fin- You. You brought me here. Some-
They never gave him details about despite their three long, spindly legs. gered the credit disc there. Mal’s body wants you dead. Somebody
the Marks, only ever a name and a As they walked, their elongated heads credit disc. wants me to cut out your heart and
location. He used to study the Marks swung ponderously from side to side “Yes, Rourke.” Mal smiled brightly place it in a nice little box for them.
religiously, finding out every conceiv- as though searching for something at Sandy. “And my good friend Rourke Rourke took a sip of his drink. It was
able detail about them before mak- among those brilliant flower beds. and I will have two Lysan Dreams, if surprisingly pleasant. “Business.” He

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wiped at his lips and gestured vaguely his Lysan Dream. Mal, the brilliant smile was still there, its heavy glow, he felt an intense pair
towards the window. “You know how “Business?” Fiona finally tore that though his hands were still now as he of green eyes watching his flight with
it is.” He shrugged. gaze away from Rourke and looked watched a Skallian’s forelimbs sketch the faintest hint of amusement.
“Business,” Mal repeated, smiling down at Mal. patterns in the air. #
faintly, those green eyes bright in the “Oh.” Mal laughed carelessly. “Not Rourke took a long drink of the
darkened room. “Well, I don’t think our business, no. Speaking of which, Lysan Dream as he watched Mal. “He He had the best of rooms. He al-
anybody ever comes to Stanisdor for if you’ll excuse me for a moment?” speaks to the Skallians?” He raised an ways did. This room was the highest
pleasure. Not the most attractive of He rose to his feet and moved across eyebrow as he turned to Fiona. room in the tallest building in a city
cities, it has to be said.” to the table with the Skallians. Three Fiona’s smile was wide, her eyes of towering spires and looming sky-
“Malachi!” A shrill squeal shat- sets of shiny black eyes looked up at bright. “You really have just met Mal, scrapers.
tered the quiet of the bar, even the his approach, pincer-like jaws clicking haven’t you?” She grinned as she Rourke lay back on his bed. Mala-
Skallians turned to watch the blonde what Rourke guessed was some kind drained her glass and placed it back chi’s credit disc danced between his
woman run across the bar and throw of welcome. on the bar, ignoring Sandy’s leering fingers, a small round disc of fluo-
her arms around Mal’s neck. “Beautiful man, isn’t he?” Fiona’s smile. rescent blue shining under the harsh
“I was beginning to think you’d for- brilliant blue eyes followed Mal to It was the almost fevered look in artificial lighting that Rourke always
gotten me, Fiona.” His tone was neu- the Skallian table. “Even the Skallians Fiona’s blue eyes, the way the Skal- had on maximum even on the rare
tral, but Mal rested a hand on Fiona’s can’t take their eyes off him.” lians communicated with Mal across times he tried to sleep.
hands, still draped around his shoul- Rourke followed her gaze; the Skal- that table, the way Sandy watched Sixteen million credits were in that
ders. lians did seem entirely focused on Mal work, the way his skull felt like it account. Sixteen million. And Mal
“Forgotten you, my love? Never!” Mal, large black eyes following ev- was splitting from the inside, the way wandered the streets of Stanisdor
She kissed his cheek and turned ery movement of his hands as they the two large men in the darkened with the disc in his pocket as another
questioning blue eyes toward Rourke, danced through the air in quite a corner watched his every movement; man would carry his loose change.
her manner becoming instantly more passable imitation of the forelimbs of Rourke suddenly had a very bad feel- He hadn’t even noticed it missing at
guarded as she straightened, though the Skallians. A man of many talents. ing about this hit. He drained his Sandy’s.
a protective hand still remained on “I’ve just met him, actually.” Rourke drink. “I have to go, give my apologies The disc flipped and rolled across
Malachi’s broad shoulder. turned back to Fiona, she was shorter to Malachi for me?” Rourke’s restless knuckles. Sixteen
“This is Rourke, Fiona. Apparently than him but full of a coiled energy; “So soon?” Fiona looked disap- million. He would know who had the
he’s come to our fair city on busi- even as she leaned casually against pointed. “He won’t be long. Here, disc, the collision in the plaza, the
ness.” the bar, there was a restlessness I’ll give him a shout.” She started to drink in Sandy’s. And yet nobody was
Piercing blue eyes focused on about her. move away from the bar. hammering on his door.
Rourke for a long moment. Rourke Fiona nodded thoughtfully. “Well, “No. No, it’s all right.” He fled, his Rourke had a very bad feeling
resisted the urge to shift his weight don’t make it the last time, Rourke— breath coming in short, sharp gasps. about this hit.
under the weight of that gaze. She he’s a great man.” Her eyes suddenly He could feel his heart beating loudly He thought of the other hits since
was beautiful, he noticed distantly, seemed even brighter in the dim room. against his chest. He felt dizzy; the his rebirth. An aged, white haired
her blonde hair was cut short, she “I was one of Harley’s girls when I met pulsing pain in the back of his skull man slumping to his knees as the
had the confident grace of a dancer, him, stuck out in the scrubs, filthy old was giving pain a whole new mean- bullet entered his cranium; the slow
and those blue eyes, challenging and men pawing at me for a couple of ing. And, as he pulled the door open, dawning of realization as his knife slid
confident. Rourke took another sip of credits a time.” She looked again at the fat red sun warming the plaza in slickly into the stomach of the fat,
red haired woman. All losers. All de-

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fenceless. All murdered with ruthless The credit disc fell, skittering nois- make a packet.” room for Rourke to squeeze in behind
efficiency by a man with no memory, ily across the floor. His reflexes were He ran a hand through his hair. her as she took the controls.
with no conscience. slowing. He had known that the sec- “Not really, my boss pays for it all.” He She drove slowly, carefully, through
He had known Mal was different as ond Mal had spoken to him in the pla- moved to stand next to her, looking the narrow streets at the base of
soon as he saw him. He had known za, never before had a Mark felt the across those towers reaching up to those towers of grey. Hover cars sped
this hit was different as soon as he first contact; he had always been too the pink clouds. “What are you doing past her on either side with a faint
had woken here on Sharaman. quick for them. It was as though his here anyway?” hum before they were lost in the
Sixteen million credits. The disc in- brain, his being, was being swallowed Blue eyes looked up at him thought- distance. It was still dark this low in
creased in speed across his knuckles, slowly and painfully by the vast well fully, “Mal sent me here, Rourke. He the city, the massive stone buildings
nothing but a blur of flashing blue of emptiness that had always lingered wants you to come with us.” blocking out most of the light. There
light. at the back of his skull. That feeling of dread again, a feel- wasn’t much to see anyway. This far
It was worthless to Rourke, of And now it was threatening to ing that he was a player in a game away from the plaza it was rare for
course. Every time he completed a crush him, hammering at the walls of where he didn’t know all the rules. anybody to be walking on foot, and
job he was placed somewhere new, his mind, relentless and implacable. Far down below his room, he could so the streets were empty apart from
exactly the same resources at his dis- # see the hover cars, tiny from up the occasional hover car humming
posal; a standard issue electroscope there, beginning to wind their way past and the relentless grey of the
rifle and various other blaster pistols It was the incessant pounding on through the narrow streets. “Go with towers and those transparent bridg-
and knives; and one hundred thou- the door that awoke him. He ran a you?” Rourke asked blankly, turning es above.
sand credits, never a credit more, hand through his hair, damp with away from the window. “Where are Fiona was silent as she drove,
never a credit less. sweat, and groaned quietly. His head you going?” her eyes fixed straight ahead and
Rourke rose from his bed of sterile felt as though somebody was trying Fiona smiled, though her eyes nev- so Rourke contented himself with
white sheets and moved over to the to push a fist through the back of his er flickered from his own. “Business,” watching her drive. The way her
window, the disc still dancing, still skull from the inside. she said. “Mal has some business to blonde hair curled around her ears,
flickering across his knuckles as he “Rourke?” He recognized Fiona’s attend to.” the way her shoulders moved under
looked out of that wall of glass, high voice. He rolled onto his knees, a flash A feeling of falling. Of worlds be- that thin white shirt as she adjusted
up in the pink clouds floating listlessly of blue catching his eye. The credit disc yond counting flashing before his the steering.
across a sky of red. lay under his bed; he grabbed it and eyes: Gertina with its towers of blue Rourke suddenly felt an increase in
It was a new world, Sharaman— stuffed it into the pocket of his crum- ice under a cold yellow sun, the lush the pressure in his skull. When had
new to mankind at least. Like on so pled pants, every movement sending green world of Hartin, the searing he last thought about a woman like
many other new worlds, artistry and a shooting pain spearing through his heat of Rastin’s World with its end- that? He couldn’t even remember.
imagination had fallen prey to the brain as he struggled to his feet and less deserts. All worlds Rourke had It had been one of Father’s ‘distrac-
need for speed. Space had become made his way to the door. woken on with a name and a location tions,’ as he had called them, that
a rare commodity. Rourke, squinting “You look like hell.” Fiona stepped implanted in his mind. had been cut away and placed into
against that pain hammering in the past him, her eyes widening as she Rourke smiled brightly at Fiona, the well of emptiness. The fist in the
back of his skull, looked out on the saw the room, bathed in the glow of vertigo making him feel faint. “Let’s back of his skull flexed and tightened
result of this haste: uniform towers a rising red sun, every wall a window go then.” and Rourke sunk down into his seat.
of grey bridged together with trans- out onto those grey towers that sur- It was a small hover car that Fiona The towers were beginning to thin,
parent tubes. rounded the hotel. “What business had brought with her, barely enough and sunlight streamed into the hov-
are you in anyway, Rourke? You must

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er car. People now lined the streets had moved to stand next to him, her spoke to him as she smiled, but the It was as though that ready smile had
watching the hover car with grim fac- arm linking through his. “You didn’t words made no sense, however hard never existed. The bright green eyes
es, their clothes ragged and patched. tell poor Rourke why we wanted him he tried to understand. And then were now shadowed, hard and ques-
Skallians walked among them, their with us, Fiona?” darkness again. tioning.
awkward, jerky gait making Rourke Fiona shrugged and smiled up at “He’s coming around.” A woman’s “Father...” Rourke, rasped.
look back to Fiona. him, “I think Rourke likes a bit of mys- voice, barely heard behind the pound- There was no warning. Mal was
“Are we almost there?” tery, my love.” She rested her head on ing in his skull. He couldn’t move. He nodding, looking down at him from
She didn’t turn, though he could his shoulder. was seated in a high backed chair, legs those hard green eyes, and then
tell she smiled. “Almost.” Mal kissed the top of her head, fastened tight and his arms tied at the a punch, a punch that landed on
# breathing in the scent of that soft wrists behind his back. He opened Rourke’s jaw and sent a deep, shiv-
blonde hair. “Is that right, Rourke? his eyes slowly. Fiona and Mal were ering pain all the way down to his
“Rourke, you look like hell.” You like a good mystery?” His brilliant looking at him from across a dimly lit ankles.
“Thanks, Fiona’s already pointed smile suddenly looked menacing, the round room with a hard packed dirt “I’m afraid you’re going to have
that out.” Mal was waiting for them green eyes flat and cold. floor, the only other furniture the two to be more specific, Rourke, if we’re
beyond the last of the grey towers “Mystery?” Rourke blinked slowly chairs his abductors were seated on. going to remain friends.” Mal flexed
that dominated Stanisdor. He was as he tried to focus on Mal; the Mark Mal shook his head and looked to his hand. “Father. You say father sent
standing next to his own hover car, was nothing but a vague radiance of Fiona. “This can’t be right, look at the you. Who is this father? I know yours
surrounded by low, rickety huts that brilliant white. The fist in the back of state of him.” He pointed accusingly is dead, you know that, don’t you?
were little more than crumpled, his head had taken on a rhythm all of at Rourke. “Why would they send Father is dead.” He did smile now, his
rusted metal bolted together with a its own, a rapid, pulsing beat of pure that? I don’t like this—I’ve taken too lips twisted and cruel.
sheet over an opening that passed for agony. A memory, almost as painful big a risk in being here.” “Rourke?” Someone shouted from
a door. These huts spread for miles as that pulsing beat: a spill of blonde Fiona rose to her feet and drew behind him. A worried voice, con-
in either direction, circling the city. hair traced across his chest as the a short, cruel-looking curved knife cerned but familiar. Rourke twisted
Skallians were everywhere, picking soft, soothing breath of sleep brushed from her back pocket. She walked in in his seat, “Rourke?” That voice
through the piled litter and garbage against his neck. a slow circle around Rourke’s chair, again, a man’s voice, but the more
on their ungainly, spindly legs while The white angel tutted in annoy- tapping the blade of the knife against Rourke strained and twisted in his
hunched, dead-eyed humans drifted ance. “Shit, Fiona, how much did you the palm of a hand. “He’s in the early seat, the more that voice remained
around aimlessly, cloaks pulled tight give him? He’s nearly gone already.” stages,” she said to Mal. “They never on the edge of his vision. “Father?”
about their bodies. Somewhere in the Fiona’s voice came from some- can tell when the leak will begin.” She Rourke called out, straining against
distance a baby wailed unanswered. where close to him as a small hand stroked the knife against Rourke’s his bonds. Something cold trickled
“Nice isn’t it?” Mal looked like roughly grabbed his elbow. “It isn’t cheek, a cold caress. “Must feel like down his wrist.
some paragon of virtue with his the drug, Mal. It’s the Hollowness his head’s falling apart from the in- “He’s gone again.” A woman’s
bright smile, clad all in white standing leaking—he’s had it. He’ll be in and side.” voice, full of disgust as the darkness
among the misery and deprivation. out for the next few days. Here, grab The frown darkening that hand- descended once more.
Rourke’s skull felt like it was beat- that rope, will you?” some face suggested Mal wasn’t con- The next time he opened his eyes,
ing in sympathy with his heart as he Darkness. And then a face, a wom- vinced by this, but he got to his feet the room was bathed in bright sun-
squinted at Mal. “Why did you want an’s face looking down at him. A and moved closer to Rourke, his steps light and Mal and Fiona were both
me here?” His throat felt dry. warm smile, kind brown eyes, and she quiet on the dirt. “So, who sent you?” looking down at him. Their faces
Mal looked accusingly at Fiona who

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ISSUE 52

looked greyer, dark circles rimmed fell open slackly, he fell forward with when the Hollowness is beginning to age of four, he had been working
their eyes. a slump, dust rising into the still air as leak.” Fiona shrugged heavily. “Makes on an unwieldy fantasy novel before
“Right, we haven’t got time for this, he hit the ground, a cruel knife still me wonder though. Here we are tak- turning to the shorter form in the
the Skallians are getting restless.” Mal embedded in the base of his skull. ing out that.” She kicked the dead hope of actually finishing something.
had a blaster in his hand and knelt in “Lucy.” Rourke blinked slowly as body; the blood leaking from Mal’s His work has appeared in Flashing
front of Rourke, looking up into his Fiona began to untie his bonds. neck looked black and oily. “He was Swords, Reflections Edge, Abandoned
eyes. “Rourke? Can you hear me? “Shush, I know,” she whispered selling bodies to the Skallians, you Towers, Allegory, Ray Gun Revival and
Rourke?” sadly. know? Taking them from this hole others, and is forthcoming in 2009 in
This close, Mal looked nothing like He slumped forward as she untied and selling them to those insects?” The Rage Of The Behemoth anthol-
an angel. His cheeks looked fatter, the last knot and she pushed him gen- She shook her head sadly. “Makes me ogy, Ray Gun Revival, Golden Visions
the stubble lining his jaw was more tly back into the chair. “You did well, wonder how Father is different, tak- Magazine, Abandoned Towers, After-
grey than blond. Rourke nodded, the Rourke. Be still.” ing us from our lives and sticking this burn SF, Sfzine.org and others.
movement making his head spin and A vast ocean of blue, fat white time bomb in our heads.” She tapped
his vision blur sickeningly. clouds overhead and the wind warm the side of her head before looking at The Forgotten © 2009 by Martin Turton.
“Who sent you, Rourke? Do they in his face, whipping through his hair. him questioningly. “Rourke, what’s it
know where the next shipment is go- A young, fair-haired child looked up like?”
ing to be?” Mal’s voice had taken on at him, blue eyes bright and excited There was a clamour of voices now,
an almost pleading tone. as the little boat scudded through the and Rourke knew each one of them,
“Father...” Rourke mumbled waves. he even knew their names, his wife
through blistered lips. And then Rourke opened his eyes Lucy, his children, Beth and Cameron,
There was a noise, a hum like the to a dark, empty room. Empty save he knew them all. He smiled.
sound of a hover car speeding past the shadowy figure seated on the dirt But there was one insistent voice
and then the smell of burning flesh. facing him. He raised his head pain- he couldn’t shake. “Rourke?” The
Rourke dimly realized that it was his fully. voice was getting desperate. “Rourke?
own burning flesh; that Mal had shot “You did well, Rourke. Rest.” Fiona’s What’s it like? When the memories re-
him in the foot. “I’ll ask you that again, smile was sad. turn? I get so lonely, what’s it like?”
Rourke,” Mal looked him in the eye, Rourke tried to clear his throat, But Rourke could only smile with
the green eyes looked resigned, sad, “Why?” it was a harsh whisper, sound- contentment as he drifted willingly
almost. “Who sent you?” He aimed ing loud in the hut. into the blessed darkness.
the blaster at Rourke’s other foot; Fiona smiled and rested a light
the agony was only now beginning hand on his arm. “I got two names
to shoot up his leg, mingling with the this time, Rourke.” She met his eyes,
screaming pain in his brain. the sad smile remaining. “The target
“Lucy...” Rourke suddenly remem- and the decoy.” Martin Turton lives in East York-
bered the name of the woman with Rourke grunted. “The decoy?” He shire, England with his wife and three
the golden hair. The woman whose tried to laugh but it sounded more daughters. In the little spare time he
breath brushed his cheek as he slept. like an oozing cough. has after working full time and look-
Mal sighed. “Let’s—” His mouth “Yeah, I suppose it’s what they do ing after three children all under the

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panding space behind it, the amount ple, cooks and entertainers and so
Thinking Long Term: Don’t Let the of energy used makes it uneconomi- on, for the technicians and their fam-
cal to ship anything that way. The only ilies. In order to house a support staff
End of the Galaxy Spoil Your Plans real use for that type of travel is to set of thousands of people you need a
by Darrell B. Nelson up the far end of the tunnel.” planet.
“Then you also know that maxi- “Any planet far enough away from
“I’ve come with a solution to your Zone. The first shipping company mum realistic length of those tunnels a brown dwarf, or even a small red
problem,” Sam, the President of New that can open a trade route between is twenty-five light years.” dwarf so that it’s not be greatly ef-
World Ventures, told him. our side of the Galactic Arm and the “Yes, the energy expenditure grows fected by the stars gravitational field
“And what problem would that be?” other side stands to make an obscene exponentially the longer the tunnel is, would be too cold to terraform into
Donald, the CEO of Galactic Shipping amount of profit in the long term, ex- past twenty-five light years it would an earthlike planet.
and Travel, responded, still wonder- panding their shipping routes while take more energy to hold the tunnel “We’ve found on barren, non-ter-
ing how Sam had managed to set up the competition scrambles to even open then can be pushed into it.” raformed worlds, the workers tend
this meeting. He had never heard of start to make their own trade route.” “So in order to cross the Barren to want to spend all their vacations
Sam’s company before today. “We haven’t really thought about Zone you would need several bases and even long weekends on earthlike
“I’m sure you are aware that the it,” Donald said, even though he had to anchor the tunnels, but because planets. Even setting up large domes
Pathfinder Probe recently complet- been pushing his staff to come up the stars in the Zone are too unstable and having realistic parks can’t sub-
ed its 100-year mission and crossed with a way to open a route just this you can’t set up bases,” Sam summed stitute for being able to go outside
the Barren Zone of the Galactic Arm morning. up. “And that’s the problem I have a and experience the real thing. This
and returned,” Sam answered with a “Well, I’m sure you know, that the solution for.” puts a drain on the tunnel as workers
statement. way we travel across interplanetary “You’ve got my attention.” Donald start using it to travel back and forth
Donald nodded. spaces is through Space-Time Tun- told him. every weekend. Having one base on a
“The Barren Zone is a strange line neling. Basically we pull two points “Lower M class, or red dwarfs, and non-earthlike world would be barely
over 100 light years across in the Ga- in space-time together through sub- higher L class, or brown dwarf stars profitable, so a string of four or five
lactic Arm that has no habitable plan- space, creating a tunnel. Once estab- with temperature outputs between of them is out of the question.”
ets, and every single one of the larger lished, with openings anchoring the 2,000 and 3,000 degrees.” Sam told “So what you’re saying is the plan-
M through smaller A class stars, one’s tunnel at each end, travel through him. “They are too small for the in- ets of the brown and red dwarfs
with temperatures between 3,500 these tunnels is nearly instanta- stability to cause problems.” would have to be heated up to Earth
and 7,500 degrees, in the Zone is un- neous,” Sam explained. “Nice idea,” Donald told him, even temperatures for a series of tunnels
stable, so it would be impossible to “As the head of one of the largest though his people already had the to work?” Sam smiled.
set up any kind of base in their solar shipping companies that owns a fair same notion. “But in order for the “In a nutshell, yes.” Donald was
systems. The stars outside of that share of the Space-Time Tunnels, it is tunnel to have a working end, in this getting ready to hear the same long
range are either too hot or too cold something that I am aware of,” Don- case two, it needs a large support explanation of setting up zero-point
to have habitable planets.” ald joked, but he was getting ready to staff, thousands of people. You’ve got energy generators around the planet
“And how is that my problem?” cancel the meeting if the guy didn’t to have zero-point energy genera- that his people had already come
Donald asked. come to the point. “Without using tors to power them, technicians to up with and dismissed because it
“The Pathfinder probe detected tunnels the only other way to travel maintain the anchors and the power wouldn’t give the workers the same
signs of an advanced space-faring interstellar distances is by contracting plants, plus they want to bring their light levels they get on earthlike plan-
civilization on the other side of the space-time in front of a ship and ex- families. And you need support peo- ets.

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“This is electro-translucent Bucky- “Well, it depends on the planet we “The great thing is, we can continue routes opened up. Thanks to advanc-
paper.” Sam pulled a small piece of are warming up, and its star,” Sam making panels to be put around the es in prolonging the human life span,
film as shiny as a mirror, out of his replied. “The smallest brown dwarfs, star until it is completely enclosed. By that could make him the richest man
pocket. “It is basically a series of nan- which barely have any fusion going on regulating how much heat we let re- in the galaxy before he retired.
otubes, approximately 50,000 times in their cores, and a planet the same flect back to the star and how much “I thought you’d like it.” Sam
thinner than the human hair, held to- size as Earth having a surface area of we let escape we will be able to con- smiled, looking ahead thirty billion
gether with a polymer. That polymer 510 million square kilometers, half of trol it completely for its entire 50 to years when the main sequence stars
responds to small charges of electric- which are facing the star would have 100 billion year life. in this arm of the galaxy would be
ity. an average temperature normally for- “The beauty of these smaller stars burnt out and life would only exist
“With a charge, it is shiny like this.” ty below zero. In order to match Earth is that they have five to ten times on the planets that this new process
Sam touched the corner of it and it temperatures to twenty degrees Cel- the lifespan of G class stars like the made habitable, and were controlled
seemed to disappear. “Without a sius, we would have to raise its tem- sun. With some of the brown dwarfs, by his company. Thanks to advances
charge it is transparent. perature sixty degrees. Each square there is the barest amount of fusion that his company had made, his spe-
“Because the nanotubes are basi- mile transparent panel would warm happening in their cores. We can use cies, the Gorbaths, were nearly im-
cally one long carbon molecule, it is the planet by 7.8 millionths of a de- the mirrors to maintain that small re- mortal, he could possibly be the ruler
500 times stronger than steel, yet you gree, so we would need a little over action hundreds of billions of years. of the galaxy by then.
could cover a football field with it and seven and a half million panels. “When all other suns have burnt
it would weigh less than a gram. “For the red dwarfs with tempera- out, the ones we are controlling
“Since it can be either shiny or tures of 3,000 degrees we would only through this process will be going
transparent, we could take nine pan- need about 5 million.” strong.”
els of them, each panel being a square “And you expect us to ship that “Okay. I’ll have to have my people
kilometer, put them together with many panels to a new base?” Donald run the numbers, but it does sound Darrell writes marketing material
the center panel transparent and the yelled. “I thought the workers travel- like the best plan I’ve heard so far,” to pay the bills and writes horror and
others shiny and float them over the ing would eat into profits, this plan Donald said. “But what does your Sci-Fi to express his creative side.
surface of the star, then adjust the would have the new tunnels devoted company get out of this?”
shiny pieces so that the gravity of the to shipping panels for God knows how “Well, your company is getting a Thinking Long Term: Don’t Let the End of the
star and the force of the solar wind long.” trade route through the Barren Zone, Galaxy Spoil Your Plans © 2009 by Darrell B.
Nelson.
on our Buckypaper is equal making it “The panels wouldn’t have to be with a nice environment for your
float in space a couple hundred miles shipped,” Sam explained. “They are, workers, which will put you far ahead
above the star. after all, just made of carbon which is of all your competitors,” Sam said.
“We can make the transparent a fairly common element. In fact, we “All we want is the planets that are
panel into a lens, so all of the 2,000 to have identified several stars in the op- made habitable in the process, minus
3,000 degree heat going through it is timum route that have excessive car- the area for your bases of course. It’s
targeted right at an Earth-sized plan- bon in their upper atmospheres. It will a win-win for all involved.”
et, and it would also make the visible be fairly easy to set up the manufac- “Okay, that seems fair.” Donald
light from the star get brighter. Imitat- turing of the panels in the star system smiled, looking ahead a hundred
ing the light from a G class star.” where we put the base of the tunnel. years when Galactic Shipping and
“How many of these things would My company has made several break- Travel would be the largest company
we need?” Donald asked. throughs in automating that process. in the galaxy because of the new trade

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Calamity’s Child Earth decades ago.” it.”


Chapter 7: ROP Rodeo Bull Ballet, Part One “Earth law is insane,” Red Dog “Without the press, we’ll be done
by M. Keaton
hummed, and Graves did not dis- in half the time.”
agree. “That’s brilliant. You have a devi-
Earth. forcing himself to adopt a calm tone. “It’s beautiful,” Priest said. ous mind, Graves.” Lumley shook his
She hung beneath them like a dream, “On Earth, hate speech is a crime.” “Marble covered in saliva,” count- head in amusement. “You’re not go-
her seas a rich turquoise against the That gave the Cillian pause; Red ed Red Dog. ing to win any friends on the commit-
brighter green of her shores, her con- Dog was keenly aware that his contin- Graves left them, heading for the tee by taking away their face time,
tinents a thousand shades of green ued survival in a human dominated cockpit. He was fast learning why though.”
speckled with browns, piped with the universe depended on staying on the Steponovich was so tightlipped. He “Gee, I hadn’t thought of that.
brilliant blue dots of lakes. Rivers ran good side of the law. “What is hate dogged the hatch behind him and Maybe they won’t invite me back
like tears across her face. Mountain speech?” strapped himself into the copilot’s again,” Graves deadpanned, adding,
ranges rose gray and silver, vertebra “Saying anything intended to cause seat. “I’ll have Red Dog and Priest stay on
of her unbending spine. The lights of offense or provoke violence.” It was “I still think it’s a bad idea taking the ship until things are set up.”
her cities sparkled, winking through an oversimplification, but Graves did that thing to Earth,” Lumley said be- Lumley tapped the intercom but-
her atmosphere into space. So frag- not want to go into specifics. side him. ton. “Strap in back there. We’ve fi-
ile yet so strong, destroyed once and “How is Red Dog to know what “The committee wants a witness. nally gotten landing clearance.” He
born again by force of human will, upsets unknown fool human?” Pick- They’ll have to take what they get.” clicked it off, turning toward Graves.
human spirit her new breath of life. ing inflection from the alien’s buzzing “You’ll be lucky if they don’t shoot “I hope you know what you’re do-
She lay wreathed in a veil of pulled- speech was difficult; and Graves knew him. Or at least declare him a prison- ing.”
cotton clouds. there was always the risk of anthro- er of war.” Me too, Graves echoed mentally.
Earth. Home of mankind. pomorphism, but he thought Red Dog “War’s over,” Graves said. “The Me too.
“Looks like Christmas tree orna- sounded honestly perplexed. law’s on his side now. Besides, the #
ment with mold,” rumbled Red Dog, It was a fair question, too. Graves bug’s under subpoena. That carries
ruining Graves’ revelry. shrugged. “Might be best if you don’t The select committee appointed
some protections.”
“I didn’t know Cillians celebrated talk at all,” he suggested. Red Dog to investigate “matters pertaining to
Lumley harrumphed. “Forget the
Christmas,” he snapped, refusing to clattered his exoskeleton in agitation, the security of the Earth and her pro-
law and think about the press. They’ll
turn away from the view port and falling silent as Priest joined them at tectorates” was comprised of nine
whip up a lynch mob and keep them
give the alien even that much of a the port. members, three from each of the
wound up until the Senate has to do
victory. “So this is Earth,” Priest said, voice majority parties. In actuality, it was a
something.”
“Was original Earth ugly too?” barely above an awed whisper. “How seven-member panel: two Senators
Graves smiled. “Or turn off the
Graves did not answer right away, many people live here now?” were up for reelection and were busy
cameras.”
choked back his temper first. The de- “Just over four billion,” Graves an- campaigning. More important to
“You mean hold an investigation
struction of Earth was the greatest swered. Graves, the panel included all three
without posturing and speeches for
single sore spot in human history. To “Red Dog needs more ammo.” of his suspects.
the evening news?” Lumley laughed.
even refer to it was the very defini- Graves shook his head. “No guns. The first time Graves testified be-
“Hell, you might as well ask them to
tion of ‘fighting words.’ “Red,” he said, Personal firearms were outlawed on fore a Senate investigatory commit-
actually do their jobs while you’re at

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tee, it was for a real investigation. rephrase the question?” still catch the buffet across the street Senators Victoria Hazel and Sonya-
Technology had been smuggled to the “I asked if you honestly expect this if we go now. You interested, Paul?” ta Dane completed Graves’ short list.
inhabitants of a quarantined world. committee to contort itself a dozen Paul Daley was Earth’s own senior Senator Hazel reminded him of his
Graves was one of the junior agents ways from Sunday simply to accom- senator. By Senate rules, he should own grandmother, short, soft, and
involved in the final raid. Sitting in the modate the whims of your witness.” have been chairing the committee soft-spoken. Dane was a third-gener-
Capitol building addressing the entire “I thought I’d been clearer. Public but, unlike most politicians, Graves ation representative with red hair in
455 member Senate in formal assem- knowledge of the nature of the wit- had never seen him pushing for a shocking contrast to his amber col-
bly was a truly humbling and intimi- ness will result in significant public microphone. If anything, he seemed ored skin. In Graves’ opinion, Dane
dating experience. His testimony was relations problems for the commit- to avoid publicity, secure in his posi- was a long-shot. The man was barely
over in minutes but the proceedings tee as well as endanger the personal tion and willing to let others have into his second term, too young and
left an indelible impression. It also safety of the witness. Unless a media their moment in the limelight—and new to the Capitol to have the kind
made it difficult for him to take the blackout is put in place and ErSec al- take the risks that went with it. A thin of leverage Graves thought would be
dog-and-pony show of the typical in- lowed to make arrangements for the man in his early sixties, he had a nar- necessary. Maybe.
vestigation seriously. security and privacy of the witness, I row face and pinched features that “I’ll be over at Quantico if you need
“Mister Graves,” a voice lashed cannot in good conscience allow the would have been seen as weak on a me. Be back in a few days,” Lumley
across his thoughts. “The Chair asked witness to testify.” less charismatic man. With his wide, said, standing. “Looks like you’ve got
you a question.” Unlike that first ex- The Chair was a balding toad of a expressive blue eyes and thick white things under control for now.”
perience, most hearings took place in man who had not set foot off Earth hair, he looked instead like an indul- Graves nodded. Every time they
one of the small antechambers of the to visit the worlds he represented in gent patriarch, or a hunting hawk, were on Earth, Lumley spent as much
main assembly or in a meeting room years. He glared at Lumley, who nod- depending on his mood. He was also time as possible playing politics at
within the Senatorial offices, any- ded in silent agreement. “Would it be Graves’ main suspect. headquarters, making himself visible
where a backdrop and soundstage acceptable if the blackout were only “We should have the blocks in place to hurry along his promotion back to
could be thrown together. Beyond in place for the portion of these hear- in a couple of hours,” a tech said from civilization. It was just as well. It was
that, the only other determining fac- ings directly related to this witness’ behind Graves. In addition to shutting not that Graves did not trust Lumley,
tors were the comfort and conve- testimony?” down the cameras during Red Dog’s but he was also hesitant to explain
nience of the committee members. “I think that would be reasonable,” testimony, the technicians would ac- the extent of his plan to his supervi-
Today was a pair of conference rooms Graves said. Easier to take away a ba- tivate blocking software in the plan- sor. Better to beg forgiveness...
with the dividing wall removed. The by’s pacifier than a Senator’s media, et’s broadcasting systems. Any foot- Red Dog and Priest were waiting
panel members sat behind a line of and with less crying. “Might I suggest age of Red Dog would disappear off for him when he returned to the ship.
tables, Graves and Lumley shared a we recess for the day to make the ap- the information nets as quickly as it Priest closed a portable communica-
single table opposite. The Chair did propriate preparations?” appeared. Even if an intrepid reporter tor as Graves mounted the gangplank,
not have to shout to startle Graves “We’ll send word when we’re ready climbed the wall and snapped a pic- dropping it into one of the pockets of
upright. for your witness, Mister Graves.” The ture through the window, he would his crimson robe. Red Dog carried a
“My apologies, Senator. I fear I’m Chair rapped the table with a gavel. end up with a blank room. The two length of wood somewhere between
too tired to give the committee the The light behind the camera’s eye ErSec agents waited in their seats as a quarterstaff and a tree trunk.
attention it deserves,” Graves said blinked off. The Chair leaned to look first the Senators and then the audio- “What’s that?” Graves demanded,
smoothly. “Could I ask the Chair to down the length of the table. “We can visual techs filed from the room. pointing at the oversized staff.

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“Stick.” Graves had the spaceport drop off process your langer—” surprise, the girl had definite ideas
“No.” an enclosed cargo car, called a few “Then your brother would still be about what to do with the leftovers,
Red Dog ran the tip of the stick minutes later from pick-up. The driver a jerk,” Kylee snapped back. “And I and he was happy to comply.
down the chitin of the upright portion eyed the car nervously as automated have to ride with him.” Pharaoh pulled Martha close and
of his body, making a sound like hail lifts placed it on the tram. Behind them Pharaoh clucked his kissed her fiercely.
on a tin roof. “Graves said no guns.” “What in heck you got in there?” tongue. “We drew straws and I won. “Beast.” She giggled and beat him
“No weapons.” he asked. The metal walls of the car- Life is not fair. Here, throw my bag in playfully on the chest. “How long you
The alien sagged suddenly, clutch- go box boomed like a giant drum as if the jeep as you go.” He dropped the go?”
ing the staff with four of his arms and someone were beating the walls with extra weight onto James and stepped “Same as always. Until we are done
leaning heavily against it. “Red Dog is a hammer and humming madly. “Ain’t back into the kitchen of the lodge. or I get hungry for your cooking,” he
overcome with mighty Earth gravity. them killer bees, is it?” “Ma!” he called. “The children and replied.
Needs help walking.” Graves gave the man a dull look I are going for a drive.” He laughed. “You’ll be back soon,” she said in a
Graves choked on a laugh. ErSec and shrugged. “Government work.” Unlike his son, he did not begrudge satisfied tone. “James cooks bad.”
agents were fully briefed on alien The tram left the car at the hotel’s the extra week spent at the lodge. He laughed again. “Even a bad
races, even those under quarantine. loading dock and, with a quick check It had been quiet for a change, and cook has to work to ruin the eland.
Gravity on the Cillian homeworld was of the halls, they took the freight el- twice Kylee had slept through the Besides, I thought I would have Kylee
almost twice that of Earth’s, and the evator to their rooms. night without waking. The boys saw cook.”
thought of a two-ton millipede need- “Red Dog sees why Earth is ma- processing langer shell as a chore. “Hah! This is how you repay for
ing just one more leg to get by was jor tourist destination,” the Cillian To Pharaoh, working the shell apart making you take girl.” She giggled
ludicrous. “Don’t even try. You’re not buzzed, wandering through the suite, into useable sections with a diamond again, leaning her head against her
dealing with politicians yet,” he cau- inspecting every room. To Graves’ an- tipped chisel was a relaxing change husband’s chest. “Come back safe.”
tioned. “What’ve you got?” he asked noyance, he also opened every closet of pace. One with cool air and water “It is always high on my priority list.”
Priest. door and pulled out every drawer. only steps away and fewer stinging in- Outside, horns blew, the low groan of
“A Kwakiutl lawyer will meet us as And left them open. sects than hunting. At the end, when the truck’s first followed quickly by
soon as I have a place to tell him to “Shut up. Priest, call your lawyer. the Kwakiutl took the larger sections the jeep’s high whines. “Those boys
go.” See if you can get him to meet us north to ship from their starport, Pha- have their mother’s patience,” Pha-
Moving Red Dog presented a prob- here.” Graves lowered himself into a raoh was free to work with the small raoh said. “I have to go.”
lem. Even if they had been close chair and began to massage his tem- bits and pieces that remained. It was She squeezed him until his ribs
enough to walk, there was no way he ples. different from the mopane wood he ached. He did not complain. “Be care-
would go unnoticed. Private vehicles # carved in the evenings, though not ful, Pharaoh, not crazy.”
had all but disappeared on Earth, much harder. The texture was more He kissed her again. “Never crazy,”
“Let’s go!” John shouted, banging
replaced by mag-rail trains and un- uniform, gave him a greater latitude he reassured her and ducked out the
his fist on the hood of the truck. “We
derground trams for shorter trips. A to experiment. door. His sons played a fresh chorus
already waited an extra week!”
Senator might command a tram car In the case of Kylee’s langer, be- on the vehicle horns as he trotted to
“I blame you,” James grumbled as
to himself for privacy, and often did, cause of its relatively small size, there the jeep, sliding into the passenger’s
he and Kylee stumbled into Selous’
but getting Red Dog on and off un- had been a good deal of shell unus- side. “Let us go!” he shouted once he
predawn gloom. “If we hadn’t had to
seen was an impossibility. able to the Kwakiutl. To Pharaoh’s was belted in, waving his arm at the

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truck. “What is the hold up?” Kylee before the youth was totally at ease. “Not yet, but I should be able to see what I can do. Get us a hardcopy
hung out of the passenger’s side win- “James, my son,” he said lazily. “Do find out.” of that floor plan too, I’d feel pretty
dow, sticking her tongue out. not ever forget that your father is not Graves squinted at the screen. stupid breaking into the wrong of-
John fought the truck into gear, a complete fool.” The sudden flinch of “What’s that grayed-out room there fice.” Something in Priest’s pocket
stalling it. It restarted with a cloud of James’ shoulders confirmed what he on the side?” chirped. He pulled his communicator
blue smoke and rolled forward. already knew. Priest pushed in closer on the from his robe, blanking the screen as
“You do not mind that I let Kylee Timing was everything for a hunt- room, checked the map’s legend. he answered.
come with us?” Pharaoh asked, er. “Unassigned.” “Lawyer’s on his way up,” Priest
watching the side of the road. # “Red Dog wants unassigned room,” said. “He says to tell you that he’s al-
“No. I think it’s great.” James the alien said. “Less riding in metal ready signed and filed a confidentiali-
“I have a building map,” Priest
whipped the steering wheel quickly box.” The Cillian had been compara- ty agreement.” Graves smiled at that;
called over his shoulder, referring to
from side to side to avoid a hole. “It’s tively quiet for the past two days as he liked a man that thought ahead.
the floor plan displayed on the screen
like having a kid sister around. I didn’t they awaited the panel’s summons. Glancing through the peephole, he
of his portable data terminal. The in-
think I’d like it but, now that she’s Graves had bribed him with a steady opened the door and ushered the so-
formation was not secure, only dif-
here...I don’t know, it’s kind of nice.” flow of old Earth movies, a necessary licitor in to meet his client.
ficult to find, but it had been a good
“Good job on the langer,” Pharaoh atrocity he was certain he would pay Visually, the man could have been
test of how well Kwakiutl technology
said. for later. Priest’s older, heavier cousin but he
stacked up against Earth tech. Thus
“No kidding. She’s amazing with a “He’s right,” Priest said. “And if carried himself with a slow self-assur-
far, the answer was: slower, but oth-
gun, pop.” you can swing it, we could move in ance and spoke with a voice trained
erwise comparable.
“With a gun, yes.” He stretched in a couple of cots and have access to to the courtroom. “Mister Red Dog,”
Graves and Red Dog joined him,
his seat, searching for a comfortable the floor the entire time the hearings he said, extending a hand. “I’m to be
watching as the building’s outline
position to spend the hours until it are going on. I’ll have to work my way your legal advisor.” If the prospect of
filled with colored blocks indicating
was his turn to drive. “I taught her to around the building’s internal secu- dealing with an alien bothered the
room usages and emergency exits.
use the .700. I have been wondering rity, but if we’re staying in the build- man, he did not show it.
“That’s the office building the hear-
though, who taught her to set a land ing, we can get into the other offices Red Dog canted his head to the
ings are in?” Graves asked.
mine?” at night.” side, looking at the proffered hand.
“The second floor. The other floors
James was suddenly intensely in- “I like it,” Graves said, nodding. “Not hungry. Shyster will keep Red
are queuing now, but this is the floor
terested in the road. “What else have you got?” Dog in law?”
we really need to know. First floor is a
Pharaoh suppressed a smile. “I “Not much. I pulled this through “I believe we can achieve that.” The
reception area, public lobby, and the
suppose she could have figured it out the main government database. Each man withdrew his hand, placed his
meeting room. Second floor is where
on her own.” office building has its own internal attaché case on a table. “My name is
the panel has their offices. It looks
“She’s really smart,” James admit- network and I’m betting each Sena- Hendricks, Lemuel Hendricks.”
like the higher you are on the food
ted. tor has their own isolated terminal as “Shyster,” Red Dog insisted.
chain, the closer your office is to the
Pharaoh pulled his slouch hat for- well.” “If you prefer.” The man frowned
ground.”
ward, shading his eyes from the dawn, “All the more reason to get us in- slightly. “We need to discuss you’re
“Can you tell which room is
and watched his son from the corner side the building,” Graves said, biting testimony.”
whose?”
of his eye. Several minutes passed the edge of his lip. “All right, let me Graves stepped into the other

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room, pushing the door closed be- you travel between the Hedge and a flesh-colored earbud. “Even under our practices are reckless, endanger
hind him, and set about trying to take the Frontier.” the black-out, they still record the people, promote criminal behavior—
possession of the empty office. Six “No excuse,” insisted Priest. hearings. That’s tapped into the au- public safety and the common good.
calls and four triplicate forms later, “How does Red Dog watch Red dio feeds; you should be able to hear Our lawyers counter with arguments
Graves decided they would have to Dog’s movies?” clattered a voice be- them when they start. If it sounds like about religious freedom and the im-
get the room the old-fashioned way. hind them. they’re going to break, warn me and portance of preserving historic cul-
The next morning, they shipped Red “Terminal on the wall,” they said to- we’ll cut out.” tures. The real reason, Mister Graves,
Dog to the building and moved into gether. Graves smiled wryly at Priest Graves raised his eyebrows at the is simply that the government cannot
the empty office. Anyone who com- and added, “You’ve got to be down- man. “You’re enjoying this.” abide competition. What we have,
plained was told to file a formal com- stairs to testify in a few minutes.” “Very much. It’s not often I get to they cannot. To a government, any
plaint with ErSec at the Quantico of- “If Red Dog’s next movie is good, test myself against the best. Or do government, that’s enough of a rea-
fice. fool humans can wait.” anything more interesting than pro- son.”
“We are patched into building se- “Shyster’s problem,” Priest said, gramming detonation codes, for that A series of firm raps on the office
curity,” Priest announced less than a returning his attention to his own matter. Plus,” the smile spreading door interrupted them. “Mister Red
half hour after they had taken over terminal. “I’ve set up a simple loop, across his face was colder than any- Dog, are you ready?”
the office. His equipment was at- barely more than a child’s prank, but thing Graves would have thought the “Shyster!” Red Dog thundered as
tached to the receptionist terminal in it’s enough for what we need. Once man had in him, “I think you underes- Priest opened the door. The Cillian
the outer room of the office. Graves I activate it, we’ve got forty-five min- timate how much the Hamatsa hate limped painfully from the back room,
was busy rearranging furniture in the utes. I have three different loops and I this government.” leaning heavily on his staff, his head
rear to make room. can link them in sequence if I have to. “Technically your government drifting drunkenly from side-to-side.
“That easy?” he asked. I don’t want to reuse a loop though; too.” “Poor Red Dog,” the alien hummed,
“Easy? No. I’m just that good,” too much chance the software might “Only by military fiat, I assure you.” standing abruptly upright.
Priest answered. “The system is fo- catch on just based on the repetition. Priest stood, lifting his bag onto the The lawyer nodded. “Yes, I think
cused on keeping outside threats The same events twice it won’t no- desk. “Mister Graves, Earth has op- that will do.”
out; it’s wide open from inside. Also, tice. Three times, I think it will.” pressed and harassed my people Graves snorted. “What, no neck
the designers rely too heavily on soft- Graves nodded in understanding. from before colonization. They out- brace and wheelchair?”
ware rather than hardware. A man at “How long will you need per office?” lawed potlatch three times before “Agent Graves,” the lawyer said
a desk watching security feeds is, in “Won’t know until I get there.” the Kwakiutl left Earth and have been stiffly, “things will go much smoother
many cases, better than threat recog- “All right. We’ll do the first one and trying to stop it ever since. I don’t if we do everything in our power not
nition software.” He tsked to himself. play it by ear from there. How do we think there has been a time in the last to remind the committee that my cli-
“Very disappointing. I expected bet- keep track of what’s going on down- century when the matter was not in ent possesses the physical prowess,
ter on Earth. This is sloppy.” stairs?” the courts on some level.” and likely predisposition I might add,
“Technological myopia,” Graves Priest frowned. “If you keep watch, “Based on my experience, I can’t to kill every human being in the coun-
said, rubbing his hands on his pant’s I can clear out in about a minute, a lit- say that I’m thrilled with your reli- cil room before security could arrive.
legs as he stepped from the back half tle longer if I’m in the middle of some- gion,” Graves acknowledged. “But I should like to not conduct this hear-
of the office. “Once you know what thing, but not by much.” He reached why the rancor?” ing under armed guard.”
to look for, you see it all the time if into a tote bag by his leg, pulling out Priest shrugged. “Earth claims Graves looked from the man to his

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client and back again. “Your show. “I deactivated all the internal locks,” that means most of the fingerprint is two steps into the office, spun, and
Good luck with it.” Priest explained slipping past the Er- too.” Graves acknowledged the com- walked back out. “Retinal scanner.
“U’melth be praised,” Priest added Sec Agent, into the Senatorial office. ment with a grunt, his eyes fixed on I’m not ready for them yet,” he said.
for good measure. “The Chair must acknowledge that the door. “We’ll have to come back to this one
Red Dog limped past them, follow- my client is the only known Cillian liv- “Further, my client is a recognized at night.”
ing the lawyer. “Give ‘em hell, big guy,” ing outside the post-war quarantine.” archetype of the Kwakiutl religion Graves opened his mouth to com-
Graves said and the Cillian chittered “He’s also a member of a race that and is therefore protected under both plain, closed it with a pop. Let the man
with something disturbingly close to tried to exterminate humanity!” the Endangered Tribal Species Act as do his job, he thought. You brought
a laugh. He checked his watch. “We’ll “Be that as it may, the war is long well as the Religious Tolerance and him because he’s the expert.
wait about fifteen minutes for things over and irrelevant to his legal status. Acquiescence Act, subsection 17A, “Now, Mister Dog—”
to get going and then we hit the first The simple legal fact is: my client is covering the protection of artistic and “Red Dog.”
office,” he told Priest. “Ready?” covered under the diplomatic immu- iconic figures.” “Beg your pardon?”
Priest stroked his tote bag like nity extended to all alien representa- “Where’s all this headed?” “Red Dog!”
he was petting a puppy and did not tives present on Earth in an official “Simply this, Senator. My client “I believe my client is objecting to
bother to reply. governmental capacity. Such protec- asks for no more than what is typi- being called ‘Mister Dog’, Senator. It
# tion is implicit in the subpoena issued cally granted to witnesses testifying may be a problem with his transla-
“Lemuel Hendricks, esquire, rep—” that demanded his testimony before before investigatory committees. Be- tor or any number of similar cultural
“Shyster!” this committee.” fore my client can testify, he requires variables.”
“Representing the Cillian Red Dog.” Priest knelt on the floor below a blanket immunity for any matters “Well what should I call him
A short pause. “Before testifying, I be- the office’s data terminal, laying out occurring or revealed during his tes- then?”
lieve we need to clarify my client’s le- his own equipment. He spread what timony.” “Red Dog is called Red Dog. Friends
gal status and its relation to this com- looked to be a veil of gold mesh over “Give us a moment to confer.” The call Red Dog ‘Red’ but Red Dog has no
mittee. Specifically, Senators, that the local drive, nodding happily as muffled thud of a hand covering a mi- fool human friends. Senator can call
this committee has no legal authority it shimmered to life with twinkling crophone. The susurrus of whispers. Red Dog ‘Mister-Red-Dog-sir-please-
whatsoever over my client.” bursts of light. “Terminal security is “Very well. The Chair and Committee and-thank-you.’” A choking noise
Graves tapped the bug in his ear, biometric,” he mumbled to himself will agree to testimonial immunity for that sounded like it might have come
smiling at Priest. “Let’s go.” Crimson as he stood. “Fingerprint only.” He the duration of these hearings. May from Shyster.
robes fluttered and Priest sprinted worked a piece of gray putty into a ball we please continue with the matter at “Moving on.”
into the hall. “Easy,” Graves laid a between his fingers, pressed it against hand?” Two more retinal scanners and one
hand on his shoulder. “Try not to look the thumb scanner, and pushed a “I’m afraid not quite yet. There still terminal with something Priest called
like we’re robbing a bank.” Priest gave computer chip against the top of the remains the matter—” an “external hardware encryption
him an embarrassed smile. Graves clay. A moment later, the terminal “Done!” Priest stood, returning his key.” Two more passed by because an
suppressed a laugh, stepping past blinked to life. “The problem with fin- tools to his bag with rapid delicacy. aide was still at work inside. They fin-
priest and walking calmly down the gerprint detectors,” he explained to “Time?” ished the remainder before Priest’s
hallway. Graves, “is that the people who use “Seven minutes.” loops ran out. Graves’ map was be-
He jerked his hand back as the first them forget to clean them after each “The rest will go faster.” ginning to look like a patchwork quilt
door lock chirped open at his touch. use. The finger oils are still there and The next one did. Priest took of ‘X’s and ‘O’s. They could have

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ISSUE 52

concentrated on the three offices of Graves smiled. At least there was woke up and wandered off.” James They drove across slowly, the truck
Graves’ suspects but he wanted to entertainment. laughed. “Good thing it didn’t wake first. The muddy water lapped across
check them all on the off chance that # up grumpy.” the floorboards of the truck but did
someone was using a different office They crossed before dawn, while not raise higher. Reaching the op-
They made camp at the edge of
for their ‘unofficial’ work. the sky was still gray. Pharaoh, posite bank, John pulled to the side,
the river a few hours after sundown.
“We’ll go back to work on the oth- dressed in worn jeans and a thick stepping out to watch the jeep creep
Kylee helped James with the tents,
ers tonight?” Priest asked as they rope bound around his waist, walked across the ford. Kylee walked a little
one ear on John’s discussion with
returned to their appropriated quar- the ford first. He leaned into the cur- way in front of the truck, surveying
Pharaoh. Both had originally wanted
ters. Graves nodded. rent as he struggled across, stopping the land that spread south of the
to cross the river before stopping,
“I’d best get to work now that I’ve in places to feel around with his feet. river.
but they differed on the safety of a
a better idea what I’m going to find. As he did, John stood on the hood of The reds and purples of the na-
night crossing. Pharaoh had the final
Thank U’melth there wasn’t any DNA the truck watching the water, rifle at tive jungle were replaced with the
say, pointing out philosophically that
encryption. That I can’t crack.” the ready. livid green of grasses topped in gold.
there were always delays. The discus-
Graves suppressed a groan, sink- “Crocs don’t like fast flowing wa- The entire veldt rippled in the wind
sion shifted to the morning’s agenda.
ing into a chair. Everything was going ter,” James explained to Kylee. “But like an ocean sprawling beneath the
“Of course, you knew we were
without a hitch, so why was he cov- better safe than sorry.” She scanned horizon. The yellow sea was broken
stopping here or I wouldn’t have
ered in sweat? He forced himself to the water with the scope of her own in places by the spreading branches
started on the tents,” James told her
relax, considered sleeping while he gun. She had read about crocodiles of acacia and mopane trees casting
with a grin. “We always plan to cross
could, decided against it. but had never seen one. pools of long shadows in the rising
the river before we stop but we never
“Red Dog, when you discovered the “It is deep,” Pharaoh said, emerg- sun. It was as if she gazed at a differ-
do.”
Hecate, you were in the employ of a ing from the river, feet muddy. ent world, embraced by the sun and
“How come?” she asked.
house? Am I reading this correctly?” John hopped down from the truck, spreading out to infinity.
“I think that, back when it was just
“No. Red Dog works for Red Dog. pushed his rifle back into its sleeve. The jeep powered up the bank
Pop and Ivan and one truck, they
Red Dog looked for ship because “You want to run a cable?” with a roar and the grass exploded
could make it in one day. When Pop
House paid Red Dog.” “And wade across again? No. If we with life. Bodies flew into the air like
tells his stories, that’s how it is. I
“I’m sorry to interrupt. You’re self- have trouble we can use the winch, a flock of startled birds, only they
guess it’s kind of stuck our heads that
employed and were working to pay but I think we will be fine.” Pha- were not birds. Horned creatures
that’s the way it ought to be. We for-
for a house?” raoh looked pointedly at Kylee. She barely larger than dogs launched
get we’ve got a lot more equipment
“House! Fool human like Senators. laughed and turned her back as he themselves across the plain, bound-
these days.” He shrugged. “And stuff
Not house like fancy cave.” stepped behind the truck to change ing on all four hooves at once.
comes up.”
“Red Dog, the Chair would remind into dry clothing. Kylee put her hands to her mouth,
“Like when I hit that hole and blew
you to maintain a civil tone, or I’ll be “James,” John called. “Did you put suppressing a squeal. “There’s thou-
the tire this afternoon,” Kylee said
forced to find you in contempt.” the snorkels on?” sands of them!”
with a grimace.
“Red Dog is in contempt. And fool James rolled his eyes. “Yes, I put the “Hundreds of them, at least,” John
“Two years ago, there was a langer
humans gave Red Dog immunity.” snorkels on.” He grimaced at Kylee, said with a laugh. “Bushbuck.”
sleeping in the middle of the road.
“He’s got a point, Ben.” adding, “You’d think he’d figure out, She watched the tiny antelope
We parked and sat for hours until it
“Oh shut up.” I never take the snorkels off.” bounce in and out of the grass.

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ISSUE 52

“They’re adorable!” “Welcome to Selous’ Folly,” James


“They are pests,” Pharaoh coun-
tered, stepping from the jeep, but he
said, smiling at her.
Pharaoh draped a long arm around Thank you for
reading
was smiling. her shoulders. “The ghost of Africa.”
“When they jump like that, it’s
called pronging,” James said as he
joined them.
“And so tiny,” Kylee whispered.
“Bigger than the Suni,” John
teased.
Growing up in a family with a histo-
ry of military service, M. Keaton cut his
Ray Gun
Beneath the outstretched arm of
a mopane tree, a bushbuck hesitat-
lin­guistic and philosophical teeth on
the bones of his elders through games Revival
ed too long. A darker portion of the of strategy and debates at the dinner

and supporting
tree’s shadow dropped onto its back, table. He began his writing career
riding the bushbuck to the ground, its over 20 years ago as a newspaper rat
jaws locked on the antelope’s throat. in Springdale, Arkansas, U.S.A. before

the space opera


“I did warn you to look up, did I pursuing formal studies in chemistry,
not?” Pharaoh asked as the cat wait- mathematics, and medieval literature
at John Brown Uni­versity. A student of

renaissance!
ed for its meal to stop thrashing.
politics, military history, forteana, and
“Leopard?” she asked, squinting.
game design, his renaissance educa-
“Jaguarundi,” Pharaoh said sadly.
tion inspired the short television se-
“Selous was never able to buy leop-
ries: These Teeth Are Real (TTAR).
ards. He settled for the tigrillo.” His literary “mentors” are as di-

Come back next


Kylee watched the bushbuck sprint verse as his experiences. Most power-
in the dawn. Dragging a body only fully, the author has been affected by
slightly smaller than it was, the jag- the works and writers of the “ancient”

month for more


uarundi fought to climb the mopane’s world, including the Bible, Socrates,
trunk. He slipped, peeling away and (more modern) Machiavelli, Tsun
chunks of bark with his claws, and

thrilling tales from


Tsu, Tacitus, and Von Clauswitz. (This
began again. The bushbuck calmed; horribly long list only scratches the
ox-peckers fluttered to land among surface; M. Keaton reads at a rate of

beyond the ether!


them. The veldt sighed in the wind, over two books per week in addition
and Kylee sighed to match it. to his writing.)

Calamity’s Child: ROP: Rodeo Bull Ballet, Part 1


© 2009 by M. Keaton.

Page 42

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