Ray Gun Revival Magazine, Issue 49

Issue 49 December 2008
Pg. 2
Ray Gun Revival 2
3
Table of Contents
Overlords’ Lair: Merry Christmas, 2008
Table of Contents 4

Gifts From the Galaxy,
by Clinton Lawrence
Overlords (Founders / Editors) 9 Evergreen and Always
Johne Cook, L. S. King, Paul Christian Glenn 9 by Alice M. Roelke
Venerable Staff 14 The Garbage Men
A.M. Stickel - Managing Copyeditor 14 by Drew Arrants
Matthew Winslow - Book Reviews Editor 22 Myron’s Debarkation
Shannon McNear - Lord High Advisor, grammar consultant, listening 22 by Richard S. Levine
ear/sanity saver for Overlord Lee
Paul Christian Glenn - PR, sounding board, strong right hand
27 Beneath Narsalia’s Veil
L. S. King - Lord High Editor, proofreader, beloved nag, muse,
27 by Timothy A. Sayell
webmistress 34 Regeneration
Johne Cook - art wrangler, desktop publishing, chief cook and bottle 34 by Martin Turton
washer 41 RGR Reviews - Book Reviews
41 Matthew Winslow, Reviews Editor
Slushmasters (Submissions Editors) 46 Featured Artist: Gary Tonge, UK
John M. Whalen
Alice M. Roelke 51 Calamity’s Child, Chapter Five
Jenn Silva ROP: Skip a Rope, Part Two
David Wilhelms by M. Keaton
Serial Authors 62 Thieves’ Honor, Episode Four
Sean T. M. Stiennon The Game - Opening Moves
M Keaton by Keanan Brand
Keanan Brand
71 Memory Wipe, Chapter 24
Cover Art Memory Reborn, Part Two
“Merry Christmas” by Gary Tonge 71 by Sean T. M. Stiennon
Without Whom... 86 The RGR Time Capsule
Bill Snodgrass, site host, November 2008
Web-Net Solutions, admin, webmaster, database admin, mentor,
confidante, liaison – Double-edged Publishing
All content copyright 2008 by Double-edged Publishing, 
Special Thanks a Memphis, Tennessee-based non-profit publisher.
Ray Gun Revival logo design by Hatchbox Creative
Visit us online at http://raygunrevival.com Rev: 200812A
Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Merry Christmas, 2008 Pg. 3
Overlords’ Lair
Merry Christmas, 2008
Iwhat
t is Christmas Eve as I write this. The snow Cramer gathered together an anthology
is deep on the ground. It certainly looks like called The Space Opera Renaissance, and it
I think Christmas looks like. The street was a tome. weighing in at nearly 1000 pages,
outside is completely quiet in my small town, it examines space opera from the beginning
and we have our own silent night. up to the present day. It’s a Who’s Who of
space opera authors, from Leigh Brackett to
We have peace on earth, or at least in one John C. Wright.
small town in Wisconsin. Aah. I can feel the
stress leading up to the holidays melt away. It didn’t end there. 2008 saw the release of
It is a great feeling. The New Space Opera, edited by Gardner
Dozois and Jonathan Strahan. Gardner Dozois
I recently had occasion to corrospond briefly is a legend and Strahan is an up-and-comer
with SF author Dave Wolverton. I signed up who continues to impress.
for his e-mail list, and he said he liked the
name of our humble little publication. He At RGR, 2008 was our best ever. We published
said he’d just written a space opera novella 40 short stories. We featured artists from the
for Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine USA, the UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, and
Show. Then he something that gets the heart China. We introduced film reviews from Paul
of everything we’ve been working toward for Christian Glenn, and added book reviews
the past two and a half years. “So here’s a edited and written by Matthew Winslow
question for you: does it seem to you that and featuring newcomers Steve Davidson
there actually is something of a revival of the and Donald Jacob Uitvlugt. We added new
genre?” Slushmasters to the team. We published all
or part of new original serial novels. Who
When we started looking at the landscape in knows what 2009 will bring?
late 2005, there wasn’t much in the way of
space opera out there for us to look at. We I’m going to keep this short to get this oiut.
started making preparations for Ray Gun Merry Christmas from Ray Gun Revival
Revival in January of 2006 and opened our magazine!
virtual doors that July. Our one goal was to Johne Cook
do our small part to revive the genre. Overlord
The timing couldn’t have been better. That Breezeway, WI USA
year, editors David G. Hartwell & Kathryn December, 2008

Gifts From the Galaxy
by Clinton Lawrence Pg. 4

by Clinton Lawrence
A lump of coal. Walt was really annoyed

now.
missing. Let’s just call in the morning, and get
some sleep.”
it?”
“I would suggest you just open your gifts. If
He had discovered the invasion of his She went upstairs without waiting for his you find something important missing, call us
home at about twelve-thirty. There were response. He reluctantly followed, for what then. Happy holidays.” The dispatcher termi-
already presents spread around the base of little good it did him. He must not have slept nated the call.
the tree when he came down the stairs, and more than fifteen minutes all night.
not the ones he and Eileen had bought for He never wanted to open the mysteri-
their children. He looked around the house, In the morning, he finally got the police. ous gift, he had not wanted Eileen or Pam or
couldn’t find anything, went outside with a He thought he heard a human voice, a woman, Johnny to open theirs, either. But they had all
flashlight, and finally returned inside. Eileen though it was getting harder to tell. received fine presents, better than the ones
was waiting for him in the kitchen. he had bought. Pam, who could sit for hours
“I want to report that someone broke into looking at a map of their own county, received
“Can’t you be a little more quiet?” she said. my house,” he said. an interactive atlas of the alien worlds (or
“You’re going to wake the kids.” at least some of them). Walt was a little
“Anything missing?” surprised they would give a human access to
“Someone broke in.” something like that. Johnny got a complete
“Yeah,” Walt said. “Some milk and cookies.”
He said it calmly. alien spaceship simulator. At least, that’s what
“I noticed. Did you eat the cookies the kids it said on the box. Walt didn’t believe that it
left?” From the living room, Eileen said, “You’re resembled a real spaceship cockpit in any
“No. They’re gone?” sounding like an idiot.” detail, despite the guarantee. Eileen’s was one
of those weird musical instruments the aliens
“Nothing but crumbs.” The dispatcher was talking at the same had just started importing, along with sheet
time, but Walt heard only Eileen. He had to music. She, for reasons he could not compre-
Walt had been thinking all evening about ask her to repeat. hend, had recently become interested in that
the cookies—double chocolate chip—and kind of noise, much to his disgust.
the milk to wash them down. “Help me look “Left some gifts under the tree, right?”
around. We’ve got to find out if we’re missing They urged him on, despite his protests.
“Yes.”
anything else.” And they laughed when he pulled the coal out
“We don’t have time to deal with milk and of the box, laughed so hard that he almost
Eileen went off looking, and Walt called began to believe that this was some evil
cookie thieves, all right?”
the police. Busy signal. He looked for five prank.
minutes, and called again. Busy. He tried every With crime almost nonexistent since the
five minutes for an hour until Eileen finally occupation, he wondered what the police “Read the card,” Pam said. “Tell us what it
rebelled. could possibly be doing that was more says.”
important than investigating burglary. “What
“Forget it,” she said. “There’s nothing else He read it to himself. “Dear Walter, you
do you want me to do, then, just forget about

must learn to be a better host in the next year. there myself until this afternoon.” all day, every day, not the least sympathetic to
Love, Santa.” his complaints. He couldn’t walk down the hall
Walt looked at the roof again. “You’re right. to the bathroom without Pam accosting him
“What the hell does that mean? He got the That would really ruin the holiday, falling off with some stupid trivial fact like the popula-
milk and cookies, didn’t he?” the roof. Merry Christmas, Harold. Maybe we’ll tion of Bimipso, the largest city on the planet
see you later.” Zimmercron, a place he firmly wished he had
Eileen and the kids looked at him, but he never heard about. But Johnny was the worst.
just threw the card in the fire. “I’m going over “Always welcome. Show you the antique Johnny would actually seek him out, pull him
to wish Harold a merry Christmas.” power tools Santa gave me.” away from the latest pre-invasion violent cop
Harold was outside, looking at the roof “You got power tools?” movie he was watching, and force him to be the
of his tract mansion. Almost the whole co-pilot in the simulator, pushing buttons and
world consisted of these tract mansions now, Harold nodded. “You?” pulling levers on command, and then getting
everyone living in identical houses. They were angry when he would make a mistake and
“It was the aliens, you know. They did it all.” cause them to crash. The thought was intruding
bigger houses than most of them had before, to
be sure. Three stories, seven bedrooms (even upon him that these were the beginnings of
“Gave us the houses, didn’t they? Never addictions.
if you didn’t need them), with a bathroom He tuned in to an old Untouchables
had none like this before the aliens came. Got episode. These
attached to each, libraries, offices, dens, were cops who took action. He
a certain right to come give us more stuff if deserved that kind
five-car garages, and enough land for tennis of service. Not until he got
they want.”
courts, a swimming pool, and an extensive an apology from the police department, and
garden, complete with automated gardening “I just don’t like them breaking in.” an investigation, would he be satisfied.
equipment.
“Got to go.” Harold waved and went inside. Walt had to wait five days because of the
“Someone break into your house last night?” labor reforms the aliens had brought to earth.
Harold asked across the fence, lifting off his Walt decided to go for a walk in the The first was the two-day work week. The
baseball cap and running his left hand through greenbelt, where he would not be able to see second major reform was the three-hour work
his thin gray hair. Harold’s mutt Scooter came sleigh tracks on the roofs. Unfortunately, trees day, which for most people started at ten and
to the fence and barked. without leaves failed to hide much, and he ended at two, with an hour for lunch. The most
finally went back to his home, helped his son important reform of all, however, was that
“Yes.” assemble the simulator, and then hid himself there was not actually any work that needed
in the den watching old Dirty Harry movies. No to be done. It was all performed by invisible
“Sleigh tracks on the roof. Look, on yours, one interrupted him until it was time to carve nanomachines or magic, depending on who a
too.” Harold pointed. the turkey. person believed.
“I guess I’ll have to make the chimney more On the thirtieth, another work day came,
secure. Do you have any ideas?” #
and the police business office would be open.
Walt had to wait five days. Five days of He would file his complaint just after lunch. As
“Too late for that, isn’t it? Didn’t do no
agony. He stuck the lump of coal in a corner her was
he leaving, Eileen reminded him to ask
harm, anyway.” best friend Barbara to come over for New
of the cellar well hidden by other trash so he Year’s Eve.
“I’m going to go up there and take a look.” wouldn’t be able to see it, but it was never
forgotten. Eileen played her alien noisemaker He rehearsed his speech in his mind as he
“Pretty icy up there now. Wouldn’t go up

drove to work. There was no trace left of the Walt stopped listening when they started He got up and left.
Christmas sleigh tracks, but he imagined them talking about their gifts. He was pretty sure he
on each mansion he passed, imagined the arc was the only one at the table with a lump of #
through the sky (for he had no doubt the aliens coal. Lynn had passed him the sports section,
responsible for the crime did, in fact, have a and he focused his attention on the hockey The officer who came to the lobby to meet
flying sleigh pulled by reindeer), imagined report. He was deep into the description of a him was the only person he saw in the police
them eating cookies everywhere they went. No rare fight between Edmonton and the Rangers station, other than the receptionist. She led
wonder Santa Claus was portrayed as weighing when Phil rudely interrupted him. him to a small office in the back. The room
about four hundred pounds, having to eat had only a desk and two chairs. The walls were
several billion cookies every Christmas Eve. His “We asked you what you got from Santa.” blank, though the white paint was scratched in
greatest wish was that chocolate was toxic to places. He could tell she was an alien imme-
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
the aliens. He awoke from his fantasies when diately because her eyes were just a little too
he car suddenly skidded to a stop in the middle “Come on, tell us,” Lynn said. “You don’t purplish to be really brown, her hair was just
of an intersection, where another motorist have to be embarrassed.” on the green side of black, and her skin alter-
was angrily giving him the finger. It was hard nated between pale pink and burnt orange.
to have an accident now, you almost had to try. “It’s not that. It’s just that I feel we’ve been These were subtle differences, but ones he had
Traffic was light even during commute time invaded, and I don’t like.” learned to recognize.
in urban areas thanks to the redistribution of
population and the automatic collision preven- “We have been invaded,” Phil said. “And as When they were seated, Walt said,
tion systems, both alien mandates. far as I can tell, it’s a damn good thing, too.” “Someone broke into my house late Christmas
Eve, and I want something done about it. I
He arrived at work at three minutes after “I bet he’s jealous because his present isn’t want you to investigate, to catch and prosecute
ten and headed straight to the cafeteria, as as good.” the burglar, and I want it done now. I called to
always, for the morning coffee break. Indeci- report it as soon as I discovered it, and your
“It’s not that.”
sive, he spent a few minutes before deciding damn dispatcher wouldn’t do anything. We
on an Irish coffee and a jelly roll. Barbara rose from the table. “There’s one deserve better.”
Barbara gestured to him, and he sat down easy way to find out.” She walked to the phone
on the wall. “Let me look at your file a moment. Yes,
at her table. Teri, Lynn, and Phil were sitting you did call the department. You were quite
with her. It was a mistake, Walt realized imme- “Don’t you dare.” persistent, in fact. That is not necessarily an
diately, because Teri was reading an editorial admirable trait. From the transcript here, I
about the great miracle of Santa’s visit, and Barbara called and talked briefly. “A lump think the dispatcher handled the matter quite
how thankful they should be for all the aliens of coal! He got a lump of coal!” professionally. That part of the investigation
were doing for the Earth. He imagined the alien we can close right now.”
editor snickering as he/she/whoever wrote it. “So that’s why you’re so grumpy today,”
Lynn said. “Professionally? She blew me off!”
“It was nice of them, wasn’t it?” Barbara
said. “We all got wonderful presents.” “What did you do that was so bad?” Phil “The milk and cookies were on the mantle
asked. for your Santa, if I understand your customs.
“The best ever,” Lynn said.
“I didn’t do anything. I’ve got some business And the burglar, as you call him, did leave
presents under the tree, right? Do you really
“I wouldn’t go quite that far,” Phil said. to take care of. I’m taking an early lunch.”

want us to arrest Santa Claus, Walter?” about it now. Thank you for explaining it.” not capable of taking care of ourselves. Every-
thing they do belittles us. I can just feel them
“I want you to arrest the alien who invaded “I’m glad you understand. We’ll try to contact smirking at us every time I see them. They’ve
my home!” Santa for you and extend your apologies to him. got a secret agenda. Make no mistake about
I’m sure he’ll forgive you.” it. They’re mocking us, mocking our traditions,
“I’m reading in your file that you received a and I’m sick of it. They have no respect. And
lump of coal. Is that correct?” # once they’re finished with us, once we’re not
“I never told you that!” amusing to them anymore, they’re going to
By the time Walter had finished lunch take what they gave us, and anything else they
“It’s part of the record. In my opinion, and returned to work, he was furious again. want, and do you think we’ll be prepared to
that’s what this is about, Walter. Apparently He understood what happened. It always survive then? I want them gone. I want them
you didn’t understand the message. We’re happened when he encountered an alien to leave the Earth now.”
getting complaints mostly from people who while in an angry mood. The aliens had a way
got a lump of coal and didn’t understand the of suppressing anger with voice or telepathy or And Walter left work, left work an hour
message. Therefore, I will attempt to explain possibly something even stranger. He had had early, and went home to write his letter. His
the message. If at any time, you do not under- enough of the aliens’ toying with them. letter was almost his speech, verbatim, but
stand, feel free to interrupt. with three or four profanities scattered through
“I’m going to have to write a letter,” he told every sentence. He proofread it three times
“You are a hostile host, Walter. This is his friends at work. “They won’t be able to before transmitting it, proud that he alone had
considered rude almost everywhere in the suppress that until after I’m finished.” the courage to confront the invaders.
galaxy. Our species, and most of the advanced
peoples, avoid planets with rude hosts. You “Bad idea,” Lynn said. #
humans are marginally hospitable, but with “I don’t understand your problem,” Barbara
our aid, influence, and training, we believe you said. The next morning, when he went out to
“Just think of all they’ve given us. Our
can grow beyond that and become truly excep- wonderful get the paper, there was a moving van in his
houses, spectacular cars, unlimited
tional hosts, and when you are ready, guests travel, world driveway. The police officer he had spoken to
peace and prosperity. They even
on our worlds as well. Therefore, we have cleaned up all was there as well.
come to your world to stay, to teach, to give. asked is that wethe pollution. And all they’ve
We have given prosperity, leisure, and peace. hardly think we’relet them live here with us. I Harold was talking to the police officer. He
getting a bad deal. I know I waved
You yourself, Walter, have received much more wouldn’t want to go back to to Walt as Scooter pissed on his roses.
living in that two- “Heard you
than that lump of coal. You have nothing to bedroom dump of an apartment was leaving for a while. Want me to
we had before watch the place?”
complain about.” they came.”
As she spoke, Walter began to feel himself “That won’t be necessary,” the officer said.
calm. She was right. This wasn’t so bad, a lump and“Sooner or later they’re going to stop giving “They won’t be coming back for a long time.
start taking.”
of coal and some missing cookies. This was a You’ll have some new neighbors soon.”
good thing, really. These aliens were the best Phil laughed. “They can keep taking the
friends Earth ever had, once he thought about bad things from us all they want.” “What’s this all about?” Walt said. By this
it. time, Eileen and the kids had come out as
“You don’t understand.” Walter stood up. well.
“Thank you,” Walter said. “I feel much better “They’re treating us like children, like we’re

“Some good news,” the officer said. “Santa a better host by being a guest on our worlds.
contacted us and explained that he made You’ll be able to take everything with you. Your
a terrible misjudgment. You shouldn’t have space on the ship is as big as your house. Here
received a lump of coal after all. While the are your tickets.” She handed him an envelope.
reason listed on your card remains valid, that “It won’t take long to load the van. We have
you should learn to be a better host, he feels a taxi arriving in a few minutes. I think every-
that your hostility is the result of great stress thing’s arranged. Have a great trip.”
in your life, as demonstrated in your actions
yesterday. A long vacation is a more appropri- “Thanks.”
ate gift. He hopes you will understand that “Wish it was me,” Harold said. “Never did
even he can make a mistake and that you will travel as much as I’d like. Maybe the Grand
forgive him.” Canyon this summer, if I’m lucky.”
“Vacation? Vacation where?” It was Pam Maybe these aliens weren’t so bad after all,
who said this, Walt thought, although he was Walt thought. Just maybe everyone else was
confused about the whole thing. right, and the aliens did have good intentions.
“You’re going on a tour of some our home He felt a little breeze, something like euphoria,
worlds. All of you. We wouldn’t want to brush over him.
separate you from your family.”
“How wonderful!” Eileen said. “What a
special gift!”
Pam and Johnny were jumping up and
down.
“It’s a good thing I got my atlas, isn’t it,
Dad?” Pam said. “We’ll know how to get every-
where.”
Clinton Lawrence
“That’s right,” the police officer said. Clinton Lawrence is a graduate of the
Clarion West Writers Workshop. His fiction
“And maybe they’ll teach me how to fly
spaceships,” Johnny said. “You think they might has appeared in Galaxy, Reflection’s Edge,
do that?” T-Zero, The Fortean Bureau, Walking
Bones, and a number of other publications.
“We can’t promise anything,” the police For several years, he was a staff writer for
officer said. “I’m sure the commander will let
you visit the bridge, though.” She turned back Science Fiction Weekly. A former electrical
to Walt. “This is the best part. Santa says here engineer, he now teaches high school science,
in this card that he thinks you can learn to be and lives in Davis, California.

Evergreen and Always by Alice M. Roelke Pg. 9
Evergreen and Always

by Alice M. Roelke
T he phone rang. Bill Salle scrubbed the towel

across his hair again and walked to the
phone. The screen said it was long distance,
at him, so Bill reiterated. “Do you just need
something delivered to Mars, or from Mars
to Earth?” Since the war had ended, deliver-
So it couldn’t be some sleight-of-hand
smuggling operation.
from Mars. He slung the towel to the back ies weren’t such a problem. Nor would one “All right. One pine tree, delivered to you
of a chair across the room, pressed a button. generally try to hire Bill for what was now by Christmas, payment of one million. Let’s
“Hello?” pretty much a cake run. get a contract whipped up, and I’ll go.”
A face appeared on the screen, a tensed, “I need a Christmas tree.” The rich man nodded.
lonely, rich, bloated white face. A man who
worked long hours, slept little and worried Bill blinked. “Maybe the connection’s bad. #
plenty. The kind of man who could afford to You need what?”
hire the solar system’s best and most expensive “I need a Christmas tree.” Bill stood in front
The man’s face reddened slightly. “A
messenger service. of the stand with the faded holographic sign
Christmas tree, all right? Evergreen. Pine in the air rotating “Holiday Trees - Ho Ho Ho.”
“Bill Salle?” His accent had more Earth than needles. Get the picture?” The trees leaned against a wooden frame.
Mars. He wasn’t tall enough to be native Mars, Old-fashioned light bulbs strung between and
“No need to get tough.” Bill eased into a
either. around them.
chair in front of the desk, facing the connec-
“Yeah.” The man blinked at Bill’s hair tion. “They’re illegal on Mars, you know. All “Anything particular?” The tree man’s
sticking up, still damp. “Excuse my appear- imported plants are. Well, I suppose a scientist gloves were cut off at the knuckles. He blew
ance. I just showered.” Sometimes you had to could get one—if he had a good enough on his fingertips. He stood in front of his wares,
be extra polite with rich people. reason, and waded through enough red tape.” regarded Bill as if trying to weigh how much
He stared at his would-be employer. “What do he could afford.
The wealthy man cleared his throat. “I you need one for?”
need a rush delivery.” “Six foot. Pine. Whatever you’d sell a rich
“That’s none of your business. I’ll pay guy for a mansion.” He shoved a handful of
“That’s my job.” Bill hesitated. “But it anything you ask. Anything. But I have to have fifties at the tree man. “And hurry.”
is Christmas Eve. I usually don’t work in it—by tomorrow. I was informed you were
December.” Bill had earned enough from his the only one who could get here that reliably, The man looked down at the money, and
years on the job that technically, he was semi- that fast, and without too many questions shoved it in his pocket. “Yes, Sir.”
retired. In December he went on a cruise, or asked. Was I informed wrongly on any of these
tinkered with his old space junkers. By January, accounts?” #
he was usually ready to go back to work.
Bill thought. “Any special tree?”
“Well, I’ll pay top dollar. Whatever your Bill yawned into his coffee cup. In the
price is, name it.” The man waved a hand dismissively. “Just pilot’s seat of his latest delivery ship, the
pick one.” Argonaut, Bill watched the engine gnaw away
“One way or double?” The man stared at space. Ships these days. Would they ever

stop getting faster? Made him feel downright got a job.” He’d sent gifts ahead. That would Sometimes he wished they’d all just shut up.
old to remember the wars he’d lived through, have to do. Mars won independence. Years ago. What was
the people who’d been alive and now weren’t, left to campaign and complain about?
the millions who’d been born since him and Julie frowned. “Again? Uncle Bill, Mom said
now counted themselves adults alongside him, you promised to come this year.” “Arachnid to unidentified ship.” Words
yet had no knowledge of the terrible years. spilled over his radio.
“Tell her sorry. Something came up.”
Sometimes he was glad they didn’t Bill sat up straight. On his screen flicked a
remember. Sometimes he wanted to stand up visit“Well, don’t blame me if you get a surprise slim blue ship, as newfangled and fast-looking
and say, “Stop. Pay attention. You’re forgetting Year’s!” her and some other people for New
from as Argonaut. And bigger. A lot bigger.
something important.” His ship’s ID transmitter, the automated
He grinned. “I’ll be sure to be out of town. signal that constantly identified a ship, pilot,
The phone rang. He swiveled the butter-soft, Thanks for the warning.” destination, and course, was disabled on Bill’s
ergonomic chair he’d never have dreamed of
having in the old days, and pressed a button. ship. But if he spoke Arachnid would be able
Julie bopped herself on the forehead and to decipher his identity from his voice print.
grimaced. “Oh! I gave it away.”
“Uncle Bill?” A little blonde’s face appeared Probably in about five seconds flat, the way
in the round of the phone’s face. Bill gave her a smile. His hand hovered over machines worked these days.
the button, but he didn’t want to hang up on his
“Hi, Julie.” He gripped the controls. Time to see what
niece. He waited. “Is there something else?” this ship could do under pressure.
“Mom wants to know if you’re coming to Her smile disappeared. “No.” She shook
Christmas dinner.” The Arachnid, equipped with a stealth
her head. “Happy Christmas, Uncle.” model not unlike his own, hadn’t shown on
Bill thought of roast turkey, of aged relatives his scanner, and he couldn’t have shown on its
“Thanks. You too.”
who would want to reminisce about the wars. until close. It was pure chance they’d bumbled
Of younger ones who’d want to hear stories. After the phone call, he leaned back and onto each other.
The same stories, over and over, the stories tried to read. But he couldn’t keep his eyes
Bill hated. And his sister, regarding him, as she open and fell asleep in the too-comfortable But it would be more than luck if he got out
asked him carefully how he’d been. chair. of their scan distance.
She’d never been an unalloyed fan of his, He awoke at the beep for proximity to Mars. He zoomed forward, maintaining radio
but at least he’d been marginally acceptable as He flicked the concealment device that would silence. Pushed the throttle. Faster. Fast
a war hero. Now she saw him as a man who’d allow him smooth passage without official enough? He increased acceleration until a tiny,
threw away all his prospects to take up work notice. Looking down at the red surface, tinted growing thrum shook through his protesting
as a messenger barely better than a smuggler. in planes and places with green, he studied ship. It even vibrated his ergonomic chair.
Bill did not look forward to seeing her, hearing Mars, the Mars he both liked and disliked, but
her dance around the things she really wanted would never really know, because he was from Arachnid followed, its engines bigger, but
to say. its acceleration slower. He watched as it slid
Earth. further back on his screen, and further. Then
His niece looked at him expectantly, Sometimes he felt a fond regard for Mars, it disappeared.
awaiting his answer. “Sorry. I can’t come. I’ve and her stridently self-sufficient inhabitants.
Bill sat back and locked course. After three

minutes, he changed direction, flew some Earth lungs. Big houses, wealthy houses lined Gustle gave a forced laugh. “My daughter
more, then headed down towards the atmo- the street. With the slightly bouncing steps just read A Christmas Carol. Nothing would
sphere. of a native Earther, he strode to a house and do but to celebrate Christmas in the old Earth
knocked. style, even though she considers herself a
He sat back and thought. Was a stealth native Marser in every other respect. Most
patrol standard? Or were they expecting Gustle opened the door in person. Some of folks here decorate a tomato plant with paper
Christmas smugglers? He hadn’t been here in the worry marking his face dropped away. “You chains. Red fruit and green leaves, you know.
so long, he had no idea. made it. That was quick.” It’s an old Mars tradition.” He held the door for
Argonaut dipped into the atmosphere, From the house, a little girl’s voice called, Bill.
smooth and neat as a pin, her slick super-aero- “Daddy, is that my tree?” Around the pine smell, the house Bill
dynamic needle shape engineered to reduce entered smelled of medicine, a peculiarly
drag. The inside of the ship didn’t heat. The He turned his head, “Just a moment, Julie.” hospital odor.
furniture didn’t rattle. He took another sip of Bill blinked.
coffee. It didn’t feel like you were entering an A little girl’s piercing squeal. “My tree!
atmosphere at all. Flying one of his old rebuilt Gustle looked back at Bill, smiled an apology. Daddy, it’s perfect!” Hands clapped.
pre-war wrecks would be a lot more fun. He “You got it? If we could get it in… Where is it?”
imagined the rattling shake of an old junker. Bill expected to see her past the branches,
Fighting the controls, the atmosphere that “In my ship. I wanted to make sure I had the jumping up and down. Probably a little princess
would burn him alive if he didn’t hit it just right place.” with miniature earrings, perfect hair, and
right. perfectly spoiled.
“I’ll help you.” Gustle stepped outside
Down in the terraformed atmosphere, Bill with quick steps and shut the door. His stride But there was no movement. Instead, out of
flew for Wells City, where his client lived. A stronger than the gravity marked him as Earth- the corner of his eye, he saw a figure huddled
Glifford Gustle, he’d signed himself. You had born. on a long couch.
to be rich with a name like that. Bill imagined
“That’s okay. I can carry it.” Bill walked back “Have you got a tree stand?” Bill set the
boarding schools, trust funds, sinecures, and
to Argonaut, hauled the tree out, and stood tree down.
pork. And now a Christmas tree all the way
from Earth, right on Christmas Eve. If he gave it on its stump. The branches thumped down “No,” said Gustle. “I hadn’t thought of that.
it half a try, Bill could get belligerent about and bounced back up with a rustle. Both men We’ll have to jury rig something. Eudora—”
earning this million credits. stared at the long-needled tree. Pine scent Gustle looked around. A servant appeared
filled the Mars air. from the background. “Could you get Godwin
A prosperous little city, Wells. Bill had been
“It’s a nice one,” said Gustle finally. “I’ll pay to find something for a stand?”
here when it was barely a dustbowl. He parked
his chariot at the landing strip on the right you as soon as we get it inside. My little girl’s The native-looking Marser nodded and
street and locked her behind him, taking note anxious to see it.” moved off with quick, quiet steps on the tile
of the other visiting cruisers. High end, mostly and carpeted floor.
shiny pleasure ships. Lots of Earth-made, too: felt“Fine.” Bill hefted the weight. His muscles
it more than they would have when he was
probably people from back home visiting the younger, but Gustle moved out of the way so the figure
it wasn’t a long trip or a heavy
Mars transplants. on the couch could better see the tree.
tree, as trees and trips went.
The air was oxygen-comfortable to his A girl huddled on the couch under a big,

star-patterned quilt. She looked ten or twelve; a smuggler. It’s not difficult. Planets are big, Bill stood outside the house. Gustle faced
Bill couldn’t tell anymore. Too old for Santa, and certain embargoes are hard to enforce, if him, counting out money. “Sorry about that.
too young for mistletoe. She looked up with you’re good enough.” Making you wait, I mean. I should have had
wide, open eyes and a big grin in an unhealthy everything ready, but I really didn’t think you’d
white face. Her bones were the long bones of a The girl nodded. “My daddy thinks I’m dying. arrive so soon.” He finished counting, and held
native Marser. Her eyes had the socket look to I guess he’d get me almost anything if I asked out the money.
them of cancer. And her head was bald under a for it. I mean not just for a Christmas present.”
knit hat slipping sideways. Bill hesitated. “That little girl of yours. She
She didn’t sound as if she meant to brag. said you started a charity of some kind.”
But the eyes in the sockets danced with life. She was still staring at him, that little, sick face
“Daddy, it’s perfect!” with the too-deep, curious eyes. “So you know Gustle gave an embarrassed laugh. “Was
what I’m going to ask? I’m going to ask him she talking your ear off? Sorry.”
Gustle hunkered and put an arm around to adopt another kid when I die. Somebody
the girl’s thin shoulders. “I’m glad you like it, who’ll grow up healthy. My daddy helps a lot “It’s because of her, isn’t it?”
honey.” of people have better lives. He supports all Gustle nodded, his face suddenly serious,
kinds of charities—he even started one. But its heavy
The little girl stared at the tree like it was a lines explained more fully than by late
sometimes things need to be personal, you hours at an
wedding cake. “I can’t wait to decorate it with office. “’Julie’s Fund.’ To support—”
know? Like family. He’ll need family, without He cleared his
Grandma’s ornaments!” throat.
me here to take care of him.” She smiled. “I
know grown-ups don’t really need somebody Bill nodded at the cash in Gustle’s hand.
“You’ll have to be careful. Remember, to take care of them, but I feel like my daddy “Why don’t you give that to your fund?”
they’re antiques. Just like me.” does. My mother left us a long time ago. I think
“Oh, Daddy!” she lives out with a salesman on the asteroid Gustle shook his head. “No. I dragged you
belt.” away from your family on Christmas Eve. I can’t
Bill shifted slightly. “Can you find someone possibly not pay you for your time.” He held
else to hold this?” She coughed into her hand. “I’m sorry.” She out the currency. “Cash. So there’s no trouble.”
gave him a bright smile. “I’m talking too much.
“Of course. Of course. I’ll be right back, Thank you for getting my tree. Happy Christmas, Bill gave a slow nod. “All right. Let me get
honey.” Gustle rose with a creak in his knees. Mr.—” you an invoice first, so it will all be aboveboard.”
He strode from the room, calling, “Patton?” He left Gustle standing with the cash in his
“Salle.” He cleared his throat. “Bill Salle.” hands. Bill walked with long, Earther strides,
Branches poked at Bill’s eyes. He brushed
Her eyes dimmed, then brightened. “I read bouncing slightly in the Mars gravity. He put
them aside. The little girl stared at his face
about you! You were that man—the man who thick with in
his hands his pockets, and stared at the sky,
undisguised and curious. She began to talk. diamond jewel stars. Saw his breath
stopped them from blowing up that second in the air.
“I bet it was hard to get here. How’d you do dome on the moon, during the Lunar War.
it? I know it’s not legal. But Daddy asked what I You’re a real, live hero!” She leaned forward Christmas Eve on Mars. I wonder if they
wanted, if I could have anything for Christmas. eagerly. “Can I have your autograph?” ever have snow?
I asked for a tree.”
# He got into his ship, started the engine,
Bill replied carefully. “I can take messages and arced toward the stars. Out his window, he
just about anywhere, which is sort of like being saw Gustle start to run after him, his mouth

opening and closing. He raised one hand with

money flapping in it. Bill raised a hand and
waved back.
He didn’t spot the Arachnid again, but he
flew in silence until safely outside Mars space.
He punched the redial-last-number button
of his phone. “Julie? Tell your mom I’ll be
coming after all. My schedule cleared.”
Like the kid had said, some things had to
be personal.
Alice M. Roelke
Alice M. Roelke could count as a starving
artist, if she were a bit hungrier and
wrote more artful stories. She lives in
the United States, and hates Wonderland
jokes.

The Garbage Men by Drew Arrants Pg. 14
The Garbage Men

by Drew Arrants
“T here’s CX740, right there in the upper

left corner of the screen,” Navigator One
said to the Weapons Officer as they sat at the
over our instructions from Strategic Mission
Command, and they seem to be—well, incom-
plete. I can’t find coordinates for depots on any
Four had entered CX740’s solar system and
was approaching the first of its two planets
on which primitive space craft could have suc-
starship’s flight console. “And this is one of its of the star’s planets. I don’t understand—” cessfully landed.
large outer planets. Some of its others will be
visible soon.” “SMC doesn’t have coordinates,” the “You’d better alert the Captain,” the Science
Captain explained, “because we never estab- Officer said to the First Mate. “We’re coming
“Well, I hope whatever we find doesn’t lished bases around this star. The last time one within sensor range of planet CX740-4’s surface,
take long to clean up,” the Weapons Officer of our ships passed through this region was in and in a few minutes we’ll start scanning for
remarked. “We’ve been in deep space so long, the Tenth Millennium—well before we were debris.”
I’ve almost forgotten what—” capable of deep-space colonization.”
“The Captain is—uh—’resting,’” answered
“Uh, oh,” his colleague said under his The First Mate stared at her commander. the First Mate. “He instructed me to oversee
breath. “The Captain just walked in. We’d “The Tenth—? Sir, I wasn’t aware that military the scanning and then report to him.”
better look busy.” records from that period still existed. I was
taught at the Academy that practically all “Yeah, right,” the Science Officer muttered.
The two young crewmen hunched down ancient archives had been destroyed during He knew very well why the Captain found it
and stared intensely at the navigational panels the last intergalactic war.” necessary to rest. “Since we don’t have any
in front of them. While they did their best coordinates, I think the best plan is to start at
to appear occupied, the middle-aged figure “Most of them were,” the Captain the north pole and work southward until we
moved unsteadily past them and finally exited answered, hoping that the slight slur in his find something—or until the entire surface
the flight deck. speech wasn’t detectible. “But you remember has been scanned.”
the news last year—about the discovery of a
“Look at him stagger,” Navigator One couple of long-lost tapes from the prewar era? “That will work satisfactorily. Proceed,”
whispered disgustedly. “How can a starship Well, what the SMC historians found has sent said the First Mate. “Call me when the results
commander get away with that?” us across 80% of the known cosmos, to this are in.”
dismal galaxy.
It wasn’t easy to stagger with six legs for She went down to her office and was
support, but the Captain had enough alcohol “It seems that one of our earliest inter- reviewing SMC’s procedure manual for
in him to manage it. He paused and steadied galactic crews made an unscheduled stop planetary decontamination when the promised
himself when he reached the hallway outside somewhere in CX740’s system. They may even notification came. Within a few minutes
the First Mate’s office. have landed on more than one of its planets. she had returned to the flight deck and was
So now we’ve been directed to see if they left standing by the Science Officer’s console.
The First Mate looked up from her desk anything behind, and to undertake whatever
and rose as the Captain entered. “Captain, sir! “Looks like we’ve found an old landing
disinfectant measures may be necessary.”
We should be reaching CX740’s solar system site—and I mean real old. Get a look at this.”
before the end of this shift. I’ve been looking Several hours later, the starship Sanitizer The Science Officer pointed to the scan of a

tiny area on the planet. The image showed By the time the starship had reached planet is the organic material? Where’s the data about
three distinct depressions in the surface, each CX740-3, the Captain had recovered from the synthetics and refined metals?”
the same distance from the other two, like the previous shift’s drinking. It was fortunate that
points of an equilateral triangle. he was now fully alert. “Those results take a little longer to scan in,
sir. Wait—the synthetic compounds report is
“This is amazing,” the First Mate said. “That “All right, Major,” the Captain said to the coming in now.” The Science Officer paused for
has to be the footprint of one of those ancient Science Officer as he and the First Mate a moment as the information appeared on the
Galaxy-class cruisers. I remember the classic entered the flight deck. “What’s all the excite- screen. “No artificial materials, sir.”
tripod landing gear from that restored model ment about?”
at the Academy.” That was good news to the Captain, since a
“It’s here in the preliminary scan analysis, positive synthetics scan would have indicated
“That isn’t a restoration at the Academy,” sir,” replied the agitated Science Officer. “The a highly developed civilization. The next scan
the Science Officer replied. “It’s just a replica. whole planet—at least the hemisphere that we report, however, was alarming.
The last Galaxy cruiser disintegrated into dust can see—is covered with organic material. It’s
eons ago. We’re talking very ancient history growing everywhere on the surface—and in “Sir—the sensors are picking up refined
here.” the oceans, as well.” metal.”
The First Mate realized that her fascination The Captain frowned and swore. “If it’s “Well, that must be the landing site,” the
with the image was distracting her from the on half the planet, it’s obviously worldwide. First Mate said. “Maybe the crew jettisoned
mission’s purpose. “Well—uh—what about Blast those idiots—now we’re going to have to some trash tubes.”
the rest of the scanning? Did the crew leave conduct a global sterilization operation.” “No, look at the scanner monitor,” the
any trash behind?”
“Sir, how can we be sure that this organic Science Officer insisted. “It’s all over the place.
“There’s no evidence that they ever left the material originated from our Galaxy cruiser?” They couldn’t have left this much metal behind
ship. Perhaps over the millennia, the winds the First Mate asked. “I know they reported if they’d dismantled the entire ship.”
might have covered their footprints with dust. finding no evidence of life anywhere in this “My god,” the Captain thought as watched
But they didn’t leave any metal or synthetic sector, but in all this time, couldn’t—?” the rapidly multiplying symbols spread over
debris, or it would light up our scanners. And
if they dumped organic waste, it was quickly “Well, where else would it have come the screen. “Could this planet be inhabited by
sterilized by solar radiation from CX740. This from?” the Captain snapped. “There’s been no intelligent creatures?”
planet is as dead as a doornail.” spacecraft in this region of the universe since He quickly called a meeting of his senior
our cruiser passed through in the Tenth Millen- officers. “Apparently the garbage has evolved,”
Relief spread over the First Mate’s features. nium. SMC Intelligence is quite certain of that.” he told the assembled group, “and this presents
“Well, the Captain will be pleased to hear this.
The Science Officer added, “Also, the odds us with an ethnical dilemma. If whatever
Now we only have one other planet to worry
of life developing spontaneously in a dead creatures are down there have developed an
about. How far away is it?”
galaxy, just by coincidence on the very same intelligence remotely close to our own, we
Navigator One answered her question. planet that the cruiser landed on—well, that can’t simply exterminate them. We may have
“Right now that objective is almost directly on likelihood is much too small statistically to be to contact SMC for instructions.”
the other side of CX740, so we’re going to have credible.” He heard a restrained but audible collec-
to circle the star. That’ll take us almost a full
“Ah, well,” the Captain said, “how advanced tive groan from his staff. Communications over
shift.”

mega-light years of space would take more than planet’s waters would slow the analytic process this planet are very deep—” he glanced with
a month to reach their home planet, followed considerably. irritation at the Flight Surgeon as he spoke—
by an equal amount of time for the reply to ”the Science Squadron has determined that
come back. The Captain sighed. “Yes, I suppose you’re this planet is an incredibly fertile site for the
right. We’ll have to do that as well. Then we’ll sowing of organic material. Literally millions of
The Science Officer definitely didn’t want to make operational decisions after all that’s been species have managed to develop in its envi-
spend an additional ten weeks in deep space, completed. Are there any questions?” None ronment—”
so he spoke up. “Sir, according to the Academy was forthcoming, so he dismissed his officers
of Federation Scientists, refined metal capa- to go about their duties. “Yes, well, get to the bottom line,” the
bility by itself has never been considered a Captain interrupted. “What’s the state of intel-
marker of higher intelligence. It’s well known Then he walked back to his quarters alone. ligence among all these species?”
that some of the great builder primates back in Once inside, the first thing he did was take a
our own galaxy developed that ability millions large bottle of liquor out of the cabinet and “Well,” the Science Officer continued, “I can
of years ago—and in the millennia that they’ve pour himself a stiff drink. say with confidence that there is no aquatic life
been observed since then, they’ve shown that would meet the criteria for higher intel-
“This was supposed to be just another ligence. However, a primitive intelligence does
absolutely no potential for further intellectual routine inspection—followed, if necessary, by a exist in one land species—but only one, among
evolution. They’ve always remained merely brief decontamination procedure,” he whined. all the millions growing there.”
unusually intelligent animals. We’re probably “Yet now we have the possibility of intelligent
dealing with the same situation here.” rubbish—how the hell am I supposed to deal He pointed to the large screen on the wall
The Captain listened warily to the Science with that?” behind him, as the first of a series of images
Officer’s words. He took notice of the nodding appeared. “Believe it or not, this bizarre
heads among his staff, confirming their obvious his The Captain glanced at the portraits of creature is actually the dominant species on
father and grandfather on the wall. In this planet—despite the fact that, according
desire to find a solution which wouldn’t prolong their day, both of those senior fleet admirals to the infrared scans, it’s warm-blooded—
the already lengthy mission. had commanded the finest Destroyer-class which of course means it’s diverting most of
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” he finally starships in the universe, and their wartime its metabolic energy for heat rather than intel-
stated. “We’ll conduct a complete examina- victories were still required teaching at the lectual functions.
tion of planet CX740-3’s ecosystem and life Military Academy.
forms, including detailed photoscans and other “As you can see from these images, this
imaging of its surface. Then we’ll analyze—” he suchHedistinguished
was ashamed to be drinking in front of species shows some signs of developing intel-
ancestors, but even more ligence: It has built crude cities constructed of
paused as the ship’s Flight Surgeon raised his ashamed that his career
uppermost claw. “Yes, doctor,” he asked impa- compared to theirs. He had been so mediocre stone derivatives and organic material—dem-
knew by now that he onstrating remarkable dexterity for a creature
tiently. “What is it?” would never be promoted to admiral, and with only two upper limbs. It’s also learned
“Sir,” the physician said, “shouldn’t we would never command anything more glorious how to refine metals, as we’ve noted, yet
consider the possibility that intelligent life than a sanitizer ship. never applied that knowledge to construction.
might have evolved in the oceans? We really Not surprisingly, we can’t find any evidence of
Six days later, the Science Officer presented
ought to examine them in detail, too.” That an in-depth artificially modulated radio waves or any other
briefing to the senior staff. “After
suggestion was followed by another round a detailed analysis form of telecommunications.”
of the land areas, and a
of subdued moaning. A thorough scan of the time-consuming study of the oceans, which on The officer enlarged one of the projected

photographs to show detail. “Beasts of burden,” While the Captain was getting drunk, the animals have a potential for intellectual devel-
he explained. “This species has learned to use First Mate was making her daily rounds through opment?”
less intelligent creatures for its own purposes, the various sections of the Sanitizer Four. By
clearly establishing itself as the dominant life midshift, she had reached the flight deck, The First Mate had seen all that she could
form. However, the extent to which it relies on where she confronted the Science Officer. bear. She clutched her abdomen with two of
other animals rather than machinery betrays her claws and put two more over her mouth,
the limitations of its primitive mind—” “You know, major, it wasn’t very profes- trying to keep from gagging. “You had to show
sional to scowl like you did during the staff me these images right after lunch, didn’t you,
The Captain stood up. “I’ve seen enough,” meeting—even if you weren’t happy with the major?”
he said. “This species is right on the border Captain’s decision.”
between class C intelligence, which merits The Science Officer watched with a mean
a sanitation waiver based on developmen- “Hey, I didn’t appreciate the way he cut smile as the First Mate turned and walked
tal potential—and class D, the upper limit of me off before I could finish my briefing,” the away as rapidly as she could. She rushed to the
animal intellect, which is subject to decontami- Science Officer responded. “If he’d just let me nearest restroom, where she promptly threw
nation. It’s too close to call at the field level. show a little more, I might’ve convinced him up.
how animalistic this disgusting species really is.
“We’re going to have to communicate with Look here, for instance.” The next four weeks passed slowly and
SMC, and get their determination on this.” He tediously for everyone aboard the Sanitizer
knew that his decision would not sit well with a He brought up an image on the console Four, but then the boredom was shattered at a
homesick crew too long away from loved ones. screen, and the First Mate jerked in revulsion. highly charged senior staff meeting.
It showed a group of the dominant creatures
Turning to Navigator One, he ordered, standing around the roasted carcass of a larger Intelligence Officer One stood before the
“Move us further out until we’re in a station- beast, ripping off chunks of flesh and devouring Captain with obvious concern in his eyes. “Sir,”
ary orbit around the planet. We’ll wait at that them. he reported, “our squadron has just discov-
location until headquarters responds to our ered that our ship is under surveillance by the
message. That’s all for now. Staff dismissed.” “Oh, my god!” she said. “That’s sickening— dominant species below—in fact, they’ve been
they actually eat other creatures? I can’t tracking us for almost a month.”
As usual after staff meetings, the Captain believe that.” She began to feel queasy.
retired to his suite and reached for the liquor. “What?” snarled the Captain. “That’s how
The next two months, the approximate time “Well, if you think that’s repulsive,” the long we’ve been in orbit around the planet. Are
for the reception of instructions from Strategic Science Officer said, “get a load of this.” He you telling me that they’ve been observing our
Mission Command, would pass very slowly, played back the video recording of an orgy ship ever since we got here—and your section
and neither he nor the crew would enjoy the scene while the First Mate stared, trying vainly is only now discovering that?” He glared at the
long wait. to comprehend the creatures’ behavior. officer with a career-threatening look.
“I am doing the right thing, am I not?” he “What in the world are they doing? Is that “Well, sir,” Intelligence Officer One
asked, addressing his father’s painting. “I am a some kind of combat?” responded with a quaking voice, “we didn’t
starship commander, just as you and Grandfa- catch it earlier, because the unit tracking
“They’re reproducing! You heard me cor- us is very small—only three agents at any
ther were—and I do hold the fate of an entire rectly—this loathsome species actually makes one time—and they aren’t using any type of
planet in my claws, even if—” he took a long physical bodily contact when it reproduces. scanning equipment that our sensors can pick
drink, and then settled back into self-pity. Now, how could anybody seriously ask if these up. Also, they’ve been clever enough to move

only at night, when it’s almost impossible to analysis of the entire planet, and we’ve found wait for SMC guidance.”
detect them visually. absolutely no evidence of any advanced weap-
onry—there are a few organized territory- His voice had the ring of finality to it. There
“Intelligence Officer Two noticed an unusual states with large land armies and navies—but was a brief silence within the room, and then
pattern two nights in a row during his last two they’re all at a very primitive stage.” he curtly dismissed his officers. None of them
shifts, so I had him do a quick review of all the had any desire to linger.
sequential photoscans of the area in question. The Weapons Officer was sitting across
The images confirm a month-long pattern of the table from Intelligence Officer One. As a The weekly staff meetings over the next
three figures tracking our ship. Clearly, the contemporary of equal rank with his panic- month were notably less emotional, to the
dominant species is more intelligent than we stricken colleague, he shared his discomfort. great relief of all present. Intelligence Officer
thought.” “Captain,” he said, “we can easily destroy these One reported in his briefings that while the
agents! That would send a strong message to tracking agents were still maintaining their
“And perhaps certain officers under my whoever’s tracking us that—” nocturnal surveillance of the starship, his
command are less intelligent that I’d thought,” squadron had not observed any new activity of
said the Captain. “Now that your squadron The Captain bit his tongue, resisting the urge significance on the world below.
has belatedly discovered this activity, have to lose his composure. “My god,” he thought,
you made a determination as to whether it “was I as rash as today’s junior officers when I Finally, after what seemed an eternity to
poses any serious threat to the Sanitizer Four’s was their age?” the crew of the Sanitizer Four, the all-important
mission?” reply from Strategic Mission Command arrived.
He spoke forcefully. “Allow me to remind The Captain was somewhat into his cups when
“We—sir, we don’t see any—there’s no all of you that as of this moment, we have no notified of the communication, but he immedi-
immediate threat.” The intimidated officer authority to do any harm whatsoever to any ately assembled the senior staff. This informa-
began to stammer. “All three of the agents species on this planet. Until we receive instruc- tion couldn’t wait, and besides, the importance
are—they’re all carrying small quantities of tions from headquarters, we are limited to of his announcement would obscure any signs
refined metals, but we assume—these objects purely defensive action.” of intoxication which he might show.
are either primitive weapons for self-defense,
or tokens for commerce or ornamentation. The First Mate was also feeling the tension “SMC has evaluated our report, and has
There’s no conceivable way that they could within the room. She considered suggesting issued clear instructions. Planet CX740-3 has
pose any threat to a starship like ours, Sir.” that it might be prudent to move the Sanitizer been classified as a Class D ecosystem. We are
Four out of stationary orbit, retreating to a more to proceed with sanitation procedures imme-
The Captain was becoming increasing distant location while awaiting SMC’s directive. diately.”
impatient with the young officer’s answers. “I Noting the commander’s mood, however, she
wasn’t asking about the offensive capabilities of remained silent. He smiled at the rousing cheer which
those agents, Lieutenant. Obviously, their sole his words inspired from his crew. Although
duty is to maintain a fix on our position and to A moment later, the Captain addressed her decontamination on a worldwide scale was
report that information to their superiors. It’s unspoken concern. “I still think we’re dealing an arduous procedure, at least the crew could
the capability of the powers who ordered our with a Class D ecosystem, although that’s for finally complete its mission, and then head for
surveillance that I’m concerned about.” headquarters to determine. Even at Class C home.
level, it could hardly have developed weapons
Intelligence Officer One felt as if he were capable of reaching us. So we’re going to The Captain looked directly at the Weapons
going to faint, right there in front of the entire remain in our present location and continue to Officer. “Since this planet is mainly water, we’ll
senior staff. “Uh, sir, we’ve done an extensive monitor activity down on this planet, while we eliminate that first. Prepare laser batteries to

boil away the seas.” The First Mate looked up at her unexpected plasma beam—?”
guests. “The Captain’s—well, he’s retired to his
Such an act would mean the eventual quarters a bit early.” “That’s exactly right. That particular element
demise of all life in the global ecosystem, but is useful only in plasma beam weapons!”
time was of the essence. “When the oceans “Well, wake the old drunk up. We’ve got
are vaporized, intensify the beam until the land urgent news.” “This is a Class D culture,” protested the First
masses are molten,” he continued. “Then we Mate. “Isn’t it more likely that they’re using it
can report with certainty that all the garbage That demand brought a sharp rebuke from for some other purpose?”
has been removed from the CX740 system.” the First Mate. “Listen, you can’t talk about the
commander like that! Who do you think you The two subordinate officers exchanged
“Yes, sir!” said the Weapons Officer enthu- are? Besides, we’ll all be going home soon, so disdainful glances at their superior’s ignorance.
siastically. He had been waiting to hear those what could possibly be so—?” “Everyone knows that gold is much too soft
orders for weeks. “It’ll take us about three shifts to have any utility as an ordinary metal,” the
to fire up the laser generators to maximum “You listen,” snapped Intelligence Officer Science Officer said. “Besides, the probe has
intensity. Then we can decontaminate this One. “Remember how the Captain finally gave determined that both of the other agents
filthy planet and be on our way.” permission last week to send a high-sensitivity are carrying organic resins—which would be
probe into low orbit around this planet, after needed as the lubricant in a plasma cannon. Do
The Captain returned to his quarters and saying for weeks that we couldn’t do that you really think that could be a coincidence?”
reached for the alcohol. He was stung by SMC’s because it might be too provocative—”
harshest conclusion, one that he hadn’t shared “Zenon’s fire!” swore the First Mate. “They
with his staff: that he had greatly overestimat- “Of course, I recall that,” the First Mate must be preparing a counterattack before we
ed the intelligence of the dominant species answered. “So what?” can launch our sanitation procedures. Come
below, and that delaying the disinfection to with me. I’ll make sure the Captain sobers
“So this,” the Science Officer interjected. up, and—I assure you—we’ll take immediate
obtain headquarters approval shouldn’t have “We finally got enough data back from that
been necessary. action.”
probe to do a detailed analysis on what those
“They consider me an idiot,” he thought, tracking agents—the ones the Captain feels The Captain had a throbbing headache
tossing the report onto his desk. “How can are so harmless—are actually carrying.” while he faced his hastily assembled staff.
SMC suggest that the creatures below probably Ignoring the pain, he questioned Intelligence
aren’t even aware of our presence! What are wasThe apprehension in the crewmen’s words Officer One.
they going to claim after they get our final First contagious. “Okay, I’m listening,” said the
Mate. “Go on.” “Are you sure that these creatures actually
mission report—that those three agents were possess weapons of mass destruction, Lieuten-
just observing the reflection of CX740 off our “We initially reported that the small amount ant? Even if they have WMD capability, how
hull, as if we were a bright star in the night of metal in the agents’ possession probably can you be sure we’re under any immediate
sky?” represented harmless personal items—and threat? Isn’t it correct that these elements must
Two shifts had passed when the Science themwas that a reasonable assumption. But one of be melted together in a munitions factory?
is carrying gold!” Wouldn’t this require the agents to hand the
Officer abruptly charged into the First Mate’s
office, followed by Intelligence Officer One. A flash of recognition went off in the First components over to other—”
“Where’s the Captain?” the Science Officer Mate’s mind. “Wait a minute. Isn’t that the The Captain was cut off in mid-sentence as
asked in an agitated voice. essential element in—are you talking about a the senior enlisted Intelligence Technician ran

into the room. “Excuse me, Sir,” the yeoman performance. the room.
said breathlessly. “I apologize for barging into
your meeting—but Sir, I don’t think this can The Captain straightened his back, standing Both officers were startled to see their
wait!” as tall as he could, and waved his claw for silence. commander, who normally would have retired
“Hear me, all of you! If the dominant species to his quarters hours ago. They stood up and
He typed instructions into the keyboard on this planet is capable not only of tracking came to attention.
controlling the room’s large screen, bringing our ship, but also has advanced weapons with
up a blurry image. “The agents who’ve been which to destroy us—then it is apparent that “At ease, both of you,” ordered the Captain.
observing us stopped at this compound a few they have somehow leapfrogged directly from “I’m simply making late rounds on my ship. I’ve
minutes ago. They were met by two other Class D to Class B intelligence. SMC guidance decided that from now on, I’ll be coming around
agents at the entrance, and their fawning is clear: we can never sanitize a world that has on a routine basis. It’s important, after all, for a
behavior indicates that they were reporting to evolved to such an advanced level, a mere one commander to observe his crew firsthand.”
senior officials. They handed over the plasma class below our own civilization.” The First Mate was somewhat taken aback
beam components to their superiors, and now
The room was deathly silent, as everyone by her commanding officer’s uncharacteris-
they’ve all gone inside, where we can’t get an
waited for their commander’s next words. tic behavior. She also noted that the Captain
immediate image.”
“All right, Navigator One—take us out of orbit seemed more steady on his feet than usual for
Intelligence Officer One interrupted his immediately, before this planet exercises its such a late shift.
technician. “Sir, it’ll take over an hour for our legitimate right to self-defense and fires at us. “Is that the final scan we got?” the Captain
infrared scanners to produce a readable image Then set a direct course for home galaxy. We’ll asked,
send an updated message to headquarters officers looking between the two younger
of the structure’s interior. By that time, their at the computer screen. “I assume
ordnance personnel could easily assemble after we’re en route.” it shows a primitive but nonetheless deadly
the weapon. We could be under lethal hostile
fire!” His dramatic decision was followed by a munitions plant.”
deep sigh of relief from the entire senior staff. Intelligence Officer Two glanced at the First
“Captain,” shouted the Weapons Officer, All of the officers rushed from the meeting, Mate, hoping that the more experienced crew
“we can’t wait for our laser batteries to reach eager to prepare their sections for departure. member would respond. She took her cue and
full intensity. Shall I ready them for a pre-emp-
tive strike against the planet, using the limited Well into the second shift after the Sanitizer spoke up.
power generated so far?” Four had crossed the outer boundary of
CX740’s solar system, the First Mate stopped Sir!“Your decisive leadership saved the day,
Everybody aboard the ship is saying
The Captain felt a chill rise within him, yet by the Intelligence Squadron. “So tell me,” she how fortunate we
asked Intelligence Officer Two, “how close do commander like you are to have a seasoned
his mind welcomed the sensation. This sudden in charge.”
threat filled him with a resolve that he hadn’t you think we really came to annihilation?”
felt in many years. Much was at stake: his
“Well, I think we were damn close,” Intelli- “YouHer words were like a tonic to the Captain.
starship and its entire crew, the mission they
gence Officer Two replied. “But the last infrared final minutesheinsaid,
know,” “I learned a lot during our
had been directed to carry out, and the fate of a
scan we got of that munitions compound is about its inhabitants,around orbit that planet, both
planetary ecosystem. He had to act quickly and and about—” he had
decisively, and he could sense that somewhere, puzzling. Look at this—why would a weapons intended to say, “myself,” but quickly substitut-
from some location beyond space and time, plant have domestic animals in it?” He was ed, “the valiant crew members of the Sanitizer
his father and grandfather were watching his bringing up the scan on his computer screen
when the Captain walked unexpectedly into Four.

“When I consider everything that’s occurred No one aboard the Sanitizer Four would dare
in the past two months, I have a great deal of suggest that their Captain might be giving more
respect for that primitive world. We were on credit to himself, and to the dominant species
the verge of destroying it, and yet they were on planet CX740-3, than either deserved. Both
prepared to fight back, surely knowing they had, after all, behaved in a manner ultimately
had little chance of survival against a superior resulting in their own salvation. In the grand
force like ours. Think about that! Doesn’t that scheme of things, it was the end result—and
tell you something about the power that comes not the details of how or why—that mattered.
from self-respect—and from the realization
that each of us holds his destiny in his own
claws?”
The Captain didn’t wait to hear their
comments. Pleased with his words, he turned
and headed toward the next section, where he
would make similar statements to the surprised
personnel on duty. Earlier during the shift, he
had poured the last of his alcohol stores down
the drain. In his mind, he had finally proved
himself equal to his ancestors, and the crutch
was no longer needed.
The First Mate and Intelligence Officer Two
remained at the computer monitor in the Intel-
ligence Squadron, fascinated by the images
that they were viewing.
“This can’t be a chemical plant,” the First Drew Arrants
Mate said. “It’s full of livestock and straw—it’s
some kind of stable.” Drew Arrants is a retired psychiatrist and
military flight surgeon. He spent 21 years
“No, it can’t be a stable,” Science Office Two in the U.S. Air Force, becoming fluent in
protested. “Look here—there’s a family living two foreign languages while stationed
in it, with a small child. No mother would put
her infant in a manger full of animal feed.” in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. He
is currently living in the sunny desert on
“None of these images make sense,” the the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona, where
First Mate said in bewilderment. “Surely, those he occasionally writes short stories. His
three agents couldn’t have traveled all that works have been published in European
distance just to offer their gold and resins to a and American print magazines and elec-
newborn baby. Could they—?” tronic media.

Myron’s Debarkation by Richard S. Levine Pg. 22
Myron’s Debarkation
by Richard S. Levine
M yron Spielman was one hundred and

fifteen years old with thin, straggly white
hair and lines in his cheeks and forehead that
Myron thought about all the technological
bets he had placed in the market. “Well, there
is one thing I’d like to see before I go. The end
As Myron returned to consciousness, he
enjoyed the touch of soft sheets and a cushy
pillow under his head. Besides feeling weak,
showed his age. He’d made billions in the of the world.” a stuffy nose and a slight tingling in his arms
stock market by speculating in fusion power and legs were all that hinted that he’d recently
reactors, deep ocean research, and space “Are you nuts?” come out of stasis. After his release from the
travel adventures. Now his future looked dim. cryo-deck, the automated full-body exerciser
“No. Other than wondering what happens must have worked on him overnight, before
The doctors said he only had a week or two when I die, I’m just curious what will happen the Encore’s crew transferred his aged body to
to live. The nanobots in his bloodstream had to all the technologies I’ve invested in. Will his quarters.
done all they could do to keep him disease technology cause the catastrophe? Will there
free and healthy. He lay in bed scared, curled be people living in space colonies, or will they He took a deep breath and wiped his eyes.
on his side, waiting for death from old age. all perish here on Earth?” The ceiling’s stylish teakwood moldings looked
the same as the first time he and Maddie had
Sitting in a chair, his wife Maddie stopped “Come on now. You were too busy to come been awakened from stasis. They had cruised
reading and turned to face him. Her blue-green to Aaron’s birth or Barbara’s wedding, and you Australia for one day to view a total solar
eyes were still beautiful though reddened often had some work excuse for not going on eclipse and then went back to deep sleep. This
from either lack of sleep or tears. She was vacation. We’ll only visit a port-of-time for one was their second port-of-time.
one hundred and fourteen, and other than day and then be put back in stasis. So we can
stressing over his condition, she handled her visit a handful of milestones together before A single sheet of paper and a chocolate
daily life well enough. we consider your end. I know you’re tired, so mint rested on the teak table next to the bed.
I’ve selected the first two destinations. We can Although the ocean liner’s cruise information
Maddie smiled and said, “We’re going on take turns choosing after we’ve visited those. was provided in multi-digital formats, Myron
an ocean cruise.” Okay?” still felt most comfortable with paper. He
picked it up and read the cruise calendar.
“Are you kidding me? I’ll be dead before we “Sure, why not.” Myron felt very tired, too
get on the boat.” tired to argue. At least drugs kept the pain Wow! A satellite launch to Alpha Centauri.
away. He wiped his hand across his mostly bald
“The Encore is a special ocean liner from head.
Cruise the Future, Inc. The first ship of its kind. Maddie opened the door, and men entered
It has a cryo-deck.” the room rolling a portable domed device that Maddie wasn’t awake yet, so he sneaked
looked like it had a comfortable blue interior a bite of the chocolate mint because he knew
“You mean we’re going to be frozen?” with a kind of mist or gas inside. As he closed she’d have it all if she could. Her short gray hair
his eyes to sleep, he felt the men lift him up. and the tiny wrinkles under her eyes were just
“Something like that, but much more com-
plicated. I’ve arranged for us to be put in stasis as he remembered. A sweet smile adorned her
right away. They’ll wake us up when we reach # still smooth lips.
our first port-of-time.”

The bedroom furnishings hadn’t changed happen.” #

either, but one entire wall projected an image
of the deep blue sea looking out towards land. “All right, you know I was just kidding.” Myron still couldn’t move. He felt as if he’d
Text at the bottom of the display indicated “five Maddie got up and gestured towards the woken up frozen on the cryonic deck. Of course,
minutes to Centauri I launch.” balcony door. “Don’t you want to go outside that was impossible according to the cruise
and watch the launch?” brochure. Maybe his new heart had given out
Myron felt excited. Blood rushed to his like his previous three.
extremities, his face felt warm and a little “Sure.” Myron eased himself out of bed,
sweaty. For a moment, he felt younger. He and Maddie put his slippers on for him. Then, suddenly, a little rise to the left, a
gently poked Maddie. little rise to the right, a gentle swaying motion;
As they walked onto the balcony, motion
sensors activated the room’s speakers. “Five, it certainly felt like being on a cruise ship. But
She sat up and said, “You already woke Myron wasn’t sure, because he wasn’t fully
me.” Four, Three…”
conscious. An unwanted flush of warmth, kind
Her eyes were still attractive. Myron leaned The view outside from their Port Canaveral of a burning feeling, infiltrated his skin. His
over and kissed her on her lips. “I get it now. location matched the sunny scene he had mind could have been making it all up, but then
This is why you chose the Encore. I can still seen on the wall, except now he could feel the he felt Maddie’s pleasant and familiar kiss. It
experience passion.” ocean breeze and smell the salt air. “Two, One, made him feel safe, feel aware. He strained to
Liftoff!” open his eyes.
“Yes dear, I know.” She winked at him. “I
remember the day we visited Jetty Park.” Myron felt the rush as he saw the space A man with a stethoscope around his neck
vehicle climb high into the sky, leaving a stood just to Maddie’s right. He must have
“Ah, yes. The Orion XXIII launched astro- curling trail of billowy smoke behind it. Finally noticed that Myron had awakened, because
nauts to Mars.” Just to annoy her, Myron took its engines still grumbled from beyond the he directed his smile towards him and said, “I
another small bite of the chocolate mint. visible sky. The scene actually didn’t look that think you’ve developed some kind of allergy,
different from the Orion XXIII launch, but this but I’m not sure. Maybe some combination
“Give me that.” Maddie gripped his wrinkled, was an unmanned satellite headed for another of chocolate, your age, the excitement, the
knobby hand and fed the rest of the mint into solar system. nanobots, and the cryo-drugs. In any case,
her mouth. you’re still alive.”
Myron reached for his stomach. Nausea
Myron grinned. “Demanding, aren’t you? suddenly overwhelmed him. Then he felt like he Myron replied, “But why didn’t my nanobots
It’s my choice, but where do you think we couldn’t breathe. He tried to smile at Maddie, fight this off?”
should go next?” who looked concerned, but he couldn’t move.
“I’m afraid they aren’t that smart. They can
Maddie looked at the wall screen while He heard Maddie shout, “Help! Someone fend off certain diseases and keep your organs
she appeared to consider her answer, then she help.” in good shape, but they can’t detect the differ-
turned to face Myron. “Well, if it hasn’t already ence between a good immune response and a
happened, I’d like to see the first day of peace He fought to stay conscious; his eyes bad one.”
on Earth.” strained to remain open. As the satellite dis-
appeared into the darkness of space, so did Maddie took a step closer to the bed. Her
He pointed his finger at her. “I read the Myron’s hopes and dreams. eyes were reddened. “You still need more rest,
cruise contract the last time we came out of dear. The doctor says you can join me for the
stasis. Don’t wish for something that might not

captain’s dinner and champagne celebration Myron joined in her excitement, watching with a 95% or higher probability of ending
tonight if you get enough sleep.” video of milestones—like a demonstration of human life on Earth.”
the first antigravity automobile, and the Nobel
Myron felt his body growing weaker. He Prize awarded for a cure for all cancers—that “We?” Maddie grabbed a chocolate from
was glad he hadn’t lost another heart, but he had taken place since their previous stop. the table and put the whole thing in her mouth.
was sick of being tired. “Okay. I must talk to But then he turned his attention towards the “Speak for yourself.”
you and the captain later.” captain. In a low tone, almost a whisper, he The captain continued his thought. “I meant
leaned over and said, “About our next port-of-
As his eyes began to close to sleep, he saw that we cannot permit suicide as per your
time.”
Maddie turn to the doctor. She dabbed her contract with us.”
cheek with tissue. “But wouldn’t you like to view the rest of “This is not suicide. There’s an element of
the amazing events you’ve missed first?”
# chance that I will survive the experience. Also,
“I must set up my next port-of-time right I can specify that you can wake me earlier if
away. I need to go back to stasis tonight.” there’s a way to greatly improve my health.
Oblivious to everything else, Myron Besides, I probably won’t live to see another
watched Maddie. Like a kid with a toy, she Maddie turned her head. “Myron, what are day.”
giggled and walked briskly from one side of the you talking about?”
glass hover-elevator to the other as it moved “Yes, I suppose that’s correct.”
through the air diagonally from four stories “Look, I don’t know how many days of life
above the central lobby towards the dining are left in this body. There are many things I’d Myron smiled. His investment experience
room deck. The doors opened, and they walked like to see and do before I die, but there’s one had taught him how to negotiate. “Then I’ll go
to their table. thing left I must do.” back in stasis tonight.”
With a grayer beard and additional forehead The captain appeared to be interested as Maddie slapped his hand. “No!”
wrinkles, the captain had visibly aged since he pulled his seat forward. “And what would
their Australia stop. It reminded Myron that “The ship’s purser will have to approve your
that be, Mr. Spielman?”
he could prolong his own final years, but not credit for this port-of-time. You do realize the
ignore the effects of aging. After all, just hours Just then, the rest of the people in the event may never occur, at least not within the
earlier he had thought he would die. He said, dining room shouted and applauded. Myron technology limits of stasis?”
“Hello, Captain Rolander.” saw astronauts digging up an alien artifact in Myron gulped as he glanced at Maddie.
a Martian cavern. Good for them, he thought. Earlier
The captain was dressed sharply, a white Then, when it quieted down, he replied, “I want he had chastised her for wishing for an
uniform and striking cap. Standing straight and to see the end of the world.” unlikely event. “I have to do this. I’m prepared
firm, he gestured towards empty chairs and to pay half my wealth to cover the necessary
spoke with a Norwegian accent. “Mr. and Mrs. The captain looked concerned as he pulled expenses. The other half should cover my
Spielman. I’m happy to see you on this special his beard. “I’m afraid that is not possible.” wife’s choice of ports and times.”
evening. The celebration is about to begin.
Myron put his fist on the table, but had “Very well, Mr. Spielman. We will do our
Please, please have a seat.”
second thoughts about pounding it. “It most best to provide your next port-of-time.”
As Maddie sat, she couldn’t take her eyes certainly is! I just specify in the contract that Maddie seemed to understand as she half
off the video on the walls of the dining room. we be brought out of stasis to view an event attempted a smile. She spoke to the Captain,

but she looked straight at Myron. “He’s always hand really touched her arm. It was exhilarat- “Why didn’t they wake me?”
read novels in a single day because he had to ing and painful at the same time.
know the ending right away. He always has to “Because there’s a point at which medical
know how it ends.” Maddie said, “Good morning, dear. I was technology can’t keep us going, can’t make
worried that the robot crew would accidentally us better. I’ve taught school in the Martian
Myron put his hand on her and nodded his hurt you, but I had no choice. I couldn’t carry Colonies and fed the destitute in other solar
head. That evening, he was given a concoction you myself.” systems. But I finally grew old and tired like
of heart slowing, brain numbing drugs. Barely you. I had them put me back in stasis on the
alert, he watched Maddie through the glass Myron saw that her hair had thinned. Her Encore one last time with instructions to wake
surrounding his cryonics bed. He hoped his head seemed smaller, and her eyelids had me before you.”
dreams would remember how beautiful she thickened over her still beautiful eyes. For the
looked. He fought to hold back tears before the first time in all the years he could remember, Myron grabbed her hand and held it to his
long sleep. she looked as old as him. He leaned over and cheek. “Arne, can you project an image of the
kissed her. “Maddie, how long has it been? asteroid relative to Earth?”
# Why are you here?”
The robot’s virtual head turned off, and
She simply replied, “Arne, please respond.” beams shot out of its body towards the center
The rocking motion cradled his fears and of the room. Almost instantly, a holographic
dreams as Myron tried to wake. How long had The machine he had seen a moment ago projection of the asteroid could be seen headed
he been in stasis? Consciousness seemed just activated and hovered to the foot of the bed. A towards the Pacific Ocean, near Hawaii.
out of reach, oxygen was more important. At holographic projection of Arne Rolander’s face
first he gasped for air, then for several minutes appeared above the body of the device and “How long do we have before impact?”
he settled into a more comfortable breathe in, spoke. “Hello Myron. The year is 2880. Except
breathe out pattern. Somewhere in the fog of for Maddie, everyone on board has evacuated The robot responded, “Three hours, ten
sleep, he remembered that world’s end was his to the Martian colonies and further into space. minutes.”
last destination. He quickly opened his eyes. Asteroid 1950 DA could not be redirected, and “And where are we right now?”
it will strike Earth. There’s a ninety five percent
It wasn’t the same room as he had remem- chance that it will make the planet uninhabit- “The Encore is at port in Honolulu.”
bered. It was bigger, much bigger. The floor able for centuries.”
and ceiling shone like marble, the sheets were Of course, we must be at ground zero. He
like satin. Instead of a side table and cruise “2880? I’ve been suspended for hundreds faced Maddie and looked in her eyes. “I was
calendar, a four foot tall machine stood quiet of years?” selfish, but after centuries you still chose to
sentry.
Maddie put her hand on his. “I cried and share my final port-of-time.” His body ached,
but he squeezed her hand tighter. “I won’t let
Myron felt confused and dizzy. Perhaps it screamed for a week, before I realized there go of you so easily now.”
was the long sleep or a chemical imbalance was more I wanted to see. I gave them my
caused by prolonged stasis. entire list and went back to stasis. At one port- Maddie smiled, though it was clear from
of-time I saw disarmament of the last nuclear her eyes—and a slight grimace—that she was
He instinctively turned over to touch weapon. At another, first contact with aliens.
Maddie, then he remembered that this wasn’t After a hundred years, science figured out how in pain.
her port-of-time; it was only his. Every nerve in to greatly extend my natural life. I no longer Myron knew she wouldn’t talk about it.
his body fired at once when he realized that his needed stasis.” Besides, in a few hours it wouldn’t matter. He

whispered, “How about we get Arne here to

take us ashore, and we can walk on the beach
one last time?”
She nodded yes.
Richard S. Levine
Richard S. Levine’s short stories have

appeared in “Ray Gun Revival”, “The Fifth
Di”, “The Martian Wave”, and several
other online and printed magazines. His
science fiction short story, “A Comic on
Phobos”, was nominated for the 2006
James Award. With his wife Carrie, he
lives happily on the beach in Florida and
writes. Now, if only the hurricanes would
go away. To learn more about Mr. Levine’s
writings and his classic video game, Micro-
surgeon, please navigate your browser to
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/rlevine6/.

Beneath Narsalia’s Veil by Timothy A. Sayell Pg. 27
Beneath Narsalia’s Veil

by Timothy A. Sayell
A n amber light began to blink on the

console, signaling an incoming message.
The starfighter pilot frowned and flipped a
The comm came to life with a crisp, clear
voice. “Attention Galactic Peace Officer! This is
Sergeant Weston of Deepspace Prison Station
beneath his fighter, jerked into pursuit, and
trailed it.
switch. “This is Captain Bradley Brackett of the Three! Potanko, a high-security prisoner, has “Fine,” Brackett said into the comm., “We’ll
Galactic Peace Force, come in.” escaped in one of our patrol fighters! Use do it the hard way, then.” He fired more laser
extreme caution on your approach, over!” bolts at the stolen fighter ship. The getaway
The reply started with a high-pitched whine ship began a roll, and a laser blast hit its
that made him wince. Then there was static, Brackett grimaced, muttering, “Thanks for engines. The starfighter spun out of control,
finally a voice. .”..Station Three...Potanko the heads-up.” He swiveled the control stick spiraling down toward the misty blue-green
escaping...assistance requ...at once!” and his ship did a one-eighty. “In pursuit of planet.
your prisoner now,” he said into the radio.
Brackett checked his starcharts, saw Brackett swore. He glared at the twin
the Prison Station less than a grid away. He flipped a switch. The shields hesitated mines in the rearview display, held down a
“Deepspace Prison Station Three, Brackett before coming online. He offered the engines button with one finger and growled: “Brackett
here, I’m on my way.” He lurched the control more power and jumped forward with a burst to Deepspace Prison Station Three. Target hit,
stick, swiveling his cigar-shaped fighter into a of speed. engines out, ship beyond control, heading
clean, ninety-degree turn. for the planet surface. Following in case your
“Attention Potanko,” he barked into the convict survives.”
In a few brief heartbeats, his silver ship radio at the fleeing prisoner, “This is Captain
was approaching the dull-gray metal moon of Bradley Brackett of the Galactic Peace Force “Understood.” a crisp, clear voice responded.
the Prison Station in its orbit around a cloudy ordering you to turn back to the Prison “Be careful, Brackett. Potanko’s dangerous.
planet. A single starfighter was on patrol Station.” Took out four officers and opened all the cells
around the satellite, coming towards him from on B-Level in the course of escaping.”
planet-side. The silver starfighter increased its speed,
and flashed through the void like a streak of “Noted. Thanks for the concern. Good
Brackett opened hailing frequencies. lightning. Brackett followed suit, spitting laser luck with B-Level. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Prison Patrol Ship, this is Captain Bradley bolts with deadly accuracy. Brackett pushed the control stick forward and
Brackett of the Galactic Peace Force answering his own starfighter dove towards the atmo-
the request for assistance. What’s your “I say again, this is Captain Bradley Brackett sphere.
situation here? Over.” of the Galactic Peace Force. This is your last
chance, Potanko. Turn your ship around now The nose of his silver, cigar-shaped ship
The Patrol Ship answered with a brief and return to the Prison Station. Do this the emitted reflector shields, which deflected the
barrage of laser fire that hit Brackett’s ship easy way, for both our sakes, okay?” re-entry heat. The planetary sky was a pastel
full force. Electricity surged through the ship’s pink, interrupted by a layer of yellow clouds
systems and danced across his control console. The only response was the discharge of a that covered the planet’s face like a veil. They
The Patrol Ship shot past him; a streak of pair of magnetic mines. His eyes widened, and stretched across the sky like a misty sea, dotted
silver. he slammed the controls. The mines passed with islands formed of high mountain peaks.

Brackett strafed the blanket of clouds, Without drive engines, the ship fell like a Brackett swung back into the cockpit and
regarding his scanners with a puzzled frown. stone in the planet’s gravity. Brackett struggled gathered his meager collection of emergency
The ship wasn’t getting anything from the with the controls, but the stubborn ship supplies. The food, water, emergency knife,
planet surface. He swore again: the damnable wouldn’t respond to his commands. Instead, grappling line, and restraining cuffs were on
clouds were acting as a radio shield, and that electricity surged, frying nearly every system him in seconds. He thought harder about the
meant no scanning. With no other way to track the starfighter boasted. With the ailerons ZAP gun. Anything could happen out there,
the ship he pursued, and a vague notion of locked in place, the ship slipped into a drill-like and he couldn’t imagine the consequences of
ditching the pair of mines in one of the local spin, customary for all crashes. some local Neanderthal suddenly loosing the
mountains, he descended through the cloud power of a Zeta-Active Plasma ray. Then there
cover. Brackett could do nothing more. Not even was Potanko to consider. With a shrug, he
the ejection seat would respond. Gritting his holstered it.
His ship dropped through the bottom, and teeth, he closed his eyes and braced himself
he saw the planet. It was Narsalia, a primeval for the inescapable end. The ship lurched to Then he was sure to grab the Sonic Sword.
world of lush jungles and steaming volcanoes. a sudden, squishy stop, and his safety harness Its patented hundred-and-one uses made it an
He flipped a switch and a readout screen pressed against his chest. Finally opening his essential survival tool. It was everything from a
regurgitated the planet’s stats. Breathable air. eyes, he was surprised to see that the ship had last-ditch primitive-style weapon to a high-tech
Thirty-hour days. Standard gravity levels. Killer not exploded, and that he was alive. radio transmitter. The only downside was that
lightning storms. Hostile, sentient life forms, it was in its recharger-sheath during the elec-
no advanced culture. Instead of hard, leafy ground or rocky, tricity surge. There was a definite possibility
volcanic mountainside; the ship came down that it was damaged.
Brackett grunted. Obviously, it was going to in the midst of some sort of swamp. Brackett
be that kind of a day. unfastened his harness and pushed against the Allowing himself to hope, he clambered
dome-shaped canopy, forcing it open. Then he onto the ship’s hull. He held up the Sonic Sword
“No advanced culture” meant “no technol- stood up, and looked around. and turned the dials on the hilt. “Mayday!
ogy.” Since the Galactic Council dictated a strict Mayday! This is Captain Bradley Brackett to
“no encouragement” philosophy in this area, The swamp consisted of tall, imposing trees Deepspace Prison Station Three, do you copy?
Brackett knew he had to catch his criminal and that grew in and around a pool of bubbling blue Over.”
get back off the planet without leaving the ooze. He’d seen similar stuff in his travels, and
slightest trace of their stopping by. guessed this to be the local version of a tar pit. No clear voice answered him this time. Not
even static. Looking up, Brackett swore at the
Brackett sighed and tried to convince He climbed out of the cockpit and walked yellow cloud cover. All he had to do now was
himself it was a piece of cake, but failed. down the spine of his starfighter. He did not find a mountaintop he could transmit from...
like what he saw: the mines had completely
The scanner was failing, too. There was demolished the rear-end of his craft. Looking After he caught Potanko.
no sign of Potanko’s ship, just the two mines down, he doubted that it mattered much. It
a half-grid behind him. As he slowed for his looked to him as though the blue goo of the tar The last thing he grabbed was a pair of
visual recon, the twin mines, building their pit had too good a hold to let him fly out. He Implosion Grenades. He couldn’t trust the
own momentum, drove themselves right into grumbled to himself. ship to sink into the blue ooze, so it was up
his fiery exhaust port and promptly exploded. to him to make sure the locals weren’t influ-
Brackett swore as he slapped the scanner, still It was definitely going to be that sort of enced by it. He set the timer on one grenade,
showing them half a grid behind. day. and dropped it into the pilot’s chair. Then he
tossed his grapple to a nearby tree, and swung

to the safety of its branches. With a sigh of resignation, he set about his it down on the thing’s head. Its momentum
chores. First he scavenged the ship for its store threw him back to where the ship had been
The grenade activated, releasing a small, of emergency supplies, but only found them until a moment ago, but the animal did not rise
artificial black hole. Instantly, the ruined star- missing. Then he began gathering up the debris again.
fighter vanished. Brackett hummed in resigna- of the wreckage and piled it around the ship as
tion, then set off to catch his man. best he could. Occasionally he would look up Brackett lay down where he fell and rested.
at the sound of an alien snort, or a rustling in He looked at the animal, which he decided was
# the nearby foliage. some weird cross between a centipede and a
boar. For a moment, he marveled at the alien
Five hours of rugged jungle terrain later, As he completed his gathering, the grunting evolution, then remembered his own situation,
Brackett found the remains of Potanko’s stolen and snorting sounded again, too close for and looked down at the blade in his hand.
starfighter. The silver ship had beaten its way comfort. With a wary eye at the surrounding Almost reluctantly, he tried the Sonic Sword
through the jungle foliage, leaving a trail even forest, he drew his ZAP gun. He took a wary again. It was no surprise to him when he got
a blind asteroid slug could follow. step toward the edge of the clearing. Then, no reply on its radio.
remembering his mission, he activated the last
The ship itself looked like it had gone of his Implosion Grenades and lobbed it into the Then there was nothing left to do, but
three rounds against a stardragon before the open cockpit. As he turned back to the jungle, follow the slimy footprints. More foliage
stardragon got bored and left it alone. It was an alien animal erupted from the undergrowth. rustled, unnoticed, as something skirted the
dented. It was scraped. One of the tailfins The beast charged him, knocking him to the now-vacant clearing to follow him.
was missing, another bent out of shape. The ground, the ZAP gun flying from his hand. The
steelglass canopy had shattered, exposing the beast turned back to charge him again, and he #
empty cockpit. searched for his gun. It fell near the ship’s wing,
and he scrambled for it. Evening crept over the jungle and was
In short, it would never play the violin maturing into night. Brackett wondered how
again. The monster charged him again, its ten long he’d been following the winding trail of
legs trampling and kicking him further from footprints. He glared down at the Sonic Sword,
Brackett rushed around the wreckage, the ship. As soon as it was off him, he glanced hanging from his hip. The timepiece wasn’t
calling out for Potanko. Escaped criminal or at it; got the impression of a segmented body working, either. He scowled to himself, and
not, if Potanko lived at all, he was sure to need and centipede legs, then he crawled for the trudged on.
medical help after a crash like that one. gun. Before he could retrieve it, the grenade
went off and sucked the wreckage—and his Snap!
But Potanko was nowhere to be found. weapon—out of existence.
He stopped stone-cold at the sound. Then,
What he did find were small puddles of The alien turned on him once more. It slowly, looked down at the broken branch
mucous—around the crash site, sized and snorted through its boar-like snout, stamped beneath his boot. He looked at the dark jungle
spaced like footprints, on the remnants of the one spidery leg, and ran at him. Brackett barely around him. Nothing had changed. Insects still
ship, and parts of the debris, shaped suspi- drew the Sonic Sword before it trampled sang. There was a vicious-sounding roar, but
ciously like handprints. He knew what it meant, him again. His sword arm flailed as he rolled far off.
and a sick feeling materialized in the pit of his beneath it, severing many of the alien’s legs. It
stomach. Brackett released a breath he didn’t realize
turned again, snorting at him, and charged. He
got to his knees, raised the sword, and brought he was holding. He was just about to tell himself
The locals had gotten here first.

how safe he was when something soared past The darkness came instantly that time. and hoped it would make do as a weapon, if
his head and fell to the forest floor with a thud. such became necessary. Then, light in hand,
A rock. # he followed the paths of his rescuer and the
snail-men.
He turned, and jumped aside when he saw Brackett awoke to an aching head on the
the stick flying from the thick foliage. A squat, #
hard, grassy ground. He wondered how long
humanoid form approached, still obscured by he’d been out. It was night now. Or perhaps it
shadow. Its form boasted two thick arms and was night again, he couldn’t be sure. Then he The trail was easy enough to follow, even
two thick legs. It also had a large hump on its realized he wasn’t alone. One of the humanoids
at night. He told himself how lucky he was that
back, like a pack of some sort, easily as large as was beside him, turning over the restraining the snail-men’s slimy footprints glistened in
the creature itself. cuffs in its slimy hands. the lamplight. Finally, he was certain that he’d
The creature threw another rock, and found a spot where the snail-men had caught
Brackett’s fingers found the nearby rock, and up to his rescuer. He was sure the bent and
Brackett ducked. He reached for his sword. He wrapped themselves around it. Somewhere, up
just leveled the sword at his attacker when two above the trees, thunder boomed. The Nean- trampled foliage was the evidence of a brawl.
more creatures seized him from behind. Their derthal fell to the ground. Brackett pulled the There were no bodies lying around and he
strong arms, covered in sandpapery skin and smirked at the suggestion:
a thin coat of slime, wrapped around his body, light from his belt and looked over the downed
local. Potanko was a prisoner—again.
squeezing the breath out of him.
Its bulbous head sloped forward into a The snail-men’s slime still made their trail
The two Neanderthal locals were crushing wide mouth. It had two eye stalks at the top of easy enough to follow. Brackett followed it
him. His arms were pressed against his ribs. its head. Its body, all sandpaper skin and slime, through the dense jungle, towards the volcanic
His lungs ached for air. His vision began to dim was naked except for the large spiraling shell mountains, where lightning began to flash.
with a darkness that had nothing to do with on its back.
the encroaching night. Vaguely, he wondered An hour later, he ran out of jungle at the base
how he was going to get out of this one. He regarded it with a mixture of respect of the mountain. The dirt stretched out ahead
and disgust. Then, he accepted it with a shrug: of him in ripples and waves. Brackett guessed
That was when the other figure charged the
out of the jungle. It was taller, slimmer than one locals had evolved from snails. He pressed it was some sort of mud pit when enough rain
hand against his head and looked around dropped on it. Rough domes were scattered
the slimy Neanderthals. Screaming, it charged at the things the snail-man had found on him, throughout the dry mud lake. Lightning flashed
at Brackett and his two assailants. With arms examined, then thrown away. in the mountains above, giving Brackett a good
outstretched, it collided with the trio, knocking look at them. They seemed to be bubbles, like
them all to the jungle floor. The two aliens He reclaimed all of his gear except for the the lake had been boiling, perhaps heated by
leapt to their feet, and pursued his benefactor most vital piece: the Sonic Sword was missing. a pocket of magma below. Another bolt of
into the forest. Brackett swore. He’d been jumped by snail-men, lightning flashed and showed openings had
and the rescuer had to have been Potanko. He been smashed through the walls.
Brackett, still choking and aching, wondered which one of them had taken his
clambered to his knees. It was then, when one sword. He wondered which possibility he liked Brackett smiled. He’d found the snail-men
Neanderthal approached him, growling, that the least. village.
he realized some of them had remained. But
by then it was too late, as the Neanderthal Brackett found a long, sturdy branch He glanced warily at the mountains just
brought a rock down upon his head.

beyond the village when more lightning It wasn’t the best plan, but he was pressed “Ah-ah!” Brackett warned, his knife at the
flashed. It looked like a steep and treacherous for time. He scrambled down the mountainside ready.
climb, but the peak reached up over the veil of to the edge of the village. The snail-men were
angry clouds. Now all he needed was Potanko getting themselves riled up, and the fire was She froze instantly. “I was reaching for my
and the Sonic Sword. waving closer to the girl than Brackett liked. He Idenicard.” Brackett looked her over carefully,
couldn’t tell if the girl was conscious or not. saw no weapons, and nodded. Slowly, she
Brackett emerged from the jungle and plucked a thin card from her belt and held it
rushed along the empty mud-lake to the First thing was first: he had to get the girl out to him.
nearest bubble. With his back pressed against away from them. He took a deep breath, firmly
the hut, his staff in his ready hands, he heard gripped his grappling line with both hands, and “S. Aldrassil, Technician Second Class,”
the voices of the snail-men coming from the pulled hard. Brackett read aloud. He frowned. “Okay, I’ll ask,
center of their village. what’s your story?”
Something was working right, for a change,
Brackett crept around the hut until he could and Brackett smiled. The grapple pulled his “I’m a computer technician, technically a
see them. They were gathered near the center staff away, and the boulder rolled down the civilian. I live and work on the Prison Station.”
of the dry lake, about three dozen of them. One mountainside, aimed straight for the snail-man she explained, her eyes jumping back and forth
of them held up a burning branch and gestured village. It bowled through one of the adobe from his face to the knife. “Potanko came across
angrily towards their prisoner. bubbles, and scattered the primitive locals. me during his breakout, anyplace my clearance
couldn’t get him, I was able to override.”
Brackett’s eyes went wide. The prisoner was Brackett ran into the village, too. He went
a human, to all appearances. In an unmarked straight for the girl, his small emergency knife Brackett nodded, but kept his frown. “And
spacesuit, she was tied with vines to a stake. in hand. Her bonds were cut easily enough, then he took you with him?”
The fiery branch was waved dangerously close and she dropped to her feet. The green woman shrugged. “I think it was
to her, and Brackett saw how beautiful she was,
“Can you run?” he asked. to make sure I couldn’t immediately report his
even with her green skin and hair. He quickly hijacking of the starfighter.”
reconsidered: she was beautiful because of her She rubbed her wrists but quickly answered,
green skin and hair. Brackett sheathed the knife, handed back
“Yes.”
the Identicard. “I’m sorry for the ordeal you’ve
“So that’s Potanko,” he grumbled to himself. “Then let’s go,” Brackett said and led her been put through, ma’am. I won’t lie to you,
“What a shame. What a waste of a beautiful towards the mountain. They climbed up a it’s not over yet. Potanko’s still loose, there’s
girl...” narrow, treacherous path, until they came to a no telling how long he might survive with the
The thought stopped before it was formed ledge wide enough to rest on. emergency supplies from the ship.”
as lightning flashed again, this time glinting off “Thank you,” she said. “There weren’t any,” she blurted out, then
a familiar blade. He saw the Sonic Sword in the tried to laugh. “Not even a medikit. Must’ve
firm grip of one of the snail-men. “Just doing my duty,” Brackett replied. “I’m picked one the maintenance boys had just
Captain Bradley Brackett, Galactic Peace Force, worked on.”
Brackett looked over the scene, and tried and I’m afraid I’m here to detain you.”
hard to come up with a plan. Brackett hummed thoughtfully. “Good
With a nervous smile, the green woman to know,” he said at last, “But this changes
# reached for her belt. “There must be some everything. I’ve got to get you back to safety,
mista...”

ma’am.” bruised and bloodied, back against the moun- still wavering. “You’re under arrest...for...
tainside. inducing riot...jailbreak...murder.”
“My name is Sillith...” she said, then lightning
struck the mountainside just below their ledge, Then the lightning struck the plateau again. Sillith laughed. “Murder? I had to survive!
and she screamed. It was a biological imperative!” she vehemently
The impact threw Sillith off her feet. said. “I can’t help it if my species can only live
Brackett held her in his arms, soothed her. Likewise one of the snail-men, but the other off flesh. Anyway, with your sword, I can call
“Just the local lightning storms,” he said. “But was thrown, screaming, down the mountain- for help. Hopefully, you’ll tide me over until
they’re bad business.” side. the rescue ship arrives.” Then she raised the
She pointed down the mountain, past Brackett and his two enemies saw it, and Sonic Sword for the final stroke.
where the lightning just hit. “So are they!” Brackett recovered first. He sent his fist into a Lightning struck above them, dislodging
snail-like face. The Neanderthal crumbled to some rocks. Sillith looked up with a surprised
Brackett looked, and saw a group of the ground, leaving only the one with the Sonic shriek.
snail-men following their trail. He swore, then Sword.
hurried up the slim mountain path with Sillith Seizing the chance, Brackett knocked the
in tow. Brackett grabbed the club from his downed sword aside and threw a punch. The green
foe’s slimy grip and jumped away from the woman stumbled backwards and tripped over
They finally arrived to a large flat area sword. The snail-man swung at him, and he a dead Neanderthal. The rocks stampeded
not too far below the sheet of radio-resistant swung back. Then something struck him in the down the mountainside, trampling her on their
clouds. Brackett gave the place the once-over back of his head. His legs were kicked out from way. The brief avalanche continued down, but
and decided this was the place to make the under him. Sillith didn’t move.
stand.
The snail-man stepped back and looked Brackett cleared his head, saw her lying
Before long, the snail-men came around at Sillith without understanding. The green there. The Sonic Sword lay by her hand, and
the bend. Brackett threw a rock, and hit one in woman dropped the rock, stepped over crackled ominously. He leaned over Potanko
the head. The Neanderthal fell down the moun- Brackett and quickly pulled the Sonic Sword and was amazed that she survived. He slapped
tainside, and lightning struck a nearby boulder. away from the confused Neanderthal. With the restraining cuffs on her before anything
Grunting and yelling in anger, the remainder of lightning-like swiftness, she plunged the sword else could happen.
the snail-men charged, led by the one with the into its chest, and twisted the blade until it fell
Sonic Sword. to the ground. Then he picked up the Sonic Sword. The
radio whined and sounded of static. He turned
Brackett managed to hit one more of the Brackett groaned, and Sillith turned the and continued up the mountain trail.
snail-men, who fell to the mountain pass. The blade at him. “How can someone as stupid as
five who remained made it to the plateau, you make it to captain?” she asked. “I don’t At last he found his way through the clouds
waving clubs in a way that meant business. know of any species, other than mine, tough and saw the stars twinkling high overhead. He
enough to survive that crash. Sooner or later, breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived
A rock came out of nowhere, and took they’ll find Aldrassil’s body in the hangar bay.” as he regarded the sword in his hand. He lifted
down another Neanderthal. But now two of She snorted derisively. “Not all of it was a lie, it, turned the dials.
them turned their attention to Sillith. though. My name is Sillith. Sillith Potanko.”
“This is Captain Bradley Brackett to
Brackett jumped away from the sharp “Potanko?” Brackett groaned, his eyesight Deepspace Prison Three. Do you copy? Over.”
sword, only to get hit by a club. He was soon

He waited for a moment that lasted forever.

There was no response. Timothy A. Sayell
“Captain Bradley Brackett to Deepspace
Prison Three. Is anyone there? Over.” he
repeated, trying to keep the desperation out Timothy A. Sayell is a lifelong fan of
of his voice. fantasy and science fiction in all its forms.
The speakers crackled. Though creating stories for many years, he
has only recently begun to display them to
“Deepspace Prison Station Three to Brackett. others. So far, he’s had stories appearing
We copy.” in the anthology Strange Worlds of Lunacy
Brackett couldn’t contain a victorious and Flashing Swords magazine.
scream.
“What’s your situation? Over.” the voice
continued.
“Potanko apprehended,” Brackett exclaimed,
“But we need a ride. What’s the situation with
B-Level? Over.”
“B-Level is stable now.” said the voice. “We
should be able to get a pick-up ship there in
about an hour. Sorry, but it looks like your stuck
there just a little longer. Over.”
With a grin, Brackett shrugged. “Don’t
worry about it,” he said, “It’s been that kind of
day. Over.”

Regeneration by Martin Turton Pg. 34
Regeneration
by Martin Turton
E amonn Katich’s wife had been dead for

seven years when he saw her walking past
Franz Tucok’s graffiti-stained window.
it.
Katich hadn’t even realized he had drawn in the darkened window of a towering, angular
keridli.
# And then they had been offered a job.

Katich had cried out while trying to They had been asked to investigate a believed
keep sight of that white-blonde hair drifting case of corporate espionage in the hallowed
He saw his wife five more times that week.
through the throng of humans and kerondans halls of Geronda Inc., the first truly inclusive
When he and White were watching a group
and restonas crowding the streets. He leaped property developer in this, the most multicul-
of pleks protesting against the expansionism
from the still-moving hover car, the sodden tural of cities. And the first name on the list
of Geronda Incorporated, he caught sight of
road veering beneath him as he fought to keep of employees to be questioned was a Jerhan
Sirenna walking past the squat, dingy façade of
his feet. And then he was running, running as Rekanda.
a kesteron ahmoep. When Katich was leaving
fast as he could. Hover cars whooshed over his offices after interviewing a new client, Only, as they waited for Miss Rekanda, it
his head and to either side of him and still he Sirenna was sitting outside the local eaterie. was his wife who had been murdered seven
could see that white-blonde hair, further away
now, a vision of light and beauty in a sea of years ago who walked into the darkened,
Katich didn’t chase her on these occasions.
black and grey and neon-blue. He ran faster. windowless room deep within the bowels of
He didn’t run headlong through the faceless Geronda.
crowds. He didn’t shout and wave his blaster
Bodies seemed to fight against him: three- pistol in the air. Katich waited at his desk. He shuffled
legged mestons half as tall again as a man,
knee-high listirans with fat, pulsing bodies his papers. He shifted his chair forward. He
Katich was a man who had been through
of jet black, harassed humans with blanched checked the power on the heart monitor.
enough fights, lived on enough worlds and
eyes and hunched shoulders. All contrived to Anything to avoid looking at Sirenna. His
had enough scars to know when to trust his
get in Katich’s way as he desperately chased Sirenna. His Sirenna who was now calling
instincts, and these instincts were now telling
after his dead wife. All were elbowed aside in herself Jerhan Rekanda and looking at him
him that he was being watched.
desperation as Katich shouted and fought his so vacantly from those achingly familiar, pale
way ever onward after that ray of light. When he had seen Sirenna outside the blue eyes.
Geronda offices, he had turned in the seat of
And then, amid all the shouts and the cries Katich didn’t say anything. Sirenna didn’t
the hover car to speak to White and out of the
and the screams of pain and fear, even that say anything. White cleared his throat and
corner of his eye he had seen a figure in a grey
beacon of hope and redemption was lost from cracked a knuckle.
suit hurrying away, ducking under a passing
sight and his wife was gone once more. And a hover car and sprinting towards the limasil Sirenna spared White a cursory glance
hand rested on Katich’s elbow. He turned to sector of the city. When he had seen Sirenna before turning back to Katich. “Is this going to
see his partner, Athur White standing there. dining, alone but for the holoviewer hovering take long? I have work I need to be getting on
over her table, Katich had turned away, with.”
Athur gently took the blaster pistol from mopping at his damp brow, the movement
Katich’s limp grasp. allowing him to notice the still-shaking drapes There was no doubt it was his Sirenna.

The way she leaned forward so intently on the palm computer. Instruments flickered into life married, Miss Rekanda?”
table, looking up at him from under arched and the sound of her beating heart was loud
brows. The white-blonde hair, too thick and in his earpiece, its steady rhythm taunting him At this, her heart did miss a beat, the
tied back so carelessly. The face, so delicate from the screen to his right. His own faltering monitor showed a definite surge of activity.
and so pale under that shock of white-blonde heart began to follow the beat, two hearts “No, but I fail to see what that has to do with
hair. Her cheeks with too much red paint which beating as one. somebody selling plans...?”
only highlighted how pale she was.
“Okay, you know why we are here, my White reached a giant hand over Katich’s
His Sirenna. Come back to him after seven partner and I?” Katich fixed his eyes on hers, shoulder to retrieve the papers from the desk.
years in the grave. to his left another screen showed one blue eye He shuffled the papers together. “It has nothing
in intense detail. Katich didn’t need that. He to with that, Miss Rekanda. Nothing at all.”
He leaned back in his chair. White was would know if she was lying without it.
standing, silent and still as his own conscience #
at Katich’s shoulder. “We do appreciate your “There has been a leak in the company—
patience, Miss—” somebody’s been selling plans to Offworlders?” Katich waited outside the Geronda offices,
She seemed disinterested at the thought. So White’s words still ringing in his ears: “That
“Rekanda.” Sirenna folded her arms and much like his Sirenna, who had spent her days
tilted her head to one side, stretching the drifting listlessly through life, almost bored was Sirenna, somebody’s messed with her
mind—but that’s your wife, Eamonn.” White
lines of her long neck. She wanted a cigarette, with it all. had flexed his metal hand, a sure sign that he
Katich knew. Rather than offer her one from was stressed. “But aside from that, don’t forget
the packet on the desk, he held out the finger- “Offworlders?” Katich nodded. “And were we have a job to do here, and we can’t afford
piece. you born on Beratan, Miss Rekanda?” you to mess it up like you did on Kastrilok.”
“Your co-operation will help speed the “No. I’m from Ricol’s World, left there when It was early evening, and the air lanes
process, Miss Rekanda.” I was three years old. I lived on Litansada of Beratan teemed with hover cars and the
before coming here seven years ago.” She pavements were
Sirenna sighed and reached out a slender didn’t shift in her seat, her pupils remained filled with creatures hurrying
white hand, sliding the finger-piece onto the steady, the heart monitor showed no fluctua- home. Katich fingered the handle of his blaster
middle finger of her left hand. Katich couldn’t tion in its beat. Every instrument proclaimed pistol. He hoped he wouldn’t be waiting long;
help noticing the lack of a wedding band on that Sirenna spoke the truth, and yet Katich the streets of the lower city were notoriously
the adjacent finger. An image flashed before well knew that she had never set foot on either dangerous once the second sun had set. Katich
his eyes; a room in darkness, shimmering blue Ricol’s World or Litansada. He resisted the urge deliberately avoided looking at the dark figure
neon light blinking crazily out on the street to look at White. crouched in the shadowed corner of a limasil
and giving the scene a nightmarish clarity as rehjir across the street; he could feel the crea-
he sees the dark, oily pool of blood reflecting “And you have worked for Geronda for how ture’s eyes boring into him without having to
that nauseating blue light back at him. long?” look.
Katich swallowed heavily as he swung the “Seven years. Since I came to this planet.” When Sirenna finally did leave the building
headrest towards Sirenna. “And if you could behind him, he felt that familiar twinge in his
rest your chin there, like so—that’s it.” He In the closeness of the room, Katich could heart. He saw the way she kept apart from the
twisted the brass handle to make sure her chin smell her perfume. A musky odour that made others leaving the building. He saw the casual,
was well supported and flicked a switch on his his heart ache with longing. “And you are graceful way she looped her purse over her

shoulder, and he knew he was lost to her once Sometimes she seemed more direct than “Which only begs the question why I have
more. He stepped out in front of her. “Miss...er, Sirenna had ever been and at other times she been singled out for this particular politeness.”
Miss Rekanda.” seemed exactly as he remembered his wife. It
was this dichotomy that was the most painful Her look was challenging and amused. A
Sirenna stopped at the sound of his voice; thing of all. “Well, I thought you might feel a look Katich knew so well.
her hand tight around her purse as she looked little more comfortable answering questions
at him, recognition dawning slowly. “Mr away from Geronda.” He leaned on the table and looked deep
Katich? More questions?” Her brow creased into those eyes of blue. “Because you remind
in annoyance. “I really think you should have Sirenna leaned both elbows on the scarred me of somebody I once knew. Long ago and
asked them earlier rather than letting your table. “You don’t seem like a PI. Not like your beyond the Eye.”
partner hurry you away like that.” She craned partner. He seemed like the hard type.” She The tendrils of steam from the coffee
her neck to look past him to the busy air lanes, smiled slyly. “You seem too polite.” wisped between them, and Sirenna smiled and
no doubt looking for a spare cab to hurry her
Katich could see the admiration in those lifted the cup to her lips.
home.
all too familiar blue eyes as she spoke of
“It will only take a moment. And I’ll be glad White. Jealousy welled within him, sickening #
to drive you home once we’re done.” It was and violent. He swallowed and smiled. “I’ll
difficult not to act too familiarly with Sirenna. take that as a compliment. Some would say Beratan was a new city. Space was already
Katich had to remind himself not to stand too politeness is something of a dying art on these scarce and buildings soared to thousands of
close, not to touch her elbow. Her perfume worlds beyond the Eye.” He looked around the feet in the air. Unlike some other planets where
almost made him feel faint with need. dingy eaterie. Three other humans, alone and the higher offices cost a premium, the higher
hunched over their steaming bowls of gruel. the office on Beratan, the cheaper it was on
Sirenna adjusted the strap of her purse on Outside there was the hum of the hover cars account of the thinning air and the thick, red-
her shoulder as she looked up at him. “So, what and the chatter of alien tongues. tinted clouds which obscured any view the
is it you need, Mr Katich?” offices might have had. The offices of Katich
“Some would, Mr Katich.” Sirenna nodded & White were at the very top of Ostirak Tower,
“Perhaps we might do this somewhere more thoughtfully and settled back into her seat. two thousand three hundred feet in the air.
comfortable?” He stepped aside and held out “Some would. But I don’t think you’re as polite
an arm for Sirenna to follow him. as you might pretend.” Katich watched White turn away from the
window, letting the drapes fall back into place.
With a heavy sigh she did just that. Katich raised an eyebrow. “You don’t?” “I don’t know why you keep looking out there.
Franz Tucok’s was a dingy eaterie with “No. You questioned twenty-eight people The clouds never clear this high up.”
darkened, graffiti-stained windows and the today.” She smiled at Katich’s questioning “I couldn’t care less about the clouds,
smell of thick grease heavy in the air. It was look. “You haven’t been the only one making Eamonn. What I’m bothered about is you
also mercifully cheap, though his plate of food enquiries today, Mr Katich.” She smiled in messing up another job. We can’t afford to
and Sirenna’s coffee still left Katich’s pockets thanks as Tucok placed her coffee in front of lose this one.”
empty. her. “Something tells me that you won’t be
taking all twenty-eight people out for coffee Katich watched the holo-screen on his
“So what was it you had wanted to ask me, this evening.” desk. Sirenna was just arriving at Geronda;
Mr Katich?” the marker he had placed in her purse and
“That something would be right.” the viewer he had placed across the street

were both still fully functional. He looked at talk of the case. What is it you want from me?” whelming sense of sadness. He put the glass of
White. “It’s her. You said so yourself. What am lysan fire onto the table in front of him. “Not
I supposed to do?” The thought of touching her filled him with difficult, no. It’s a beautiful name. You remind
a sense of dread, she was his wife, a glacial me of somebody I once knew.” He turned to
“The dead don’t come back to life, Eamonn. ghost from his past, something to look at but Jerhan, her face was still hidden in shadow, still
I don’t care how far beyond the Eye we’ve never touch lest it shatter and break into a and unmoving and silent. But the shape of her,
run. It just doesn’t happen. You need to think, million pieces. the smell of her, the sound of her breathing...
Eamonn, keep your mind. Last thing we need
is another bloodbath like we did on Kastrilok. The door opened, and a listiran shuffled he took another sip of the lysan fire.
Anyway, even when she was alive she brought into the room, its six legs thin and spindly and Jerhan nodded. “I know, so you told me. But
you nothing but trouble.” its black body nothing but a darker shadow in a still, a lady never likes to be called by another
room of shadows and whispers. The blue neon woman’s name. Just for future reference.”
Nothing but trouble. But this was a different light of a holo screen on the building across the
Sirenna, the same and yet somehow more street reminded Katich of a pool of oily blood “Ricol’s World.” Sirenna had never been to
complete. Katich had taken her to Recasin’s, on a planet far beyond the Eye. “I want to know that planet.
a bar in the middle of the lower city with you, Sirenna. Know who you are. Know what
drapes permanently closed and more shadowy you want.” His eyes ached in the darkness of “What?”
corners than such a small space might reason- the room, and the chatter of the kerostans was “Ricol’s World.” Katich softened his tone.
ably expect to have. now a screeching scrape across his mind. “You said you were born on Ricol’s World.
“Your friend White doesn’t like me.” Half of Sirenna finally leaned back in her seat, her I wondered what you remembered of it,
Sirenna’s face was hidden in shadow. She was face still in shadow, both her hands wrapping Jerhan.”
perched on the edge of the seat as though she about her almost empty glass of kirohel. Jerhan leaned forward, looking up at Katich
expected to catch something from the faded “Perhaps it would be best if you started by from under arched brows. She seemed about
fabric. They were the only humans in the learning my name, Eamonn.” to say something, but paused and, with a heavy
bar; most of the humans in Beratan seemed
to stick to the same haunts, finding comfort Katich stared at her uncomprehendingly. sigh, she relented. “I remember a hillside under
in remaining with their own kind. Katich had “What? Oh, I called you Sirenna? Jerhan, I’m a thousand-mile sky. I would lay in the dream-
never felt that need. sorry.” He raised his glass to her. “Jerhan. Your grass, the purple seeds stroking my skin and
name is Jerhan.” the weight of the sky crushing my breast. And I
He shrugged. “All White worries about is would gaze out at worlds so close I could touch
our work and whether we will be paid so he There was a silence at their table, broken them. I could see Stanisdor, Lisderan, Ferohur,
can buy his next drink.” Katich took a sip of his only by the constant squawking of the kerostans, Untur’s World...all worlds I had heard about,
lysan fire. by the pulsing, fat slide of the listiran dragging I had seen on the holoviewer; all of them so
its body across the floor. Through it all Sirenna close, full of life, full of wonder, and yet always
“And you, Eamonn?” Sirenna’s face slipped regarded him from her shadowed seat, her just beyond my reach as I raised my hand.”
into shadow as she turned to look at Katich. His body still and tense. “Jerhan.” She finally said. She frowned at the memory. “That is what I
eyes felt bleary, and the chittinous chatter of a “Is that such a difficult name to remember?” remember about Ricol’s World, Eamonn.”
pair of kerostans crouched in a corner seemed
to echo through his skull. “You come and meet The bleariness left his eyes, the screech Another silence, Katich heard nothing but
me every other day and walk me home, take across his mind had descended to a dull the slow beating of his own heart. “And that
me to bars, and yet you never touch me, never murmur and Katich was left with an over- made you sad?” he finally asked.

“It made me feel lost, alone in a world meeting Jerhan soon. “Maybe somebody from met the faded blue eyes of his friend, knowing
of blackness and silence. And these worlds Geronda making sure we’re doing our jobs?” that he would never see him again. “I have to
had been placed there to taunt me with the say goodbye to her.”
promises of a life which I would never have.” “It’s a plek, Eamonn.”
White chewed his lip, his eyes falling to the
Katich said nothing. He drained his glass “A plek?” floor. “Of course you do, Eamonn. Of course
and waved over the bartender. you do.”
“Plektikir. One of the natives of this shit
hole.”
# #
Katich laughed, some of the tension easing
“This can’t go on, Eamonn. We have to from his shoulders. “A plektikir? You think a They had arranged to meet at Recasin’s bar.
leave. Tonight. I’m getting a bad feeling about plektikir is following me around in a hover car?” Katich was relieved to see a dark figure sitting
this place.” He laughed again, though it sounded hollow in at their table, but as he neared, he saw that it
the darkness of the apartment. Through the couldn’t be his Jerhan waiting for him.
Katich’s room was on the top floor of an window a faulty sign blinked blue neon light
apartment complex. There was a holoviewer into the night sky. “I think the pleks are too “Good day, Mr Katich.” The voice of the
which he always had muted, a worn chair busy trying to save their homes from Geronda creature was strained and twisted, as though
pointed at it and a bathroom down the hall, to bother about me.” it had difficulty in speaking the unfamiliar
which he shared with seven others. language.
“You know they’re supposed to live for
There was something about the sight of thousands of years? That they don’t die, that Katich said nothing. He slid into the seat
his partner being so agitated that sent a finger they...evolve?” opposite, concentrating on the comforting
of dread sliding down Katich’s spine. “We feel of his blaster pistol pressed against his
can’t, Athur. We have a job to do. You’re just Katich didn’t like it when White started to stomach.
nervous because you thought it was Sirenna at think too much—it might lead them both down
Geronda.” some unfortunate avenues. “And what has that “You enjoy your wife, I hope?” It spoke from
got to do with Jerhan?” a shortened beak which was where a human’s
“Thought? That was Sirenna—don’t you chin would be. It had two round black eyes at
recognize your own wife?” White rested a hand on Katich’s shoulder. the top of its narrow oval face.
“Sirenna, Eamonn. Sirenna. I’m only saying
“It’s Jerhan, Athur. We were wrong.” He that we’re on a world where the natives are “Where is Jerhan?” Katich spoke calmly, his
turned away, reaching for his glass of lysan said to have conquered death and we suddenly hands resting on the table.
fire. see Sirenna. Nothing good can come from “Jerhan? Or is it Sirenna you have come
There was a silence and then Katich heard it, Eamonn. Forget the past. Come with me. I to see, Mr Katich?” Despite the difficulty the
don’t care where we go, just come with me.”
White pull the drapes to one side. “Who is that creature had in speaking the language, it
in the silver hover car across the street? The A blanket of ice grasped Katich’s heart. managed to sound teasing, almost intimate.
one who’s been watching your apartment for He had run so far to escape his past, and yet “She is nowhere and everywhere. She is a
the past two hours?” here it was waiting for him on this forgotten gesture of our goodwill to you.” The plek
gestured vaguely. “What my masters can bring
“He’s nothing. Nobody.” Katich took another planet beyond the Eye. And now he had faced
it, faced her, he couldn’t leave without her. He to life, they can...unmake.”
sip of his lysan fire. He was supposed to be

With each word the twisted creature spoke, “Ah yes. Much of the work has already been and purples as the second sun crawled toward
Katich felt Jerhan slip further and further away. done for you. My masters have already gained the clouded horizon. Even in the early evening,
“So why taunt me with her only to take her you entrance to the offices of Geronda. There hover cars still hummed past. The occasional
away?” is a man there, a Mr. Caldoun.” creature hurried past, eyes downcast, eager to
be home.
“You are a man of many talents, my masters Katich suddenly felt very weary. “Cameron
have deduced. They have been making Caldoun? The CO?” The plek had told him to come in the night,
inquiries. You are a man of little conscience and but Katich knew better than that. Far more
great efficiency. My masters...” The creature “Yes, Mr Caldoun has been making some likely to be challenged trying to sneak in at the
glanced around the room, its eyes bright and investigations out in the easterlands, no doubt dead of night than walking in when some of
black and unblinking. “My masters, though planning on extending the city even further.” the offices were still partially occupied.
capable of great things, by the nature of their The bright black eyes glittered once more.
existence are incapable of certain other, far “And in so doing, we are afraid that he has He stooped and pressed his eye to the
simpler actions. Which is where you come in, made some unfortunate discoveries, things scanner, and the doors slid open before him.
Mr Katich.” we would rather remain unknown about our...” The lobby was deserted; the only sound the
Another wave of a twisted arm. “Abilities, shall hum of an oxygenator in a shadowed corner.
Katich placed both hands flat on the table we say? We would like that information to be He ran a thumb along the hilt of his blaster
between them and kept his voice low. “I might removed from his possession, Mr Katich. And pistol and took the stairs two at a time as he
as well stop you there. I don’t do that kind of Sirenna will be returned to you to do with as headed for Caldoun’s office.
work anymore.” you wish.”
Blank screens stared at him, empty and
The plek spread its arms, they looked Katich detected a faint hint of sarcasm in accusing as he hurried along the corridors.
twisted and broken, having two elbows which that last statement but decided to ignore it. Lights flickered into life as he passed. Workers
seemed to bend in opposite directions. “Then “And when will you need this information?” looked up from offices: lonely men with no
I’m afraid Sirenna will be lost to you once more, wife to return to, mestons who some people
what my masters can provide so easily can also “Despite our longevity, my masters are said never slept. A bored looking guard raised
be taken away.” an impatient people. Tonight.” The creature a hand in recognition, and Katich offered the
leaned forward, its breath smelled of dust man a smile. He pressed on, lights glittering
Katich took a deep breath. He stared at and sand. “A simple task, wait until the offices to life before him and falling into darkness
the table, thinking of Jerhan laying in her field are empty and you can simply walk in and behind.
of dream grass, alone and lost in a world of retrieve the information from the files. “Our
darkness. He raised his eyes to that black sources”—again the hint of a smile as the plek Cameron Caldoun’s office had two glass
creature with its cruel beak and beady eyes. said this—”have told us that it is stored under doors. Even without the name above the
“What is it they want me to do?” the filename Regeneration.” doors, it would have been obvious to anybody
that this must be his office, a huge plant with
The plek seemed incapable of facial “Of course it is.” Katich rose to his feet and purple-tipped leaves stood inside those doors;
animation, though something seemed to glitter without another word left the bar. it had probably cost more money than Katich
in those eyes of deepest black. “A wise choice, had seen in his entire life.
Mr Katich. A simple task for such a reward.” #
As he looked into the room Katich saw a
“The task?” Katich found it difficult to hide Sunset on Beratan was a muted affair of reds shadowy movement—a dark figure stooping
his irritation with the plek. over a desk, just visible in the dim blue light

which fed the plant. There was a shout, and Katich felt a flashing,
The blaster pistol slid smoothly into his
searing pain in his back. He smelled burning Martin Turton
flesh, and he slumped to his knees. Somewhere
hand as Katich pressed his back against the behind him he could hear more shouts, more
wall. He held still, the light overhead soon running feet. He tried to rise but fell back to
fading into darkness despite the pounding of Martin Turton lives in East Yorkshire,
his knees. England with his wife and three daughters.
Katich’s heart. And then the door was pushed
slowly, cautiously open. Something flickered overhead, bright and In the little spare time he has after working
beautiful, at once impossibly distant and yet full time and looking after three children all
A stray lock of white-blonde hair had fallen tantalizingly close. A golden light, a world full under the age of four, he had been working
loose and she had her head tilted just so. Katich of life, full of wonder if only he could just reach on an unwieldy fantasy novel before turning
could only just make out a soft white cheek and out and grasp it.
a downcast blue eye as she left the office and to the shorter form in the hope of actually
stepped out into the corridor. “Sirenna.” And underneath that golden light he saw finishing something. His work has appeared
a figure, her white-blonde hair so familiar as in Flashing Swords, Reflections Edge,
She turned, pushing the lock of hair care- she walked away from him, never once looking
lessly away from her face. “Oh.” A flicker of back. Abandoned Towers, Allegory, Sorcerous
fear across her face. A face he had thought he Signals and others, and is forthcoming in
had known. But she was younger than he had And then she was lost from sight as the The Rage Of The Behemoth anthology.
thought, the eyebrows a little darker, the mouth light flickered and finally faded into darkness.”
more petulant than he remembered, the lips a
little thinner. Had he really thought this was his
Sirenna? Her arms were folded tightly over a
thick folder. “I’m sorry.” She glanced over his
shoulder, and Katich turned.
The door was still open and an arm trailed
along the floor, a dark head turned to one side,
the rest of the body hidden from view behind
the desk. A pool of blood, dark and oily and
reflecting that sickening blue light back at him.
Katich thought of another pool of blood on
a world far away and he turned, but she was
already gone, her footsteps echoing the length
of the empty corridor.
An alarm blared and Katich was running,
his breath loud in his ears. Lights flickered and
blinked overhead as he ran. Faceless, empty
corridors full of silent windows and bare
doors.

RGR Reviews - Book Reviews Pg. 41
RGR Reviews
Book Reviews
Matthew Winslow, Reviews Editor
December 2008 Indeed, Australia can be so remote in both of the SF anthology as a whole: they taught
time and space that the fans Down Under us that SF anthologies could serve as the
Dreaming Again, edited by Jack Dann have created their own annual awards break-out forum for both new authors and for
Eos, 2008, 576 pages (Ditmars), their own publications and even old authors learning new tricks.
Reviewed by Steve Davidson their own publishing houses. While the DUFF
program has been in existence for years Jack Dann is an award winning writer (Nebula,
There are four primary sources in the world (Down-Under Fan Fund, used to bring a fan Ditmar, etc) and an acclaimed anthologist.
for English-language science fiction -- the from the island continent to the WorldCon), His Wandering Stars (1974) introduced us all
U.S., the U.K., Canada, and Australia (which and there have been a couple of World Cons to Jewish-themed science fiction (some very
includes New Zealand, ‘of course’). Most of us held in Australia, it is a rare occurrence indeed funny stories in there) and introduced us to
are more than familiar with the U.S. and U.K. that sees any regular back-and-forth between this editor who likes to push boundaries and
varieties -- and probably equally familiar with what Americans egocentrically think of as the has proven capable of unearthing excellent
the Canadian without even realizing it, but as SF world and that other realm - a realm that, talent and stories.
for SF from Down Under…. although smaller, is equally as vibrant and My personal experiences with Australian
capable of producing seminal works as our
Most of us are woefully unfamiliar with specu- SF start with Chandler, move through the
own.
lative literature that hails from the land of unfulfilled wish of attending the first ever
kangaroos, Ayers Rock, going walk-about, and I deliberately mentioned A. Bertram Chandler Aussiecon, and end in the present era with
the Outback -- unless you count that restau- as background for this review. I must now David Kelleher’s BertramChandler website,
rant chain that wants to put some shrimp on also mention Harlan Ellison, Jack Dann and with Paul Collins, writer and publisher (Ford
the barbie for you. Dreaming Down Under, because all of them, Street Publishing), and with the last remaining
as well as a host of supporting characters Chandler story to appear in print.
This was not always the case; in the seventies (including myself) come into play.
and eighties, most readers could count on I’ve been trying to collect everything by
seeing the most recognizably Australian As most will know, Harlan Ellison edited two Chandler for my concordance project (an
SF author on the shelves of their favorite major anthologies in the late 60s and early 70s encyclopedia of the Rim Worlds); David has
bookstore. A. Bertram Chandler, with his -- Dangerous Visions and Again, Dangerous been doing the same for longer and knew that
tales of the Rim Worlds and his most famous Visions. If you are not familiar with these Paul Collins had the rights to the only extant
character -- Commodore John Grimes (the works, immediately stop reading, break out Chandler story. When Chandler’s wife Susan
original Horatio Hornblower of Space) -- was the credit card, order them, read them, give died recently, all of us went looking for ways
a constant and familiar presence. While few yourself some time to recover, and then come to get that story into print.
realized it at the time, they were simultane- back.
ously reading some of the best ‘future history’ Paul eventually hooked up with Jack Dann,
space opera, work-a-day stories of life with For a huge number of reasons, Ellison’s anthol- who ultimately agreed to publish that story in
FTL and Australian SF that has ever been ogies are historically important, important to the second ‘Dreaming Down Under’ anthology
produced. the development of the SF genre, important to -- Dreaming Again.
fannish history and important to the concept

The threads don’t stop there though. In addition typical John Grimes/Rim Runners/alternate- SF detective tale; “Riding on the Q-Ball” by
to being fine, seminal works in their own right, realities tale. For Chandler fans, it is a com- Rosaleen Love, that evokes some of the more
Dreaming Down Under and Dreaming Again fortable and familiar read. Those not steeped bizarre SF out there by Lafferty and Sheckley;
have rightfully been compared to Ellison’s in the lore of the Rim Worlds will find it equally and “Undead Camels Ate Their Flesh” by Jason
anthologies -- the Southern Stars version of a fascinating for the take it provides on the Fischer that was just plain fun and totally
breakout, new-wave, seminal, and ultimately Anjin-sama, Will Adams, the Englishman who bizarre.
important collection of stories that together provided the story that James Clavell based his
herald and confirm the arrival of Australian/ Shogun novel on. Dreaming Again is, to borrow a cliché, a tour-
New Zealand speculative literature. de-force. This is one of those anthologies,
With my duty to Commodore Grimes dis- along with its precursor, that any serious reader
And interestingly enough, Ellison retains the charged, I turned to the front of the book and of speculative fiction is required by law to not
last -- the very last -- Chandler story that will see began reading each story from beginning to only have on their shelves, but to have read.
print, if he ever gets around to publishing the end -- perhaps the only proper way to approach This collection demonstrates in numerous
third Dangerous Visions installment -- a subject an anthology featuring numerous authors you ways -- the breadth of the subjects covered,
that is extremely touchy and one which I only aren’t familiar with. the playing with genre, the disregard for ‘tra-
refer to in passing, because of the Chandler/ ditional’ story-telling -- that Dreaming Down
Australian SF, last-story-to-be-published con- There are far too many stories to cover individ- Under was not a fluke, not just the best of a
nection. The interleaved, intertwined histories ually here, so I’ll provide a summation first: out blip in Australian talent. but was the beginning
of these authors, editors and stories is probably of the 35 stories included, I was unimpressed of a ‘new wave’, and a wave that has continued
fertile ground for an examination of some with only three. The fault, of course, may very and strengthened over the intervening years.
esoteric branch of quantum physics, but other well reside with the reader, since none of those
than involving me personally to some small three stories were SFnal in nature, and I am not Web sites referenced in this review:
degree, such analysis is beyond me. a huge fan of fantasy or horror. www.fordstreetpublishing.com
www.bertramchandler.com
So, I’ll have to confine myself to the reads that On the other hand, several stories, drawn www.rimworlds.com
can be found in Dreaming Again. equally from the three genres represented
in this volume, did capture my attention, did
This is a thick book, containing some 35 stories deliver on the sensuwunda and did leaving me
of varying length and genre. Dann has chosen feeling that I had not only read a story by a
not to limit the author’s scope (hoping that master craftsperson, but had read something
such freedom would allow the chosen authors new and unique in the world of speculative
to experiment, a hope that has been fulfilled) literature.
as well s both introductory and concluding
matter for each of the stories. The stories that particularly impressed me were
“A Guided Tour in the Kingdom of the Dead”
There is also a rather lengthy introduction (well by Richard Harland, a horror tale and placed
worth the read) that gives us Jack’s experienc- some unique images in my head; “Robots &
es with Dreaming Down Under and with the Zombies Inc.” by Lucy Sussex, a twisty little
present volume. tale; “Nightship” by Kim Westwood that left
me confused, bewildered and wanting further
I, of course, was interested to read the Chandler explanation; “Lure” by Paul Collins, a neat little
story first; Grimes and the Gaijin Daimyo is a

Multireal (Volume 2 of the Jump 225 responses to the game.) gamed out prior to being initiated, allowing
Trilogy) by David Louis Edelman the user to select the outcome they desire.
We are placed 300+ years into the re-awaken-
Pyr, 460 pages, plus appendices, 2007 ing of human society following the Autono- Edelman is quick to point out that if only one
Reviewed by Steve Davidson mous Revolt, a period when the machines person possesses Multireal, things remain
tried to take over and eliminate mankind. By pretty much the same (except that that one
In my review of Infoquake (RGR 48, November dint of major effort and major loss of popula- person has tremendous powers) but once more
2008) I discussed the ‘disconnect’ I experienced tion, humanity prevailed and an entirely new than one person has it, selecting your desired
while reading. I questioned both my own ability social order has been gradually introduced in outcome becomes a contest of wills between
to ‘get it’, as well as possible ‘glitches’ intro- the wake of the revolt. you and the next person—or you and everyone
duced by the author. else on the planet (and off) whose lives will be
Herein lies my initial problem with the entire affected by your decisions and selections—and
I ultimately determined that Edelman was concept: I find it nearly impossible to accept yours by their choices.
engaging in some pretty high-handed genre- the idea that only three centuries after the
bending by introducing elements of fantasy human species was nearly wiped off the face I’m sorry, but again, I don’t buy it. I’ll leave
into an otherwise hard-SF cyberpunk tale. My of the planet by machines, it is willing to allow the question of programming resources alone
opinion on that score has not changed now itself to be filled with micro-machines that filter for now since Edelman’s characters ask that
that I’ve completed the second volume of the real world, control emotion, mentation, question themselves. The author uses sports
this trilogy. In fact, my feeling that the author communication and nearly every other aspect analogies to illustrate the usages of Multireal
himself does not have a complete grasp of the of life and individuality. It’s two centuries plus (I’m going to hit a baseball right into the fourth
uses and logic inherent in his future technolo- since Shelly’s Frankenstein and we still haven’t seat from the left in the 120th row of the
gies was only strengthened by this latest read. gotten over that nightmare—the idea that nosebleed section every time.) The problem
To recap, The Jump 225 Trilogy—Infoquake, technology can run beyond our control and is that this simple analogy hand-waves away
Multireal, and (coming soon) Geosynchron own destruction.God, we sow the seeds of our
that, in playing the infinitude of actual variables that play into
every single “decision” we make on a micro-
—depict a far-future, post-(almost)-singularity second by micro-second basis. External events
world in which virtually everyone is loaded up Nevertheless, this is the premise of the that the user is unaware of can influence reality
with nanobots that communicate via a wireless world we are introduced to, along with its —but if the user is unaware of these events,
network. Because data can be introduced main characters—Natch, Jara, Horvill, Merri they can’t be used by Multireal as inputs to the
directly into the brain stem by these nanobots, and Benyamin, members of a programming equation, which renders the simulated permu-
virtual travel, conferencing, programming, sex, ‘fiefcorp’, developers of various nanobot con- tations of reality at least partially false all of the
and just about everything else can be accom- trolling software. Natch is a bit of an outcast, time. (Suppose an earthquake occurred right
plished by manipulating sensory input. known for playing in the gray area of the as the bat contacted the ball, or the radiation
business world, who rises to the level of world front from a stellar event sleeted through the
The nanobots also serve as health maintainers, shaker when he acquires the source code for a system at just that moment.)
memory extension, and computation extension, new technology—Multireal—technology
as well as allowing for the manipulation of the allows the individual to manipulate reality.that My other disconnect (and here I’ll completely
physical body—eye and hair color changes, admit that maybe I am just not ‘getting it’)
facial expression, and the like. (For example, Multireal is essentially simple in concept: is that there are times throughout the story
if you were playing poker, you’d upload Poker bring enough programming resources to bear when the author seems to lose track of what
Face 17.4 and the nanobots would prevent the and every decision or action one takes can be is happening in real time, what is happening
appearance of facial expressions of emotional

virtually and what is happening to whom when realized in Infoquake; his pacing is tighter and
the two intersect. An incident from chapter after reading the two back-to-back, it is obvious Steve Davidson
19 illustrates my point. The main characters that the author has hit his stride. Steve Davidson has been an SF fan since
are traveling via tube train and reporters watching his first episode of Fireball XL5.
(“Drudges”) are eagerly awaiting their arrival The other trappings of his universe are also
in the train station. The press of bodies is so worth looking into. While I may not buy the He is currently the ‘crotchety’ behind the
great that one woman is pushed onto the tracks presentation of the technology that drives the Crotchety Old Fan blog and is the curator
in front of the train. She screams and then story (I may not even buy the technology), I do of The Classic Science Fiction Channel, a
“the multi networks automatic pain overrides find the society that Edelman has created to
cut the woman’s connection.” If the woman be intriguing. It is certainly rich, detailed and website devoted to classic science fiction
(presumably a drudge, so her death is of no different enough to support any number of film, television, radio and print. He can
real consequence…) had multied to the train interesting stories. He’s created an entirely new be found at www.rimworlds.com/
station, who cares if the train hit her virtual societal structure, one where people choose thecrotchetyoldfan
avatar? Why would the program or the woman the “government” they wish to represent them,
allow her virtual body to be pushed? How did religion has been replaced by the opt-in Creed
it get pushed? If she was there in person, what and the power structure of society revolves
does it matter that her pain overrides were around a Prime Committee, the Defense and
cut? (Why didn’t they cut out instantly?) She’s Wellness Council, the L-Pracgs, the Meme
dead, no more input or output. Cooperative and the Drudges—independent
purveyors of news and gossip.
Just prior to this incident, Natch, the entrepre-
neur, is involved in a battle at which he’s only The overriding concept is one of ‘choice’; the
present virtually. This point is well-illustrated theme illustrates the consequences of having The Book of Skaith (The Ginger Star, The
by having a projectile pass harmlessly through unlimited choice and the effects this has both Hounds of Skaith, and The Reavers
his forehead. Why and how then is he jostled, on the individual and the society they inhabit. of Skaith) by Leigh Brackett
exhausted and showing all of the signs of My choice affects you; how do we resolve
having been in the fight physically? If the multi this? Paizo Publishing, 220 pages, 200 pages, 160
network makes his avatar react to the physical Once again, I think this series is worth looking pages, 2008-2009
environment as if he were there, why not turn into. Edelman is an up-and-comer, he delivers
off that part of the program? Why not just cut on characterization and he certainly has Reviewed by Donald Jacob Uitvlugt
the connection so he’s not even there? delivered a rich and detailed alternate future,
I’m not writing a comprehensive critique of one that I find implausible but that others will The mid-to-late 1970s mark a turning point in
this work, so I’ll simply stop with those two be intrigued by. Each of us has our own level the history of space opera. It is in this period,
examples, other than to mention that there of tolerance for turning off that suspension- according to David C. Hartwell and Kathryn
were numerous others that took me out of the of-disbelief button. Cyberpunkistas will abso- Cramer’s The Space Opera Renaissance, where
story. lutely revel in the Possibilities; anyone who the term “space opera” begins to be used as a
enjoys watching a rising new star develop will term of praise instead of opprobrium. This shift
I can say this: Edelman’s writing technique be rewarded. If you want to see the future of depended largely on the efforts of two people:
is much improved. His characters have a where the SF novel is going, pick up this series. the editor Lester Del Rey and the author Leigh
roundness and fullness that was not fully Brackett.

Brackett (wife of another space-opera legend, Stark makes his way to the Citadel of the Lords not too difficult to obtain used. Unlike Stark,
Edmond Hamilton) got her start writing in the Protector, where he believes Ashton is being readers who visit Brackett’s Skaith will enjoy
pulps of the 1940s and ’50s, writing adventure held. themselves immensely.
science fiction in the tradition of Edgar Rice
Burroughs, works that at the time were called The Hounds of Skaith, the second volume of the
“science fantasy” or “planetary romance.” As story, traces Stark’s journey from the Citadel
such, she is a grand master of space opera. Her in the far north of Skaith back to Irnan. The Donald Jacob Uitvlugt
Wandsmen cannot allow Stark’s attack on the
trilogy, The Book of Skaith, first published in the
mid-’70s and currently being republished by Citadel to go unpunished, so they raise forces Donald Jacob Uitvlugt grew up in western
Paizo Publishing, shows Brackett at the height against him. But Stark is not alone, having Michigan and now lives in Arkansas with
of her powers. found allies among the mysterious Fallarin, his wife and dog. He can be contacted via
among the wild men of the Barrens, and above www.myspace.com/DonaldJacobUitvlugt
The novel-in-trilogy stars a hero from Brack- all, in his Northhounds, the telepathic beasts
ett’s pulp days, Eric John Stark. Stark is a cross who give this volume its title.
between Burroughs’s Tarzan (the articulate
beastman of the novels, not the monosyllabic The Reavers of Skaith, the third and final volume,
troglodyte of the movies) and C. L. Moore’s opens to find Stark abandoned by his allies and
Northwest Smith. The Book of Skaith recounts tortured by the star-captain who had agreed to
Stark’s adventures as he attempts to rescue take Stark and his companions to the Galactic
his friend and foster-father, Simon Ashton, Union but then betrayed him. Stark must find a
from the planet Skaith. The three volumes of way to escape, reunite his allies, and work his
the trilogy are The Ginger Star, The Hounds of vengeance on the treacherous Wandsmen, or
Skaith, and The Reavers of Skaith. he will never leave Skaith.
In The Ginger Star, Stark arrives on the This summary (brief and containing as few
backwater planet of Skaith in search of Simon spoilers as possible) comes nowhere near
Ashton, who is a diplomat from the Galactic conveying the rich texture of Brackett’s work.
Union. Skaith is a dying world, its sun growing The communities and cultures Stark encoun-
cold. It is ruled by a caste of priest-kings known ters on his journey are varied and highly
as the Wandsmen and by their more-distant imaginative, each reacting in a different way
quasi-divine superiors, the Lords Protector. to the slow, inescapable dying of the planet.
Neither the Wandsmen nor the Lords Protector Brackett’s Skaith is a welcome antidote to the
takes kindly to the intrusions of offworlders monocultures of too many science fictional
onto what they consider their planet. planets (this is a desert planet, this is an ice
planet, etc.)
Stark’s search involves him in the resistance
to the rule of the Wandsman on the part of For lovers of SF adventure on a planetary scale,
the city-state Irnan. The prophetess of that Brackett’s Book of Skaith is not to be missed.
city, Gerrith, identifies Stark as the Dark Man, Paizo is to be highly commended for reissuing
who was foretold to lead the people of Irnan these volumes in their Planet Stories series.
to the stars. With the help of the Irnanese, The original Del Rey paperbacks are also

Featured Artist: Gary Tonge Pg. 46
Featured Artist
Gary Tonge
Name: Gary Tonge, gary@vision-afar.com
Age: 38
Country of residence: United Kingdom
Hobbies: films, great food/wine, art in general, cars
Favorite Artist: traditional—Syd Mead; digital—Craig Mullins
When did you start creating art? I started working professionally in 1987
as a very young and inexperienced graphic artist for a computer games
company. I did not really start using my conceptual and illustrative skills
by themselves for client until 2001, however.
What media do you work in? Digitally almost exclusively—I have worked
in the simple 8/16-bit games era when the graphical potentials were
not very high, moving into 3D and into high-end modeling/animation
and rendering side during the mid 1990’s. Finally, I found the most
stimulation by becoming an art director and conceptual illustrator.
Where your work has been featured? Album covers, snow boards, book
covers, magazine covers and articles, The National Geographic, The BBC,
The Ballistic “Expose” books (I-II-III), game concepts, illustrative concepts
for industry, etc.
Where should someone go if they wanted to view / buy some of your
works?
http://www.visionafar.com/ - main site
http://antifan-real.deviantart.com- other works
http://visionafar.spaceart.org/prints.shtml - prints
How did you become an artist? When I was at school, I really was a bit of a dreamer—but I was always very focused on art
and how to make things look interesting. At the time the games industry was very young, but it was starting to look for artists
to help produce games (the graphical qualities were becoming high enough to need artists as opposed to the programmers
doing their own art)—I was lucky enough to land a job, after quite a number of applications to various companies around at
the time.
What were your early influences? At an early age, I would have to say that I was influenced greatly by the Star Wars movies,
I was (apparently, according to my Mum) totally transfixed and blown away by Star Wars when I was taken to see it at the
cinema when I was 7.5 years old!

What are your current influences? I find contemporary artists of great interest, but there is so much scope these days for
visual stimulus and variety that I find myself inspired by a lot of sources. But the one thing that fires me up more than anything
is the world itself—natural beauty and the people I love in my life, my partner and my daughter. These surpass everything else,
in my opinion, for inspiration.
What inspired the art for the cover? This image is a actually a slight composite of two images (and some painting) that I have
created previously—they illustrate the Universe as it is described in a book, they were commissioned a few years ago but I
thought it would be lovely to have a Christmas message that showed the enormity of our galaxy and the worlds out there.
How would you describe your work? A good mixture of sci-fi, fantasy, conceptual, illustrative, and design. I guess I enjoy
turning my hand to pretty much anything these days!

Have you had any notable failures, and how has failure affected
your work? Nothing stands out as an out-and-out failure, but I
do believe that valuable lessons are learned from succeeding in
a task and just as many, if not more, are learned when you strive
to succeed and fail to accomplish what you intended.
What are your favorite tools / equipment for producing your
art? Well that is a good question, I guess I would have to say my
PC—but I am hankering after a Mac to be honest—if anybody
from Apple is out there and wants to sponsor a new machine!
What tool / equipment do you wish you had? I think I would
like to buy a new Wacom Cintiq screen to work on; having had
the opportunity to use my team’s a few times, I really like them.
(Anybody from Wacom out there??)
What do you hope to accomplish with your art? Well, my
personal art, I think, is driven very much by my desire to
paint what I imagine to be out there in the far reaches of the
Universe—what is more exciting than supposing what is out
there to be seen? I think for that, I like the idea of giving people
a wider view of what might be real, to expand their horizons
and imagination to encompass the idea that anything could,
be out there—wondrous vistas and amazing new worlds filled
with people like us (or maybe not like us!). Professionally, I
want to always give the client the very best output and ideas I
can muster, to use my art skills to create new and exciting ideas
and images, for products or private visions. And finally, I hope I
can always keep learning, I would hate to feel like I had already
produced my best piece of art!


Calamity’s Child
Chapter Five: ROP: Skip a Rope
by M. Keaton Pg. 51
Calamity’s Child
Chapter Five: ROP: Skip a Rope, Part Two
by M. Keaton
Part Two “Or one of those really big choppers, those Pharaoh skipped over the hitch and jogged
dragonfly-looking flying cranes,” James said to help her, lifting the box from her arms with
with a distracted smile. “Take the cages back a grunt.
“T hat’s the last one. Catch cages are
loaded.” Pharaoh pulled at the rearmost
chain, assuring himself it was still tight. “Take
and forth by air. Man, that’d be somethin’ to
fly, wouldn’t it?” “Martha said you’d want these,” the girl
said, walking behind him, winded.
her out,” he shouted, giving the side of the “We are fine with the ‘copter we have.”
truck bed a pair of quick slaps. The motor “Oh yes. Nothing cooks like cast-iron.”
coughed to life with a cloud of blue smoke. “I’m just saying.” The younger man thought James met them, helped lift the box into the
Gears grinding, the truck lurched into motion. a moment. “What about putting a trailer jeep.
He watched it pull from the yard, shaking his behind the other jeep?”
“And with that extra ton of ballast,” James
head as his son turned the corner too fast, Pharaoh shook his head. “I do not want to announced, “I’m going to pull it around front.
causing the cages to sway drunkenly from side leave Martha without transportation.” Watch the rotors for me, Pop. I never know if
to side, then moved to help James secure the they’re going stay folded back until we start
helicopter to the jeep’s tow-behind. “Ma never drives anyway.” bouncing.”
“Hey, Pop,” James said by way of greeting “Would it make the trip?” Pharaoh nodded. He stepped back, Kylee in
as Pharaoh knelt beside him. tow, as James eased the vehicles from the yard.
James gnawed his lip. “Dunno. It runs all
“Think it will make the trip?” he asked. Pharaoh held both thumbs up as it reached
right, but I don’t know how well it’d stand up the corner and crept around. “He worries too
pulling a load.”
James shrugged. “Probably. Jeep’s got much,” he told Kylee. “When Ivan and I would
the rebuilt trans. I’m more worried about “Definitely something to keep in mind for go out, we just loaded up and went. No safety
the truck.” He pointed toward a coil of chain, next time.” Pharaoh clapped a hand on his checks, no spare parts, nothing. We did not
paused while Pharaoh handed it to him. “I son’s shoulder. “Good idea.” even have the helicopter then. Just two idiots
guess worst-case, one of us comes back in the in a truck.” He hesitated, then added, “Given
chopper for more parts. Somebody’ll have to “More work for me in the shop, you mean.” the way some of our trips went, maybe we
come back at least once anyway.” James kicked one of the tires on the tow- should have done some planning ahead.”
behind’s double axles. “I think we’re good to
Pharaoh straightened, wiped his palms on go after I pull this one out. Toss bedrolls and “You guys went alone?”
his jeans. “We need another driver.” food in the back of the jeep when we pull out.” “Nimrod took us until he got too old, then
He pointed across the yard, toward the lodge.
“What about Kylee?” James asked, standing Ivan and I went alone. Even if we did not enjoy
“Speaking of...” Kylee was headed toward them,
as well. it, we would have had to. Guiding hunters is
laboring with a box that looked too small to be nice, but the veldt is where the real money
“We also need another truck.” so heavy. comes from.” He folded his arms across his

Calamity’s Child
by M. Keaton Pg. 52
chest and contemplated the ruddy morning sky. and into Pharaoh’s office still at a run. With a muttered.
“It is a strange universe, Kylee. When Selous deliberate glare to the screen, Martha left the
found this world, he bought any Earth animal room. “Oh, this is a story I have got to hear!” Kylee
he could and brought it here. He did not have squirmed back into her chair, making herself
a reason, he just wanted them. He thought the “Hi,” Kylee said, still out of breath. “What’s comfortable.
langer and their shells would bring in hunters, up?”
“I’ll tell you when I get there. It takes some
and money. Instead, the animals lived—some Ivan laughed. “Can you see me okay? You explaining. Let’s just say Red and I ain’t talking
thrived—and now we live by selling their look like a dervish.” right now.”
descendants to zoos. His hobby is our living,
and his living is our hobby. One never knows.” “What’s a dervish?” “I guess. You guys are so cool. Tell me
already, when do you get here? I’ve been
Pharaoh stopped, watching as James and “Look it up in one of your books.” Ivan waiting like forever.”
John returned from the vehicles. He sighed. “In paused, looked oddly guilty. “How’s Pharaoh
the Hedge, our trucks would be in a museum, treating you?” Ivan’s face told her the answer before his
curiosities. Here, my sons labor in the machine words. “Not for a while yet. I’ve got another
shop to keep them running, making by hand the “Like a rented mule,” she replied, cackling. errand to run,” he said reluctantly.
replacement parts that cannot be purchased. “I don’t know what that is either, but he said to
What I cannot teach them, they must learn say it next time you called.” Kylee’s eyes narrowed and her lips thinned
themselves where and when they can. Their as she folded her arms. “I’ll bet.”
lives will always be work, hard labor, while in Ivan shook his head. “Well, you look happy.”
the Hedge, men can go their entire life without Kylee shrugged. “I guess. Martha and I “You remember Quicksilver Rose?” At
soiling a hand. The Frontier is a hard place. And are going to do knife work in the kitchen today. Kylee’s icy nod he continued, “House is buying
a hard place to watch your children grow.” That’s always fun. So, when do you get here?” her marker.”
She leaned forward, almost out of the chair,
“Then why?” Kylee asked. “If it’s so bad, on the question. “What the hell happened to Pique warred with excitement. “She’s going
why stay?” you!?” she interrupted herself. to be one of us?” she asked cautiously.
“It is home.” Pharaoh chuckled, a rumble Ivan grimaced, motioned with his left hand “She’ll be working for House, if that’s what
deep in his throat. “It is not bad, just different.” at the inflatable cast that encased his right you mean,” was Ivan’s equally cautious reply.
He gave Kylee a knowing look and let his lips arm. “Broke m’arm. Busted ribs too. Red Dog “That’s really great for her.” Kylee pulled
curl into a lupine smile. “On the Frontier, we tried to run me down with a bulldozer. A really her legs up into the chair, hugged them to her
are free.” damn big bulldozer.” He stopped, then added, chest. “I really like her, too. It’s nice to have
“And watch your language.”
Whatever else he might have said was another girl to talk to. I mean, Martha’s a girl,
lost as Martha’s voice pealed across the yard. “Yeah, you too. You gonna be okay?” but she’s old.”
“Kyyy-Leeee! Eye-Van call! Kyyy-Leeee!”
“House spends too much on med bay for “Wouldn’t tell her that,” Ivan advised.
“Go,” Pharaoh said with a hand on the girl’s me not to be.” Kylee stuck out her tongue. “That’s why
back, “before she deafens us all.”
“Why’d Red try to run you over?” she talks the way she does. Pharaoh told me
The girl ran to the house laughing. Martha that he talks slow because he’s going to live
caught her at the door, sweeping her inside Ivan rolled his eyes. “I shot him,” he forever, but Martha’s getting old so she has to

Calamity’s Child
by M. Keaton Pg. 53
talk efficient.” “I’m okay.” She gave him a weak smile, “Taking me to the veldt.”
partially hidden behind her jeans.
Ivan lifted a hand to cover his face. “Kid, Pharaoh shook his head. “Still thinking,” he
I definitely wouldn’t repeat that. Sounds like “Miss you, Calamity.” said, distracted by his own thoughts. Kylee let
you’ve gotten Mount Kilimanjaro to talk at out a banshee’s shriek and stomped from the
least.” “Miss you too,” she said, voice muffled. room, leaving the confused hunter behind.
After the screen went black she added in a tiny
“We talk a lot when we’re out hunting. voice, “Love you.” #
Pharaoh knows lots of stuff,” Kylee paused,
added pointedly, “At least he talks to me.” “He loves you too,” rumbled Pharaoh from
the doorway. “He is just too stupid to say it.” Investigations only came in two flavors:
“Listen, Kylee, you know it’s just business,” shoe leather and library. Most cases on the
Ivan said, torn between guilt and irritation. Kylee was out of the chair like a shot, arms Frontier were leather, a lot of travel, a lot of
“Rose has things left to do, and I have to help straight at her sides, hands balled into fists. talking and knocking on doors. Most crime was
her finish them. Then I’m coming to Selous. “You were spying!” she snapped indignantly. simple and the criminals simpler. Everyone lied,
Promise.” but sooner or later the lies stopped matching
Pharaoh shook his head. “Scouting. I have and you knew your perpetrator. Once you knew
“Like you promised last time?” lived with Martha for nearly thirty years,” he who did it, you backtracked to find enough
explained. “I learned long ago, when entering evidence to make it stick. Sometimes you did
Ivan turned his head, looking off-screen. the presence of a potentially upset female, scout not even need that; a guilty man tended to
“All right. I deserved that. Are we even?” first.” He took a deep breath and continued, be quick for his gun. Library cases were spent
cutting her off just as she was about to speak. sifting through piles of data looking for a needle
“Do you mean it? You promise?” “And you are upset. Care to tell me?” in a haystack, details, and trickery.
“I promise,” Ivan nodded as he spoke. She closed her mouth, opened it, closed Graves liked the simplicity, the clean lines
it again angrily, stamped her foot instead. of black and white. It was why, unlike men like
“How long?” “You didn’t spy on that part too?” she asked. Lumley who were just biding their time and
“Maybe two weeks, if that.” He met her Pharaoh refused to rise to her bait, waiting padding their resume until they could leap at
intent glare. “Can you hold out that long?” silently, watching her with calm features. “He’s a promotion back to ‘civilization,’ he had asked
going to be late,” she said, relenting. “He’s got to be transferred away from the Hedge and out
Kylee propped her chin on her knees. “I’ll to help Rose. But that’s a good thing. Really.” to the edge. He liked being the face on the end
be fine. Always have been.” of the long, extended arm of the law, and he
Pharaoh hooked his thumbs into his belt found he was good at it.
“We okay? Tell me the truth, because if and stepped into the room. “You say that to
we’re not, I’ll tell them all to go to blazes and convince yourself, not me.” The Earth Security agent sat up from his
come right now.” overstuffed sofa, struggling to his feet. He was
“It is a good thing,” she said stubbornly. not going to get to sleep tonight; too much
“Nah. S’okay. You gotta help Rose.” She Pharaoh did not answer, stepped past her to going on in his brain. His apartment would be
sighed heavily. “Just sad.” turn off the power to the viewscreen. “Made considered palatial by Earth standards—bed-
up your mind yet?” she asked in a lighter tone,
Ivan sighed as well. “I get it, kid. I really room, living room, kitchen, bath—but he still
changing the subject.
do.” They stared at each other. “I have to go. spent most nights sleeping on the couch. Sleep
You okay?” “About what?” was about all he did in the apartment. He was

Calamity’s Child
by M. Keaton Pg. 54
rarely home; when he was, he was in no mood a warrant to bring Casey in. Or it should have data to magically change during the investiga-
to stay in. An unintended consequence was been. tion if certain people got wind of the direction
that the apartment was permanently dark; it an investigation was headed. Besides, the hard
never seemed worth the trouble to get a light The other thing that made Casey different copies tended to have extra information, things
fixed when it went out. He stumbled through from other Frontier cases was that the man that the data entry people had considered too
the gloom, heading toward the kitchen. himself was not only an Earth citizen but a trivial to be worth entering into the system,
highly active political animal. On the Frontier, things that an investigator might not find so
Casey frustrated him. The case was an aber- the man himself was a bit of a mystery, rarely trivial.
ration for the Frontier, a library case with the seen, residence unknown. It was easier to
culprit noticeably absent. There was not even find him in the Inner Hedge. In the Hedge he He groaned, lifting the chair from the floor
a question about guilt. Children playing in the was a noble citizen, activist, political patron and sitting at the table. Might as well work if he
street could tell you that Casey was the biggest of several influential senators. A kingmaker could not sleep. Everybody lies, even on paper.
smuggler on the Frontier, his reputation as a whose unsavory connection to man’s expan- Library cases; interviews with somebody else’s
“boss” was almost as well established. Lumley sionism could be ignored. To Graves, it was just questions.
might say he was obsessive about the man, but a higher level of corruption, but to the higher-
the simple fact of the Frontier was that there ups in Earth Security it was business-as-usual, a He already had an overview of the Hecate’s
were not that many players in the game. No, hot potato to be handled carefully and avoided recovery, courtesy of his call to Max earlier in
the problem was in the evidence. when possible. This extra layer of insulation the day. House had opted to leave the Eaters
from the law that applied to the common man out of the official salvage report; Graves could
Casey worked through middle men; that meant Graves would have to prove a water- not say that he blamed him for that, it was the
was not that unusual, but he had the power to tight case before he could even get a warrant— kind of information that caused more problems
keep them loyal through either fear or greed in a setting where that kind of textbook case than it solved. He was curious to see what else
and he had the influence to insure that, even simply did not exist. He would probably have had been left out.
when they took the fall covering for him, they a better chance of catching Casey violating
landed lightly with a judicial slap on the wrist. Ten minutes and one file later, Graves
some arcane political regulation than booking
Cut-out men, pyramid structure, blind drops, was comfortable that, except for the Eaters,
him for one of the truly heinous crimes he was
and a tight core of bosses—Casey’s network the official report matched the information
responsible for.
was nearly uncrackable and his people would Max had given him. That put him back to the
not roll over. That left the paper trail, and Graves vented his frustration on a chair, question of how a functional ship came to be
finding detailed written records on the Frontier sending it toppling over with a kick, threw the derelict.
was as unlikely as a snowball fight in Hell. cup back into the sink. The folders sitting on The four-year-old naval incident report was
the kitchen table mocked him, another library
Graves wiped the worst of the grime out next. Light cruiser lost with all hands aboard
case interrupting what little he could accom-
of a plastic cup, stared into a bare refrigerator, in transit from Fargone to Nevrio. Search and
plish. Despite Lumley’s teasing, he did prefer
and wondered why he had given up drinking. rescue efforts unsuccessful.
hard copy, and he kept his own databases,
He settled for tap water that tasted like sulfur. separate from the ErSec mainframes. Partially Graves paused. Max had said the Hecate
because of the ‘unofficial’ information he had not been hard to find. On the other hand,
The data he and Steponovich had stolen shared with people like Beta Max and did not they had found the ship drifting and out of line
from Kor, Casey’s accountant, was his first feel Earth needed to be privy to, but mostly with its original flight plan. The navy would have
break in months. Finally, he had paper in the because he had seen data move or vanish too sent out scouts scanning for lifeboat signals,
library. Circumstantial yes, but enough to get often. Even worse, it was all too easy for that probably would not have looked further if

Calamity’s Child
by M. Keaton Pg. 55
they did not find any. He flagged the page and to hijack the Hecate was to use it. Even then, consideration in advance. That meant friends
moved on. the chances of reprisal were high. The tech- in high places.
nology aboard was too easily traced to fence,
A footnote on the hardcopy report caught and the ship itself would stand out like a sore Or just one friend who knew which way the
his attention. Multiple copies of the S&R report thumb. So whoever wanted to use it needed votes would go.
had been distributed in response to insurance a shipyard to hide it in and a use that never
claims. He did not have copies of the insurance By the time he reached the office, Graves
touched a public port. Or a salvage claim, he
forms, but a check with the main database told had figured out a way to test his theory. By the
thought, but the timing put House outside of
him that not all had come from naval families. time Lumley arrived, he knew.
his range of feasible suspects. Whoever it was,
At least three were filed by contract firms on they would need a sizable infrastructure and a The Hecate was the only salvage claim,
behalf of the families. The Hecate had been lot of money. but it was the third stealth cruiser to be “lost
short staffed, using temporary crewmen to fill with all hands aboard” on its way to long-term
out a skeleton crew. All of which pointed toward smuggling. storage. There were no further reports, pre-
Smuggling to quarantine worlds specifically,
It was the kind of detail that made a library sumably because of no alien interference. The
considering the ship’s stealth capabilities.
case. Like origami, you had to fold a lot of Eaters on the Hecate made more sense now if
Graves wondered if maybe he really was
paper to bring it together, but it was all about the ship the Hecate had exchanged cargo with
obsessing but, how many people had that
knowing where to fold. Graves returned to had come from a quarantined world. The other
kind of operation, let alone one with the size
the living room for a notepad, humming to two ships, Artemis and Nemesis, were off the
necessary to justify the costs and risks? He was
himself. charts even faster than the Hecate. In the case
back to Edgar Casey. of the Nemesis, the ship was on its final transit
He came up for air a few hours before He knuckled his eyes and stood, beginning when the funding vote was being taken—in
dawn, decided it was early enough for coffee, to gather the files back together. The office committee. Funding for the stealth program
settled for the hot black syrup left over in the would be open soon, easier to work there. was classified as too vital to Earth’s security
pot diluted with tap water. The Hecate’s fate “Let’s run with the idea,” he said aloud. “Casey to be voted on by the full Senate. Graves did
was sealed by a Senate appropriations bill on wants the Hecate to run blockades. How does not complain; it narrowed his suspect list
Earth. Declared obsolete and with funding for he get it? How many people would it take to considerably. Three of the seven senators on
its replacement secured just days before, the steal a ship?” He ducked into the bathroom, the Stealth Arms committee also listed seven-
ship had been on its way to mothballs when splashed water on his face. “Not many,” he figure donations from one “E. Casey” in their
it was lost. A pair of officers and a few dozen told his reflection in the mirror. “Get your own public financial documents.
contract hands were the only crew, more than crew hired on through the contract firms. Get
enough for what was essentially a glorified It was enough for Graves. Corruption did
somebody in the navy to tell you when the ship
parking job. It was the kind of situation that not need to be complex. Crime was simple, and
is rotated out and someone else to make sure
made it easy for a ship to disappear and even everyone lies. He tapped his teeth with the tip
no one digs too deeply.”
easier for it to be overlooked. Before the Eaters of his stylus, watching Lumley putter back and
figured into the equation, someone had set the He stuffed the folders into a pair of brief- forth out of his office, deep in thought. If Casey
stage for a near-bloodless mutiny. There was a cases, headed for the door, stopped. It was had insulation, the Senate were darn near
certain elegance in the simplicity of the theft, not right. A leak in the navy would not be able airtight. He needed a paper trail and a heavy
and an irony considering the size and visibility. to give Casey enough of a heads-up to get his one. Of course, that Casey kept his hands clean
hijack crew in place. No, it would have to be did not mean a senator would. If anything, the
Graves puzzled over that. The only reason someone who knew which ships were under power might make him careless; it would be a

Calamity’s Child
by M. Keaton Pg. 56
simple thing to extend a bit of pressure here A satisfied smile crept onto his face while “I’ll check the outbuildings,” John offered.
and there to defer questioning eyes. Sooner he was distracted. When Earth tech failed, use James went to check the guns.
or later, that bit of pressure would be heavy Frontier tech. He did know someone with just
enough to cross a line, enough for Graves the experience he was describing, someone Pharaoh sprinted through the great room,
to apply a bit of pressure of his own. On the who owed him a favor. up the stairs, inspected Kylee’s empty bedroom.
Frontier, Casey’s men might not turn on him, He checked the other rooms in a run, ducking in
but Graves was hard pressed to imagine a “Hey Lumley! I’m going to need passage for and out of the library and offices. Martha met
senator doing otherwise. three to go talk to your committee!” He tapped him in the dining room, and he answered her
buttons on his desk. “I need a pair of encrypted unspoken question with a shake of his head.
“I told you,” Lumley said from his door, channels. The Orion and Selous. Let me know
waving a piece of paper. He leaned against the when either is ready.” John entered, panting. “Nothing,” he said,
wall, reading, “’Person or Persons from your hands on his knees.
office are compelled to testify before a Select # “The .700 double-H is missing,” James’
Committee of the Senate investigating matters voice preceded him into the room.
pertaining to the security of the Earth and her Pharaoh felt more like he was dragging
protectorates including...’ blather, blather, than walking. It had been a long, hot day in John gave a low whistle. “The Nitro Express?
blather, and the Hecate is issue seventeen the shop, and all he wanted was a shower, a That’s a big gun. What the heck’s she need
on the agenda.” Graves gave an exaggerated place to sit, and a cold drink, not necessarily something that big for?”
nod and waved Lumley away. The other man in that order. As he entered the lodge through
shrugged and returned to his office. the kitchen, he laced his hands together and “Langer,” Pharaoh growled. “Get the jeep.”
swung his arms overhead, cracking the tight
If there was a trail, it would be in one of “And go where?” demanded Martha.
muscles of his shoulders.
the senator’s databases, not something he
could subpoena, and it would be protected “She’s right, Pop,” John said. “There’s langer
Still, it was a good tired, he thought,
and encrypted. That would be a problem. His all over the place. But hold up a minute. Langer
stepping to the utility tub by the door—the
own software was years ahead of anything else are the only big things around, and they won’t
kind of physical weariness that came from hard
on the Frontier and a senator’s would be years mess with you if you stay out of their way and
work and accomplishment. The twins joined
ahead of his. It was not even a matter of skill don’t provoke them. Kylee’s not stupid, and
him at the tub, just as tired and filthy. They had
or talent, just raw technological power would she’s familiar with the turf. If she went out on
spent the day converting a spare axle into an
put the data out of reach. So, how to get it? her own, she knows how to handle herself.”
extra trailer for one of the jeeps.
He would need a specialist, and from someone Pharaoh remembered the girl’s morning
not intimidated by the Senate. “Do not wipe dirty hands on towels,” Martha outburst and cursed himself for not paying
snapped, catching sight of them invading her
The Navy was his best bet. ErSec and ErDef closer attention, feeling a sick burning in the
territory.
did not exactly get along; he had precious few pit of his stomach. “We’ve got to find her.”
contacts there, none that met his require- “Never do, Ma,” Pharaoh lied. “Where’s “Use the tracking chip,” James said excitedly.
ments. He needed someone who specialized Kylee?” “In the gun.” He sprinted for the armory, the
in communications, probably in coordinating
His wife froze. “Kylee not with you?” others close behind. As a safety precaution, all
fleet maneuvers over a large range, where a lot the heavy guns had a tracking chip imbedded
of C3 experience would put them in constant He did not bother to answer, broke into a in the stock. Pharaoh used it primarily to find
contact with the best technology they had. jog, headed deeper into the lodge. lost clients.

Calamity’s Child
by M. Keaton Pg. 57
James threw himself into a rolling chair, added. Pharaoh did not answer. He already position for an overshot, trying to get the
splayed his fingers across a console’s keyboard. knew what Kylee was doing; he just hoped same shooting angle as Kylee would have
“There!” He tapped the monitor with a finger- he was wrong. He pointed out another turn, positioned herself for, but from further away.
nail. grabbed the dash to keep from being thrown The watering hole was little more than a broad
out. mud puddle, a depression on the gently sloping
“Watering hole,” Pharaoh agreed. “Let’s hillside. Spreading out in curling eddies before
go.” He glanced at John. “You drive.” The trail ended in a wall of jungle. The continuing down the hill, it was the only place
jeep slid to a stop. Pharaoh leapt out before it where the water slowed enough for many of
“Want me to unhook the chopper?” James came to a halt, stumbled, fell to his knees. He the jungle residents to drink, including the
asked. stood, helped James into the micro-howitzer’s langer. Their continued attendance kept the
harness while John rechecked the action of the silt shores clear of vegetation and worked to
Pharaoh shook his head. “If she is hunting, two rifles. gradually expand the pool.
we do not want to spook her. Or her prey.” He
pulled down a pair of .50 caliber rifles, one “Give me about fifty feet on the flanks,” he Catching sight of the clearing, Pharaoh
for himself, one for John. James wrestled the ordered. John threw him a rifle and the twins moved forward in a crouch, dropping to his
micro-howitzer onto his back, looping the plunged into the undergrowth. He forced belly as he got closer. Sweat stung his eyes,
harness over his shoulder. John met them himself to count to sixty, giving them a head and saw-toothed leaf edges cut at this face and
outside, motor running. James followed the start. arms.
micro-howitzer into the back; Pharaoh took
shotgun. He turned at a shout from Martha, He was alone now, in his element, stalking “I’m here,” James said through the headsets.
caught the tangle of headsets she thrust at into the bush. Easier than stalking. Because he He sounded out of breath. “I don’t see her.”
him. knew what she was doing, he knew where she
would be. And because he had seen the twin Pharaoh shifted the rifle to his shoulder,
The road was rough; the ride got rougher pseudo-heads bobbing above the trees, he scanned the edges of the clearing through the
as John left the road without slowing. Pharaoh knew he would be too late to stop her. scope. “The side nearest me,” he said softly.
bounced in his seat, pulled apart the headsets, “Underneath the purple bush with the spiked
passed one back to James, put another into He had done it himself, and survived to flowers. Looks like she dug in and pulled the
John’s outstretched hand. “Both hands on the nurse a broken leg. With luck, she might get cloak over herself.”
wheel,” he suggested, pulling on the last set. off as lucky but he doubted it; she lacked his
“Turn here.” John twisted the wheel and the years of experience, was too prone to let anger “I see the cloak,” John noted. “Why can’t
jeep pitched up, slammed back down with a cloud her judgment. we just yell for her to come out?”
squeal of springs.
James would be to his right, near the short The impatience of youth, he thought.
“I think I chipped a tooth,” James com- waterfall that fed into the muddy pool. It was “Watch the other side. It should be here any
plained. “What’s the plan?” a good position to give suppression fire if she second.”
was not too close. She would need to be close.
“Don’t have one,” Pharaoh replied. “Get On the lower side, John would be effectively “What should?”
close, go in on foot. You go upstream with the out of position to be much immediate help, but
micro-howitzer, John goes below, I’ll take the From his position, John was last to see it.
he needed to be sure someone was in position
middle. Let us hope she is with the gun.” James cursed loudly over the link. “She’s trying
to get help if Kylee failed. If he failed. to solo a langer!”
“And hasn’t done anything stupid,” John Pharaoh’s goal was to work his way into

Calamity’s Child
by M. Keaton Pg. 58
The langer pushed into the clearing with front of the shell expanded to its largest. With smack of bullet into flesh, the high-pitched
a grim strength, blue-green shell floating on agonizing slowness, it extended its drinking yelp of the shooter.
a sea of rippling red muscle, claws upright, tube.
breaking through the brush like a wedge. He might reach her if he ran.
Age was hard to estimate; a langer’s size was The tube was exactly that, a long cylinder
of muscle stiffened with cartilage rings, the Kylee would nurse a bruise for weeks if her
primarily determined by the amount of food
expandable drinking straw of a creature shoulder was not broken, if she lived through
it consumed. Pharaoh guessed this one to be
driven instinctively to avoid water. Pharaoh the next few minutes.
young adult, just over twenty feet across, the
shell relatively flat, not yet mounded upward. had studied the anatomy, even done his own The twins were on a hair-trigger; if he
Easily big enough to crush the girl directly dissections. The langer was not a complex jumped, they would shoot.
across from it. The slopes surrounding the organism; the drinking tube was the most
pool made the langer’s likely entry point easy complicated musculature the beast employed. The theory was sound, if she had made
to determine. Little more than the width of A single knot of ganglia rested directly behind the shot. The shot he had been trying to get
the pool, less then thirty feet, separated Kylee it, the other vital organs clustered around. It in position to make. He had to believe she was
from the creature, Pharaoh a good thirty feet was the closest thing the langer had to a true sure before she pulled the trigger.
beyond that and uphill. brain.
The only way to control the situation was
“She’s too close,” James warned. “I He checked the sight again; still too high. to not move, to trust the girl.
can’t—” “Distract it?” John’s voice whispered in his A shot straight up the langer drinking tube
“Don’t. Move.” Each word was a sentence, ear. shattered the ganglia cluster. Hydrostatic shock
precision hammers. Pharaoh nestled the rifle did the rest, reducing the surrounding organs
“No.” Langer might fear water but they lived
stock against his cheek, the scope seeking. to jelly. From there, the damage from the bullet
by instinct, stimulus, and response. It was more
The langer approached the pool timidly, like a spreading, mushrooming, ricocheting around
likely to go forward than back. He continued
child dipping a toe in an icy sea. Smart move, inside the bulletproof shell, that was all bonus.
crawling forward with his elbows, slower now,
putting the pool between herself and the The creature was already dead.
careful to keep the noise to a minimum, moving
langer, Pharaoh thought to himself. If langer in short, small bursts, letting the sound merge What Kylee had not realized—what he had
feared anything, it was water. with the natural rustle and creak of the jungle. not realized until he tried it—was that dead did
The beast shifted from side to side at the Go slowly, he reminded himself. Langer rarely not mean not moving. The death throes of that
edge of the pool, packing the mud underneath stop to drink. When they do, you have plenty much muscle took minutes, with the shooter
itself firmer. Pharaoh focused the scope on of time. Kylee should know that too. Still not only feet away.
the space between shell and claws, the closest low enough.
thing a langer had to a soft spot. No good. He The langer jerked back, the skirt of muscles
He saw the glint of metal, willed the girl beneath it clenching, sending it momentarily
was too far uphill, shooting down. He cautious- to be still, to wait just a bit longer. He would airborne by almost a yard before it crashed
ly worked his way forward. have had better luck willing the stream to stop back into the mud. Its shell slammed to the
Finally settled, the langer spread its claws flowing. side, gouging a ditch in the bank.
and shifted, canting its shell down in the front, The .700 bellowed like the elephant gun it “James! John! Stay still!” Pharaoh shouted
toward the water. It was the most vulnerable was, and Pharaoh’s mind raced through a dozen into his headset. Scrambling to his feet, he
the creatures ever were, the opening in the paths. Swamped in the echoes of thunder, the tossed the rifle to the side, ran forward,

Calamity’s Child
by M. Keaton Pg. 59
shouting for Kylee. the langer all day and not hunt.” “You could have told me instead of scaring
us all to death.”
The ghillie cloak flipped aside. The girl “Hoffield,” Pharaoh said distantly then,
moved gingerly, favoring her shoulder, ignoring gathering himself, “You okay?” She frowned. “You would’ve tried to stop
the chaos only feet away. Mud sprayed in a me. You all think I’m just this little kid, and
wave as the langer spun completely around, “That gun kicks!” that I can’t do anything. Like I can’t pull my
the edge of its shell still deep in the ground. own weight. I just get passed around while you
John’s voice came over the headset. “We’re
Its claws seemed locked open and it began to avoid me and go off and do what you really
fine. How’re you two?”
piston its arms up and down, slapping the muck want to.”
of the pool then snapping up to strike against He was interrupted by James excited yell.
its shell with a crack like breaking wood. “Is that what you really think?” he asked
“I cannot believe what I just saw! That was mildly.
amazing!”
Pharaoh stumbled over a root, closed the
distance to the girl. Kylee stood, turning to “Yeah. Duh.” She rolled her eyes to
Pharaoh squeezed his eyes shut, discovered
watch the langer as it started forward, thrashing emphasize her sarcasm. “Why else do you
a pounding headache behind them. “We are
across the shallow pool. want to leave me with Martha and go off to
well, considering.” He paused for breath. “John, the veldt? And Ivan just jumps at any excuse to
take your brother and go back to the lodge. Let
The convulsing langer reached Kylee’s side stay away. I mean, if I’m that much of a burden,
Martha know we are all right, then bring back
of the pool just as Pharaoh swept the girl into why bother? I can take care of myself. Nobody
the new trailer. And one of the power winches,
his arms, pulling her backward, rolling under has to be my babysitter.”
for the shell.” He pulled off the headset before
the brush behind them, laying atop her hoping the boys could protest and half-sat, half-fell “Ah, Calamity, whatever will we do with
to cushion the crushing weight bearing down to the ground. “Are you trying to kill me?” he you?” he asked. With the adrenaline rush
on them. asked, looking up at Kylee. fading, exhaustion sat heavily on his shoulders.
The weight did not come. Twin explosions “You do know that there are a lot of things you
A parade of emotions flickered across her
hammered at his ears and Pharaoh lifted his do not know, don’t you?”
face. In the end, guilt triumphed. “Sorry,” she
head in time to see the langer rear into the sky, muttered, sinking to the mud next to him. “I “Then teach me,” she snapped.
its shell almost vertical, two great holes torn had to do it. I had to prove I could do it.”
in the flesh of the underbelly as if the ground “Is that not what I have been doing? Why
itself had punched into it. The creature stood He reached for the anger to lecture her and you are here?” Pharaoh sighed. “Do you know
in the air like a coin rolling on its side, then, found only dull weariness. “Why?” he asked, why they call my brother Crazy Ivan?”
with impossible slowness, fell back. Pharaoh already sure he knew the answer.
ducked his head as a wave of watery mud “No. And I bet you won’t tell me either.
swept over them. “’Cause,” Kylee sulked, then brightened, He’s always saying ‘if somebody wants you to
looking at the still twitching corpse. “And I did know something, they’ll tell you themselves.’”
“I had it covered,” complained a muffled it, too!” She took a deep breath. “And he never talks
voice from beneath him. In a daze, Pharaoh about anything, especially himself.”
released her and stood, pulling Kylee to her “You did,” Pharaoh said in a sigh. “And did
feet as well. “Land mines,” she explained, it change anything?” “My brother should talk more. Privacy is
holding the .700 by its barrel, leaning against it good, but he uses it as an excuse to hide.”
like a crutch. “That weird guy thought of it. You “Yeah, maybe. I mean, it was just something
remember, the one who just wanted to look at I had to do. For myself, you know?” “So why do they call him Crazy Ivan?”

Calamity’s Child
by M. Keaton Pg. 60
He did not answer her directly. “It is hard for “Why don’t you guys ever talk about this “You said he wanted revenge,” she said
a man to be afraid all the time, like an injured stuff?” she asked when he fell silent. “This is softly. “Revenge for what?”
animal unable to eat because once it was caught neat. Family stuff. It’s good. Important.”
in a trap. Fear is good. Do not let anyone tell It was Pharaoh’s turn to look away. When he
you otherwise. Without it, we would do foolish He gave her a sad smile. “Why don’t you answered, it was in the breathy rasp of an old
things like try to kill langers alone.” He paused talk about your family?” She looked away and man. “Killing his family.” He clambered to his
to acknowledge Kylee’s indignant snort. “We did not answer. Pharaoh waited a few moments feet with painful slowness, resumed speaking
learn fear from pain, to avoid pain. Sometimes before continuing. “His daughter was beautiful, with his eyes distant, watching the horizon.
we learn to fear the wrong things. That is the not like my boys. Catharine was a princess and “When Alexia and Cat fell ill—the disease was
bad side of fear, Child. When it steals joy.” a tomboy at the same time. Queen of the jungle nothing new, the cure, not complex. It had
and the Queen in her castle. He loved Alexia already hit several worlds. The Kwakiutl already
She gave him a confused look and Pharaoh but Cat was his world. We used to sit around had a medical shipment en route, had already
suppressed a laugh. “Ivan is afraid of you, Child. the fire at night and joke about which of the agreed to share with us if we fell ill. They need
We are all, I think.” twins would marry her.” There was a crack in not have died.”
his voice as he pressed on. “He used to sing to
“What?” The question came out as a them at night. God, that man had a voice...” His He filled his lungs with air, releasing it
squeak. “What’d I do?” voice faltered at the end and he sat in silence. slowly with a noise like deflating bellows.
“The shipment was lost, raided by pirates.
He smiled and shook his head. “You are Kylee waited, afraid to look in case he was The Kwakiutl bought the medicines on the
you.” He stopped, wiped the grit and sweat crying. black market from a smuggler but the delay...
from his face, let his eyes focus on the past. “I Afterwards, Ivan traced the serial numbers
have known Ivan all my life, as he has me. We “There was an illness. They got sick. They on the crates. He was crazy then, obsessive
were children together then adults. Playmates died,” he said in a rush, then, in a more even about every detail. The numbers on the crates
and then business partners. Right here on tone, “Ivan went crazy then, reckless to the point the Kwakiutl bought were the same numbers
Selous. We built a house for Ivan in the veldt. A of suicidal. That is when he became a bounty assigned to the original shipment.”
house big enough for a wife and a daughter.” hunter. The more dangerous the bounty, the
better. I tried to help but he needed something “The smuggler was Casey?” Kylee guessed.
“Ivan was married?” Kylee crossed her legs more. He wanted revenge. He met Red Dog
and leaned forward, elbows on knees. and, in a strange kind of way, I think that saved “It was the beginning of a war,” Pharaoh
him. You would not think it but Red is very replied, stretching down a hand. “The boys
“To the daughter of a client, no less. Nimrod should be back soon.”
careful, deliberate. He taught Ivan to hunt in
was furious, said it was scandalous, but Old a different way. Eventually, Ivan...settled. But
Peter just laughed at him and gave them his Kylee let herself be pulled to her feet by
I do not think he is healed.” He put a finger to
blessings. The client did not seem to mind her good arm. “I’m not just a replacement for
Kylee’s chin, turned her face until she stared
either.” He shook his head, amused by the them, am I?” she asked, subdued.
in his eyes. “That is why you frighten him. All
memory. “Old Peter was what we always called he can see is the fear of losing you, of going Pharaoh put an arm around her neck. “No
Ivan’s father. I never knew if it was his real name back to being Crazy Ivan. He is trying, Kylee, more than we are just a replacement for your
or just a handle,” he added after a bit. “He died but he does not know what to do or how to do parents.” He was surprised when she buried
a few months after they were married, just it.” They looked at each other silently until she her head in his chest and cried.
before I stole Martha and married her. Nimrod nodded in understanding.
went a year after. They were rough years. Lots
of change, but we were happy I think.”

Calamity’s Child
by M. Keaton Pg. 61
M Keaton
Growing up in a family with a history of
military service, M. Keaton cut his lin-
guistic and philosophical teeth on the
bones of his elders through games of
strategy and debates at the dinner table.
He began his writing career over 20 years
ago as a newspaper rat in Springdale,
Arkansas, U.S.A. before pursuing formal
studies in chemistry, mathematics, and
medieval literature at John Brown Uni-
versity. A student of politics, military
history, forteana, and game design, his
renaissance education inspired the short
television series: These Teeth Are Real
(TTAR).
His literary “mentors” are as diverse as

his experiences. Most powerfully, the
author has been affected by the works
and writers of the “ancient” world,
including the Bible, Socrates, and (more
modern) Machiavelli, Tsun Tsu, Tacitus,
and Von Clauswitz. (This horribly long
list only scratches the surface; M. Keaton
reads at a rate of over two books per
week in addition to his writing.)

Thieves’ Honor,
Episode Four: The Game - Opening Moves by Keanan Brand Pg. 62
Thieves’ Honor
Episode Four: The Game - Opening Moves
by Keanan Brand
Previously, on Thieves’ Honor: Aboard the Martina Vega to the proper authorities.”
“Thought you’d like to see this.” Kristoff, what did you do now? “Captain
Aboard the Orpheus Quinn, do any of those pirates belong to the
Kristoff squinted open his eyes. A telescreen freighter Martina Vega? We’re showing her
Zoltana walked across the pit and looked floated in front of him, and showed Marty and
out the forward port. Mars followed, but only coordinates are just past your position and
gang gagged, hands and feet bound. Kristoff headed toward Port Henry.”
to the middle of the pit, his face a half-mask choked out a laugh.
reflected in the thick glass. The battered young man on the screen
“Poetic, don’t you think?” The telescreen hesitated. “Best see for yourself, ma’am.”
“Criminals or political offenders are often moved, and Carson Quinn came into view, a
watched by agents who become organic parts wide bandage around his head, and one side Zoltana boarded a shuttle with three of
of their lives. They don’t know some of their of his face bruised and cut, as if it had been her crew and sailed to the Katy Joy. Aboard
friends are government spies, or even that smashed with a gloved fist or the butt of a gun. the yacht, she glanced around at damaged
metal snakes are wound around their brain “How are you feeling?” woodwork, destroyed furniture, bloodstains
stems. But the government workers—they on walls and floors. “What were they after?”
know. They cannot be employed until they are “Like a trading caravan parked on my
implanted. And to those IntuiCom are added chest.” “The ship itself”—Captain Carson Quinn
kill circuits. If a worker is kidnapped or bribed punched his fist through a cavernous hole
or careless with classified information, the kill “I think the only reason Doc patched you in a seat cushion, raising a cloud of disinte-
code is transmitted. Death is immediate.” up is the fact that Alerio wasn’t hurt. If he had grated stuffing—”but they didn’t seem bent
been, you’d probably still be bleeding all over on keeping it pretty. We’re returning to Port
“Ma’am, how do you know this?” my bar.” Henry for repairs.”
There were only so many secrets one should “Yeah. Sorry about that, kid.” “A lot of gunfire. Any hull breaches?”
tell, even to a trusted crewman.
“Some sort of miracle, ma’am. We don’t
Zoltana turned, and leaned her back against have any hull patching material in our stores,
the cool curve of glass. “Someone on the Vega but we will certainly be purchasing some back
crew knows something potentially dangerous in port.”
to the government. Someone else aboard the “Captain Iona Zoltana of the merchant
Vega is a watcher.” constable Orpheus.” Miracle—or blind chance. What was that
old saying? God takes care of fools and little
The lieutenant’s brows drew together. “But, “Go ahead, captain.” children. Zoltana rubbed the toe of her boot
ma’am, why send a watcher? Why not just put along a deep gouge in the telk wood flooring.
the implanted person in prison instead of letting “Your ship raised an emergency hail?”
From the looks of things, He certainly had His
them fly with a crew of suspected pirates?” “Aye, ma’am. We have a gang of pirates tied hands full.
“Excellent question.” up in our hold. Thought we’d hand them over

Thieves’ Honor,
Quinn gestured aft. “The pirates are in the She did mind, but it couldn’t be helped. smiled. “So. What else you got?”
hold.” Zoltana stood and gestured to her men, who
hauled three pirates to their feet, then she Alerio patted his lab coat and produced
Shoulders drawn up, arms tight at her sides strode toward the hatch. “Does your crew bear from various concealed pockets two self-regu-
to keep her uniform from brushing the walls, arms, captain?” lating valves for the water-reclamation system,
Zoltana followed him down a narrow passage a program strip labeled “fuel management,”
that stank of sweat and blood. “How did your He grinned—”Now we do”—and patted three carlinnian spheres to use as ball bearings,
crew subdue them?” the gun under his arm. a fountain pen—
“We didn’t.” “Excellent. We’ll need four men to help Finney snagged it as it rolled off the console,
escort the prisoners to the Orpheus.” One foot and she held it up, raising her eyebrows.
He unlocked a hatch and held open the on the bottom rung of the stair, she looked
door for her to enter first with her crewmen. over her shoulder. “Captain Quinn, did the Alerio shrugged. “It’s a reproduction of an
They descended steep stairs into the hold. Vega crew board this vessel?” antique, but the nib is old. It’s still valuable.”
In a corner huddled the prisoners, bandage,
tattered, and unhappy. After a moment, the young man nodded. “For the metal, maybe.” She handed back
the pen. “Any other gizmos?”
Zoltana turned to Quinn. “These men are Her shoulders slumped. “What did they
not from the Martina Vega.” steal?” He dug in his starboard pocket. “This.”
“No, ma’am.” Finney took the pewter-colored cylinder

# about the shape and length of her little finger.
She waited, looking at him. “Where’d you find it?”
The silver oblong slid home with a soft
“The leader is named Marty, ma’am. You snick, and the lock engaged. Across one screen “Quinn’s cabin.” Alerio shook his head.
know him?” splayed an array of green graduated lines and “Boy’s got more grooming gadgets than any
rectangles. woman I ever knew.”
She approached the scowling group of
gagged pirates, and squatted in front of a bulky Alerio stepped back from the pilot’s Finney tossed the cylinder into the air and
man with a shaggy beard. He made noises console. caught it in her fist. “Well, now he has one
that might have been curses, and shifted his less.” She tucked the piece into her pocket.
shoulders forward, as if to grab her, but his Standing behind her chair, Finney rested “Hey, do me a favor, Alerio. Don’t tell Kristoff
hands were bound behind him. her forearms on the back and leaned forward, about this, okay?”
studying the screen. “A targeting system? Why
Without turning her gaze from the pirate, does a yacht need a targeting system? I didn’t “Can’t imagine he’d be much interested in
Zoltana said, “Captain Quinn, we will need a notice any guns. I don’t suppose you tucked a hairdryer element.”
copy of all your security logs—visual and oth- any cannon into your pockets when you were
erwise—and statements from your crew. May thieving that little scrap of metal?” “He’s not much interested in a comb.”
we use your common room?” Finney looked up at the targeting system on
“One thing at a time.” the screen. “There’s a scrap yard just outside
“Aye, ma’am, if you don’t mind the uphol- Port Henry. Bet we can find some light cannon
stery and the bloodstains.” “Ungrateful wretch. I save your life, and real cheap.”
you can’t even steal a proper weapon.” Finney

Thieves’ Honor,
Alerio’s brow wrinkled, his eyes narrowed, “Not since yesterday.” Corrigan stomped along the passage. “You
as he contemplated the air overhead. “There can lock me up later, captain.”
are a couple of welded-over windows in the “Good.” His chuckle ended in a cough. “For
hold. It’d be the work of a couple hours to a second there, I thought you were angry.” #
make hinged gun ports out of them, if I had Elementary, my insane Watson.
the proper materials.” Finney closed her eyes, forced her muscles
“Alerio and I should have told someone we to relax. She conjured an image of her favorite
“Perfect.” were leaving the ship.” place on Prospero: a certain resort in Port
“Perfect? Must be talking about me.” Henry where she could rent a bungalow with a
“Yeah. You should have.” Finney turned. garden and a fountain, and a hammock strung
Grinning, Kristoff entered the wheelhouse— “Doc know you’re here?” between palm trees. She could almost feel the
pale, breathless, and barely upright. A thick
bandage misshaped the left side of his chest. breeze, smell the salt air—
Kristoff grinned. “What she doesn’t
know—” “Ah-ha!”
Finney swiveled her chair and sat, her
shoulders stiff. She half-listened to Alerio “—won’t hurt the rest of us,” Corrigan’s Finney’s eyelids snapped open.
explain the targeting system to the captain, voice rumbled at the doorway. “I’ve come to
who collapsed into his chair nearby, breath take you back, captain.” Dressed in rich red, Rebeka Bat’Alon
rapid and shallow. entered, enveloped in an eye-watering
“I’m injured, not incapacitated, and I’m still fragrance that probably cost an honest man’s
Idiot. Not even six hours since Kristoff was the captain of this ship. This is my chair in my yearly wage.
shot, the bullet skimming past his heart and wheelhouse, and I will stay as long as I wish.”
out his back, but here he was, acting indestruc- The words might have carried more weight if Finney clenched her teeth, unclenched
tible. there had been more breath behind them. them, forced out a breath. “No passengers in
the wheelhouse.”
She altered coordinates, preparing for “All the same, cap”—Corrigan’s heavy tread
the last few hours before reaching planetary thudded across the floor—”don’t make me Rebeka sat in the captain’s chair and spun
atmosphere and entering the skies over the knock you out.” around a couple times before facing forward.
great desert southwest of Port Henry, which “Amazing view.”
sprawled on the edge of a vast inland sea. “I’d like to see you try.”
Finney’s shoulders tensed even more, and
“Finn.” “Some other time.” the back of her neck tightened. “You need
something?”
She studied the chart, made another course “Just ‘cause I’m one-handed doesn’t mean
adjustment. I can’t whup you.” Rebeka twiddled with one lock of her long
black hair. “What does your grandfather the
“Finn.” The big mechanic didn’t wait for Kristoff to admiral think of your profession?”
demonstrate; he hoisted him over his shoulder
“Aye—captain?” and carried him to the hatchway. “He doesn’t.” Finney flipped a few switches
Kristoff whistled, the sound cut short by not wired to any controls. If she looked busy
“Put me down, Cor. Cor. Cor! This is insub-
lack of wind. “I say something you don’t like, enough, maybe that annoying human fly in
ordination.”
Finn?” ribbons and lace would buzz away to pester

Thieves’ Honor,
someone else. “I know he’s canny. Any sign he can’t trust “You’re not the properly behaved daughter
a body, that person never does business with anymore.” Finney looked up at her. “Now he
No such luck. him again. He puts the word out to his cronies, knows you might turn on him.”
and they don’t do business, either.”
“What about the rest of your family?”
#
“If that’s so, why is this crew risking his
“They don’t, either.” anger by blackmailing him and marrying me off Ezra navigated the companionway by
“Must be difficult, separated like that from to a stevedore?” feeling his way down, toe of his shoe tapping
your kin.” the next step then full foot finding a purchase,
“Hm. Thought that was your idea.”
repeating the process for the next step, a
Finney drew a deep breath. “I reckon you Rebeka crossed her arms. “I’m not much tower of clean sheets and towels wobbling in
know a little about that, seeing as you’re on interested in Jink Turner just now.” his arms.
this ship.”
“I really don’t care what you’re interested A snort from somewhere beyond the stack.
“The last I heard, my father has not replied in, Miss Bat’Alon. I’m just telling the truth.” “Housekeeper.”
to Captain Kristoff’s messages. He doesn’t
stoop to corresponding with pirates.” “You’re a pirate. Why should I trust you?” “Out of the way, Turner.”
“Must be a mighty warm blanket, the way Finney shrugged and turned back to the “I see the way you look at Rebeka.”
you wrap yourself up in all that self-righteous- console.
ness.” “I don’t.” Ezra turned sideways and edged
There was nothing to do. There’d be plenty past Turner.
“At least I have a moral compass.” to keep her occupied once the Martina Vega
neared the planet; meantime, all she could do “Yeah. I noticed that.” Turner shuffled after
“Yeah. That’s why you stayed when I told him. “The way you don’t look at her. The way
was wait. She stared hard at the screens above
you passengers aren’t allowed in the wheel- she stares at you.”
the console.
house.”
Rebeka didn’t leave. Ezra kicked a cabin door open with his
“You didn’t stop me.” heel then propped it open with an elbow. “I’m
Fine. Finney sighed. If I must. “You never busy.”
Finney turned and looked her square in the crossed your daddy like this before.” She
eyes. “You really want me to get out of this Turner knocked the neat stack from Ezra’s
leaned back in her chair, stretched her legs out,
chair?” hands. Towels and sheets flapped open, flying
crossed her boots, clasped her hands across
her abdomen. “Governor Bat’Alon is a ruthless down the passage like strange white birds.
Some of the belligerence went out of
Rebeka’s face. She stood. “My father won’t man. He won’t buy the notion you set sail on Fists clenched, Ezra swung around but
answer the captain’s scheme, and he will take the Martina Vega in order to catch us and save stopped short of ramming Turner’s bruised
me back.” his reputation. All he’ll see is your secrecy. The jaw. “Be grateful you already have a couple
fact that you tried to turn spy is enough to cut broken ribs.”
Finney just looked at her. you off.”
Jink Turner sneered. “Thought you were a
Rebeka’s voice was small but stubborn. Rebeka’s voice was quiet, curious. “How pirate, cabin boy.”
“You don’t know my father.” so?”

Thieves’ Honor,
Footsteps, light and swift, approached again, “just a gut feeling.” Hum-ditty-hum. The ceiling looked all
from the upper deck and descended the stair. swimmy and bright.
Rebeka stepped into view, her glossy black hair He didn’t look down. He wasn’t inclined to
hanging over one shoulder. contemplate his mortality. “When did she tell you? Did she say where
they were?”
Grabbing a couple deep breaths, Ezra Mercedes slapped a fresh bandage into
uncurled his fists. Turner stepped back to the place, and Kristoff clamped his mouth shut. Ooh. Look at that.
opposite wall. Blast, but she was worse than Finney. What
was it about women, scolding a man with “Captain? What about the extraction
She didn’t seem to see them. Expression silence so loud it hurt his ears? team?” Finney’s voice sounded too tense. She
stiff, chin up, trailing a dizzying fragrance should come down here and look at the lights.
behind her, Rebeka trampled the scattered “Hey, Doc...” after the sharp shock of pain She’d feel better. “Do they know where I am?”
linens, entered her cabin, and shut the door had hunkered down to a nasty general throb.
“Alerio’s okay. I’m alive. The Vega’s unharmed. He muttered something into his radio then
with a firm click.
What’s the problem?” realized his hand was empty. The radio lay on
Turner kicked the wall then limped toward the sheet. Funny.
the galley. Muttering, Ezra picked up the sheets Mercedes’ gaze was cold. “If you have to
ask, there’s no point in talking about it.” “Captain? Captain!”
and towels, wadded them into a cumbersome
ball, and stalked off to wash them. Again. Sight blurring, Kristoff hummed to the
So. This is a logical conversation. “Can I at
least have my radio?” music of the dancing ceiling dots.
#
She shoved it into his hand then jabbed #
Weak as water. Kristoff grunted. a needle into his arm. He gasped, curses
clogging his throat. Doc made a little sound The visual security logs of the yacht Katy
Corrigan deposited him on the infirmary of satisfaction, pulled the needle free, and Joy displayed a firefight in cramped quarters:
cot just as Doc rounded the corner. set about straightening the infirmary: tossing muzzle flashes, blood sprays, falling bodies.
soiled bandages, putting instruments into the
Kristoff closed his eyes. Maybe she’d let sanitizer, wiping surfaces clean. After Mercedes “And yet no broken ports or hull breaches.
him be. left—locking the door behind her—Kristoff Amazing.” Zoltana’s hands clenched tight behind
She didn’t say a word. tapped the talk button a couple of times on her back. “Captain Kristoff’s condition?”
Finney’s frequency.
She clattered and clanged and shuffled “Critical but alive.” Quinn stood too quickly
until he finally cracked open an eyelid. “Aye, captain?” and winced, touching his bandaged head. “His
doctor is optimistic, but I tell you true, ma’am,
Kristoff grit his teeth as she pulled off the His tongue felt thick. “Anybody ‘round?” he should be dead.”
bandage tape none too gently, and peeled away “Just got rid of the female passenger. You Her fingers eased. “If Death were a trader,
layers of soaked gauze that covered the hole in can speak freely, captain.” Kristoff would negotiate. Or rob him blind.”
his chest. “Doc, something on your mind?”
Yeah, if he could just push the words past Then, to her lieutenant seated at the
“What makes you say that?” his teeth. “Zoltana said. New estrac—new console, “Mars, send a copy of all pertinent
“Oh,” he managed when he could breathe extrashen team.” logs to the Orpheus, and append a commenda-

Thieves’ Honor,
tion concerning the aid provided by the crew why is he still flying?” Finney tucked her duffle into a corner near
of the Martina Vega.” the cage, grabbed a handful of the recalibrat-
“There is a difference between knowledge ed spiders, and dropped one into each crate
She walked a circuit around the common and evidence.” She met his gaze in the reflec- headed for the governor or his associates. The
room, studying again the destruction. “You tion. “What is of more interest at the moment captain had asked for a diversion, something to
have yet to render a list of missing items, is why Captain Helmer Kristoff, honorably keep Captain Zoltana occupied while the crew
Captain Quinn.” discharged from the military and a decorated of the Martina Vega went about doing pirate-y
war veteran, has been an outlaw these few things; turning government-issued tracking
The young man shrugged. “Who’s to say years—and why he risked his life for you?” devices back on the government’s officials was
what was taken by Marty’s gang and what might as good a tactic as any. Zoltana would have
have disappeared with the Vega? There isn’t # some explaining to do.
much a private yacht can provide a freighter,
and all major parts appear to be present and One spider teetered on the edge of an open
Finney folded a soft cloth over her rifle,
intact.” case. A tip of Finney’s finger, and the metal disk
packed the gun among the garments in her
duffle, then slid a cleaned and oiled handgun would fall.
“All major parts.”
into the holster on her hip. She tucked some Did the bounty hunters follow the Vega to
Quinn’s mouth twitched—”What are you folding money into the pocket she’d sewn Port Henry? Despite many disguises, she was
saying, ma’am?”—but his smile quelled under inside her vest, and headed down the com- not a difficult ship to find; paint and decals
Zoltana’s steady look. He reached up and panionway toward the guest quarters—Please, could not hide Martina’s old-fashioned shape.
shoved a stray bit of gauze back under the God, as she passed Rebeka Bat’Alon’s cabin, let
bandage. “I offered Kristoff payment for his our next run be boring—then down a back stair Ship’s shape. Ship-shape. Finney smiled
help.” to the cargo deck. grimly.
“The man is a pirate, not a mercenary.” Wyatt hoisted a barrel into the air above She herself stood out like a candle in a dark
the deck and secured the pulley rope around window, with her red hair and her height. If the
“Money is money, ma’am.” a cleat on a girder. Corrigan disappeared down extraction team saw Finney, they might follow
the gangway with two crates stacked on top her back to the Martina Vega.
Zoltana halted in front of the forward port. of one another—show off—and Ezra sweated
Stared into the cold eyes of her reflection. over a collection of small but weighty metal Back to everyone else on the ship.
“Kristoff and crew scavenge, smuggle, and boxes about the size of ammunition lockers.
steal. This little boat operates on tech even Extractors weren’t fastidious about whom
Looking naked without his lab coat, his shirt-
more up-to-date than that on the Orpheus. they killed, so long as they finished the job.
sleeves rolled above his elbows, Alerio helped
There is plenty here to tempt a nimble- Ezra pile the boxes onto a dolly then steadied
fingered engineer like Alerio DiGianni. Fuel If she stayed aboard, surrounded by
the load while the younger man wheeled it
regulation. Air exchange. Sewage conversion. Martina’s solid and familiar hull, there’d be no
down the ramp.
Light controls. Water reclamation. Anything risk of being seen.
updated, new, or practical is fair game. Krist- Even Sahir helped with the cargo. He set
off’s people never take anything frivolous.” Unseen meant uncaptured.
aside towel and apron then wound a startling
green bandana around his head to catch the Right?
Carson Quinn tilted his chin. “Your pardon, considerable sweat pouring down his red face.
ma’am, but if he’s the criminal you describe, But the extraction team might not even be

Thieves’ Honor,
on Prospero. If she cowered in her cabin, she’d “Anything I can do?” Gleason Holmes, hands and who had not slept in a bunk for a couple
miss the fountain and the hammock under the still bandaged, gestured with one mummified of days. He knew the crew’s individual menus,
palm trees. That’d be a downright shame. paw at the dwindling piles of cargo. quirks, laundry preferences. He listened. He
kept secrets.
Her finger hovered over the spider. “Passengers don’t handle freight.” Ezra
straightened, tilting the dolly then pulling it The smuggling and piracy by the Vega crew
Exactly how much was the bounty on her behind him up the ramp. were wrong, but he owed Captain Kristoff his
head? life.
“But they do mop floors?” Holmes followed
If she called in all the debts owed by him. “These blisters aren’t so bad that I can’t The passenger so willingly helping with the
crewmates and card players, scraped together use my arms. The more I do, the faster I earn cargo could ask all the questions he wanted.
all the money she’d stashed in the cubbyhole my passage home.” Ezra would not reveal a thing.
behind the paint-by-numbers beach scene
over the sink and in the fake Alcott among the Rich parents but broke himself, at least #
real books on the shelf by her bunk, maybe she he didn’t sport the arrogant attitude he wore
could divert the bounty hunters’ attention— when he first boarded ship. Nothing like an “She cah eave. Ah nee haw.” She can’t
empty wallet to steal a man’s pride and make
No. leave. I need her.
hard work look almighty attractive.
She had two good guns, plenty of ammuni- Wait a minute. That wasn’t supposed to be
“All right, but if anything happens to the
tion, and a day’s worth of shore leave. out loud.
cargo—”
Fear was never a good reason to go broke. “Hoo law is she beh gaw?” How long has
“It’ll come out of my earnings.” Holmes she been gone?
looked around. “What next?”
Finney tipped the spider into the case.
His blasted mouth wouldn’t work. Kristoff
“See all these boxes marked with the
# pounded the cot with his fist, frowned up at
Quantum Industries logo? They go to the lorry, Sahir, and tried again. “Whaw did she go?”
the one with the guard in the passenger seat
Ezra crossed his arms over the dolly grip and the black dog in the back.” Sahir shrugged. “Finney goes where she
and rested, watching a horse-drawn cart wants.”
loaded with weapons and dry goods leave the Ezra grabbed one end of a crate, Holmes
dock, headed to a miscellany market near the the other, and they loaded the dolly. “NO. Whay?”
waterfront, a façade for an arm of the under- “Dang heavy. What’s Quantum Industries? “Why?”
ground that supplied the rebels. What’s in the boxes?”
If stopped by Port Henry constabulary, the Kristoff nodded.
Ezra shook his head. It’s not that he didn’t
carter had only to show a copy of the good- know the answers; he didn’t feel inclined to “Shore leave.”
as-the-real-thing manifest listing the goods as give them.
procured by Captain Kristoff in Gildtertown. “Whah?”
So far, none of Wyatt’s forged documents had As cabin boy, he saw who kept a tidy berth
raised any eyebrows. and who preferred clutter, who’d had a bad “You give us leave when we rescue you.”
dream again and tossed sheets to the floor,

Thieves’ Honor,
Oh, yeah. That. “She is.” playing.”

“Then whay you hee?” Oh, yeah. Another bit of altered tech, some “Why didn’t you say so sooner?” Kristoff
of the loot from the same ghost ship that waved a hand. “Hurry up. Gotta redeem my
Sahir lifted one hand, palm up, and tilted brought them telescreens and Ezra. Alerio had good name.”
his head. “Where to go?” He smiled, and his turned a standard biological surveillance-and-
dour visage became the mischievous face of alarm system into a false heat signature array, Sahir’s fat chuckle shuddered through the
a large child. “We steal wheelchair and go to making the Martina Vega appear occupied frame of the wheelchair. “And I want my money
game.” even when none of the crew were aboard. back.”
And, just because it was so retro that no one
What game? #
would probably even consider it a possibility,
Sahir disappeared. he hooked the security system to the power
core. If anyone attempted to steal the ship, her Finny dropped her duffel on the floor,
Where was Finney? Why didn’t that blasted hull would send a targeted pulse strong enough unlaced her boots and stepped out of them,
woman listen? There was a team— to throw the thief several yards, where he’d stripped off her socks, and slid open the broad
probably land unconscious if not deceased. glass door leading to her own private garden.
A rolling clank, a few snicks and clatters, There were the palm trees, the hammock, the
and Sahir stood up again in Kristoff’s periph- Martina could look after herself. fountain—and, beyond the short stone wall,
eral vision. “We go now.” an expanse of white beach and blue waves.
Still, logy as he was, Kristoff wasn’t too
The cook slid his ham-hock arms under keen on leaving the cot, let alone his ship. He She pulled a battered, old paperback from
Kristoff’s shoulders and pulled him to the side touched the thick bandage. “I’ve been shot.” her bag and walked barefoot down a curving
of the cot then into the reclined wheelchair, sandy path lined with stunted, ornamen-
Sahir’s big belly bumping Kristoff in the head, “Many times.” The chair rumbled along the tal fruit trees as high as her knees. Bandana
bouncing it forward like a kid’s playground ball. passage. “I, too, in war. “ and braids gone, her hair hung loose down
Sahir needed to get out of the kitchen more her back, and a breeze combed salty fingers
“And drugged.”
often. Too bad there weren’t any cannon for through the long, red strands. Finney stood a
him to fuss over. “Not enough in war.” moment looking out to sea then eased herself
into the hammock, opened the taped-together
“Where’s everyone?” “Aye, gunny, you can say that again.” book, read the first page.
Sahir buckled a pair of straps over Kristoff’s “Why say it again?” She woke as the sun sank behind the distant
chest, criss-cross, then pushed the chair out of Riva Mountains. The book lay facedown across
the infirmary. “Doc is walking with Alerio—” Kristoff smiled. Perhaps. He intended to her midriff, and one arm, hanging over the
smile, but wasn’t sure if his face responded.
Is that what they call it now? edge of the hammock at an awkward angle,
“Forget about it.” The airlock opened, and the was going numb.
gangway descended. “Where’s this game we’re
“—passengers gone, Ezra and rich kid go to sneaking off to see?” Finn, you know better. Not out here. She
city, Wyatt and Corrigan go to bar. Just you and
me, captain.” rolled off the hammock, the book sliding to the
“Behind Jay Milligan’s.” Dramatic pause ground and landing with a soft plop.
then the dull clinking of marbles rolling against
“Who’s watchin’ Martina?” one another in a mesh bag. “Big Bryson Fry is Without appearing to do so, Finney observed

Thieves’ Honor,
the adjacent bungalows and gardens. She of adventure, and that she just didn’t under-
adjusted her vest, checked her gun. Squatting stand.
to pick up the book, she looked around at the Keanan Brand
undergrowth. All clear. She stood and returned Not one to run from trouble, at least she
to her room. didn’t go looking for it.
Keanan Brand used to play marbles with
All clear there, too. After a long, hot shower Then what was she doing here, out in the
and a change of clothes, she slid her feet into open, alone, almost asking for the bounty his brother and some of the neighbor-
a pair of soft leather shoes, gathered her hair hunters to find her? hood kids in rural Oregon, and became
into a loose twist and stuck a couple of pencils Finney stopped in front of a shop window, a fair hand at the game, carrying around
through it to keep it up, pulled some bills from
taking advantage of the reflection to take a look his own mesh bag with a population that
her vest pocket and tucked them into her around. Nobody seemed interested in her.
gunbelt, buckled it around her hips, and left fluctuated depending on the results of the
the bungalow. She looked beyond the reflection to the game. Anybody else remember steelies?
The resort boasted restaurants and shops, display behind it. Nice. Cat’s eyes? Tiger stripes?
as well as dinner cruises on the Gonzalo Sea. A man stepped into view, smiled, and
No sailing for her, thank you. Finney throve in gestured at the display, a question in his eyes.
space, but water? Her grandfather had taught FYI: Extra points to the readers who catch
her to swim, and to swim well, but there was Finney looked again at the wares. Elegant.
something about boats that made her palms Probably felt as good as they looked—but the Veggie Tales references in this epi-
sweat. there was no reason to buy one. Too expensive, sode.
anyway. She lifted a hand, shook her head,
She sauntered along the broad, columned and strolled to where a circle of torches lit an
promenade, and watched the people gathering outdoor stage filled with dancers and musicians, Keep up with Keanan on his website at
for meals or drinks, laughing, talking, pairing rhythms filling the night and begging Finney’s http://adventuresinfiction.blogspot.com/
off. She’d always visited this place alone. Small feet to dance.
as the crew was, and as much as Finney enjoyed
flying, the Vega’s hull sometimes seemed to “Why, there you are, darlin’!” Muscular
shrink around her until she couldn’t breathe. arms wrapped around her, trapping her arms
at her sides. “Missed you at dinner. All better
When she saw Kristoff, blood-soaked, now?”
sprawled on the common room floor of the
Katy Joy but still trying to fight, that same The sharp prick of a needle, and the flicker-
breathlessness gripped her like an invisible ing torches faded to black.
fist.
The captain had no problem thieving or
looting, nor did he shrink from killing any man
who needed it—neither did Finney, thus the
bounty on her head—but Kristoff sought out
danger for danger’s sake, like a boy in search

Memory Wipe
Chapter 24, Memory Reborn, Part Two by Sean T. M. Stiennon Pg. 71
Memory Wipe
Chapter 24, Memory Reborn, Part Two
by Sean T. M. Stiennon
Part Two message with one hand: “Boarding attack very craft hammered away with their pulsers and
dangerous. Ship in danger. Tong’s soldiers bio- torpedo arrays. His stings had weakened armor,
enhanced. Use point-to-point communications opened gaps, and allowed torpedoes to break
E sheera found herself in her cradle chair once
again, half out of her vac-suit, flying with
all the life of a factory assemblage unit. She
if possible.”
Simple. Insignificant. With Zartsi dead, it
into the ship’s vulnerable interior.
But it was this he enjoyed—matching
pulled the Prize into a gut-twisting corkscrew, seemed like nothing. the power of Despair against Imperial pilots,
throwing off a Caulthori ship that had been releasing precise bursts of X-ray energy, feeling
buzzing after her like a corpse fly. Then she # the heat and light of their deaths. He could
sought to align her comm dish with the Shinot- almost hear them scream.
subasa’s receivers. Despair’s weapons—four X-ray lasers A new scrap of information penetrated
powerful enough to reduce solid strome to
Zartsi was dead. When Takeda had vanished Despair’s systems, and the ship passed it on to
plasma—engulfed yet another Imperial fighter.
into Jezai Tong’s mouth, Esheera had been a Lashiir. His feed from the Caulthor planetary
Lashiir experienced a wash of satisfaction, as
little surprised at how much it grieved her, at defenses had registered something: a group
if Despair had consumed pilot and ship like a
how much Takeda had become like her son in of heavy landers attempting to enter the
bird in its nest, satisfying some lifeless hunger.
the few months they had spent together. It atmosphere near the planet’s south pole.
These were the best craft human military tech-
didn’t surprise her with Zartsi. He had trusted Near Tong’s base. They appeared to be having
nology could produce, but to place Despair
her with his greatest secret, his greatest shame, some success destroying defense satellites and
against them was like opposing a hovertank
had fought with her, had accompanied her into dodging automatic torpedo launches.
with an animal-drawn chariot.
the Suto enclave knowing both of them might
die. They had even worked side-by-side on the Lashiir could access little information about
Liquid metal engulfed Lashiir’s limbs and
Prize. He had become something approaching the ships at this distance. He knew that Imperial
skull in a cool, solid embrace, and his thoughts
family. marines preferred to make landings only with
blended with those of the ship. He paid no heavy orbital support, and so Imperial landers
attention to the screens and displays projected
All gone in a flash of light and fire. tended to be designed for speed and stealth
in Low Clordash. He saw as Despair saw, felt rather than firepower. Not so for Lithrallians.
Esheera acknowledged the galactic implica- the heat of its lasers, sensed the presence of Their military transports were like small blast-
tions vaguely—the death of a Prince-Heir would heat and light and human ships, felt the cold boats, sheathed in eleven layers of armor and
send tectonic waves through the Kingdom, and churn of energy in its silent engines. Lashiir equipped with formidable weaponry.
the Serpent King might feel the Empire had and his ship united to form one predator.
sacrificed his son. Those thoughts were distant Lithrallian ships were approaching Caulthor.
He had watched with satisfaction as one
echoes, nothing more. Lashiir made his decision in an instant. Despair’s
of the Lithrallian frigates had vanished in a thirst had been quenched, for the moment,
A faint buzz told her that she had suc- firestorm generated by its own plasma engines. but Tsiika...it had been too long since she had
cessfully established contact. She pulled out He had joined the attack, making surgical tasted the life-blood of Lithrallians. Not since
a tiny Imperish keyboard and tapped out a strikes at the ship’s hull while Caulthori capital

Memory Wipe
an assassination he had preformed for Nathan men were safely behind a portable barricade, no more then flaying an inch or two of strome
Clane over two years ago. rifles peering out of loopholes in the strome off it. A snakelike weapon extended from just
plates, waiting patiently for the shooting to above the opening.
Lashiir redirected his ship, ordering Despair start.
to carry him back towards Caulthor. “Down!” he shouted into his comm as a
It happened suddenly. The bulkhead went torrent of burning gas poured into the room,
# from cherry red to pale orange to dusky yellow burning hot in the little air remaining. It splashed
in under a minute, and then burst inwards with against their barricade, and Emmel felt heat
Marine Sergeant Emmel always savored a spray of half-molten strome and steel. Emmel through his helmet. Fairly standard procedure
the first moments before a fight, whether it felt his body dragged forward as air began to for boarding actions: bring along something
was a training exercise or a forced boarding of rush out of the lounge, escaping into vacuum to clear the area of entry. He wouldn’t have
a pirate gunboat. There was the smell of his and dragging a couple half-eaten snack bars expected flame. It would be useless once full
own sweat, the warm cocoon of his uniform, and old bottles with it. vacuum set in.
the tank-like visor of his blast helmet, the The mouth of a combat lander broke Then they came out of the fire: figures in
deadly weight of an assault rifle weighed down through the opening, like a snake nosing in the black suits that shed flame like water shed
by a three-hundred round clip and a cluster of belly of a larger animal it had poisoned. “Fire!” oil. Emmel had an instant to see them—they
seven Tormenter needle grenades. His suit was Emmel barked, squeezing off a grenade, then were fast, as if they had been launched out of
vacuum sealed, his boots clamped to the deck launching another as soon as he felt it roll transport like torpedoes. Screams flowed from
by a strong magnetic charge, as he watched down into the firing chamber. his earpiece as his men began to die. He swung
the bulkhead just a dozen meters away begin his rifle around, trying to get a clear shot...
to glow red. His men did likewise with a split-second’s
delay. The Tormentor grenades burst about a Then his right arm exploded, and he
“Grenades first,” he spoke into his comm, second after leaving the barrel, their payloads screamed himself. Wounded. No, not wound-
his voice a low purr. “Then a good wave of directed forward by momentum: a spray of ed—his arm was gone, severed at the shoulder
united fire. Clog up their entryway with a few titanium needles about as thick as blades of by a high-velocity round, and his life-blood was
bodies. Once there’s blood in the air, Dax and grass, gushing out in a silver torrent. They were rushing into vacuum like water squeezed from
Chou—you men advance, while we contain designed to clear corridors and shred armor a drink bladder.
them, and see if you can get a couple grenades and makeshift barricades, losing none of their
inside their ship. We’ll mop up whoever’s left He was the last of his squad. The others
power in vacuum. Escaping air pulled them
and get repairmen down here for the breach.” were dead, their uniformed bodies shredded,
towards their target.
torn, burnt—in no more than a second or two.
The entry point was on the outside bulkhead Emmel didn’t wait to see what effect they Instinct kicked in, and Emmel struggled to raise
of a crew lounge about twenty square meters had. He squeezed his primary trigger, his rifle his rifle with just his left arm, fire into the rear
in size, its chairs and tables upholstered in what spraying compacted lead bullets at the rate of the black-suited man slapping a detonator
struck Emmel as an unusually feminine shade of twenty rounds per second. Hearing wasn’t against the vacuum door down the hallway.
of pale red. He had often wondered what engi- much use in the torrent of escaping air, but
neer’s girlfriend had been given the honor of The last thing Emmel saw was a fist, looming
a series of metallic chimes made it into his
decorating Shinotsubasa’s rec areas. In any close to his visor for a split second before it
helmet.
case, it wasn’t an place he would mind seeing crushed his skull.
torn up. Vacuum doors had already sealed it off He looked. They had been firing into a black
from inhabited portions of the ship. He and his metal bulkhead, and had succeeded in doing

Memory Wipe
# in his youth—unbuckled himself and bounded Crimson light streaked across the sky as the
over to the unloading door. His eyes flicked to base’s defenses continued to fire at the Lithral-
Acceleration pressed Zartsi’s spine against Zartsi, awaiting orders. lian transports still in the air. Zartsi’s warriors
the cushioned back of his crash seat as another spread out, emptying the transport in the
explosion caught the transport, sending it “Deploy,” Zartsi hissed, undoing his own space of a few seconds, each Lithrallian taking
lurching in a new and unpleasant direction. buckle, mentally thanking the Lord of Light for his established placed in the unit as a whole.
He cradled his weapon with both hands: a seeing them safely this far. He would protect Forty pairs of eyes scanned the tangle of black
Lithrallian longrifle, lethally accurate with himself from here. “Destroy immediate volcanic stone, worn into twisted shapes by
bullets capable of punching through an inch of threats and enter the compound by any means years of hot wind. Zartsi’s infrared eyepiece
strome armor with enough force left over to possible. Regroup once within cover.” allowed him to see through the predawn
kill whoever was waiting on the other side. darkness.
Forty Red Greaves bounded out of their
He whispered three prayers to the Lord of crash seats, rifles clutched in clawed hands, He caught a flash of heat in movement off
Light: that the souls of his warriors aboard the swords slapping against their bare thighs. One to his left, pivoted on his heels, and aligned his
Ressiset be spared the Sorrowful Night, that out of every ten had a launcher braced across barrel between two of his Red Greaves for a
the Red Greaves with him would reach the both shoulders like an ancient carrying pole. split second before squeezing off a shot. The
surface of Caulthor alive, and that once there, bullet screamed through the warm air. The wet
The door hissed open. The captain and
he might, at last, be granted atonement for his smack of it striking a skull reached Zartsi’s ears,
three warriors bounded out in a tight crouch,
murder. Zartsi’s white sword was buckled onto and a warm body fell lifeless to the rocks.
tails whipping the air as their blood heated
his left thigh, his daggers—the weapon of his for combat. Zartsi followed them a moment
murder—fitted into scabbards slung over his There were others—perhaps seven or
later, longrifle lifted to fire. These were the eight, bounding over the rocks and ducking in
shoulders. He had exchanged his Prince-Heir’s best warriors trained in the kingdom, second
armor for a combat suit nearly identical to and out of cover. A pulser beam split the air
only to the Serpent Guard that watched over and blasted open one Lithrallian’s chest before
those around him, scales of gray leather over- Zartsi’s father. He would be damned to eternal
lapping on his chest, greaves and armguards of the warrior had time to squeeze off a shot. The
night before he would watch them die while he others spread out, dropping into fire positions,
red lacquer covering his shins and forearms. hung back, a coward as well as a murderer.
Only the gold rings dangling from his shoulders while three took up shielding positions in front
marked his rank. of Zartsi and others scanned the surrounding
They emerged into the darkness of a rocks for other Caulthori defenders. Zartsi fired
Caulthor night. The air was warm, but not
A sharp impact shook Zartsi’s entire body again, heard his bullet carom off stone.
scorching. Stars in a thousand subtle shades
down to the bones, and he felt suddenly dizzy. were scattered across a sky that was beginning
Had the ship’s engines been torn out by the The Red Greaves raked lines of bullets back
to pale from black to deepest blue. A faint and forth across the stones, creating an orderly
Caulthori defenses, leaving the ship to crash glow had begun to spread from a point on the
and explode on the desert floor? Zartsi knew web of death that would have decimated
western horizon, like fire just bursting into ordinary humans. Tong’s enhanced soldiers
other transports had already been lost to life, its center a pale rose color. Zartsi flicked a
defensive satellites and the anti-air cannons ducked in and out of cover, and their pulsers
finger up to activate his infrared eyepiece, and struck like lightning bolts—precise and deadly.
studding Tong’s volcano fortress. with it he saw that they had landed just below Zartsi aimed and fired once, twice, again, and
“We’ve landed,” the pilot hissed, just as the the volcano’s crater, on a ledge of black rock again, until his clip was empty. He managed
unit captain—a short, wiry warrior whose jaw dusted with ash that compacted like sand as he to take off an arm. That wouldn’t stop the
looked as if it had been broken several times placed his boots on it. warrior.

Memory Wipe
A grenade rolled onto the stone, its progress Red Greaves had died with them, blood and him hard against the sharp rocks. Only his
slowed by thick ash. Zartsi was the first to see ash combined in a sticky death-mud. armor saved him from being impaled on a spur
it. He was also the first to dive for it, shoving of volcanic glass. His gun clattered down a
aside two warriors in his path, scooping it up in There would be time for prayers later. Zartsi tail-length away. The warrior who had pushed
one taloned hand, and hurling it back towards sheathed his sword and picked up his rifle as him aside vanished in an X-ray laser Zartsi’s
the Caulthori. It burst halfway along its arc. the warriors re-grouped. “Skirmish line,” he eyes couldn’t register. The unit captain, a few
said. “Keep eyes open and watch the rocks. meters behind him, had a bite of flesh instantly
Zartsi threw an arm up to cover his eyes as Roar when you find an entrance.” burnt out of his left side. He screamed and died
stinging white light pierced them. Tears flooded slowly.
over his lids, blinding him. He scraped at his The warriors moved to followed his
eyes furiously, snarling, and heard warriors die command. Zartsi flicked his attention to his Zartsi roared and reached for his rifle. He
around him. Zartsi heard a pair of heavy feet rifle for a moment, running his hands over it pushed himself off the rocks, felt volcanic glass
hit once in front of him. He ducked instantly to make sure ash and blood hadn’t jammed its slice narrow gashes on his palms. The smells of
and felt wind and heat pass over his head. He action. incinerated flesh and heated rock were enough
blindly smashed forward with one elbow and to make him retch. He coughed, ejecting yel-
Half his force died in that moment.
felt it strike a rock-hard chest. low-white fluid, and shut his nostrils against
One instant they lived, hearts pounding, it.
Zartsi had learned speed all his life—from chests heaving with excited breath, and the
his father, from his Lithrallian swordmasters, He straightened to see Lashiir’s ship
next nothing remained of them but organic
but most of all from the skitters of Belar. He hovering five meters in front of him. Stars and
ash and a scent of super-heated meat. Horror
straightened his legs and bounded back with pre-dawn light made swirls of dark color in its
twisted Zartsi’s guts like an iron hook. The
every ounce of that speed. Only the ash saved mirrored black hull, and weapons like open-
stone where they had stood glowed with white
his life—it allowed him to slide just out of the mouthed serpents targeted him from its barbed
heat.
Caulthori’s reach. He felt a blast of heat on his wings. He raised his rifle to his shoulder.
chest. Horror turned to rage as a shadow passed Something hissed, and a ramp lowered
across the stars overhead, a bird of prey
His swordmasters had also emphasized zas- from the black ship’s belly like a jaw opening,
twisted together from plates of black metal. It
sak-hiis—the art of first blow. Zartsi released spilling pale blue light onto the bloody ash.
flew silently, leaving no sign but a smearing of
his rifle and his muscles twisted as they had Claws clicked on metal, and a shadow wrapped
light in the wake of its cold engines.
a thousand times in his youth, and his sword in a robe of purest black cloth glided into sight.
whipped out of its scabbard. Blood cut a hot Lashiir. He stopped at the end of the ramp, poised
line across his face. He reversed his blade and several meters above the ground, gazing down
cut again, feeling it slice through flesh and Zartsi slapped his rifle’s stock against his at Zartsi. A dagger-shaped beak and eyes like
bone. shoulder and sighted along the barrel. He pulled orbs of black glass were faintly visible beneath
the trigger again and again as the nightmare his hood.
Zartsi succeeded at last in wiping the tears ship executed a smooth roll and reversed
out of his eyes. His infrared eyepiece showed course, arcing back towards him. Zartsi clawed Zartsi aimed his rifle. “No, Lithrallian, I
him the Caulthori warrior whose ribcage he another clip out of his belt and slammed it into think not,” Lashiir said, his voice toneless and
had split open. He dropped into a crouch, place. metallic through the voicebox implanted in his
but his warriors were alive and the Caulthori throat. He held up a clenched fist. “Drop your
attackers were dead. Perhaps five or six of the One of his warriors tackled him, throwing rifle, or I will give you to Despair.”

Memory Wipe
“Better to die a warrior,” Zartsi hissed back, visible through narrow slashes in his strome colder than strome, a core of strength like a
his finger tightening on the trigger. He would mask. His fist rose. Wicked spikes of reddened second skeleton. Takeda had only one name
put his one shot straight between the Clordite’s metal rose from his knuckles and lances of hot for it. Anger.
eyes and into the rotten brain behind them. energy leapt from point to point. Tong’s arm
twisted mid-blow, bringing his fist down to Tong pulled himself up, and his shoulders
“You misunderstand.” Lashiir’s other hand drive up under Takeda’s sternum. opened—both of them—onto pools of liquid
went up and gripped the haft protruding fire. They spat beams like pulser shots, but
above his left shoulder. His arm snapped down, The motion would have been a blur, a flash somehow ragged, with the sharp edges of
drawing a heavy, curved blade whose profile of forceful movement, to any normal human. lightning. Takeda kicked off the floor, sending
was visible as a hole in the colors behind it. Only Takeda’s superhuman senses allowed him himself into a leap that became a flip ten feet
“Your friend interrupted us on Nihil. I think it is to see the punch coming, to see Tong’s fist above the floor. He heard air sizzle, felt heat
fate that we have met again.” change trajectory, and to dodge away. Tong’s blast his armored skin.
knuckles clipped his ribs, tearing away thin
Zartsi knew it might be a ploy to make him strips of semi-solid metal. Takeda felt energy He landed in a roll, came up, and spread
drop his rifle before Lashiir triggered the ship’s scorch his flesh. He was clear before the fin- both hands. Energy ripped out from his palms
lasers. Everything he knew of the Clordite told shaped blade on Tong’s forearm could open his in two lances of blue light. Tong broke away,
him otherwise. There was no reason for Lashiir lung. leaping to one side, and Takeda’s force blasted
to expose himself if his offer was false. Zartsi apart the pillar behind him. Shards of reddened
hurled his rifle away and heard it clatter on the Takeda kicked off the smooth, black floor, stone skipped and clattered on the floor or
rocks. Then he drew his blade. The rose-glow sliding forward, and threw an open-handed rebounded from Takeda’s carapace. They didn’t
of dawn found a small hold in its polished ivory blow at Tong’s exposed cheek. His palm harm him, but they broke his attention for a
surface. smoldered with a patina of blue energy. Tong moment, and Tong used that moment to renew
twisted with impossible speed, locking his his attack. He burst from the heat like a shell
Air fluted through tiny holes in Lashiir’s forearm with Takeda’s and forcing the attack launched from a cannon, running low against
beak. “Good,” his translator croaked. away. He twisted his hips in an instant-long the floor, claws scraping the black stone.
preparation for another blow.
He leapt off the ramp, rolled on ash and hot He hit Takeda low, snaking his arms around
stone, and came up running, blade whipping Takeda dropped, letting his knees curl Takeda’s armored stomach and gripping him
out in a disemboweling cut. Zartsi bounded and ducking his armor body beneath Tong’s tight. Takeda flexed his arms, throwing off Tong’s
to meet him. He swung his blade point swing. He slammed one foot and both hands hands before he could cook his way through
downwards, and black metal met white ivory in down, bracing himself on stone while driving Takeda’s carapace, but Tong’s back opened
the space between them, filling the still dawn his other leg up into Tong’s belly. Strome-shod and his jets deployed. Suddenly Takeda was off
air with a clash that echoed from every sheer heel pressed against Tong’s armor with all of the floor, rising with Tong towards the vaulted
facet of obsidian and basalt. Zartsi bounded Takeda’s enhanced strength behind it. Tong’s ceiling. He kicked his metal-taloned legs into
backwards. Lashiir pressed his attack. last attack had unbalanced him, and Takeda’s Tong’s thighs, belly, chest, raking at his light
kick lifted him into the air. The count smashed over-armor and scraping the strome carapace
The ship Despair hovered above them, a into one of the pillars of black stone ringing the beneath. His arms were locked in contest with
silent spectator to a duel that could end only room. Cracks spread like fault-lines from the Tong’s, holding the Count’s hands away from
with death. point of impact. his body. Their eyes locked in a silent struggle.
# Takeda charged, pressing his advantage. Takeda’s consciousness seemed to explode
Fear and uncertainty had been burned away into a chaos of black smudges and white bolts
No volcano on Caulthor burned hotter than by Caulthor’s deserts and sliced out by Tong’s as Tong slammed him into the ceiling with
the fire in Jezai Tong’s yellowed eyes, barely dissectors. What remained was harder and force that would have collapsed the spine of an
Memory Wipe
unaltered man. Takeda’s artificially thickened Takeda struggled to rise, fighting against Esheera broadcasted, hoping her signal got
skull and reinforced bones saved his life, but agony in every muscle. Something in his through to the Endless Dawn’s comm package.
he could feel his armor cracking, feel blood brain must be broken. Perhaps his spine was “They contain bio-enhanced troops. Risk is
trickling along the hard lines of his strome shattered, leaving him paralyzed, helpless critical.”
mask. against the death looming over him. But no. He
forced himself up at last, bending at the waist, At least six or seven armored landers had
He fell between Tong’s arms, gravity pulling his arms levering his armored body up. managed to disgorge troops into the Shinotsub-
him down like a lead weight sinking in water. asa. Judging from the battlecruiser’s sudden
Rock dust and shards of black stone rained Tong’s hand clutched his skull, sticking in drop in firing activity, Tong’s troops had suc-
around him. He couldn’t think, could barely the warm blood covering his face, and smashed cessfully penetrated the ship’s weapons decks
move, the pain was so intense, as if his skull him back down. Takeda screamed. and were probably fighting for the bridge and
had been driven down into his ribcage. engine decks even as she watched.
“You malfunctioned four years ago, Two.
He hit the floor like a meteor crashing down. You stole a ship, escaped, and survived the “Suggest dispatch counter-boarding forces
Takeda screamed as the shock of impact ran poisons your action triggered in your brain with to Shinotsubasa,” Esheera added, broadcasting
through his armor and bones. Fissures cracked no more injury than memory loss. But now, at towards the Endless Dawn.
open in his strome covering, exposing raw, last...I retire you.”
red flesh beneath. His blood was trickling out She waited in suspense for three long
like whites from a broken egg. His throat was His talons tightened, claws digging into breaths. Her communications system hadn’t
pained with screaming and he barely heard the Takeda’s cracked armor. Then he straightened been reliable to start with, and her on-the-spot
sound. his arm, smashing Takeda’s skull into the stone modifications were just as likely to explode
with the strength of a pile driver. The world in her face as actually transmit a broadcast
Tong landed, his weight shaking the floor. exploded in red and white fire. Takeda felt his through the jamming field. If this didn’t work...
“Two,” his dry voice hissed, “do you know what body spasm fruitlessly against Tong’s brutal she might as well crash the Prize into one of the
death is?” strength. He could feel death lurking just an transports and do some good with her death.
instant away.
Takeda coughed up blood mixed with a Three clicks emerged from her speaker: a
yellow fluid he had never seen before. He Sherri’s face hung frozen amid the storm universal acknowledgment signal. Someone
moved his arms in a twitch, trying to rise, to of red agony, her golden hair dyed with blue had heard her. That was all she could hope for.
twist his head to look at Tong. The Count went streaks, her smile brighter than moonlight.
on, “Death is a machine ceasing to function. He had come for her. Liun’s face joined hers, She fired her engines, searching her func-
A gear having its teeth filed off. An engine hair like a night sky and eyes like pools of clear tioning sensor read-outs as well as her canopy
exhausting its fuel.” water. Two women he had fought for. Had visuals for ships under threat. The two Burning
loved. Light frigates still surviving were under heavy
He stepped closer, talons clicking on the attack, with three large cruisers and several
floor. “You were a beautiful machine. You It wasn’t enough. His strength was gone, smaller ships drawing their attention away
were the first one to survive, after myself. his power exhausted, and now he would die. from the transports latching onto their under-
Still perhaps the strongest, after all the care I bellies or rapidly approaching. But she didn’t
poured into you. But even the best machines # know more than a few phrases of Lithrallic, nor
cannot endure forever. Not when they mal- did she know if her comm package was even
function.” “Concentrate all firepower on the landers,” compatible with theirs. Nothing she could do.

Memory Wipe
So she fired her remaining engines full- tion. Perhaps not so insignificant after all. Instead, Lashiir engaged his blade with
blast for the nearest Imperial cruiser. A pair Zartsi’s, pressing metal against ivory. Zartsi’s
of Caulthori fighters rushed past, raking # arm vibrated, his very bone quivering, as he
space around her with spikes of red energy. twisted his wrist, attempting to fully trap
She twisted away, awkwardly, crippled by her Lashiir’s arms were thin, even spidery, Lashiir’s sword. He pivoted, advancing his left
missing thrusters, but they moved on to seek sheathed in plates of onyx-colored chitin that hip, and looped his dagger up towards the Clo-
more threatening prey in place of a crippled bristled with points and barbs. Those bony rdite’s abdomen.
Rover ship. limbs belied muscles strong enough to nearly Lashiir’s wrist rotated a full circle, disengag-
knock Zartsi off his feet every time he parried a
Esheera probably wouldn’t be in range ing his blade, and he cross-stepped away from
slash from Lashiir’s heavy blade. The Clordite’s
for at least a minute longer, but she began Zartsi’s dagger.
face showed no expression that he could read.
broadcasting, rotating her sensor dish to point The silence was broken only by the peals of dark “Impressive,” the Clordite said, voice
in the cruiser’s general direction. She crossed metal smashing against ivory and by the distant rendered flat by his translation-implant.
through a small blast boat’s line of fire. A snap- roar of engines as other Lithrallian transports “Everything that has been said about Lithral-
twist, executed within a split-second’s notice, descended to various pointed on and around lian blades seems true.”
saved her from being caught in a column of the volcano. None of them approached close
pulser energy. enough to interrupt the duel. Zartsi crossed his blades in the Folded
The Canghi and Caulthori fleets were closely Pincer stance and bounded forward, slashing
Zartsi knocked the Clordite’s blade high up at Lashiir’s throat. The Clordite slapped
enmeshed, like two gutter-cats with their jaws with a one-handed parry as he drew one of his sword away, pirouetted away from Zartsi’s
locked onto each other’s throats and their his daggers with the other hand. He stepped dagger, and swung down at his extended wrist.
claws buried in each others’ bellies. Cruisers inside the Clordite’s defense and stabbed at Zartsi whipped it back just in time to catch the
on both sides had been destroyed, and the his neck. Lashiir fell back, disengaging his blade blow on his blade, and his bones shook from
Endless Dawn was bleeding white atmosphere and nearly disarming Zartsi with a powerful the black sword’s vibration.
from numerous spots where her hull had been wrist motion. Zartsi’s dagger missed his throat
blasted open. Hours of skirmishing had thinned by a hair. Lashiir pressed his attack. The sagging,
out fighter wings, making them more cautious empty sleeves of his robe made it difficult to
in their engagements, preferring to swarm Lashiir leapt back, feet skidding on sand. follow his movements, and his sword seemed
around already-wounded ships or hang back His talon twisted around his black sword’s to strike from three directions at once. Zartsi
to defend their carriers. grip, and as Zartsi watched the blade began to turned himself so that his back was towards
vibrate, its outline blurring as if the sword were the volcano’s caldera, giving himself a slight
Esheera was a fleck of foam among colliding no more than concentrated mist. Lashiir spun advantage of height, but every ounce of his skill
waves, one spark of a raging blaze. But she the sword in his hand, circling towards Zartsi’s was engaged simply with parrying and dodging
did what she could, and as she watched her left. Whatever sound it made was inaudible to Lashiir’s assault.
sensors, she thought she saw a heavy burst of Lithrallian ears.
pulser energy from the Endless Light’s batteries “Does every one of you carry such
blast a transport into molten metal and cables. Zartsi lunged, sword stretched out along weapons?” Lashiir asked, each syllable
Perhaps her efforts weren’t in vain. a line extending from his jaw, dagger tucked accented by a fresh strike.
back against his ribs. Lashiir swung—not at his
Three clicks echoed on her speaker from body, but at his extended sword. He would try “No,” Zartsi growled back. He caught the
the Imperial cruiser. She smiled with satisfac- to beat it aside, opening Zartsi’s defense. black sword above his head on crossed blades,

Memory Wipe
holding it trapped for an instant while he swung but somehow felt a fresh ribbon of blood push slash and thrust. A harsh, buzzing music echoed
his clawed foot in a kick at Lashiir’s abdomen. out from his shoulder. Lashiir had no more in the hot air as Lashiir parried.
The Clordite faded out of reach like a shadow than clipped him, but the wound felt deep, and
on the wind. Zartsi dropped his sword parallel veins of cold fire ran up his left arm. The sound of Lashiir’s fluted laughter was
to his left side to deflect the Clordite’s next loud enough to reach Zartsi’s ears. “Now I am
attack, then riposted weakly. Pain flared in a “Is this truly all you have to offer me?” satisfied,” his voice box intoned.
line across his chest, and he glanced down to Lashiir intoned. “I had hoped for more from
you, Zartsi Hsik Hsonra.” Their blades made harsh music against each
see blood staining his armor. When had Lashiir other, tolling like bells with every strike. Zartsi
cut him? How deep? The Clordite whipped his entire body could feel his sword’s ivory tang quivering with
“Only the nobles, then. Perhaps only the forward in a thrust, his robes blasting a gust each clash against the Clordite blade. His chest
royal family.” of ash into Zartsi’s face. Zartsi staggered back, heaved and his scales itched with his own
executed a clumsy parry, and riposted towards blood. The ash was hot beneath his feet as he
The Clordite’s strength, and the humming the Clordite’s abdomen. Lashiir leapt aside with leapt and slid across it. His arms went numb.
vibration of his blade, were rapidly leeching flash of energy, ash and black robe swirling Lashiir fought in silence now, his beak half
away Zartsi’s strength. Each parry became more around him like a tempest of shadows. open in an expression that could have been
difficult, his reactions more sluggish. He regret- exhaustion or ecstasy.
ting placing his back to the high ground. Lashiir Zartsi knew that he deserved death. He had
drove him up it, forcing him to defend himself murdered his brother for the sake of jealously, Zartsi’s dagger flew out of his hand, and
while slashing his heels and legs open on the had wet his hands in his clutchmate’s heart his left arm exploded in a fountain of blood.
edged rocks behind him. The light of dawn was blood. His crime was different from the Clord- Lashiir’s sword barely brushed it, and yet the
growing on the distant horizon. Zartsi doubted ite’s murders only in quantity. limb was slashed to the bone. Zartsi screamed,
he would live to see the sun. felt his knees buckle, and dropped to the ash
But to deserve death was not a mandate to before the Clordite. His strength was gone, his
The Clordite’s voice was a flat monotone, accept it. atonement unfinished, and darkness would
although the air whistling in and out of his embrace him forever.
Zartsi found himself perched on the edge
beak showed his exertion. “This also explains of the volcano’s caldera, his feet rooted on a
your attire, your circlet, the warriors guarding #
slab of basalt, blood trickling down his scales
you. You are their prince. I can feel it in your from three wounds. Dark slopes fell away on
sword, and you have pride in your eyes. To take A full second passed, and Takeda was
either side. Lashiir faced him, on even ground
your skull is an honor.” still alive. Another second passed before he
now, and swirls of pale gray ash danced around
them in a hot wind. Every muscle in Zartsi’s realized that Tong’s hand had released his skull.
“Not much of prince,” Zartsi growled. “I let
body burned with exhaustion. Smoldering agony lingered in every bone and
you kill them.” muscle. Crimson light flooded his eyes, and he
“As you say. But you will soon have your But if it was his fate to die here, he would lay in a sticky halo of his own blood. This was
chance to apologize.” die fighting for redemption. Zartsi attacked no afterlife.
with all the fury he contained. He poured out
Lashiir pressed harder, forcing Zartsi uphill. his rage at himself, his hatred for the Clordite, He heard Tong hiss. He heard a discharge
The Lithrallian stumbled on a rock and blocked his love for Takeda and Esheera into his arms, of sizzling energy. And he heard a woman
an overhand cut from the black sword while on and he charged Lashiir in a whirlwind of white scream.
his knees. He surged up with a burst of energy, ivory, dagger and sword moving in a frenzy of

Memory Wipe
Takeda lurched to his feet, drawing on every the armor of Tong’s chest that hadn’t been sent wet tendrils down his neck and along his
scrap of energy remaining to him. He rose just there before, slowly pumping blood that ran shoulders. His spine flared with every twist,
in time to catch a limp body as it flew into his down and dripped between the Count’s legs. and the joints in his arms felt as if they were
arms, dressed in the black vest and loose pants restrained by bolts of hot metal. But rage was
of Tong’s hands. A woman. Takeda stared at Sherri had saved his life. Whatever Tong his fuel, and Tong had made his body strong.
her face, pale skin with eyes that had flushed had done to her in the last several days, it Strong enough to heave the Count’s heavily-
crimson with swollen blood vessels. Her scalp had enhanced her strength, given her enough armored frame into the air.
had been shaved down to the roots and livid force to knock the Count off him and give him a
red scars were visible across her skull. The fuzz second or two to recover. Even after all she had Tong slashed at him with ultra-hard talons,
growing in looked white. Even semi-conscious been through, all she had suffered...she had peeling away strips of armor and skin. Takeda
her bare limbs were hard with knotted muscles. been willing to lay down her life for his sake. released him thirty feet above the floor, hurling
More than scars there. She had open wounds him against the opposite wall. Tong fired his
The pain was still there, insistent and all- jets and unleashed a fresh blast of power. It
that seeped dark red blood and other fluids— embracing, but it was easier to ignore now. hit Takeda in the chest. The smell of his own
white, gray, deep yellow. Another feeling had seized him—one he had steaming flesh overwhelmed his nostrils. The
Horror crawled over him as he began to little experience with, but still felt deeply force of the shot launched him backwards,
trace familiar lines in her jaw and forehead, familiar. Pure, unbridled rage. and he slammed into a pillar, screaming as his
see the once-bright blue irises now trapped in organic jets were smashed against unyielding
He bounded away from Tong, aiding his
seas of red. He knew this woman. Many of his rock.
leap with a blast from the jets on his back. He
fondest memories from his three short years twisted in mid-air and felt the front of his body Tong flew towards him with a hiss like a
of peace centered around her, her smile, her blasted by heat from another lance of crimson striking serpent. Takeda braced his legs against
laugh, the sound of her voice. The woman fire. He hit the curved wall of the throne room, the pillar and leapt to meet him. The two met
cradled in his arms, her flesh limp against his kicked off it, and came down behind a still-in- in a hot clash of electric blue and smoldering
armored skin, was Sherri. tact pillar. He gently let Sherri’s mutilated body red fire, flashing metal, blood that steamed as
He bounded back, taking her with him, as slide out of his arms. Takeda left her resting it spattered onto the floor. Takeda hacked at
Tong brought an open talon down on the spot with her back against the column, her chest Tong’s neck with the blades on his arms while
where he had been standing. He curled his body rising and falling with ragged breath. Tong’s talons raked and blasted his chest,
around Sherri’s, his armored skin shielding her stomach, face. He shut his eyes to protect them
Then he leapt out and charged straight
from flecks of hot stone. and fought blindly, like some mindless golem
towards Jezai Tong. Stone dust flew in a black wrought from metal and fire.
“What have you done to her?” he roared. wake as his armored claws scraped it up from
the floor. Tong’s shoulders opened, cinnabar Suddenly Tong dropped slightly, and his
“I told you,” Tong hissed, as crimson fire rushed out. Takeda leapt into the air. claws seized a rent in Takeda’s left leg. The Count
lightning poured from his open shoulders. Tong fired again, trying to strike him down, flared his jets and pulled his body downward,
“Experimentation on a female body. Females but Takeda fired his jets and twisted around applying tearing force to Takeda’s leg as he did.
are capable of so much. Their tolerance for the lance of flame, at the same time driving Fire flared from his fingertips. Takeda twisted
pain is greater.” himself towards Tong like a harpoon. He hit the his body, trying to reach Tong, but the Count
Count low, and his arms snaking under Tong’s used quick bursts to stay out of his reach while
Takeda quick-stepped to one side, dodging shoulders. sawing through the flesh binding leg to thigh.
the lightning as it traced a smoldering line on
the broken floor. He noticed a long crack across Takeda was exhausted. A skullcap of blood

Memory Wipe
It tore away in the Count’s hands, and Zartsi watched Lashiir’s sword rise. The Zartsi fell to his knees, exhaling, his blood
Takeda screamed. Tong was below him, Clordite gave no cry of triumph, but there was trickling down the stone around him.
releasing his severed limb with a triumphant passion in his eyes—the passion of a killer
smile barely visible beneath his cracked mask. thirsty death. Those eyes contained every- #
Takeda turned his body, his stump pouring thing Zartsi had struggled against. Everything
blood, and drove himself downward with all that had once consumed him. Bloodlust and The Shinotsubasa looked as if it were
the energy he could summon. He smashed darkness. covered in a layer of barnacles. Counter-board-
onto Tong in a halo of electric blue fire. Smoke ing transports, stuffed with Imperial marines
rose around them. His sword still filled his right hand: the from the Endless Dawn and two other ships,
finest ivory of Lithrall, harder than strome, a had latched onto the hull among the earlier
Takeda drove Tong down onto the raised substance requiring a master craftsman simply Caulthori landers, and inside the ship fierce
black throne at the very center of the echoing to shape it. He swung it like a pick, point aimed combat was raging between Imperial marines
chamber. His enhanced hearing registered the up at Lashiir’s face, the final blow of a dying and Tong’s biologically enhanced soldiers. The
sound of bone cracking and breaking. Tong’s warrior. Endless Dawn had succeeded in sending point-
spine was arched over the sheer, rectangu-
The ivory tip hit Lashiir’s vibrating sword as to-point signals to its fighter squadrons, and
lar back of his own throne, pinned beneath
it descended towards Zartsi’s skull. The sword they had returned to aid in taking down the
Takeda’s weight. A long crack ran down the
screeched like a dying raptor as its black metal attacking landers. A few had still managed to
center of his mask, exposing raw flesh and
met ivory. make contact, but even Tong’s men could be
bone beneath. defeated by prepared defenders.
“Two,” he hissed, blood spurting through The black sword shattered. Shards of
metal sang in the dawn air, still humming with The battle had dragged on for some time,
his mask. “You are my weapon. My machine.
residual vibrations. Lashiir’s eyes seemed to however, when Esheera saw the largest ship in
You were made to kill.”
expand in their recessed sockets, and his beak the Caulthori fleet—a behemoth that looked
“I know. I was made to kill you.” slowly stretched open in a silent cry of sympa- as if three or four cruisers had been molded
thetic agony. Shock at seeing his sword broken together in its creation—erupted in a series of
Takeda raised his fist and slammed it into paralyzed him. spectacular explosions that built to a crescendo
Tong’s open mouth. Teeth broke and blood as the engine block itself went up in a white
spattered. From his fingers Takeda channeled Zartsi dropped his sword between Lashiir’s nuclear flash. Esheera turned her eyes away,
all his remaining energy into a final burst of legs and rose, slashing through robes, chitin, wiping tears out of them.
burning energy. Electric blue light reflected and Clordite flesh as his unfolding knees and
from every surface in the chamber. Yellow eyes straightened right arm drew the sword from The fighting would drag on for hours,
bulged and greasy smoke rose as Tong burned Lashiir’s crotch up to his throat. Sparks flew as perhaps days—Esheera doubted the Caulthori
from the inside out, cooked inside the cracked he cut open the Clordite’s voice box. forces would offer surrender. Still, as her eyes
remains of his armor. swept her sensor read-outs and her canopy,
He jerked his sword out, spattering his face and as she watched blocks of red-hot metal
His body collapsed in the languor of death with dark blood, and whipped it around. He break away from the dying ship, she knew that
and slid down the back of his blood-slicked sliced Lashiir’s head from his shoulders in one the battle was won.
throne. smooth cut. Dark blood sprayed in a fountain
and the head thudded in ash, beak pointed up #
# at the gradually lightening sky.

Memory Wipe
Takeda crawled cross the floor, its once- He might have fallen into unconsciousness, sat on a hard plastic seat bolted into the wall
pristine black floor cracked, scorched, and but an interminable time later, his eyes snapped in a tiny corridor with unpainted walls. A Rover
painted with smears of half-dried blood. His open to see a face bending over him. Not a her age didn’t come through a battle between
armor melted away, fading into skin that was human face: extended muzzle, dusky green fleets, evade death a dozen times, and re-rig
torn, burnt, and scraped raw. Blood trickled in scales, pointed teeth barely visible through her comm dish in the middle of a dogfight
a steady flow from the stump of his missing leg. leathery lips...a Lithrallian, he realized. Zartsi? without losing some energy.
His body recovered well. It would be some time No, Zartsi’s eyes were piercing blue. This one
yet before he blacked out from blood loss. had pale brown irises. The door to her right opened, and a tall
figure hobbled through, wrapped and re-
But his strength left him. He had forced his The Lithrallian spoke, voice painfully loud, wrapped in fresh bandages with his arm immo-
body past even its considerable limits, and now words a series of hisses and occasional harsh bilized in a splint. Zartsi. Esheera had learned
even breathing seemed almost too much. He consonants. Takeda rotated his eyes over of his survival several hours ago, but hadn’t
gripped a gaping crack in the floor and dragged the Lithrallian’s shoulder to see three others even had a glimpse of him since. She smiled
himself forward another couple of feet. He standing over him, watching him, clutching and felt tears in her eyes.
could see Sherri’s chest rising and falling. She rifles. They were armored in gray leather
was alive, too. It seemed to take him hours to augmented with vambraces and greaves of “I’d hug you,” she said, “but I don’t think
reach her, and he left a smeared trail of blood some shiny red material. Did any of them speak you’d appreciate it.”
on the floor as he passed. Imperish? Likely not. Only diplomats, nobles, The Lithrallian cringed slightly. “You would
merchants, nobles, and exiles would have any
He reached for her, gripped her arm. His send me back to surgeons,” he hissed. “And
reason to learn human languages.
hand clumsily smeared blood on her face as have to face bodyguards.”
he croaked her name. “Sherri,” he said, again, Or maybe he was only hallucinating. There “I’ll save it for when those gashes are
heaving himself a little closer. She was horren- was no way a group of Lithrallian warriors closed, then. You want the seat?”
dously wounded...whether from Tong’s experi- could be here, on Caulthor, in the heart of Jezai
ments or from her attack on him was hard to Tong’s fortress. Liun...hadn’t she mentioned Zartsi rattled his head back and forth
tell. that a fleet was attacking Caulthor? Had the slightly, careful not to jar his neck. “No...but
attackers hired Lithrallian mercenaries? hold this.”
Her eyes opened to slits, showing reddened
whites through sweat-caked lashes. Her mouth Too many questions. Too little information, He extended his right arm, which had been
moved, lips coming together to form a “T”, but and no energy whatsoever. Takeda let his body cradling a large box shaped from red-tinted
no sound came out. A tear washed a warm go limp as his mind sank at last into blackness. wood with gold caps on the corners. Esheera
track down Takeda’s cheek. She was dying. He took it with both hands. It weighed easily
wouldn’t live much longer afterwards. # twenty pounds.
At that moment he heard heavy feet “Do I know what this is?” she asked, feeling
Nearly eighteen hours had passed since
pounding the hallway outside and cascading slightly unsettled.
Esheera had finally clambered out of her sweat-
into the throne room. Tong’s Hands were stained pilot’s cradle aboard the Vulture’s
coming for him at last. He was grateful—they “Soon you will see,” Zartsi breathed, using
Prize. She had spent most of them sleeping,
would mercifully shorten his suffering. He his now-freed right arm to prop himself up
eating, and taking a tragically brief shower in a
pulled himself closer to Sherri and waited for against the bulkhead. His chest heaved as if
military-style refresher that wasn’t much larger
the killing blow. he was struggling for breath. Esheera couldn’t
than her cockpit. She still felt exhausted as she

Memory Wipe
help feeling some motherly concern. “Speaking Esheera felt a deep glow flare up in her heart. with Tong dead.”
of bodyguards...why aren’t they pinning you “Tak,” she whispered. “Can you talk?”
down in bed right now?” Esheera touched Takeda’s shoulder gently.
She had to bend close to hear his muffled: “A “Did you find your friend?”
“Outside. I persuaded them. This is little. Is it...true that you brought this fleet?”
important visit.” “I did...where is she?”
She laughed. “That was mostly Zartsi. I just
The door on Esheera’s left slid open, and served as chauffeur.” “My warriors took her as well,” Zartsi said.
a young med-tech in a fresh white uniform “She is being healed.”
stepped through. He slid to one side of the Takeda’s eyes rolled towards Zartsi. “It’s
true?” Again, that twitch of the bandages hinting
corridor, leaving enough space for Esheera and at a pained smile. “Thank you.”
Zartsi slip by. “The patient is awake,” he said, Zartsi nodded. “I am Prince-Heir of Lithral
voice soft. “Please don’t tax him. He’s lost so Zartsi shook his head. “No thanks. You
Kingdom, and always have been.”
much blood I’m honestly surprised he didn’t killed Tong and cut heart out of enemy. My
die hours ago.” “You should have told me earlier.” warriors...have not died for nothing.”
Zartsi pushed off the wall, and he hobbled “I did not wish...I was in exile, and I didn’t “You’re commanding them...” Takeda said.
after Esheera as they both entered the medical want you to know why. You would not have “Does that mean...you’re taking up your rank
ward—one of the small sick bays aboard the believed me anyway.” again?”
Endless Dawn, with forty beds, every one of
which was now filled with marines, technicians, Esheera couldn’t tell through the bandages, Zartsi reached for the box in Esheera’s arms,
weapons operators, and fighter pilots who but Takeda looked like he was smiling. “Probably and she handed it over, glad to be rid of it. She
had been wounded during the battle. Severity not. Belar doesn’t get many foreign princes.” was beginning to suspect what it contained.
ranged from minor concussions and fractures Zartsi braced it against his shoulder, gripping
to a man whose legs had been crushed to Takeda shut his eyes, and for a moment the bottom half with his uninjured right arm,
pulp and another whose entire chest was a Esheera thought he would sleep again. He and unlatched it with his jaw. He flipped the
blackened crater. continued speaking, however. “You heard that box open. The interior was padded with deep
I killed Tong?” red velvet. For a moment, Esheera mistook its
Esheera led Zartsi through the ward and contents for a large, oddly rounded shard of
into a small alcove in back, separated from the “Heard from my Red Greaves,” Zartsi obsidian. Then she looked closer.
other patients by a heavy plastic curtain. Zartsi hissed. “You should thank Traszhi and Petiss—
had needed to pull rank to get Takeda even that they gave you field aid, carried you to surface, Esheera had seen Lashiir only once, during
much privacy. They found him stretched out and loaded you aboard transport.” their fight against the Walking Evils in Nihil’s
beneath a thin, gauzy blanket, his face invisible iron mines. She had gotten a good enough
“What do things look like now?”
beneath a mask of sterile gray bandages. The look to recognize Zartsi’s prize as the Clordite’s
blanket sagged down where his left leg should Zartsi shrugged. “Chaotic. It is not easy severed head. Dark blood stained the velvet
have been, outlining the stump of his truncated to secure entire planet, and there are many and sightless, glossy eyes stared out from
thigh. Five separate IVs ran into his arms and Hands. Fighting continues at Tong’s fortress armored sockets. A curved, knife-edged beak
remaining leg. and several other locations. Some ships fled riddled with airholes took up most of the box’s
system, some self-destructed or tried to ram interior.
But he was alive, breathing, his deep brown ours. Men didn’t seem to know what to do
eyes visible through a slit in the bandages. Zartsi bent down and presented it to

Memory Wipe
Takeda. Esheera saw the hint of a triumphant decks. She shrugged, jangling earrings and beads.
smile on in his lips and flared nostrils. “This “True, a lot of them don’t. But there are excep-
is what I will present to my father. This, with “I will take some time to recover. I do not tions, and it’s nothing I haven’t grown up
what I have done for you and for Empire, will want to appear before my father...like this.” with.”
be price of brother’s life. It is all I can offer.” Esheera laughed softly. “You should “There is...another option. You could come
Takeda stared at the severed head. “Is ‘con- probably go back to bed now. I don’t want to with me.”
gratulations’ the right thing to say?” be your cause-of-death.”
It took her a moment to process that before
Zartsi’s jaw opened in a sudden grin, dis- She turned towards a lift-shaft, to make her she could respond. “And do what?”
playing sharp teeth. “It is good enough.” way towards the bunk she had been assigned.
Zartsi called after her. “Esheera!” “Be my personal pilot. You would fly best
Takeda half-shut his eyes, and his bandaged ships in kingdom, have access to parts, have
chest rose and fell with a heavy breath. “Thank She turned. It was the first time she could whatever pay you asked. You would not have
you, both of you. For everything you’ve done. remember that he had actually called her by to fly Suto ship.”
I’d be...dead long ago without you.” name. “What?”
Esheera ran one hand through her braids,
“Most welcome,” Zartsi said. He blinked slowly. “What will you do, rattling the beads knotted into them, and
now?” ransacked her mind for a good reason why
“I couldn’t have done anything else, Tak,” she should turn down his offer. Even if she did
Esheera said, softly. She bent down over him She smiled. “Good question. The Prize manage to find another ship, the Nii wouldn’t
and gently touched her snout against his is in bad shape—if I had flown her for much forgive her quickly for deal pact with the Suto.
forehead. The bandages smelled of disinfec- longer, something in the engine would have And after the last few months, as chaotic and
tant and, faintly, of blood. Then, she said, “You slipped out of place, and the whole thing nearly lethal as they had been...living alone
should rest now. When you recover, I’ll twist would have exploded. So I guess I’ll take a solid again, with no real companion except her ship,
Zartsi’s arm and have him pull enough cash out three months and see if I can hammer her into wasn’t honestly the most appealing prospect.
of his royal coffers for a night or two’s worth of something really worth flying. After that...I
drinks, and we’ll talk.” can’t exactly go back to my clan, flying a Suto And, in her heart, Esheera didn’t think it
ship.” was what Jaggo would have wanted.
“I’ll look forward to it,” Takeda whispered.
He shut his eyes, and this time they stayed She leaned against the bulkhead, tapping “I don’t speak Lithrallic,” was the best
closed as he slipped into sleep. the metal gently with her fingers. “I guess I’ll objection she found.
do what I was doing when I met you and Tak.
Esheera held the curtain open for Zartsi, Travel. Make whatever money I can off small Zartsi laughed softly. “You would pick up
and they left together, him still clutching his shipments and passenger fares. It’s not a bad quickly.”
box with its gory trophy. The medical officer life, and it lets me fly where I like.”
didn’t seem to know whether to bow, salute, “Imperish-speaking tutor?”
or wave as they left the ward. Zartsi blinked again and cocked his head, as
if considering something. She waited patiently “As many as you wish.”
“I take it you’ll be returning to Lithral soon?” through a long moment of silence. “Humans Esheera smiled and dipped her head in a
Esheera asked, when they had re-entered the do not like Rovers,” he said, a statement. slow nod. “I don’t see how I can refuse. I’ll just
white-lit corridors of Endless Dawn’s lower

Memory Wipe
have to get used to those faces of yours.” “Not that good.” They dropped into a long, peaceful silence
interrupted only by the sounds of their
Zartsi shook his muzzle self-consciously. She laughed softly. “Me neither. Looks like breathing. Takeda rolled his eyes to stare into
“What is wrong with face?” I’m better off then you, then.” hers. The blood had drained out of them,
leaving them pale in the blue light. His eyes
“Never mind. Get some rest, Zartsi.” She stared at him for a long moment, as had adjusted enough to see the pale scars on
if drinking in his bandaged face. “You killed
When she lay down to sleep on a hard her face, including a prominent mark on her
him?”
military-issue cot that night, Esheera realized forehead.
that, for the first time since she had lost the Takeda nodded very slightly, careful not “Is Liun alive?” Takeda breathed, at last.
Ixlu Seer, she was truly happy. to move his spine much. Sherri shut her eyes.
“He’s part of the reason I’m here now. I had... Sherri nodded. “They’re holding her as a
# nightmares. Bad ones. The med officer said I political hostage. I think it’s mostly an excuse
might as well move around, since sleep wasn’t to protect her, though—they’re not sure what
Takeda floated slowly out of a sleep as doing me any good.” the Hands would do to her with Tong dead.”
dark and dreamless as the depths of an ocean. “How long did he have you?” “She didn’t lead them.”
Instead of sunlight, he found only pain on
the surface—burning aches that no painkiller “You know, I can’t answer that at all. Too “No. If they try to blame her for anything
could fully tame. The room was dim, lit a few long. Much too long. I still...have trouble that bastard did, I’ll make sure they know how
pale-blue light panels. The medical ward was thinking about it.” wrong they are. She helped me when I was...
on night-cycle. down there.” Sherri smiled. “Actually, I heard
Takeda wished his bandage cocoon would
Takeda glanced up at his IVs. They had been a rumor that they’re going to install her as
allow him to reach for her hand. “You’re free
changed recently, and continued to pump the new Countess Caulthor, as a step towards
now,” he said. “And he’s dead.”
blood, water, and nutrition into his ravaged rebuilding the planet. Lords knows there’s a lot
veins. There was nothing he could do to speed She smiled weakly. “Thank you.” of work to do on that hell.”
his recovery except lie here and wait until a
“You’re the one who saved my life. He Takeda’s mind traveled back to the long
medical officer came to check on him, perhaps
would have killed me if you hadn’t come when days of waiting in a dark apartment in one of
give him a fresh injection of sleep drugs.
you did.” Caulthor’s dome cities, hoping desperately
Then he noticed a dark figure sitting by that the Hands didn’t find him. He hoped David
his head. The blue lights faintly illuminated a “He did give me...some enhancements. was alive, that Tong hadn’t been able to trace
mist of white hair clinging to her scalp, and her Just my muscles and speed, I think—I don’t Takeda back to him. The man deserved a good
torso was white with bandages—but she was, have your armor or weapons. I guess that’s my life. Takeda would have to visit him, someday.
apparently, strong enough to sit. She moved consolation prize. What kind of...how hurt are
you, exactly?” But not for some time. Takeda knew, deep
slightly. “You awake...Tak?” down, that he never wanted to see Caulthor
Takeda stared at her for a moment before “Well, my skull will have permanent cracks, again. The world held too many horrifying
his lips could shape her name. “Sherri?” and the med staff says I’m on bed rest for at memories, too many half-waking nightmares
least a month. I don’t think all of my armor that still lurked in the darkest crannies of his
“Yeah. It’s me. How are you feeling?” survived that battle intact—it’ll have patches if mind. To him it would always be Tong’s domain,
I ever use it again. I’m honestly glad.” a world of fire and shadows.

Memory Wipe
“Any idea what you’re going to do now?” Takeda was tired and in pain, and this night Sean T. M. Stiennon
Sherri asked, softly. felt more like a dream than reality. But now, Sean is an author of fantasy and science fic-
he knew what he wanted, and he continued: tion novels and short stories, with many pub-
“I don’t know, exactly...I don’t even know if “Sherri...will you marry me? Come back to
they’ll let me go.” lications under his belt. His first short story
Belar with me?” collection, Six with Flinteye, was recently
“What do you mean?” “Marry you...now?” released from Silver Lake Publishing, and he
won 2nd place in both the 2004 SFReader.
“I’m a living weapon, one of Tong’s “When we’ve both recovered.” com Short Story Contest and the Storn Cook
Hands—for all they know I could have dormant Razor-Edged Fiction Contest with his stories
programming to assassinate the Count. And Her mouth opened wide in a bright grin. “Asp” and “The Sultan’s Well,” respective-
there’s still an order for my arrest on charges “Well, good. Tying the knot now wouldn’t be ly. “The Sultan’s Well” has been published
of cop-killing.” much fun.” in the anthology Sages and Swords. Sean’s
short story “Flinteye’s Duel” was published
“Vass is dead, isn’t he? That’ll never stand “You mean...” in Ray Gun Revival, Issue 01, and “Flinteye’s
up.” Sabotage” was published in Issue 35.
“Yes, Tak. Absolutely yes.”
“Vass doesn’t matter. The charge is out
there.” She bent down suddenly, holding her sides Sean’s work tends to contain lots of action and
with her hands, and pressed her lips onto adventure, but he often includes elements of
She shrugged, then winced, then smiled. his eyes, one after the other—the only parts tragedy and loss alongside roaring bat-
“Hey, look at it this way: you’re friends with of him that were exposed. Her lips were dry tles. A lot of his work centers around con-
the future Serpent King. I’m sure he could flex but warm. “Let’s make some good memories tinuing characters, the most prominent
a little muscle for your sake.” together, Takeda Croster.” of whom is Jalazar Flinteye (Six with Flin-
teye). He also writes tales of Shabak of
Takeda smiled weakly beneath his bandages. She remained sitting there, watching him Talon Point (“Death Marks,” in issue #9 of
“Maybe.” with love glowing in her eyes, as Takeda drifted Amazing Journeys Magazine), Blademas-
into sleep with a smile on his face. The night- ter (“Asp,” 2nd place winner in the 2004
“Out of curiosity, Tak...if that charge does mares were behind him at last, and a lifetime of SFReader.com Contest), and others who
get pulled...would you ever consider coming happiness had begun to rise over the horizon. have yet to see publication.
back to Belar?” He intended to enjoy every moment of it.
Takeda looked into her eyes again. Despite Sean loves to read fantasy and science fic-
her scars, despite her half-grown, snow-white tion alongside some history, mysteries, and
hair...Sherri was still beautiful. As beautiful as historical novels. His favorites in-
she had always been. She had always been a clude Declare by Tim Powers,
good friend to him in his three years on Belar. the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn
Had she ever wanted to be something more? trilogy by Tad Williams, Stephen Lawhead’s
Song of Albion trilogy, and King Solomon’s
“All my happiest memories on Belar,” he Mines by H. Rider Haggard. He has reviewed
whispered. “Memories of you.” books for Deep Magic: The E-zine of High
Fantasy and Science Fiction, and currently
She looked surprised, eyes opening slightly. reviews books at SFReader.com.

Pg. 86
The RGR Time Capsule
November 2008
Sci-Fi news from the Ray Gun Revival forums
RGR Date: November 18, 2008 Roy Batty Boba Fett
Readers Happier Than Couch Potatoes “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Finest Hour: Tracking Han Solo to Bespin, by
http://raygunrevival.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=2392 Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I hiding in the garbage. Sneaky bastard.
People who watch a lot of TV aren’t as happy watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the
Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be http://www.empireonline.com/100-greatest-
as people who read. movie-characters/default.asp?c=54
lost in time... like tears in rain. Time... to die.”
“The pattern for daily TV use is particularly Roy Batty Luke Skywalker
dramatic, with ‘not happy’ people estimating Why He’s On The List: Mark Hamill gets a bad
over 30 percent more TV hours per day than http://www.empireonline.com/100-greatest-
movie-characters/default.asp?c=79 rap, and it’s undeserved. OK, so when we first
‘very happy’ people,” the study says. “Televi- meet Luke Skywalker, he’s a whiny little
sion viewing is a pleasurable enough activ- bitch, but as the series progresses and Luke
ity with no lasting benefit, and it pushes flirts with the Dark Side, Hamill - face and
aside time spent in other activities -- ones soul ravaged by a car crash - injects just
that might be less immediately pleasurable, the right amount of gravitas to make the
but that would provide long-term benefits arc believable. Much more so than Hayden
in one’s condition. In other words, TV does Christensen’s attempt at the same with
cause people to be less happy.” Anakin, anyway.
The study, published in the December issue http://www.empireonline.com/100-great-
of Social Indicators Research, analyzed est-movie-characters/default.asp?c=51
data from thousands of people who re-
corded their daily activities in diaries over Mal Reynolds
the course of several decades. Researchers Why He’s On The List: Poor box-office aside,
found that activities such as sex, reading there’s no taking away from the fact that
and socializing correlated with the highest Mal is one of the best characters in recent
levels of overall happiness. sci-fi. It’s largely thanks to Fillion’s solid
grasp of the role, playing the ship’s captain
Watching TV, on the other hand, was the as an imperfect leader who’s frequently
only activity that had a direct correlation bested in verbal sparring by his shipmates,
with unhappiness. but who is unquestionably the top dog
among them. Like a Han Solo for the new
RGR Date: November 21, 2008 age, we hope he’ll be given more chances
List of 100 Greatest Movie Characters for adventure.
http://raygunrevival.com/Forum/viewtopic.
php?t=2399 Finest Hour: Making time for banter with
http://www.empireonline.com/100-greatest- Inara even while springing the Operative’s
movie-characters/default.asp?c=86 trap.

Ray Gun Revival Magazine, Issue 49

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ray Gun Revival Magazine, Issue 49

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Issue 49 December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Gifts From the Galaxy

A lump of coal. Walt was really annoyed

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Evergreen and Always

T he phone rang. Bill Salle scrubbed the towel

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

opening and closing. He raised one hand with

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

The Garbage Men

“T here’s CX740, right there in the upper

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

M yron Spielman was one hundred and

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

The bedroom furnishings hadn’t changed happen.” #

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

whispered, “How about we get Arne here to

Richard S. Levine’s short stories have

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Beneath Narsalia’s Veil

A n amber light began to blink on the

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

He waited for a moment that lasted forever.

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

E amonn Katich’s wife had been dead for

# And then they had been offered a job.

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 49, December 2008