Ray Gun Revival Magazine, Issue 21

THRILLING TALES FROM BEYOND THE ETHER
Murder Beneath
by Alice M. Roelke
Beyond The Flesh

by A. M. Stickel
The Case of the Spurious Spacemen

by MN Schnecke
Serial: Deuces Wild

In the Lap of the Gods, Part Five
by L. S. King
Issue 21
May 01, 2007
“The Engineer,” by Benjamin Schmid
Pg.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents 2
Overlord’s Lair 3
Murder Beneath, by Alice M. Roelke 4
Beyond the Flesh, by A. M. Stickel 12
Featured Artist: Benjamin Schmid 21
The Case of the Spurious Spacemen,
by MN Schnecke 23
SERIAL: Deuces Wild, In the Lap of the Gods, Part Five
by L. S. King 33
The RGR Time Capsule 40
Overlords (Founders / Editors): L. S. King, Paul Christian Glenn, Johne Cook
Venerable Staff:
A.M. Stickel - Managing Copyeditor
Shannon McNear - lord high advisor, grammar consultant, listening ear/sanity saver for overlord Lee
Paul Christian Glenn - PR, sounding board, strong right hand
L. S. King - lord high editor, proofreader, beloved nag, muse, webmistress
Johne Cook - art wrangler, desktop publishing, chief cook and bottle washer
Slushmasters (Submissions Editors): Scott M. Sandridge, John M. Whalen, David Wilhelms, Shari
L. Armstrong, Jack Willard
Serial Authors: Sean T. M. Stiennon, Lee S. King, Paul Christian Glenn, Johne Cook
Cover Art: “The Engineer,” by Benjamin Schmid
Without Whom... Bill Snodgrass, site host, Web-Net Solutions, admin, webmaster, database admin,
mentor, confidante, liaison – Double-edged Publishing
Special Thanks: Ray Gun Revival logo design by Hatchbox Creative
Visit us online at http://raygunrevival.com
All content copyright 2007 by Double-edged Publishing,
a Memphis, Tennessee-based non-profit publisher.
Rev: 20070501c
Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Pg.
Overlord’s Lair

R eady to take to the sea, travel beyond death, have some
light-hearted fun, and get blown up? If so, you’ve come
to the right place. But you might want to make sure your
his archenemies, the Nose and the Leer, have escaped from
prison, things take on an even more sinister turn.
insurance is paid up before you begin reading this issue! “Let me get this straight,” Henry Deal said to the
distraught insurance executive. “Your company is going
Our first offering is Alice M. Roelke’s Murder Beneath broke because of an alien invasion? I haven’t seen anything
on the news.”
People say the Delans can tell your future and never get it
wrong. But does that mean you should trust them? When he first came in and began babbling about alien
cows, Deal had thought he was delusional. That is, until
Beth and Willow stilled, waiting for their fellow Sea he saw the photographs. “But they do look like cows,” he
Support members to arrive and the Delans to come out. exclaimed. “Cows in space suits.”
Without looking at them, one of the guards sent, [Watch “You’ve got it,” Mr. Anderson said. “Cows in space suits.
out for these three. They never lie, but they never quite tell Kidnapping people. Mostly gangsters, I might add. They’re
the truth. If you listen to them, it will destroy you.] all insured.”
Beth didn’t grace this with a reply, but Willow shot back “Hmm,” Henry said, his mind racing. This had all the
angrily, [How can you say that? How would you know?] elements of a set up. But the average criminal was not that
creative. There had to be a mastermind involved.
The spacer bowed her head slightly at Willow’s anger.
[Maybe I’m wrong,] she hedged. [But my friend died We end this issue with the continuing adventures
because of their predictions.] of Deuces Wild, In the Lap of the Gods, part five,
by L. S. King
[Yeah right. Get back to space, you superstitious rock-
head.] When we last left our heroes, Tristan was trapped in the
self-destructing palace of the dead Eridani emperor. Slap
Beyond the Flesh, by A.M. Stickel draws us into the near was in the temple and the late emperor’s cousin had pulled
future. a needlegun on him.
The Plague Wars begin with an unjustly executed convict. Tristan hurried south as fast as he could crawl, using
His scientist sister tries to solve the puzzle of his death and rocks and boulders as cover whenever possible. Even if
thwart the plague, but she must pay the ultimate price. he dared, walking was painful and slow with his leg injury.
The lift door opened on Dr. Zubin’s floor, disgorging the His chances of getting clean away weren’t good, but what
first casualties in the Plague Wars. Danny’s name died on other choice did he have?
her lips. She screamed in terror and sprinted for her lab. He scrambled toward a large outcropping on the side of
Shuffling after her like a sleepwalker, KDZ’s blank-eyed, a hill. On the far side he discovered a small niche between
drooling State’s Witness dragged Comfort’s limp form several boulders. Not a very good hiding place, but the best
behind him by one foot. His fumbling hands had tried and he could do.
failed to pry her from her hazmat suit. One instinct alone He wedged in and reached for two plasma grenades.
drove him: a voiceless cry began in the center of his being,
craving satiation—hungry, Hungry, HUNGRY! The whine of capacitors charging made him look up. Five
PB rifles stared him in the face.
Place your tongue firmly in your cheek for The Case of the
Spurious Spacemen, by MN Schnecke. Think you’re ready? Then shields up, hang on (since we
know bridge chairs never have seat belts), and hope the
The Red Eye, alter ego of Henry Deal, detective, faces inertial dampers don’t cut out!
one of the greatest challenges of his crime fighting
career. Cows from space are kidnapping most of the
gangsters in the city—and all of the victims are insured
against alien abduction! But when the Red Eye learns that L. S. King

"The Battle for Monday Morning," by Jordan Lapp Pg.
Murder Beneath
by Alice M. Roelke
T he house swayed in the tide. Bethel grabbed

one of the inner-growth handholds to
steady herself, careful to stifle her annoyance.
holding us all up!” screamed Major Tremper. She
could picture him frothing at the mouth, ready to
hand out letters of reprimand.
She had seen young houses stunted, stiff, and “Yes, sir, I’m coming,” she said, and twisted
unresponsive because of incompetent sendings. her bubble to silent mode, then released it. It
A manta ray flapped slowly past the thin, bounced back to hover by her hip. She pushed
still-hardening window. She decided this house her fingers through a soft spot in the wall,
should have a domed window. Laying her opening the door. It closed behind her as she slid
hands against the clear membrane, she pressed into the water, releasing her breath and pulling
outwards. Because she had spent time with the cool seawater into her gills. The communica-
building since it was a seedling, it responded, tion bubble followed by her side, blinking red as
easily molding outward under her touch. A lot of Tremper continued to hail her.
architects let houses grow untouched until they Stupid, she thought, straddling her shark and
were ready to make rooms in them. You could sending it the silent command to return to base.
mass produce houses that way, but it was hard to A major should trust a captain to return after
get any soul in them. one recall, not hound her while she was trying to
That soul wasn’t just the fanciful designs, the obey.
spiraling towers and overhangs, or the work If I was a major... But no. Fruitless to think
and rest areas that stayed soft and pliant, easily that. Tremper would never retire, if only to keep
molding to the owner’s touch. It was the eagerness, her from getting a promotion.
the loving attention the house lavished on its She gripped the shark’s muscular sides with
occupants. You couldn’t hurry that. It could only her bare legs. The sharp shark skin would have
come from time spent with a developing house. cut her skin, if she’d been a regular human. But,
Of course, a certain knack at sending-communi- being specifically enhanced for an amphibious
cation didn’t hurt. lifestyle, her skin wasn’t harmed by the sand-
Bethel Mackenzie, Sea Support member and papery shark. If anything, she found shark skin
part-time housemaker, grew homes for people convenient—easy to grip. As the shark plowed
who wanted to live near the Sea Support base. through the ocean, her communication bubble
Someday, she hoped to be more well known, and switched remotely to telepathic mode, allowing
sell houses to celebrities and billionaires as well. Tremper to yell at her further.
“...kenzie! Mackenzie! Get down here!” [Mackenzie! I swear, if you’re ever late again]
Stifling a groan, she reached for her squawking [Sir, I’m on my way. I can’t talk,] she replied,
communication bubble and pulled it to her face. struggling to stay calm. That would have to be
“Here boss. What is it?” good enough even for him. She shut off the
“Get down here now Mackenzie! You’re bubble.

Murder Beneath, by Alice M. Roelke Pg.
She reached the base in record time, and the girls.

released the shark as she shoved her fingers [Tell me about the aliens,] sent Beth, feeling
into the base’s pliant door and walked through. less irritated with the deep blue sea surround-
A sheen of water cascaded onto the floor as the ing her again. She and Willow rode side by side,
door closed behind her. whiplash fast.
She faced the major, and saluted. “Sir.” He [You didn’t miss anything. We’re just escorting
glared at her, surrounded by the other Sea a trio of Delans to the base.]
Support, both the enhanced, scantily clad like [So? You’re almost as bad as Tremper! What
Beth, and the normals, wearing their cumber- are Delans?]
some skin-suits and oxy tanks. Willow gave her a shriveling look. [Where have
“You are a full three minutes and thirty-six you been, under a reef? You’re too busy with your
seconds late. You missed the briefing, and now houses to bother with the news, right?]
you’ll have to escort the aliens unprepared. Team [Well...]
up, go in pairs. Dismissed.” They saluted stiffly, [Fine, I’ll bail you out! They’re from a water
and he returned it before pivoting on his heel, world with a gravity similar to Earth’s. They have
marching out. three sexes instead of two, and they only travel
Hot and angry and still dripping, Beth ran rarely, and in groups of three.]
with the others for the dolphin bay. He’d done [Sounds pretty tame. Is it just another under-
that just to get her! He must have called the water peace treaty?]
meeting purposely while she was on break, just [Yeah, except apparently when they’re in their
to humiliate her. Wrathfully, she put on a burst of groups of three, they can see glimpses of the
speed and jumped, grabbing the first grey plastic future. That’s why Tremper didn’t want to meet
marker on the line by the dolphin room, and them himself. He’s scared. There are all kinds
yanked it off. of stories of people who’ve met them and had
Willow, it read. She smiled wryly. Her luck things predicted—and then had them come true!
had not completely left her. She held it up and I can’t believe you haven’t followed it.]
Willow’s necklace-jewel glowed sympathetically [I’ve been busy. So they’re some kind of cosmic
red, and, on the line, so did Beth’s gray token. fortune tellers?]
They were both claimed. Willow smiled, and ran [You make it sound so crass! It’s not as if they
over to her. Together, they jumped into the pool charge for it. And they’ve never been wrong.]
and snagged rides. They were the first ones out [Right. How can you tell?]
the gate, neck in neck. Willow gave her long, blond hair a toss. [I read
Willow looked over at her and grinned. They it.]
were well matched in skill, and understood one [Well don’t believe everything you—]
another almost without telepathy. Also, they [I know, I know! I hope they tell us something,
both were quite good-looking, another product though. Admit it, you skeptic, you’d enjoy it too.]
of their genetic enhancing, which could make it [Ha!] Beth gave her dolphin a speed-urging
difficult to work with men. Far too many men and shot ahead of Willow. It was an enhanced
tended to lose their heads working with Willow dolphin, of course, modified to hear telepathy
or Beth. They would get unaccountably shy, or better, and implanted with gills so it wouldn’t
effusive, or start pulling crazy stunts to impress have to constantly surface for air.

Dolphins were a hallowed tradition in the Sea come out.

Support, a holdover from before enhancing, back Without looking at them, one of the guards
when all humans had to carry bulky oxy tanks, sent, [Watch out for these three. They never lie,
carefully regulate their body temperatures, and but they never quite tell the truth. If you listen to
protect their fragile skin. Today, the slim and them, it will destroy you.]
supple Beth was as strong and tireless as a shark, Beth didn’t grace this with a reply, but Willow
even if she didn’t look it. shot back angrily, [How can you say that? How
Personally, she thought modified sharks were would you know?!]
best for Sea Support transportation. Dolphins The spacer, naturally subservient and obedient,
were a lot of fun, but they didn’t always get bowed her head slightly at Willow’s anger.
down to business like they should. Also, dolphins [Maybe I’m wrong,] she hedged. [But my friend
needed a lot of maintenance. You had to spend died because of their predictions.]
a lot of time with a dolphin or it wouldn’t listen [Yeah right. Get back to space, you supersti-
to you. And, of course, there were the practical tious rock-head!]
jokes. The spacer closed her eyes and withdrew
But today their dolphins behaved, and Beth emotionally.
and Willow were the first ones to the dock. [You shouldn’t have done that,] sent Beth to
The dock was a water-lock device that let Willow. [You know how easily you can hurt those
water-bound aliens come directly from a ship to worker-types.]
the ocean without any dangerous air contact. Of [Only because they’re so stupid they have to
course, even this shock would be unthinkable be programmed to want to please everyone!]
if the aliens didn’t spend most of the voyage to It wasn’t quite fair, but Beth didn’t argue. She
Earth adjusting to the temperature and pressure was just glad her genes hadn’t been tinkered with
of Earth’s oceans. It was a lot of work, but it to make her more agreeable or pliable.
allowed for a fuller inter-social understanding, The telepathic exchange took only seconds.
and better working relations. Of course there Now the trio of aliens started through the lock,
were tanks and water-suits, but who would want dwarfed by the guards. Each Delan had several
to use one of those their whole time on Earth? dozen tentacles coming down from his/her/its
The dock opened and two enhanced guards head, obscuring whatever body was beneath.
came through. Bulky and rocklike, they looked The tentacles, suctionless and opaque, swirled
less human than some aliens. They were not and swayed. I should compare them to octopuses,
engineered for underwater work, so they must but they’re nothing like that, really. Nothing at all,
be holding their breath. Of course, the enhanced thought Beth. Their delicate, impatient tentacles
space-facing humans could hold their breath were nothing like an octopus’s crude limbs.
for several hours at a time. That and work in a The Delans’ heads seemed able to swivel any
vacuum. which way at all. Beth could discern no facial
The guards positioned themselves, respectful- features on them, save three eyes per alien. They
ly, one on each side of the lock, waiting for their looked large and eerie—and surprisingly similar
alien charges to emerge. to human eyes, though lidless.
Beth and Willow stilled, waiting for their fellow The rest of the escort still had not arrived,
Sea Support members to arrive and the Delans to although she could hear them drawing nearer. So

she and Willow greeted the aliens on their own. The Sea Support escort, basked for a moment
[Welcome to Earth,] she and Willow sent, in glory, now hung around, ignored by all. Some
clearly and together. roughhoused with their dolphins to burn off
The Delans returned their gazes with unblink- steam; others talked or laughed about what had
ing eyes. When they sent, it was with the flavor or happened, but none left. The awe of the aliens
a wild, mind-bending alien chorus. momentarily bound them together.
[Greetings, Beth, captain of underwater.] The Fighting off a heady dizziness, Bethel sent,
flavor of the greeting was peaceful and green, like quickly and only to Willow, [Let’s not tell anyone.
a calm sea. Beth’s mind did a giddy turn-around. I don’t want to be mocked if it doesn’t come
They were staring at her. Their mind-voices always true.]
twined, but one spoke uppermost each time. Willow nodded absently, her face a mask of
[Greetings, Bethel, winner of the plant-house confusion and hurt. [Why you, though? They had
award.] The flavor of this was like a strain of so much good to say for you, who scoffed at them,
glorious music, or a carefree swim through forests but I, who believed...]
of kelp. [Your child will rule worlds,] reminded Beth.
Last, the strongest mind spoke, with a kind [That’s better. It’s a kind of immortality.]
of wild, seductive finality. [Greetings, Bethel [Maybe,] thought Willow. Neither of them
MacKenzie, leader of the Sea Support!] believed it.
Beth’s mind spun from the lyric greetings. She #
managed a faint reply. [I’m none of those, except
the first.] Bethel’s bubble buzzed as she worked on her
All three alien minds replied, instantly and house. She answered absently. “Mackenzie here.”
together, [But you will be.] The wild music of their “Hey Kenz! You’re in the money!” shouted
minds left her reeling and stunned, submerged in Arthur Ret, a reporter she knew.
glorious possibilities. “How’s that?” She dropped the bubble and it
[And what of me?] asked Willow, sounding hovered by her side, spewing Arthur’s cheerful
jealous. [What great things will happen to me?] voice as she, concentrating, worked carefully on
They replied without emotion. [Ever none, but the house, forming a bed.
your child shall rule worlds.] “You’ve won the Best Housemaker award,
[But I have no child,] sent Willow. that’s what!”
The Delans glided past silently, towards the Bethel gave a start, and the color drained from
other Sea Support personnel just arriving. her face. This meant...
“Kenz, did you hear me? You’ve won! Your
#
work’s gonna triple in value overnight!”
A stately ceremony met the Delans at the The second statement had come true. There
base. Water displays were set off in their honor, remained only the third.
and famous and smooth-tongued ambassadors Maybe it is my destiny, she thought. She shook
led them away. the thought away and raised the bubble. “Thank

you for telling me, Art.” worldwide house expert, looked uncomfortable.
“Can I do your bio?” “Just a minute, buddy. Can’t you see I’m
“Um, sure.” As she spoke, she happened to talking?” Tremper leaned over the podium at his
glance down at the newly-made bed. captive audience. “That reminds me of a little
A giant spike like a stalagmite stuck up from joke about ‘Kenzie.”
the middle, created by her jolt of surprise. Standing on the sidelines, trying to maintain
Absently, she tried to smooth it down again, back a pleasant smile, Bethel fumed inwardly—and
to a useable shape. swore she would get even.
But it had already hardened beyond change. He’s hounded me, kept back my career, made
me look bad, and now he’s ruining the one night
#
that should have been mine! The Delans said
Willow took her aside at the award presenta- I would rule Sea Support—that means I’ll be
tion. promoted, maybe even replace him.
“Some luck, huh?” she asked, with a half- Maybe I should help things along.
teasing, half wary look in her eyes. #
“Yeah,” said Beth. “I don’t expect the other
thing will happen, though.” She managed to get a few accolades after the
Willow nodded, appeared satisfied. “Try to rushed ceremony. While Tremper swayed by the
keep your cool out there tonight. I know Tremper beverage table, a few people came up and con-
drives you crazy, but you don’t want a crowd of gratulated her, mentioning they would like her to
potential customers to know that.” shape them a house. It gave her a pleasant glow
As usual, Tremper was trying to hog all Beth’s without the side effects of imbibing, so she did
glory. The awards committee had come here so not bother.
they could tour her houses. That had gone well. Besides, she would need her wits tonight.
But holding the ceremony in one of Sea Support’s She stayed until everyone else had left,
spacious conference rooms had given Tremper an squeezing the last ounces from her award.
excuse to orchestrate the proceedings. Walking to her quarters after the party was
“Don’t worry,” said Beth. “Not even Tremper over, Beth spotted the Delans, swimming peace-
can ruin tonight.” But when she started on stage fully around near the dolphin bay. Unobtrusive
in stunning evening wear, prepared to accept her guards hung back. On impulse, she opened a
award, she found Tremper still talking, slurring door in the wall and slid into the sea, still in her
his words. evening dress.
“...which reminds me of a little joke, gems Gulping cool seawater through her gills, she
and gents, ha ha. One time I calls them in and kicked off her high-heels and swam down towards
‘Kenzie’s so late she misses the briefing! Isn’t that the Delans. The guards, who knew her, nodded as
a scream?” The delegates shifted in their seats. she passed.
“Ah, sir...” Karl Ing tapped Tremper on the As the Delans turned to meet her, she sent a
shoulder. The genteel scientist, renowned as a quick, anxious thought towards them, shielding it

from the far-away guards. snort. Sleepily, he caught sight of her, and leered
[Will I succeed?] she asked. [Will I be as he eyeballed her water-slicked dress. “Hey
caught?] there, good-looking,” he slurred. “Come on in.”
[You shall not fail.] Their three mental voices “I’d rather go out,” she said. “There’s a special
twined as one. place I’d like you to see.”
[And I won’t be caught? I’ll—live out my life, “Well sure!” He pulled himself to unsteady
without anyone ever knowing?] feet. Was he too drunk to know it was her? Or
Now their answers were separate and just too drunk to care?
distinct. Helping him out the door, she called her shark.
[You shall not die at the hands of humans,] It came with powerful speed. She managed to get
sent the first, in a musical, whispery mind-voice. Tremper on its back, and clung to the shark’s fin,
[You shall not die at the hands of aliens,] sent sending the silent command.
the second, calm and glorious. [Hang on,] she told Tremper, putting an arm
[You shall die,] sent the third with ringing around him to keep him from falling.
finality, [when houses walk and humans are not The shark swam with economy of motions to
born with hands.] her young house, swaying in the side. Beth looked
[But this means—] Bethel struggled to remain around quickly. Not a soul in sight; the guests
calm. Houses were plants, changeable to an extent, who had visited the house earlier were gone now.
of course, but still grounded, still connected to She was alone, with a compliant shark and her
the earth. And she could not image any reason drunken boss.
that humans might be engineered without hands. She pushed Tremper inside the house. He
In this day, how could it happen accidentally? slumped, rubbery, to the floor, already half asleep
Unless something changed drastically, Bethel again. She easily hefted him by his shoulders, and
Mackenzie would live forever! She wondered if slammed him against the wall.
some new technology, perhaps in the works now, He awoke with a start. “Huh?” His eyes
would extend her life indefinitely. widened. “You?”
The future had never looked brighter. I just “Yes. Me.” Beth touched the wall.
might live forever, she thought. It was one of the most sensitive sections of
[Thank you!] sent Beth. [Thank you!] She the house. She had been planning to expand it
swam smiling back, but not to her quarters. She into another room. Now sensing her fury and
went to Tremper’s. rage, it spiked outwards, hardening instantly.
She glimpsed him through an opaque window Through Tremper.
in his poorly-grown house. He had his own, paid He stared at her, eyes unseeing, mouth agape.
for by Sea Support. He lay on a formed couch with She stared back, allowing a small, vicious smile to
his eyes closed. cross her face.
She swam up, thrust her fingers through the Then she got to work, soothing the house,
door, and pulled herself inside. Water fell off her softening the unhardened edges, drawing them
in a sheet, as Tremper awoke with an interrupted over him until he was cocooned in gauzy plant

Murder Beneath, by Alice M. Roelke Pg. 10
material. With another harsh thought, the cocoon disappearance. One day, Beth paid her a visit.
blackened and hardened around him. “Come in,” said Willow, in reply to the knock
She had made him into a decorative wall piece, on the door of her small, Sea Support-assigned
like sculpted coral. quarters. She lounged on her bed on her stomach,
reading, with her feet curled together in the air.
#
She looked up, and her eyes hardened.
Beth formed a search party, because she was “Not glad to see me?” said Beth, sitting
now highest ranking at the base. carefully in a chair. “I thought you’d be happy for
Everyone knew she didn’t like Tremper, but me. I’m up for another promotion. Do you think
she conducted herself professionally—even when I’ll get it?”
her shark mysteriously died only days later. Willow eyed her with disgust. “You were
The search continued until an oversight involved, weren’t you? You decided to take the
committee pronounced him most likely dead and Delans’ prediction into your own hands.”
launched an investigation. Beth was questioned, “Don’t be silly,” said Beth. “The prediction
along with others whom he’d also mistreated. came true. I’m ‘ruling’ Sea Support—here, at
“It’s no secret I dislike Tremper,” Beth said. least, and likely to go higher. You didn’t suspect
“But our differences were purely professional. I’d me of any cheating when I won the award, did
have been stupid to kill him—I’m such an obvious you? Why can’t you just be happy for me?”
suspect.” “I’m not as stupid as the police, Beth. Don’t tell
She cooperated fully with the investigation, me it was coincidence, Tremper dying that night.”
and was cleared. She handled herself admirably, “No one’s proved he’s dead. Maybe he just ran
and soon received her promotion. Beth now ran off.”
the base, and general consensus said she was “I don’t believe that and neither do you.”
better at it than Tremper had ever been. The Willow turned away.
investigation of Tremper’s disappearance, though “There’s no proof,” repeated Beth in a low
still technically open, was as good as finished. voice.
Beth’s house-making business grew steadily, “Not yet,” said Willow, almost in a whisper. She
even though she didn’t have a lot of free time to looked at Beth with glittering, angry eyes.
work on it. Beth rose slowly. “You’re just angry because
She didn’t sell the house she’d been working the Delans gave me better predictions. That’s not
on when she received the award. She chose to really fair, Willow.” She left quietly.
live there, now that she could have any quarters Willow was getting to be a liability, just as
she wanted. the shark had been. Willow wasn’t going to tell
Her bedroom had a lovely, sculpted coral anyone of her suspicions, Beth decided. She won’t
ornamentation. have that world-ruling child, either.
Long gone, the Delans were a distant memory, If I’m going to be immortal, there’s no reason
except to two people. I can’t rule worlds!
Willow had avoided Bethel since Tremper’s She cried and cried when they found Willow’s

body, crushed to death in a horrible kelp-harvester Alice M. Roelke

accident.
# Alice Roelke is a fan of Shakespeare’s Macbeth,
which was the inspiration for this story.
“Not very much left, is there?” asked Karl Ing,
international house expert and cloning engineer. Her writing credits include having a story pub-
“Hardly worth the bother,” agreed his associate, lished on Gate-Way S-F Magazine in 2005, and
as they picked up Willow’s remains from the Sea one on Ray Gun Revival in 2006, as well as hav-
Support morgue. “Still, it was willed to science, ing fiction and nonfiction pieces published in the
and science is here.” He laughed at his own joke, Young Salvationist, the Salvation Army’s youth
and finished labeling the remains. print magazine since the age of eighteen.
His pen hovered over the last line. “Where to,
Karl? Your ‘walking house’ project again?”
Karl smoothed his moustache thoughtfully.
“No, that could be a waste of well-engineered
genes. Send it to my lab. There’s an experiment
I’ve been meaning to try with engineered genes,
and this is just the excuse for it. I’ll clone it, altering
the DNA, increasing the telekinetic abilities.”
The associate’s hand paused over the label
again. “But you’ve already tried that, boss. They
all failed.”
Karl smiled thoughtfully. “Ah, yes, but I’ve
been thinking. We made it too easy on our exper-
iments. Why should they bother learning mind
control when they can just manipulate things
with their hands and feet?”

Beyond the Flesh

by A. M. Stickel
Prelude: Hall Penitentiary, Prosperity, Nevada Unit had won the bid for his carcass. Since his
organs would be ruined, he doubted what was
I t’s time now.

KDZ-323 had an important midnight
appointment. Clad in white jumpsuit and booties,
left could be harvested by Medical Research.
up.
Fertilizer and Pet Food will probably divvy me
his bowed head shaven, he followed Warden Precisely at midnight, an anonymous flunky
Cooper and Chaplain Parks. Instead of voices, the activated the execution sequence. The dieing
trio’s slow footsteps said it all, whispering along prisoner’s bloodshot gaze failed to find the spy-
the dim cellblock corridor. The red door at their eye documenting his demise; he merely shrugged
final destination bore no lettering, which hardly as the last words his living ears would hear blared
mattered to a dyslexic convict too distracted to into the chamber from a prerecorded, synthetic
have decrypted it. source.
When the red door swung open, both officials “For crimes against society, and having refused
stepped aside to allow the condemned man’s solo final rites, the prisoner will presently pay the
entry. His belly growled, announcing he’d had his ultimate price in the presence of the designated
expectations confirmed about last meals being a State’s Witness.”
myth to appease the world outside. Gotta be that bloodsucking Mel Hix. He likes
Prosperity’s retired vultures can hardly wait to watch.
for us cons to die. KDZ eyed the Witness’s obscuring faceplate;
KDZ couldn’t have eaten anyway, with a he’d found “M. H.” scrawled on a note under his
swollen tongue hardly able to move behind mashed potatoes twenty-four hours earlier. Even
cracked, parched lips. Twelve hours without a had he been able to speak, he had nothing left
drop of water discouraged croaking his innocence to say, especially to Hix. More than ready to die,
yet again. Despite his antiseptic surroundings, a he couldn’t help recalling the final statement on
rotten stench clung to him. the forms read to and signed by him upon his
The prisoner looked up to find himself in a admission to Hall: Death is every human’s birth-
gray-walled, circular, cement chamber. Standing right.
opposite KDZ, and protected by a level-D, rein- #
forced hazmat suit complete with air tanks, the
massive guard’s presence announced the truth: Melvin Hix waited until the register on his wrist
execution by vacuum. showed air pressure was back to normal before
Long bled dry of youth and hope, KDZ counted approaching KDZ’s slumped form. Confident the
his heartbeats, the end of his sentence only a few devices recording the execution had completed
breaths away. Resigned, he sank down facing his their task, Hix proceeded to earn his bonus from
companion, his back and buttocks against the the Big Boss: a quick jab of the needle gun up the
cold cement, and wondered which Reclamation corpse’s right nostril, as instructed.

Beyond the Flesh, by A. M. Stickel Pg. 13
Mission accomplished! find the Supe, Clay Rogers, giving her the evil eye.
Before exiting the execution chamber, Hix He motioned her out of line and nodded towards
pressed the decontamination activation panel his office. “Big Boss wants t’see ya, NOW, Switt.”
beside the red door, bathing the room in an Her last name came out “Sweat” when he said it.
indigo glow. He tucked the stiff under his left arm Before she could protest, he took her place in line
with ease, and pressed the panel again to unseal across from Abe, giving her the brief pleasure of
the door. Once outside, he paused to access the watching Abe’s grin vanish.
recessed panel beside it, and listened for the two Comfort passed through the decontamina-
beeps that meant complete chamber decontami- tion airlock into Clay Rogers’ office. Still in full
nation. gear, she faced the Big Boss, who was perched
Hix bagged the body and left it by the recycle casually, but with surprising grace for such a large
drop-off chute for Joe Green and Greg Morales, man, on the edge of Clay’s desk. The cold smile
then stepped into the suit locker to change. on his tan face did not reach his hazel eyes. No
Thanks to Joe and Greg, Big Boss Nick Angelo’s one ever addressed Boss Nick Angelo by name, or
back-up boys waiting inside, he never stepped out. kept their eyes on his for too long. Comfort was
Only the closest inspection would have revealed no exception.
the tiny hole at the base of his skull where the “Boss?”
pair had used Hix’s own needle gun on him...the Without warning, a holo of Comfort’s two small
one with traces of the unique serum meant for sons appeared between her and her summoner.
KDZ. They bagged his body for disposal so quickly, They’d grown since she’d last seen them…the day
they never saw—or felt—the minute amount of she’d paid their way to a haven with a distant
spinal fluid on his hazmat suit as they hung it up relative in the Safe Zone. Her heart sank.
neatly in the locker. “I need a special delivery, Ms. Switt. Use the
utmost discretion, succeed, and expect a nice
Adagio bonus…maybe even some quality family time.
Fail, and…well, need I say more?”
Reclamation Technician, Comfort Switt, in full “The assignment, Boss?”
level-C hazmat gear, stood at the bottom of the “You’re to pick up a package from Hall Peni-
ramp, prodding recycled bodies into position on tentiary—fresh midnight meat—and keep it that
the conveyor belt. She shifted her weight from way. Our turbovan’s waiting, so don’t bother
leg to leg, frustrated she couldn’t scratch all the to de-suit. The delivery goes to a new client,
itchy places under her layers, and turned her ire Dr. Shoshanna Zubin, head of World Robotics
on the nearest R.C., Able Vosz. downtown…a party I’d like to impress favorably.
“Hey, Abe, will ya getta move on? I need a pee Be discreet.” He motioned for her to get going,
break.” and replaced the boys’ holo with one of business
Abe made a familiar obscene gesture, which charts, not even waiting for her response.
slowed his work even more. Comfort nodded and left the office, wishing
She returned the gesture with, “Oh yeah, just she hadn’t been singled out for the boss’s priority
wait until you’re dead meat y’self, Slug Butt…” assignment. She’d end up in the Pen if she were
The smug grin on Abe’s face, and a nudge from caught. Success meant she could expect more
behind, interrupted Comfort. She turned aside to risky duty from here on out. The thought of her

boys’ future made her shiver; they’d likely be driving slowly through the scan tunnel into the
recruited into Angelo’s organization, if he let them Pen’s subbasement.
live. Having signed on at International Recycling, Passing through security to pick up her
Inc. (IRI) as single and childless, she’d abandoned midnight meat, Comfort was the object of the
the profession which had left her with sons by guards’ sick jokes. “It’s a ‘hottie’—or should I say
two different customers, twelve months apart, as a ‘coldie’—from IRI, Joe…here to pick up her date.
well as an expensive-to-treat health problem or Nothin’ like a fresh one, eh, honey?”
two related to that line of work. The tech’s credentials from the Big Boss didn’t
In a world where even the air was taxed, save her from the embarrassment and discom-
the tech was still paying off her illegal steriliza- fort of a thorough body scan. Her skin tingled
tion. While pregnancies beyond a woman’s first and her shame burned all the way through to her
two were encouraged, they were never allowed soul. She wanted to cuss out her tormentors, but
to ripen. Children were not in demand, but if she did, Nick Angelo might hear about it. Half of
the “products of conception” were. A woman’s Nevada was on his payroll.
mistakes could be turned into profit, promoting Big Boss won’t tolerate a rude special delivery
research to benefit people like Nick Angelo and woman in his employ, oh no, not at all…
his clients, the ones willing to pay top dollar. “Yeah, Greg, this gal’s definitely next-to-dead,”
hollered Joe to his coworker as he eyed her scan,
#
“ripe for a newly dead treat. Sweaty, hon, back
Maybe convicts sentenced to the Pen—even your body wagon to the bottom of the chute.
this dead meat—are better off than me. They KDZ’ll be right down, wearin’ some spicy cologne
don’t have to worry where to eat, sleep, or how just for you.”
they’ll pay their taxes. “Hey, Joe-y, I think it’s P-U Number 9…har,
Guiding the turbovan along the prepro- har.” Greg held his gray-clad sides as the rumble
grammed route to the Pen, Comfort mulled the of the lock-docks began.
unfairness of the New World Order ruled by Comfort backed up to the chute and pushed
the Techno-Lords. They’d promised humanity the control on her dash to open her van’s rear gate
a brighter future, but the same old games of just as a louder rumble signaled the descent of a
inhumane corruption thrived. Comfort and her heavy object. The awaited item slid neatly into
kind didn’t belong to the two percent who won the padded bed of the van; the seals activated
those games. after the rear panel closed.
It’s just another pyramid scheme, and I’m at The tech headed her vehicle for the exit tunnel,
the bottom of the pyramid. passing through yet another scan, after which a
Comfort’s thoughts were interrupted by Hall buzzer indicated she was beyond Hall’s security
Penitentiary’s perimeter alert, followed by the zone. She breathed a sigh of relief when the cab’s
auto-query, “Pickup or delivery, be prepared to coordinated display changed to her new destina-
show ID and submit to scan.” tion, the subbasement of World Robotics.
“Damn machines,” the tech responded under Dr. Zubin, here I come, hopin’ he’s everything
her breath, before giving her clearance code, and you expect, ‘cause I sure don’t want to have to

return him… Guess there’s no accountin’ for ignominious death.

taste.
Allegro
#
Shoshanna Zubin was among the lucky two “All new test subjects to Processing.” The voice
percent of the populace who had the best the invading the curtained cubicle was synthetic and
New World Order offered. Several rejuv treat- impersonal.
ments and body-recontouring insured her own Who am I?
mother wouldn’t have recognized her. Her name With a jerk, the man on the slab sat up. Every-
had also been reconfigured. thing around him wore a pink aura. His last clear
The fifty-year-old, former public health nurse recollection was watching a hazmat-suited figure
had been dumpy little Shanna once; her brains— approach him with a needle gun where he lay
and powerful connections—had reversed her slumped against a cold cement wall. He had been
predictable destiny. Those same brains had found looking down on this scene from somewhere
a way to secure a different sort of future for her near the ceiling...floating.
unfairly jailed younger brother Danny, aka KDZ- I was dead! Maybe I still am…
323. Before the man could speculate further, an
Will he recognize me? The doctor paced electric spasm hit, convulsing him. His limbs went
anxiously back and forth in the deserted hallway, rigid, spilling him onto the padded floor until his
her trim figure enhanced by the latest biohazard thrashes subsided.
gear. She fingered her helmet lock, wishing she I’m not breathing. Although his mouth tried
didn’t have to look at Danny’s face for the first to call for help, no sound emerged.
time in years through plastic. “No, I’d better not A hazmat-suited attendant entered the
take any chances,” she said aloud, straining her cubicle, bent down and hoisted the man over his
ears for the sound of the supply lift. “It won’t be shoulder. The pink haze pulsed around him and
long now, Danny boy. I’m going to bring you back the lettering across his chest: Revival Unit.
and give you what you deserve. We’ll both watch The man glanced at his own right wrist and
the whole world change. Nothing’s ever going to made out the faint tattoo on it: KDZ-323…a prison
be the same after tonight.” tag. I was a prisoner.
Dr. Zubin smiled at her reflection in the As he began to remember more, KDZ’s
polished door panel and hugged herself. In awareness focused on a rumor circulated by
her advanced robotics lab, a still form lay in cons like him who’d volunteered as medical test
the twilight state of near sentience, awaiting subjects to shorten their sentences. Few prisoners
the installation of Danny’s brain and personal- had believed in revival research…especially lifers
ity. Incorruptible alloys, intricate circuitry, and and his brethren on Death Row.
top-secret techno-wizardry would provide him They must’ve used a revival shot on me—a
near immortality…and ultimate triumph over the second chance! Let’s see where this goes.
corrupt system which had condemned him to an

# cry began in the center of his being, craving

satiation—hungry, Hungry, HUNGRY!
The revived prisoner would have been less Once in her lab, Dr. Zubin sealed the door,
enthusiastic had he known how avidly Angelo, stripped, lay down in the cyber-chamber, attached
ignorant of who KDZ really was, monitored his the leads to transfer into her synthetic creation,
progress from a central location. The Big Boss and activated CYBERMERGE. By the time the
planned to demonstrate the evidence of IRI’s revived guard battered down the door with brute
unparalleled research capability to Dr. Zubin and force, crawled in, clawed her to him like a lover,
recruit her. Why should they be rivals? After all, as and sank his teeth into her former flesh, she was
a gesture of his good will, he’d sent her tonight’s beyond it.
other fresh corpse to play with, cleverly solving
the complication of a greedy State’s Witness who Andante
might eventually blackmail him—two birds killed
with one stone, as it were. With Hall Penitentiary on lockdown, Warden
# Les Cooper was at his wits’ end. All supplies were
being dropped by Air Delivery onto the roof of
Comfort Switt backed the van toward the des- Admin. Traffic in and out of the secured zone
ignated supply lift, palmed up her delivery invoice ceased. Nearby condo-filled blocks of retirees
for customer verification, and entered the code and their caregivers were evacuated. Specula-
noted thereon. When the lift light went green tion ran wild among the inmate population, so
to signal its arrival, the tech offloaded her bulky far unaffected by the outbreak begun with the
package using an antigravity prod, then entered execution of KDZ-323, whose guard and State’s
the lift to accompany her delivery to Dr. Zubin’s Witness, Melvin Hix, had disappeared.
floor. The vacuum chamber had been completely
That thing creeps me out. Comfort kept her decontaminated, but no one would go near the
back to the bagged body and prepared to meet red door. The superstitious blamed KDZ’s ghost,
her boss’s client… and kept the chaplain so close he himself verged
The lift door opened on Dr. Zubin’s floor to on a breakdown.
disgorge the first casualties in the Plague Wars. It’s no ghost.
Danny’s name died on her lips at the sight of Cooper, viewing and reviewing the recording
the ruined horror Hix had become. “Who are of KDZ’s execution, tried to figure out how—and
you? Stay back!” she screamed, edging away in why—Hix had vanished from Hall Penitentiary,
terror and disappointment. She soon turned and leaving behind his empty hazmat suit. Everyone
sprinted for her lab, damning Angelo and IRI. who’d come in contact with the suit after the
Shuffling after her like a sleepwalker, blank- execution had taken ill, and eventually ended up
eyed and drooling, Hix dragged Comfort’s limp trying to eat human flesh. A single bite passed
form behind him by one foot. His fumbling hands the plague.
had tried and failed to pry her from her hazmat But, if it’s the suit, why are Greg and Joe,
suit. One instinct alone drove him: A voiceless

who were stationed in the subbasement, in the you have a solution…or at least an explanation.”
infirmary too? “Always happy to help the law, Warden Cooper.”
Victims were kept under heavy sedation, Angelo beamed like the shark he was. “I’m one
and the hard-pressed infirmarians couldn’t pin of your biggest supporters, and really appreci-
down either the causative agent or an effective ate you supplying me with volunteers to test
treatment…other than shooting the hungriest IRI’s drugs to improve the quality of life for our
infected…who didn’t stay dead long. Someone planet’s citizens.”
brainstormed the solution of firing up an old “A Ms. Switt, preceding your usual courier,
incinerator and shoving in the worst of the lot. came by last night for a post-midnight pick-up for
They didn’t scream…no, not a sound…but did IRI. I’d really like to speak to her, Mr. Angelo.”
struggle mightily until they’d charred awhile… “As a matter of fact, I’m trying to locate her and
and they stank like hell. Hall smells like a charnel the van she was assigned, as well as the package
house. she was to deliver to a very important client,”
According to the records, at half past midnight, replied Angelo. “Excuse me, I have another call.
IRI’s regular turbovan courier—an Able Vosz— I promise I’ll get right back to you, Warden. Duty
had picked up the condemned man’s carcass for calls.”
recycling before prison medics began receiving While the warden waited, drumming his fingers
plague victims. Looking there for clues was out of on his desk, Nick Angelo picked up his nonvid
the question. employee hotline. “Hullo, Boss. It’s Comfort Switt.
Why was IRI in such a damned hurry? I wouldn’t I need you to come here. You can’t imagine how
be surprised if Hix was on the take. Nick Angelo scared I am right now. I have an urgent, private
must be at the bottom of this…and his obsession message from your client, Dr. Zubin, and…the
with cheating death. van’s been hijacked. I’m sorry.” Even through the
Cheating death! A light went on in the warden’s static of poor reception, the caller sounded on
weary head, and he called for the recordings of the verge of tears.
the departures and arrivals in the subbasement Oh, Sweaty, once I have you again, you’ll do
around the time of KDZ’s execution. Too bad Greg more than cry. Sorry? I’ll make you sorry you were
and Joe, who’d been on duty at the time, were in ever born…and do it personally, not leave it up to
no condition to be questioned. Les Cooper asked goons like Greg and Joe.
his assistant to contact Nick Angelo immediately. “Don’t worry, Ms. Switt, I’m on my way, and
so glad you’re not hurt. Tell me where to find
#
you.” Angelo forced a tone of false concern into
I wish I could slap that smug face. Instead of his voice and paid close attention to the tech’s
voicing his disgust, when he finally reached Nick directions. What the hell is she doing out at the
Angelo, the warden inquired about his health first. old Angelo foundry?
Then he got on with the real purpose of his call. “I Angelo punched the control to resume his
have a situation here at Hall, Mr. Angelo, as you conversation with the warden. “Listen, Warden
may have already heard in the news, and I think Cooper, I just heard from Ms. Switt. So sit tight

till I get to the bottom of this. I’ll be in touch scientist less than the fate of Danny, her only
with you as soon as I know anything more. Rest brother. She left the hidden van and walked out
assured, I’m handling this personally. And I insist the big foundry door.
on paying for Hall’s emergency supplies, just in Danny too might be another victim of revival
case IRI is responsible for any part of the problem, research gone wrong!
no matter how small.” When Angelo drove up in his own turbovan,
A confused expression appeared on the complete with IRI logo, Zubin scanned it for other
warden’s face. Wait a minute, if IRI started the humans. Good, no goons! He has a needle gun,
plague, why would Angelo offer to pay for the though…and body armor.
damage? He spluttered his thanks and discon- In Switt’s hazmat suit, Dr. Zubin posed as a
nected. Then he made another call, this time to helpless victim against the old corrugated wall of
Federal Security. Let the FSA agents find out what the foundry, trying by her posture alone to look
Boss Angelo’s hiding from me. He followed the unsuspecting and timid.
call with yet another plea to the CDC. The selfish “Comfort Switt, is that you, gal? Are you all
fool must’ve paid one of CDC’s higher ups to stall right?”
the outbreak investigation. “It’s me, Boss. I’m ok.” Zubin synth-voiced tone
and speech pattern perfectly. As Angelo began to
#
bring up his needle gun, her right arm grabbed
Newly minted cyber-Zubin, seated in the him with blinding speed.
turbovan, dropped her synthesized Switt voice It’s not Switt!
mode. She’d had no trouble squelching the van’s “Before I let the plague carrier you sent me eat
IRI tracer beacon, or recovering voice data on you, tell me what you’ve done with Danny, Boss?
its most recent driver. The old foundry will be You might know him as KDZ-323.” She nodded
the perfect place to interrogate the man who towards the dim interior of the foundry, where
cheated me and Danny. I’ll enjoy watching him she’d parked the van and its obscenely hungry
die slowly and painfully…but I’d better make sure passengers.
he’s alone. Whoa, are you onto me? Do you have Switt…or
What a perfect disguise! the cyborg congratu- is it Hix? That’s it! You got Hix instead of KDZ after
lated herself after she’d easily peeled the hazmat Hix was somehow infected with experimental
suit from Comfort Switt. Before using her cyborg revival serum. Were those bunglers Joe and Greg
strength and skill to stop him, the scientist had responsible? Amidst his churning thoughts, Nick
calmly observed Hix, tired of her flesh, chew on Angelo felt genuine, visceral fear. His drawn face
Switt. showed he wasn’t used to being on the receiving
After the infected Switt awoke with the same end of intimidation. Stupid, he silently cursed,
mindless hunger, Zubin dealt with her as she had then willed himself calm. I have one chance.
Hix. The muffled struggles of the trussed and “If you let your pal loose on me, Doctor, you’ll
gagged pair came from the back of the van. The never find your Danny, and you’ll…never…stop…
sorry state of her ravaged flesh bothered the the plague. The death of the entire human race

will be your fault.” her feet.

“The fate of your race doesn’t matter, just The CDC is going to need a pure sample of
Danny’s fate. I no longer belong to your race, whatever this is, and so will my staff.
thanks to your plague.” The cyborg tightened her
grip to prove her point. Al Fine
“What?” Angelo began to sweat. His arm was
going numb. Sis? The veneer of too many years inside
“I can see I’ll have to show you. This is the himself shattered and fell away from KDZ.
urgent message ‘Switt’ needed to impart.” Zubin A robot speaking in Shanna’s voice stood over
threw the large man to the ground, and pinned Danny, rubbing his forehead, telling him every-
him effortlessly with one foot while she peeled thing was going to be okay. He felt a shock like
off the hazmat suit, exposing her gleaming electricity, but it didn’t really hurt. It made the
cyberbody. pink glow change. He saw all the colors of the
The cyborg picked up the needle gun and rainbow, one by one, and then a rippling river of
pointed it at the middle of Nick Angelo’s tan light. He was tired of watching people, who were
forehead. His shark’s eyes bulged, their pupils like him, but not really like him, trying to hurt
dilating; he ground his teeth in agony. other people. Mom had taught him better.
When she pressed on his bladder, the pungent “I’m so sorry for what they did to you in the
aroma of ammonia stung his nostrils; a wet stain round room in Hall Penitentiary. It was wrong.
spread at his crotch. She moved her foot lower Men who wanted to give a few rich folks a chance
and watched him squirm. to live forever gave you a shot to bring you back
“I take it you’ve loaded the needle with after you died. They were wrong, Danny, just as
whatever brings on the plague?” wrong as the folks who sent you to prison for
Angelo gulped and nodded in confirmation. crimes you didn’t commit. I became a scientist
“Tell me where Danny is, or I’ll show you because science was the only way to prove your
how well your intentions toward Ms. Switt have innocence, and give you a second chance. I’ve
been anticipated.” Zubin pressed harder, making done my best, and what I learned from you will
Angelo gasp and retch. Tears streamed down his help a lot of people.”
cheeks. Thank you, Sis. Danny squeezed the robot’s
“Will you let me live?” he squeaked. It’s worth hand even though he couldn’t see her anymore.
a shot. He touched his ear to show her he was still
“Of course, Boss. You’re going to help me listening.
rescue Danny from your organization.” “Warden Cooper is holding your pardon in his
“Let’s head for Revival Research HQ, then.” hand, Danny. It’s going to be on the wall in his
A swift kick to the head, and Nick Angelo was office for everyone to see. Reporters are here,
out cold. The cyborg picked him up and carried and they’re taking a picture of the pardon, and
him to the van, bound and gagged him, and of us. They’ll tell the whole world your story, and
strapped him in. She secured the needle gun at no one will ever be the same. We’ll all be better

because you lived.”

So they’re finally letting me go? I’ll never
be KDZ-323 again? Danny squeezed the robot
Shanna’s hand twice. She squeezed back twice.
“Chaplain Parks is here. Take his hand. Go
toward the light. I see it too. Mom’s waiting for
us, little brother, with all our old friends, and
some new ones too.”
I remember the floating just before I had to
come back again. It felt good. Is it time?
It’s time now.
FINE
A. M. Stickel
Anne is published on the www and in print
in both fiction and nonfiction. She has been
published 45 times in DEEP MAGIC alone, and
prefers speculative fiction to mainstream.
(Anne is also the Managing Copyeditor here

at Ray Gun Revival magazine, and the issues
wouldn’t have the final fit and polish that they
do without her tireless efforts. It is often a
thankless job, and Anne deserves a galaxy of
credit for her contributions. Any errors are our
own. - Ed.)

Featured Artist: Euka Pg. 21
Featured Artist:
Benjamin Schmid
Name: Benjamin Schmid

Age: 28
Hobbies: computer graphics, games, reading
books, driving my bike
Favorite Book / Author: Dean R. Koontz, Stephen
King
Favorite Artist: Sanctum Art, merchant at
Content Paradise:
http://www.contentparadise.com/
When did you start creating art? Since 2002
What media do you work in? Only digital
Where has your work has been featured? This is my first time here, :-)
Where should someone go if they wanted to view / buy some of your works? My works can be seen
at Renderosity and deviantArt; Membername: Lightcaster
How did you become an artist? That was back in 2002. I was impressed with the fractal generator
Ultrafractal and bought it on the spot. I made the next step into the world of 3-dimensional art with
the purchase of Poser 5 in December 04. Since then, I’m mainly producing collages consisting of 3D
elements which are blended together in Photopaint. At the moment I’m learning to use Z-Brush.
What are your current influences? At the
moment I make art for the German Anarchy
Online Community; therefore it’s the world of
AO from which I get the most ideas right now.
What inspired the art for the cover? It’s one
of my recent AO artworks. The character in
this picture is named “Techleet,” and he is
an Engineer. The person I made this logo for
wanted a non-battle scene, and a few Leets
have to be there (those little fluffy beings).
This is the result.
Where do you get your inspiration / what

Featured Artist: Benjamin Schmid Pg. 22
inspires you? I think every fantasy or sci-fi

source I know influences me a bit. Sources
of great influence are of course StarWars,
LotR, and also the Warhammer universe.
Recently I discovered the Battlelords
universe which also has a rich background
and many unique ideas. So my inspirational
sources are full at the moment. ;-)
What are your favorite tools / equipment
for producing your art?
Photopaint
Z-Brush
Poser
Vue Infinite
Ultrafractal
Xenodream
Mojoworld
What tool / equipment do you wish you had? A faster computer. For rendering, your PC can never
be too fast! ;-) And from all the 3D software solutions out there, Softimage’s XSI is something which
interests me the most.
What do you hope to accomplish with your art? As long as people like my art, and I can make them
happy with it, everything is fine.

Featured Artist: Benjamin Schmid Pg. 23
The Case of the Spurious

Spacemen
by MN Schnecke
T he gentleman from Smith and Jones Asso-

ciates spoke in a low, earnest voice. You
always had to do that when you were selling
in the garden, her grandson would come right
over and cope with it. He was very capable and
had once given a burglar a broken collar bone.
insurance. After all, a salesman was under a lot of The salesman could see he was losing ground.
pressure. And when you were selling something He swallowed his lemonade, shook his head in a
as unusual as UFO insurance, your degree of ear- doleful way, and prepared to leave her a brochure.
nestness made a real difference. She felt sorry for him.
Mrs. Potter was not a science fiction fan. “You know,” she said, “those nice young men
Though she had seen the advertisements for such across the street might be interested. I took them
movies as The Killer Ants and Tomato Worms some cookies when they first moved in and one
from Hell, her reading consisted of Readers Digest of them said, ‘Fair dinkum.’ Wasn’t that a funny
and the Methodist Ladies Quarterly. Neither of thing to say?”
these publications was given to articles about Mr. Walters sighed. “People who say ‘fair
alien invasions, and Mr. Walters, the gentleman dinkum’ when you give them cookies are not
from Smith and Jones, had first to explain about necessarily good candidates for UFO insurance,”
Mars and all those other exotic places, and how he said. “It may only indicate that they are from
somebody might live there and not be friendly. Australia.”
By the time he got to UFOs, he was a bit hoarse “Oh, come to think of it, they are,” Mrs. Potter
and gladly accepted a glass of lemonade from his said. “From Australia, I mean. And that is a
hostess. southern country, you know. Quite near Bermuda,
“Oh,” she exclaimed at last. “You’re talking I think.”
about those things the government is always “Mrs. Potter,” the salesman said, rummaging
shooting at. Like the Bermuda Triangle.” She about in his briefcase. “My handbook says that,
seemed to think this was a UFO, too, and the er, elderly women are the best customers for
salesman did not undeceive her. this sort of thing, not young men from Australia.
“Mrs. Potter,” he said in his lowest most earnest It’s because old ladies are so prone to worry
voice, “one of those things might land right here! about things. You know, heart attacks, ingrown
Imagine waking up one morning to confront a toenails—”
flying saucer in the midst of your azaleas. Little A moment later the salesman found himself
green men romping among the cabbages. No pest out on the step. He shook his head to clear
control company would touch a mess like that!” it—Mrs. Potter had apparently bonked him with
She looked doubtful. After all, she was quite the lemonade pitcher—and stared at the house
sure Bermuda was somewhere tropical, interest- across the street. A young man sat on the front
ing, but far away. And certainly if a UFO did land porch, his face hidden behind a lurid magazine.

The Case of the Spurious Spacemen, by MN Schnecke Pg. 24
If the salesman was not mistaken, that was the you the talk of the neighborhood.
latest issue of Amazing Stories. Maybe there was The Leer clutched at his hair and groaned. He
some hope of a sale after all. He sauntered across had no friends. And the sort of girls who were
the street. impressed by aliens at the door would most likely
go off with them. He tried to impart these facts
#
to his brother.
“You what?” the Leer shouted when the “But look,” the Nose pointed out. “We don’t
salesman had gone. “You bought UFO insurance? have to impress anybody but the insurance
What an idiot!” company. We get kidnapped. Then we escape
The Nose, so named for the remarkable, beak- and collect. Because we’re upset and all...in the
like appendage that adorned his face, waved a contract, it says we collect even if we don’t get
brochure in his brother’s own, equally homely killed or anything.”
visage. “I got an idea! We need money and we’re The Leer looked at the paper. “Well,” he said.
going to collect!” “We do need money.”
“You’ve been reading too many pulp As it happened, the pair had just escaped
magazines!” the Leer shouted, snatching the from prison, retrieved a small amount of stolen
papers from his brother’s hand. “UFO insurance! cash from under a loose brick behind the bus
Of all the bird-brained—” station, and were now running short. “But we
“Look,” the Nose said, taking out the contract had no choice,” he muttered. Their future had
he was using as a bookmark. “All we have to do is been bleak. After serving twenty-six consecu-
get kidnapped by aliens. Or have a flying saucer tive life sentences, it was also the decision of the
smash up the porch or something. We’ll collect judiciary that they be deported. And the thought
thousands of dollars!” of herding sheep on Uncle Benjamin’s ranch was
The Leer cast his eyes skyward, pausing as he far more daunting than anything the US govern-
always did, to study the cracks in the ceiling while ment could possibly do to them.
reflecting on the perverseness of fate which had “All right,” he said at last. “Give these people
given him the Nose for a brother. “Have you con- a call. But tell them we’ll need to take pictures. It
sidered,” he enquired icily, “where we will find an has to be convincing.”
alien to abduct us? Should I look in the yellow The Nose went out to a pay phone, since there
pages?” was none at the house. As luck would have it, the
“I have a better idea,” the Nose said proudly. alien company had gone out of business. But then
“I found an ad right here in this magazine, right he remembered some old cronies of his and gave
between the one about mail order crystal balls them a call.
and this one for growing taller without wearing “Joe’s Bar,” a familiar voice rasped.
built-up shoes. Listen to this.” The Nose told Joe who he was, and was soon
Amaze your friends. Impress girls. Aliens will connected to one of the leading crime bosses of
call on YOU. Open the door to a collection of the city who laughed delightedly at what the Nose
Martians and Venusians. Guaranteed to make had to say. Before sunset, the startled insurance

salesman had sold over twenty policies, each The Leer leered at him. “I don’t have to, you
customer referring him to the next. malodorous bird-brain. We’ll just construct
To his surprise, not one of them was to an old evidence and witnesses.”
lady. Fortunately, the actual manifestations were
“I would never have thought so many men to be provided by one of the more creative gangs
believed in flying saucers,” he said to his wife at who promised that some of the aliens would
dinner that night. “And such characters. First was look like cows. However, when the Leer enquired
the one with a nose like a cake slice. I pegged him about the possibility of kangaroos, his contact
for a nut case from the moment I saw him.” He balked. “Too exotic,” he was told, and had to be
reached for more steak and potatoes. “But the content with what he had.
rest all looked like gangsters!” #
His wife clucked sympathetically. “It just goes
to show what superstitious minds criminals have. “Let me get this straight,” Henry Deal said to the
Anyway,” she added, looking on the bright side, distraught insurance executive. “You’re company
“now we can get the roof fixed.” is going broke because of an alien invasion? I
haven’t seen anything on the news.”
#
When he first came in and began babbling
The Leer was not one to let a good thing go; about alien cows, Deal had thought he was delu-
ideas came so seldom to him that he tended to sional... until he saw the photographs. “But they
latch onto them with the tenacity of a paranoid do look like cows,” he exclaimed. “Cows in space
slug. Before he would let the Nose carry out suits.”
the alien abduction plan, he began calling other “You’ve got it,” Mr. Anderson said. “Cows in
insurance agents. He began to take out assorted space suits. Kidnapping people. Mostly gangsters,
and extraordinary policies for everything from I might add. They’re all insured.”
ghostly visits to invasions of cows. “Hmm,” Henry said, his mind racing. This
“I hate the buggers,” he told a delirious agent, had all the elements of a setup. But the average
who felt that he had underestimated the potential criminal was not that creative. There had to be a
paranoia of the average Australian. “Cows are the mastermind involved.
bane of my life. I will need shock treatment if I “We’re investigating claims, of course,”
have a herd of them come into my house.” Anderson went on, “but they all seem bonafide.
The agent pondered the absence of cows in Photographs, footprints, that sort of thing.
that part of New York and had him sign on the Neighbors who see strange lights flashing. Cries
dotted line. for help suddenly cut off.”
The Nose was dubious about the cows. “I don’t “Right,” Henry said. “Funny the government
see how you can pull off this one,” he mused, isn’t involved.”
moodily sloshing the thick foam of a pint of Mr. Anderson sighed. “This is being sup-
Guinness. “I mean, it better be a pretty big policy pressed by the city. They don’t want a panic.”
if you ruin our rugs by bringing in a load of cows.” “But aliens—”

“Even aliens must come to justice,” the “That’s kind of you,” Henry said. “But about
insurance man said primly. “We can put them in the aliens. Have you had more than the usual
prison. Or we can warn them and send them back number of calls?”
where they came from.” “Come to think of it, we have. Just had one from
“Oh yes, I see your point.” Henry leaned a lady named Mrs. Potter. Claims her neighbors
back in his chair, absent-mindedly stroking the were abducted.”
grey Persian cat he had acquired in lieu of his At this point, a young woman of determined
fee in another case. He had decided to name it aspect and rather abbreviated skirt stormed into
“Anchovy” in honor of the main ingredient in a the office. “There you are!” she said in a deter-
series of poisoned pizzas distributed by his arch mined way. “All right, Grey, you send me on this
enemies, the Nose and the Leer. He had solved case or I make a complaint!”
that case, partly in his alternate identity as the Henry, who had risen politely from his seat,
Red Eye. The Nose and the Leer had been put glanced inquiringly at the inspector.
behind bars, only to escape again. “Ms. Kendall,” the latter said glumly.
“Escape,” he muttered. “I think that may be a “Pleased to meet you, Ma’am,” Henry said.
clue. Only those two would be crazy enough to “What does the Ms. stand for?”
try a scam like this.” “It means I’m a woman,” Ms. Kendall
“I beg your pardon?” snapped.
“I’ll take the case,” Henry said, standing up. “Ah. Begging your pardon, but I would have
The cat tumbled from his lap, bringing down a guessed that already.”
few papers from the corner of the desk and, in The young lady scowled at the detective. “I
a fit of ill temper, nearly bringing down Henry’s mean that you can’t tell if I’m married or not.”
pants as it clawed its way up his leg. Henry tried to puzzle this out. “Does it matter?”
“Quite the beast,” Mr. Anderson observed. he finally asked.
“Have you ever considered cat-scratch “Of course not! A woman is a woman whether
insurance?” she is married or not.”
“I’d be too high a risk,” Henry said glumly. He “Then why did you bring it up?” the inspector
pried the animal from his flesh and tossed it into a interrupted crossly. “Nobody’s asking whether
filing cabinet. “Time for a nap, Anchovy,” he said. Mr. Deal is married.”
And time, he decided, to visit Inspector Grey. Ms. Kendall looked as though the thought of
anybody marrying Henry Deal was too preposter-
#
ous to be an issue. “I mean,” she explained slowly
“Aliens?” The inspector frowned. “I have had as though talking to an idiot, which in fact, she
a few calls,” he admitted. “But then, we always was, “that you must treat me exactly as though I
do. You’d be surprised at the things people call were a man. You must not relegate me to making
about. Wombats, for instance. Or peeping toms coffee or—or typing or something.”
on the 87th floor. Even stopped-up sinks. I always Inspector Grey rolled his eyes. “I make my own
refer them to a plumber.” coffee,” he said. “Too many people are trying to

kill me.” He turned to Henry. “Take Ms. Kendall “They didn’t have—”
along with you, Mr. Deal,” he said. “Cooperation With a moderately gallant shove, the inspector
with the police and all that. Treat her like a man.” sent the lady skittering through the screen. “Best
Henry, who would rather have taken Anchovy, of luck,” he called.
nodded. Of course he must not let Ms. Kendall Henry took his fingers from his mouth.
find out about his secret identity as the Red Eye, “Thanks,” he said. “I don’t believe I could handle
but he didn’t mind having company for the pre- a non-male dominated world.”
liminary investigations. He got up to hold the “Then don’t get married,” the inspector
door for her. advised him.
“Don’t do that!” The door was snatched from “You know,” Henry added thoughtfully, “she
his hand, and he staggered backward, putting does have a point about minorities.”
bruised fingers to his mouth. “What about those two Australian brothers
“Now just a minute, Lady—” the Red Eye keeps putting behind bars?” the
“And don’t call me that!” inspector asked. “You can’t get any more minor
“Why not?” than that. Why I’ll bet there aren’t more than a
“Because I know judo.” couple hundred Aussies in the whole city.”
This seemed a compelling argument, and Much comforted, Deal took leave. “And they’re
Henry nodded. crazy too,” he added to himself. That made them
“Furthermore,” the spunky inspectoress added, double minorities. Or handicapped.
“the author of this story knows very well that he’s #
required to include women and minorities. If he
thinks he can write just anything he pleases, he’s Mrs. Potter had made fresh lemonade since
got another thought coming! I’ll complain to the the sudden exit of the insurance salesman. Henry
editor!” Deal sat back, staring about her living room as
Henry shook his head. “He does include he sipped the cooling beverage. “Nice place,” he
women,” he protested. “Why there was Miss said. “I like those flowers. Plastic roses are my
Adder, only she got killed, and Miss Arachnid who favorites.”
jumped out of a cake—” The old lady beamed. “They wash well,” she
“They don’t count! You have to make the agreed. “Not like real ones.”
women be men!” “Well, ah, Mrs. Potter. About the alien abduc-
“But it’s only 1956!” tions—”
There was an embarrassed flutter. “Oh dear,” “Oh it was terrible! Those two nice young men.
Ms. Kendall said, wilting visibly into a Miss or Mrs. Brothers, you know. Quite ugly, but so charming.
“I think I’m in the wrong story.” They were always saying the cutest things.”
“Thank God,” the inspector said. “I’ll show you “Oh?”
the way out of the word processor.” “Fair dinkum and ‘shut up, you nitwit.’ All in
For a moment, Miss Kendall—for she was, in good fun, you know.”
truth, not married—gave him a suspicious glance. Henry nodded. “And then what happened?”

“Well, the one with the leer was chasing the and things.”
other one around the house with a frying pan. Together he and Mrs. Potter crossed the street.
Apparently he had burned the brussels sprouts, He had her show him where the aliens had come
though why anyone would cook brussels sprouts around the house and, sure enough, he found the
in a frying pan—” cloven prints of their space boots. He followed
Henry sat forward. “You say one of them had this track, found where a group of aliens had
a leer?” apparently congregated near a forsythia bush,
“Oh yes. And the other one had a nose like a and searched further, flashing a light about, as it
cake slice.” had begun to grow dark.
It didn’t take Henry long to put two and two “Aha,” he exclaimed, picking up a cigarette
together. The resulting figure was more then butt. “No cow smoked this!”
ominous. It was downright frightening. “Go on,” Mrs. Potter examined the item. “Certainly
he said. no ordinary cow,” she said hesitantly. “But these
“Well, suddenly there was this light right above were space cows, you know. Who can say what
the house. Green and blue flashing. And then they would have done?”
these creatures came running around the corner Henry looked at her with admiration. “You’ve
and grabbed both boys. It was horrible!” got a point there,” he said. “But still, I think
“What sort of creatures, Mrs. Potter?” something’s fishy about this whole setup.” He
The old lady shuddered. “They looked like moved further behind the house until he came
cows, Mr. Deal—great blundering cows that had to an alley. There were fresh tire tracks almost on
got up on their hind legs and put on space suits. the verge of the grass, and more of the strange
And they carried ray guns. I could hear them footprints. He saw no sign of a flying saucer.
beeping and whistling, and they flashed red and Nodding to himself, Henry escorted Mrs.
blue lights.” Potter back to her own house. “I think,” he said,
Henry nodded thoughtfully. “Any, er, mooing?” “we’ve seen all there is to see here.”
he asked. But what he meant was that Henry Deal,
Mrs. Potter shook her head. “They just detective, had seen enough. It was time for the
grabbed the boys and ran back around the house. Red Eye to enter the case, and he went home
By the time I called the police, everyone had dis- at once to change—first, to his costume and an
appeared.” extra supply of hankies embroidered with the
“Let’s go take a look,” Henry suggested. “I red eye. Then, over this, he put on a disguise. The
suppose the police have been there already.” Red Eye was famous for his disguises. This time,
“Oh yes. They didn’t want to come at first. They Deal got himself up as a rather seedy-looking
said it was probably something I ate. But finally actor. He headed for a part of town he knew well
someone came and looked around. He didn’t find and began to ask around at some of the known
anything.” hangouts for crooks.
“That’s because he wasn’t a detective,” Henry “Got fired,” he told a sympathetic hold-up man.
explained. “He didn’t know how to look for clues “Here I was playing Hamlet and I accidentally ran

someone through. How was I to know the sword ingly.

was sharp? Here was this old guy Polonius hiding “Cantaloupe,” the cow said. “Get it, huh? Get
behind the curtain and I just got carried away—” it?”
“Yeah,” the hold-up man said. “Same thing There came a chorus of joyful mooing, and
happened to me once. Gun just went off acciden- the Nose buried his head in his arms. Across the
tal like.” table, the Leer was considering homicide—or
Henry made a mental note to look for his rather beeficide—and had already taken out his
companion’s face on a wanted poster. But now gun.
he had other business. “Know anybody who’s “Hey,” another cow mooed. “What do you hear
hiring actors?” he asked casually. when a king goes to the bathroom?”
“Oh sure. Guy named Bazooka Fred. Something “Now cut that out,” the Leer said. His auntie
to do with cows.” had taught him what you could say in public, and
Henry thanked his contact and headed for the bathroom jokes belonged in the bathroom.
address he had been given. It was time for some “A royal flush!” the cow mooed.
direct action! Tearing off his disguise, he prepared The Nose groaned. “Why couldn’t we have
to confront the crooks as the Red Eye. done kangaroos?” he whispered. “Or little green
men?”
#
Suddenly a beautiful young heifer caught his
Meanwhile, the Nose and the Leer were eye. “Hello,” she mooed softly.
playing cards with the cows. They seemed to be a The Nose sat up. “Er, hello,” he said.
pretty jolly bunch—or herd, as the case was—and “I can see by your face that you don’t like
laughed uproariously while making buffalo jokes. these crude jokes any more than I do,” she went
“What did the buffalo say when his son went on. “Humor is passé anyway. People should take
to college?” one cow asked the Nose as he raised themselves more seriously.”
him fifty cents. This coming from a cow—or at least a young
“I dunno.” The Nose looked at his cards and lady dressed as a cow from outer space—seemed
decided to fold. a bit out of place, even to the Nose. But under the
“Bi-son. Get it? Bye—son.” circumstances, he was not one to quibble. “You
The Nose got it. He sighed. Space cows were can take me seriously,” he assured her. “I think
bad enough. But these particular space cows had you’re cute.”
been drinking pretty heavily and, as the intermi- The heifer drew herself up indignantly. “What
nable night wore on, the jokes they cracked got a sexist thing to say!” she snapped. “You should
worse and worse. treat me as a fellow human being—or at least
“What did the mother melon say when her remember that I am in disguise. Anyway, even a
daughter fell in love with a honeydew?” real cow would deserve more respect.”
The Nose sipped his drink, grimaced, and “Right,” the Nose said. “And I respect cows.
wished heartily for something of a higher caliber. And ladies who look like cows—” He stopped here,
Formaldehyde, he thought and gagged accord- not sure how to go on. Some comment or other

about steak sandwiches might be taken amiss. “I’ve been shot, you idiot!”
“What’s your name?” he asked at last, wondering “She’s a cop!” the Leer shouted and imme-
if he dared look her up after he and the Leer had diately the cows rose en masse, mooing angrily.
collected from the insurance company. Things would not have gone well for Ms. Kimball
“Ms. Kimball.” had not the Red Eye suddenly given the table
“Nice name. What does the Ms. stand for? cloth a yank, precipitating cards, glasses, and
Manuscript?” deplorable beer onto the feet of the company. He
“Don’t be a smart aleck,” the heifer said. “It rose, still enmeshed in the tablecloth, which was
means—” of a fiery crimson hue, and lunged for the Leer.
But she never had time to tell him that it meant The startled crook raised his gun, thought
she was a girl. Likely his response would have better of it, and tripped over an empty bottle
been no better than Henry Deal’s. As it happened, instead. He fell heavily in a puddle of spilled
Deal was already in their midst, scuttling across beer.
the floor to hide himself beneath the table. One The Nose had snatched up the lady, realizing
of the crooks gave a grunt. that whatever impended, he, at least, was
“Don’t kick me!” he said to the Nose. “Keep possessed of a hostage. “Drop that tablecloth,”
your feet on your own side.” he ordered, “or Ms. Kimball gets it.”
“I never kicked you,” the Nose protested. He “Put me down! I need a tourniquet. I’ll get
drew back, closer to Ms. Kimball. gangrene!”
“Isn’t it a shame,” she said to the Nose, “that “Too bad,” the Nose said nastily. “Ladies
there aren’t any more women here?” shouldn’t hang out with cows.”
“Oh, yeah. I like women,” the Nose said. “I like Even the Leer was taken aback at the blatant
lots of them.” idiocy of this comment, and all the cows mooed
“Pig,” the lady said. “I meant that women their disapproval while edging away toward the
should take part in the action. We should be your door. As for Ms. Kimball, she aimed one stiffened
comrades, your equals.” hand for the Nose’s eyeballs, missed, and got her
“Our fellow crooks?” fingers jammed in his nostrils.
“No,” she snapped, “women are too sensible to “Yech!” she exclaimed. “Gross!”
be crooks.” Then, realizing she had given herself “I don’t lig it buch neither,” the Nose said, dis-
away, she stood up. “Stay back,” she warned. “I entangling her from his person. “Ow! I’m getting
know judo.” a nosebleed!”
“Judy who?” the Nose had time to enquire “Don’t let the broad get away,” the Leer shouted,
before the Leer’s gun went off, catching the lady moving warily around the wriggling tablecloth.
in the leg. He was only just in time to grab her, shoving his
She fell rather suddenly into the Nose’s lap. still smoking gun up against one temple. Then he
“Oh,” she said. “Ouch!” and his brother both turned to watch as the Red
“Break a fingernail?” he asked, cradling her in Eye emerged from the cloth.
one arm. “You’ll never get away with this,” the Red

Eye cried, hurling a beer bottle at the Leer’s gun had bravely followed him to the crooks’ hideout.
hand. One well-aimed punch brought the Leer to
With a yowl, the Leer dropped his weapon his knees, and a couple more left him dreaming
and began dancing up and down. But his brother happily about little birds. The Nose, meanwhile,
was not to be thwarted of his revenge. The Red had crawled beneath the table, yelling things
Eye had done much to alter the shape of his nose, that usually get edited out of stories like this, as
not to mention giving him many other injuries Anchovy loyally ripped every exposed part of his
in their past encounters including a fractured skin. Finally the cat became bored with this play
skull. Lacking any other weapon, he hoisted Ms. and began lapping up spilled beer.
Kimball aloft and pitched her in the Red Eye’s “Call an ambulance,” Ms. Kimball commanded,
general direction. He made a direct hit. from her seat on the floor. “Don’t just stand there
“Oh!” she screamed in fury and began gloating over your violence.”
pummeling the Red Eye with both fists. “This is “Oh, certainly,” Henry stammered. The Red Eye
no way to treat an injured person! You heartless didn’t like witnesses, especially ones who saw
beast!” him wrapped in a tablecloth and accompanied
“Use your judo on him,” the Nose shouted. by a crook-mauling Persian cat. “Maybe I should
“Rip his head off!” put on a tourniquet first,” he suggested without
The Red Eye, who was a gentleman to the core, enthusiasm.
resisted the impulse to throw the lady back at the “You should have let me use my judo,” Ms.
Nose. Instead, he gently pried her fingers from Kimball said reproachfully as he tied on a bit of
about his throat and wrapped her in the tablecloth. “That cat has spoiled everything.”
cloth. “Hell hath no fury,” he muttered. “It’s loyal,” Henry said defensively.
The Nose, who didn’t believe in hell—he “But I wasn’t given a leading role in this story!
wouldn’t have been a crook otherwise—had I should have conducted the investigation instead
by now retrieved his brother’s gun and would of that half-baked detective. Whatever became
have soon put an end to the Red Eye’s career of him, anyway?”
if something had not latched itself onto his leg, Henry assumed a look of bland innocence.
biting and clawing with a fury even Ms. Kimball “Maybe he stopped off for a pizza,” he suggested.
would have envied. “Maybe he dropped out of the story entirely.”
He looked down, and that was his undoing. “Well, putting in some jerk in a mask and tights
With a lunge, the Red Eye was upon him, is not my idea of serious writing! I should have
tearing away the gun, wreaking further damage some meaningful dialogue with the criminals and
upon his poor nose. Suddenly, the Red Eye stopped then bring them to justice.”
punching the Nose and whirled about. There was “You can have some dialogue with the Nose,”
the Leer coming at him with a beer glass in one Henry said. “I think he’s still conscious.”
hand and a bowl of chip dip in the other. The Red “Make him stop shouting, then. I don’t even
Eye rolled beneath these formidable weapons, know what all the words mean.”
leaving the Nose to the mercy of Anchovy, who Henry gave the Nose a kick. “Stop shouting,”

he said. perately against an army of kangaroos from space.

The Nose stopped. “Get ready for the final assault,” the general
“Now tell the lady you’re sorry your brother ordered when her attention was caught by the
shot her.” advent of a wounded person where no wounded
The Nose groaned. “I’m really sorry,” he person had been a few seconds before.
muttered. “I just wish I had done it myself.” “Captain Kimball,” the newcomer gasped,
Henry kicked him again and he subsided. “returning from behind enemy lines.”
“We should have been part of a team,” Ms. The general signaled for a nurse, who trotted
Kimball mused, her eyes fixed on a nonexistent up. “She’s been shot,” he said after a brief exami-
horizon. “Men and women working together, as nation. “Got a tourniquet on her leg.” He tossed
equals. All different races. I should have been in his head disdainfully, jingling his earrings.
charge and we should all have been using strong “Looks like a hanky to me,” the general snapped.
language, only not as creative as that. I would She peered closer.
have been dressed in shorts and a tank top and “Funny,” she muttered. “There is some device
one of you would be my ex-husband who tried to embroidered on the corner. A red eye.”
dominate me. And then I’d show him! But now it’s But no one had time to speculate further con-
all spoiled, and I am definitely going to complain cerning the mysterious emblem. The kangaroos
to the editor!” She got up and limped off the disk, were charging. “Forward for equality!” the general
searching for a way out of the editor’s computer. shouted. “Make the world safe for mediocrity!”
The Nose, who was once more giving vent to From her comfortable position in the mud,
some very creative expressions, watched her go. Ms. Kimball groaned and allowed the nurse to
He still thought she was cute, but only from a unwrap the hanky.
distance.
The Red Eye shook his head. Being a man of
vision, he wished her well, though it was unlikely
anything she could say would move the editor to
change his own part in the story. “The world of
1956,” he said, “isn’t ready for her. Maybe one day,
when we have become more enlightened, we can MN Schnecke
march bravely into the future and all that.”
The Nose, for his part, was not thinking about MN Schnecke is the pen name of the inimita-
the future very much. Actually, he had passed ble writing combination of Colleen Drippe’ &
out and was dreaming about wombats, a familiar Therese M. Dagenais.
nightmare. At least the bittersweet memory of
Ms. Kimball never came back to haunt him.
#
The year was 2010. Soldiers were fighting des-

Pg. 33
Deuces Wild
In the Lap of the Gods, Part Five
by L. S. King
Recap: Slap and Tristan had contracted to upgrade secret passages—that bolt hole was just the sort
their ship. While work was underway, Slap went of thing he’d expected, but he hadn’t known one
missing. The Confeds had captured him to force would save his life. Although the final explosion
Tristan to help with an invasion of their galactic had partially collapsed the end of the tunnel. He
neighbors, the Eridani. had spend hours digging past the fallen rocks and
The Eridani kidnapped Slap from the Confeds sand, wondering if the passage would completely
in an attempt to lure Tristan to rescue him. The give way and bury him.
bait was good, and Tristan roared off to find Slap, He touched the back of his head. The wound
accompanied by the doubtfully sane engineer, had crusted over; he must have been asleep for
Carter. some time. He squinted up at the sun. Perhaps a
When we last left our heroes, Tristan was day?
trapped in the self-destructing palace of the dead A distant rumbling made him push up again,
Eridani emperor. Slap was in the temple and the looking around. The palace lay in smoking
late emperor’s cousin had pulled a needlegun on ruins—the sound wasn’t coming from it but from
him. farther away. More rumblings, and booms—sonic
grenades? What the—? More sounds began to
S and filled his nose and mouth, gagging

him. Tristan spat—and again. He pushed
up, blinking, confused. He shook his head and
register in his mind—drop ships and fighter craft.
The shrill whine of a small ship caught his
attention. A square barge with nacelles on each
winced as pain shot through his skull. His memory side flew over his head—a Type 1HA Shuttle with
returned with a rush—his leg injured by falling Confed markings. It pitched, forward engines
stone, managing to get free, hobbling through roaring to slow for landing. A drop shuttle—holding
the level, trying to find Slap despite the palace twenty troops, if he remembered correctly.
self-destructing around him. The Confederation invasion! Merde! Tristan
Chamber after chamber of prisoners, swiping rolled to a more concealed position behind some
the guard’s card to free one after another while rocks as the ship landed, rear bay door opening.
searching for the cowboy. Finding a bolt hole Troops in heavy Confed-armored suits double-
in a crumbled wall and, finally realizing he had timed out. The shuttle, now empty, rose.
no choice and no Slap, escaping. Being knocked Would the invading soldiers ignore a ‘dead’
down and almost trampled as both servants and man on the ground? Tristan dare not chance it,
those he freed rushed past him to get out. but how could he fight heavy armor, only dressed
Tristan spat again, and rested his head on his in slave rags, and injured on top of it? No—not
arms. At least studying the palace architect’s only rags! He still had the shock baton he’d taken
design methods had shown him the man loved from the guard, the strap around his wrist, and

Serial: Deuces Wild, In the Lap of the Gods, Part Five, by L. S. King Pg. 34
the key card he’d lifted as well. But what use were understand.”
they against an armored trooper? The trooper cussed rather unimaginatively
While dragging himself behind some boulders, and added in a mutter, “Stupid backwater planet.”
Tristan gave the matter thought. He propped He pointed with his particle beam rifle toward
against a rock, took out the baton, and slid open Tristan’s hands and shouted, “What...you...have...
the casing. Standard power pack. A small smile there?”
flicked for a second. Possible. He took the card Tristan didn’t react, but inside he laughed; oh,
from where it was hidden inside his waistband certainly, speak slowly and loudly enough, and a
and pulled the metal tag free. Letting the card person can understand a foreign language.
drop, he strained to straighten the bit of metal, However, this created the perfect opportu-
ignoring the pain biting into his fingers and nity. Tristan pressed the power pack firmly into
thumbs. the baton—but it stuck. Blast it! He gestured with
He pried the pack out of the baton. The metal the baton and again answered in Eridani, “What?
was too long. Wonderful. He put the thin strip of This?”
metal on a rock and used the baton to hold it. He The trooper held out his gloved hand, curling
bent the strip, turned it, and bent the other way, his fingers in a ‘give it to me’ gesture.
gashing his finger in the process. After several Tristan gripped the baton tightly to his chest,
more folds, the metal weakened, heated, and and used the heel of his hand to smack at the
eventually broke. He used the card to nudge the pack. It clicked into place. He looked up at the
metal across the contacts and set the pack back soldier’s outstretched hand, got to his knees, and
into the slot and pushed down. The power pack with feigned reluctance set the baton into it.
was now in place, but not touching yet. The Confed lifted the baton, looking it over, no
Next came the tricky part. He’d only have one doubt. Through his thick gauntlets he wouldn’t
shot. Timing would be the key; the pack shouldn’t feel the growing heat. Time was about out.
take long to overload—eight to ten seconds at Tristan threw himself into a backwards roll—not
best, and the radius of the blast would only be a moment too soon; the explosion knocked him
maybe five feet. out of the roll and onto his back.
The baton would burst like a frag grenade Stifling a groan, Tristan crawled as fast as he
and have a shock-pulse of electricity besides, could to the downed trooper. He grabbed the PB
but a heavily armed Confed trooper would most rifle, aimed at the helmet, and fired. One Confed
likely only be concussed. So he needed to be down, an army to go.
close enough, fast enough, yet not be impacted He sighed at his own hindsight; getting the
himself. bandoliers of plasma grenades off the body was
The sounds of running feet crunching against going to be a bloody process.
the gravel, sand, and stone made Tristan tense. The bandoliers appropriated, and the extra
A trooper rounded the rocks and stopped with a power packs for the PBR as well, he slowly
slight jump—likely not expecting to find anyone returned to the boulders. He leaned against the
in this forlorn spot while sweeping the area. rock, and listened for other troopers, wishing he
“You! What are you doing here?” knew what was going on. If only he hadn’t shot
Tristan stared up and said in Eridani, “I don’t the trooper in the head, he could listen in with

the comm helmet. More hindsight. repeating the phrase.

He needed to get away from this spot before Instinct is a great thing. The troopers all reacted
the Confeds came looking for their missing buddy. as he anticipated, jumping back off the rocks and
And clear out of here, since they were obviously running. He lifted his arms, feigning throwing the
securing this area before moving on to their next grenades, and they all dove for the ground. Now!
target. He lobbed the grenades as hard and long as he
His gaze on the downed soldier, an idea could—one left and one right. Holding his breath,
formed. He crept back toward the man and—with he ducked back down between the boulders and
the greatest of care—set several plasma grenades hunkered in as tight a ball as he could—
and placed them under him. Gives new meaning Tristan woke, blinked, and shook his head. That
to dead man’s switch. was a mistake; his head throbbed worse than with
He hurried south as fast as he could crawl, a hangover. The ringing in his ears didn’t help. He
using rocks and boulders as cover whenever lifted the PB rifle and stared at the swaying, fuzzy
possible. Even if he dared, walking was painful barrel. Dare he stand? Could he stand?
and slow with his leg injury. His chances of getting Slowly he rose and leaned against the rock. He
clean away weren’t good, but what other choice couldn’t wait; more Confeds would converge soon.
did he have? He stumbled from cover and swayed, assessing
An explosion ripped the air, and Tristan ground the damage. Two craters marred the landscape
his teeth. Too soon. They’d now be looking for and each side of the outcropping of boulders he
whoever set the booby-trap. He scrambled had hid in. The bodies had been incinerated.
toward a large outcropping on the side of a hill. On He squinted at a smudge at the far side of the
the far side he discovered a small niche between one crater. Not quite. He picked his way over rocks
several boulders. Not a very good hiding place, and around the huge depression. The trooper
but the best he could do. must have been a runner to get so far. But not far
He wedged in and reached for two plasma enough. Tristan squatted by the body and pulled
grenades. the helmet off. He examined it and found it in
The whine of capacitors charging made him working order. With a grim smile he put it on.
look up. Five PB rifles stared him in the face. The helmet used an optical interface. That
The Confeds stood on or behind the rocks would take a few minutes to adjust to...there—
sheltering Tristan, their weapons trained on him. communications. The voices all crowded upon
He looked into the masks of the troopers, wishing each other and he closed his eyes to concen-
he could see their faces. He held up the plasma trate:
grenades, showing they were set; only his thumbs
kept them from going off. The soldiers froze for a Valkyries inbound—ETA on drop one minute
moment. All troops, evac temple perimeter
“Back away or die,” he yelled in Eridani, hoping Razors deployed
they were all as illiterate of the language as their This is Squad Theta, palace ruins west secure,
late comrade; Tristan’s knowledge of imperatives awaiting orders
was sketchy. He circled his arms wildly, to give the Sir, we’re encountering resistance south of
impression he was agitated and desperate, while spaceport market—requesting support

MBT Company 45, base perimeter secure— attacks were taking place, but without knowing
moving to support MRCV Lance one-three the location of the “sectors” the Confeds had
Shuttle Galileo inbound to sector 23 divided the area into, he was limited.
Squad Lambda encountering heavy resistance But one command he heard over the helmet’s
east of palace ruins—request support comm system burned in his brain:
Razor pilots, beginning temple bombing run All inhabitants considered hostile—neutralize
This is AMRCV Lance oh-six—enemy neutral- Cowards! Battle armor and hi-tech weapons
ized at sector 28 against skin; slaughtering civilians wantonly,
giving them no chance.
Tristan wasn’t sure if he was the ‘heavy resis- Moving blurs ahead coalesced into natives,
tance east of palace ruins,’ but wasn’t taking armed with clubs, rocks, and even just barehand-
chances. He ran south as best as his injuries ed, attacking—or attempting to attack—Confed
would let him. He found another outcropping and troops. Tristan didn’t care for the Eridani govern-
stopped to work on finding the squad frequency ment, this planet’s culture, lifestyle, or attitudes,
but could only hear the command channels. but he had to give them points for guts, if not
Gritting his teeth, he continued to run. brains.
Tristan moved a little closer, but had to be
#
careful; if he was seen first, he’d be targeted,
Slap didn’t wait for Abbra to finish speaking instead of doing the targeting. He ducked behind
or aiming the gun. He slapped the sneering what was left of a stone wall and adjusted the
man’s arm aside with his hand and backfisted rifle for narrow beam. Kneeling, he propped
him in the face on return. The would-be new the barrel on a large hunk of rubble and sighted
emperor’s guards burst into action, bringing up through the scope. He rubbed his eyes, blinked,
their weapons and firing at the priests, but a and aimed...
distant boom along with an earthquake-type Two troopers fell before the rest realized they
rumbling stopped everyone cold. The lights and were dealing with a sniper. They ran for cover or
music blinked out, leaving them all in the dark. hit the ground. The locals, either not understand-
The shriek of fighters flying overhead broke the ing or not caring, ran after them, still trying to
shocked silence. A wall blasted inward—shards beat them with ersatz weapons. Idiots.
of stone flying everywhere. Slap lost his footing Tristan picked off one more.
and fell— Hot rock splattered, making him duck and
wince. He dove for the cover of another section of
#
wall, rolling into a kneeling position. As he began
Tristan’s sight seemed to be clearing. The shooting again, he wondered in passing why he
ringing in his ears had abated somewhat, too. His didn’t feel anything. Adrenaline—I’ll rue it later.
limp worsened as he struggled south through the The natives picked up the PBRs from the fallen
edges of the palace rubble. He wasn’t certain his Confeds and began shooting at their enemies.
course was wise, considering the Confeds were The troops found themselves trapped between
all over the city, but staying where he was hadn’t Tristan and their ‘hostiles,’ and soon the fight
been possible. He knew where some of the ended. Tristan rose from his hiding place, took off

the helmet, and walked with hesitation toward the cover of the building.
the Eridani. They waited, grinning. He dove over a low section of wall as the
As he approached one jabbered too fast for grenade exploded. The sound echoed, magnified,
Tristan to understand, and he shook his head. as the ship blew up. The natives cheered and ran
“Speak slowly, please,” he said in their tongue. to Tristan, picking him up. He groaned and bent
“You are not Eridani?” one asked. over, feeling lightheaded. His right calf throbbed
“No. I came looking for a friend. But I think worse than before, and he could feel blood
he is dead now,” Tristan said, or hoped he was trickling down his face.
saying. He wished he’d had more time to study “What is wrong?” one of them asked.
their language. “Take all this,” he added, pointing “I...I think it’s because I haven’t eaten or had
to the dead soldiers’ gear. “All of it.” anything to drink in over a day. Plus I am...” What
He began stripping the bodies of the bando- was the word for wounded? “...hurt.”
liers and other weapons. The men crouched to “We will take you to—” the man gibbered
help, talking among themselves as they divided words unknown to Tristan.
the spoils. Hoping they meant a place to eat or rest,
One stood, pointed to Tristan’s helmet, and Tristan nodded, and let them support him as they
asked, “You speak the language of these barbar- went underground, into the bowels of the main
ians, yes?” part of the city.
“Yes.” #
“Will you come with us to—” the man continued
speaking, and Tristan held up his hand. Dust and debris settled over Slap. Hot fire
“I am sorry. I only speak a little of your lanced through gashes received from sharp
tongue.” edges of marble. I really don’t like this planet. A
“Come with us, please,” the man said then. boom echoed, and more detritus fell on him. He
“You can help us.” dropped his head, not even trying to cover it with
Tristan snagged a second rifle and nodded. his arms. I don’t care anymore. Let the building
They hadn’t gone twenty steps when a drop fall on me. Let it all end.
shuttle whined above them. They scurried into Many hands grabbed his arms and torso and
the nearby half-blasted building. The ship pitched hauled him to his feet. Kebba stood before him, a
to set down not far from their location. Tristan huge wound near his temple running freely with
played with a notion for a moment, fingering a blood. He bowed.
plasma grenade in the bandolier. Decision made, Slap scowled. “Do you people ever stop killing
he pulled it out and limped into the open. Wind yourselves?”
blasted at him as the shuttle passed right over “No, no–it is the Confederation. They are
his head, whipping sand in a fine, hot spray. He attacking. We must get you to safety.”
choked and blinked, covering his face with one “Why? Cuz I’m a god? Brago’s Bands, if I were
arm. The vehicle set down fifty or sixty feet from a god, I’d zap ‘em all, wouldn’t I, and not have to
him. As the rear bay hatch began to part, he worry about myself?”
prayed his aim was good, threw as hard as he “The gods have chosen you to join them, but
could toward the opening, and tore back toward that doesn’t mean your body isn’t...weak. You

haven’t reached immortality yet.” More natives began crowding in the archway.
Slap growled and rolled his eyes, but let New arrivals to their underground headquarters
himself be led out through a side door leading to listened as Kebba and the priests talked.
steps. The rumbling continued, but the stairwell After awhile, Kebba approached, bowing.
stayed intact. “They would like to know what help you will give
“Was the emperor immortal then?” Slap asked, us to throw off our enemies.”
as they entered an underground passage. Slap’s mouth fell open.
“That happens when your body dies. You are #
in a...a state between the two. Do your people
not teach this?” They arrived in a cavern, well-lit and well-
“Most of my people believe there is only one stocked with supplies. His companions ran in
deity. Humans are just humans, not gods.” Slap different directions, handing out the collected
paused, then added, “The Zendians believe in weapons, while two helped Tristan to a stool by
one god, too. They claim to see and live on both a table.
sides of the”—what was an equivalent of the They set water and a plate of some sliced fried...
Zendian word?—“curtain between the mortal something in front of him. He’d almost think it
and spiritual world.” was plantain by taste, but this seemed more like
“Who are the Zendians?” Kebba asked, glancing a yam by look and size. He drank slowly and ate,
up with a frown. relishing the strength that flowed into him. If only
“Aliens who are the original inhabitants of he could rest, but the Confeds weren’t resting,
the world I’m from. They...can do some strange and if he planned on surviving, he needed to help
things. Makes me wonder if there isn’t some these people. He put on the helmet, and listened
truth to their claim.” for a while. What he heard clenched his stomach,
Kebba grinned. “They have technology you and he broke out in a cold sweat; in a matter
don’t understand. I am a priest. I know. The people of hours the Confeds were going to destroy all
must see to believe, so we...” he hesitated, his ‘hostiles’ by dropping the horrific yrallite gas into
face twisting in thought, probably trying to recall every crevice and cavern they could find. Damn
vocabulary in a language he wasn’t used to using the bastards! Gas masks did no good; that stuff
much. “We...we give them something to see.” entered pores, burned skin, and caused muscles
Slap shook his head and said no more. Too to slough off bones. Even the Eridani had signed
bad Kebba couldn’t meet a Zendian; he’d change the treaty banning its use. Only the Confeds...
his tune. Tristan tore off the helmet and dropped his
The maze of tunnels went on. Finally they head into his hands. How could he stop the entire
came to well-lit grotto, filled with armed men, Confederation military machine?
and not all of them looked friendly. Several lifted
their weapons, but Kebba and the other priests
held up their arms and called out—likely passing
word about Slap’s ‘god status.’
Slap was offered a seat and drink of water. The
men conferred, with glances tossed Slap’s way.

Stay tuned as Deuces Wild continues next month

with part six of:
“In the Lap of the Gods”
To catch up on previous episodes of the
adventures of Slap and Tristan, visit:
http://loriendil.com/DW.php
L. S. King
A science fiction fan since childhood, L.S. King
has been writing stories since her youth. Now,
with all but one of her children grown, she is
writing full-time. She has developed a sword-
and-planet series tentatively called The An-
cients. The first book is finished, and she has
completed rough drafts of several more novels
as well.
She serves on the editorial staff of The Sword

Review, is also their Columns Editor, and
writes a column for that magazine entitled
“Writer’s Cramps” as well. She is also one
of the Overlords, a founding editor, here at
Ray Gun Revival.
She began martial arts training over thirty

years ago, and owned a karate school for a de-
cade. When on the planet, she lives in Delaware
with her husband, Steve, and their youngest
child. She enjoys gardening, soap making, and
reading. She also likes Looney Tunes, the color
purple, and is a Zorro aficionado, which might
explain her love for swords and cloaks.

Jolly RGR Pg. 40
The RGR Time Capsule

Sci-Fi News from the past two
weeks in the Ray Gun Revival forums

Ray Gun Revival Magazine, Issue 21

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THRILLING TALES FROM BEYOND THE ETHER

Beyond The Flesh

The Case of the Spurious Spacemen

Serial: Deuces Wild

Cover Art: “The Engineer,” by Benjamin Schmid

Special Thanks: Ray Gun Revival logo design by Hatchbox Creative

Visit us online at http://raygunrevival.com

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

T he house swayed in the tide. Bethel grabbed

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

She reached the base in record time, and the girls.

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Dolphins were a hallowed tradition in the Sea come out.

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

body, crushed to death in a horrible kelp-harvester Alice M. Roelke

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Beyond the Flesh

I t’s time now.

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

return him… Guess there’s no accountin’ for ignominious death.

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

# cry began in the center of his being, craving

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

will be your fault.” her feet.

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

because you lived.”

(Anne is also the Managing Copyeditor here

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Name: Benjamin Schmid

Where do you get your inspiration / what

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

inspires you? I think every fantasy or sci-fi

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

The Case of the Spurious

T he gentleman from Smith and Jones Asso-

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

someone through. How was I to know the sword ingly.

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

he said. perately against an army of kangaroos from space.

The year was 2010. Soldiers were fighting des-

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

S and filled his nose and mouth, gagging

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

the comm helmet. More hindsight. repeating the phrase.

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 21, May 01, 2007