Ray Gun Revival magazine, Issue 43, May 2008

Issue 43

May 2008

Ray Gun Revival

Pg. 2

Table of Contents Overlords (Founders / Editors):

Johne Cook, L. S. King, Paul Chris\ue004an Glenn

Venerable Staff:

A.M. S\ue003ckel - Managing Copyeditor Shannon McNear - Lord High Advisor, grammar consultant, listening ear/sanity saver for Overlord Lee Paul Chris\ue003an 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 bo\ue005le washer

Slushmasters (Submissions Editors):

John M. Whalen David Wilhelms Alice M. Roelke

Sco\ue005 M. Sandridge

Shari L. Armstrong Jack Willard

Serial Authors:

2 3 5 10 17 32 35 41 53 62 67

Sean T. M. S\ue004ennon

John M. Whalen Ben Schumacher M Keaton Lee S. King

Paul Chris\ue004an Glenn

Johne Cook

77 85

Table of Contents Overlords\u2019 Lair Golden Opportunity by Andy Heizeler The Weight of the World by Gordon Ross Lanser The One Chosen by Robert Mancebo No Good Deed An Aston West Tale by T.M.Hunter Featured Artist - Bryan Dale Norton Calamity\u2019s ChildChapter Two, Part Two: Potla by M. Keaton A Couple of Hours in Coreytown A Jack Brand Story by John M. Whalen Deuces Wild, Season Two Chapter 3: Fractured Facets, Part Three by L. S. King The Adventures of the Sky Pirate Chapter 22, The Confessions of Dangerous Men by Johne Cook Memory Wipe Chapter 20, On The Rails by Sean T. M. Stiennon The RGR Time Capsule - April 2008

Cover Art: \u201cCold Planet II\u201d by Bryan Dale Norton Without Whom... Bill Snodgrass, site host,

Visit us online at http://raygunrevival.com

Web-Net Solu\ue004ons, admin, webmaster, database admin, mentor, con\ue001 All- content copyright 2008 by Double-edged Publishing , a Memphis, Tennessee-based non-pro\ue001t publisher.

dante, liaison \u2013 Double-edged Publishing

Special Thanks:

Ray Gun Revival logo design by Hatchbox Creative

Ray Gun Revival magazine

Rev: 200805a

Issue 43, May 2008

Pg. 3

Overlords\u2019 Lair you a new artist with each issue with very few ith this issue, Ray Gun Revival magazine W switches from a biweekly format to a exceptions. I love uncovering fresh new talent

monthly format. There were a number ofand exposing them to our faithful readers. reasons for that, none of which are very From a practical standpoint, going to a monthly interesting. format makes it more likely that RGR will It is true the burden to put out an original continue forward for the foreseeable future. A monthly magazine will be more sustainable, publication every two weeks is eased, but from my vantage, the most practical benefit is that and that\u2019s good for everybody. we won\u2019t be burning through the pool of new We have one housekeeping announcement. digital sci-fi artists at such an accelerated rate. We are pleased to welcome aboard a new We\u2019ve had such a great run of talented cover artists that I was a little guilty of taking one of slushpile editor, or Slushmaster, as we call Alice Roelke has joined the staff and will our primary strengths for granted. However,them. as be helping to shape what appears here in the I looked around at the untapped sci-fi artists at pages of RGR. Please welcome her onboard. deviantart.com, I realized that the collection RGR wouldn\u2019t be what it is without the tireless of really good sci-fi artists there is not infinite, efforts of a lot of people who love space and we\u2019d already chewed through a good opera and golden age sci-fi. Even space opera percentage of the \u2018known\u2019 artists. Reverting isn\u2019t created in a vaccuum, heh, and RGR is a from biweekly to monthly should give us a collaborative project, a joint effort produced by more realistic chance to continue offering the a community of smart, passionate readers and kind of stunning cover art that we\u2019re known for authors and fans. If you enjoy the magazine without exhausting the well. at all, it is because of their efforts. It is a great blessing and joy to take part in this project with I noticed that while there are a kabillion artists doing fantasy artwork, there is limited pool fellow dreamers and aficionados. of really great sci-fi works and artists, and We have a lot of content in this issue, so let\u2019s the realization frankly spooked me. As much as I love the stories of the past space opera get right to it. masters, I\u2019d underestimated the impact of all Johne Cook those great covers. Even now, if you ask me to Overlord, RGR picture my favorite books, I am likely to think of the cover art as I think about those books. Breezeway, Wisconsin Michael Whalen is responsible for many of May, 2008 my memories, and he is one artist. We bring


Issue 43, May 2008

Pg. 4


Issue 43, May 2008

Golden Opportunity by Andy Heizeler

Pg. 5


“Y

Dean nodded happily. “I suggest we set a When they took their seats, Dean patted ou can’t be serious!” said Captain Sedona, crossing her arms. Dean leaned back incourse for Planet Mall first.” Captain Sedona on her highly manicured the pilot’s chair of the Tachyon Valkyrie and hand. “Why there?” smiled. “You did excellently on the carpet, “Just because it’s impossible, doesn’t mean Dean looked her up and down, always a Sugarplum.” we can’t do it,” he said, punching a few buttonspleasurable activity. Wearing the black leather “Call me Sugarplum again and you’ll see to magnify the map of New Londonium on the of an Echelon test pilot complemented all of her generous curves. how sharp these heels are.” she whispered, view screen. It was the capitol city of Orson never dropping her smile. Dean tried not to Two and was noted for having the tightest “Because I’m going to need a suit, and think about how well Arc was getting along security of any neutral world. For that very you, my dear lady, are going to need a dress. with spaceport surveillance, and simply waited reason it had been chosen as the site of the Captain, we‘re going to an auction.” in radio silence for the auction to begin. Galaxy’s most prestigious auction house. # “We’ll start,” said Dean, “By calling in # a bomb threat to make the security even tighter,” he finished, cycling up the transmis- One leg crossed in front of the other as “Nice to meet you Bob. Dick Evans, IntroSec sion scrambler. she walked, stepping down on black stilettosConsulting,” said Arc, extending his hand. Bob that echoed across the marble. Her dress wasshook it and handed back Arc’s lighter. They “You’re insane.” a swirl of violet lace against smooth dark skinstood outside the main surveillance tower that left no heads unturned, which made Dean enjoying caffeinated cigarettes and talking “The difference between insanity and nearly invisible on her arm. shop. genius is defined by profit margin,” said Dean. The lavish auction hall was crowded with “So, have you guys upgraded to the UniSpy “And you think we can actually pull this the rich and famous from every corner of the Omnipresence Twenties yet or are you still on off?” she scoffed. Dean had to forgive her. This galaxy: nobles from the Pure Human Coalition, the old Parabolics?” asked Arc, trying not to was their first job together after all. representatives from the Post Martian Federasound too patronizing. Bob was obliging. tion, wealthy merchants from the Greater Star “It’ll take the whole crew, careful preparation and some good old fashioned piracy, butRepublic, freeholders from the Independent “Neither. Thanks to last week’s bomb threat, yes. We’ll not only pull this off, we’ll do it in Star Alliance and android avatars from the everything’s been upgraded last minute. Got Digital Theocracy of Echelon. the last mods installed just two days ago, and style,” said Dean slyly. Captain Sedona shook her head.

we’re working off the new Gnat-Cam series

The event was being covered by the from Atom-Tech,” said Bob.

Galactic News Network as well as reporters

from all the minor services. They had been “Really? I haven’t gotten to see those “We’re actually going to try to steal the Golden Record from Voyager One?” she said introduced on the red carpet as Mr. and Mrs.yet. Just between you and me my consulting Maxwell Von Brooklyn of New Sealyham. company’s corporate big wigs are in bed with disbelievingly.


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 6

the vendors from UniSpy,” said Arc disgustedly, looked around at the thousands of ships. Their ago on July Seventh, Twenty Nine Fifty by a blowing his smoke high as if he didn’t care what uniforms were grey and yellow with silver salvage team working for Mr. Harvey L. Dart of happened next. Bob, as predicted, felt gracedbuttons and each carried heavy bags. Dart Industries. with insider info. “You look nice in uniform, Creon,” said Cloey, Today’s bidding on this fabulous time being kind. A seven-foot-tall, scar-covered ex-capsule will begin at two hundred million Post “You should see the resolution on these mercenary had a hard time looking nice in Martian Federation Standard Credits.” things,” said Bob eagerly. Arc shook his head. anything. She liked Creon though; he was a big “I wish I could. If they’re as good as I read Dean felt excitement rippling through the teddy bear. gathered crowd. The bidding was fast, as this about in GSW, I might just jump ship and become a vendor for Atom-Tech.” Arc had been “You too,” he said uncomfortably, pulling was one of the key items in today’s auction, reading Galactic Security World Magazine forat the tie that was determined to choke him along with the Voyager spacecraft itself, the years and he knew that anyone else who read to death. He peered around the lot, trying notremains of the Pioneer 10 and it’s dented plate, to wish they hadn’t stashed all their weapons and the laser pistol carried by Sam Dodge of it called it GSW as well. on an asteroid. With the inside-out searches of the Galactic Rangers. “I don’t know about that. They don’t tell their ship by umpteen different security teams you everything in those articles. Hey, why not from every backwater planet in the galaxy, they “I want Dodge’s laser pistol,” said Captain come up and take a look at the monitors?” couldn’t afford to have anything incriminating Sedona longingly. on the ship. It didn‘t mean he had to like it. “I can’t. I lost my escort badge. This is our “Never mind that, get ready to drive up the last night here and I’ll never get a replacement All around them, walking through the lots, bidding,” muttered Dean. in time,” he said with resigned discontent. Bob security teams from several different worlds The bids climbed higher and higher, with shook his head. patrolled. They were all hired to protect the the less wealthy dropping out early. After the auction from bombers. flurry died down, it came to the two bidders “Hey, you’re talking to a supervisor here. who were truly serious: Mrs. Maxwell Von I’ll get Terry to grab a visitor’s badge from the Tap…tap, tap. Brooklyn and Lord Aaron Nigel Webster of the book for you. Come on.” Creon looked at Cloey and grinned. She Pure Human Coalition. Arc felt a wash of relief as the surveillance looked back and nodded; she had picked up supervisor led him into the building. He slipped the micro-receiver transmission too. Arc was “We have three point two billion from Lord his hand in his pocket and tapped the lighter.in. A Webster. Do I hear three point three?” asked little voice inside him was screaming this was the hopeful auctioneer. a trap, but he ignored the voice. It thought # Dean tugged at his sleeve. everything was a trap. “Launched from Old Home Earth in “It looks like Lord Webster has beaten us, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy Seven of the my dear.” Captain Sedona adopted a mask of Common Era, the Voyager One and Two spacedefeat and shook her head ever so slightly. Cloey adjusted the security officer ball crafts each carried one of these gorgeous cap on Creon’s head before he got up off his golden disks. Voyager Two is lost forever and “Going once…going twice..” knees from tightening his boot straps. They presumed destroyed by an interstellar asteroid, walked down the ramp of the Tachyon Valkyrie # but Voyager One was recovered just two years into the brightly lit spaceport parking lot and #


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 7

“Sold!” heard Arc in his micro-receiver. a carrying handle marked as a P-23 Neutron company. The little black cube contained what Radiation Scanner. In Creon’s was a cylinderwas known as the Base Fifty Thousand Coordi“I like the real-time data interpolation,” marked Air Samples along with a micro-com-nates, from which all jumps were calculated by said Arc enthusiastically, pointing to a bank pressor. the computer. Cloey unplugged it and quickly of screens on the right. Bob crossed his arms, replaced it with one that looked identical from glowing in pride at having coordinated the “Air samples?” asked Brent. inside her Neutron Scanner. But inside that system configuration. brain box was only one location. “Hey, I just get paid to take ’em, buddy. I “So if I wanted so see the names attached don’t care what the lab does with it,” said “Hey, what are you doing?” asked the to these space ships and their lot numbers, all I Creon. He was clearly discontent with the job, engineer, coming at her quickly. She dropped would have to do is say ’display names,’ right?” which bought him sympathy from the guardsthe box into her bag and slipped the cover said Arc. As he finished, the names all appeared on the ramp. closed on her scanner as she came up. over the spaceships. “Okay, you guys are clear. Wipe your boots “I was just admiring this bypass array,” she on the mat before you go in though, would said in a tone of deep reverence, which stopped “Well, there you have it!” said Bob happily. you? The maintenance crew keeps chewing us Arc nodded in genuine approval. him dead. out about it,” said Brent. “Nice, very nice,” he said, tapping the lighter “You know Bohm Drives?” he asked, in his pocket, first eight, then three times. Once on board they headed for the rear sounding as if he were falling in love. Cloey of the ship. Cloey was ‘scanning’ while Creon smiled with deep warmth. pretended to take air samples. They entered # the engineering bay only to find it occupied by “They’re my life,” she said honestly. “How “I’m afraid we’re going to have to inspectthe chief engineer. Great, thought Cloey. did you compensate for energy fluctuations in the implicate-order transhifter?” your ship, gentlemen,” said Cloey politely. The “Can I help you?” asked the flustered-looktwo ship security guards standing before the ing little man from behind his goggles. Creon listened to make sure they were ramp of the Pure Human Coalition Star Yacht engrossed in techno babble before heading for Limitless Endeavour in Lot 83 looked at each“Just doing a security sweep,” she said the environmental systems on the other side other in exasperation. cheerfully. He rolled his eyes and looked ready of the engineering bay. Lined up along the wall to go back to wrenching on an injector. were several super compression tanks marked “Yea, yea we know. Standard procedure, bomb threat. We’ll have to see what’s in your “Hey you! I need you remove this panel,” Emergency Oxygen. bags before you go aboard,” said the one onsaid Creon near an air duct in the corridor just With the utmost care he unscrewed one of the right, a young fellow with a shiny name around the bend. Cloey shrugged as the little the secondary tanks and put his own tank in tag. engineer grabbed his tools in exasperation.its place. He peeled the label off the new tank, revealing the Emergency Oxygen markings “My pleasure, Mr. Brent,” said Cloey happily,“Fine! I’m coming,” he said as if he had done opening up her bag along with Creon. These the same thing five times already that day, beneath. He placed it on the tank he had just taken and rubbed it to make it stick. guys were Pure Human Coalition, which in which he had. Cloey got to work. She slid around Cloey’s eyes were no better than the Nazi’s of behind the huge oblong cylinder of the Bohm He then took out his screwdriver and her time. Drive and knelt down near brain box—each FTL removed the valve handle, shifting it ninety jump engine had one, all made by the same degrees before putting it back on. He then In her bag they found a blocky device with


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 8

opened the valve wide, with it appearing still “Cloey, you ready with that valve control laughter. Some even pointed at the invaders closed. Inside the tank a hidden valve kept transmitter?” asked Dean over the static-ridas they stepped over them, searching for the what was inside safely compressed. dled intercom. golden record. “I’ve got my samples,” announced Creon. “Sure thing, Dean. Just give me the word.” They found it in Lord Webster’s private quarters where he had been listening to it on “Oh, I’ve got to go,” said Cloey with obvious Dean looked over at Creon, now in battlea specially made phonograph. Dean took the displeasure. The engineer, whose name wasarmor and holding one of his favorite assaultentire set-up as Lord Webster laughed so hard “D..Del..Delbert” was devastated. pulsers. Captain Sedona was back in black he cried. leather, and Dean was wearing jeans and a “So soon?” he asked, having just started in tie-dye T-Shirt bearing the logo “Save The Before they left, Dean set their original the explanation of how he had masterminded Endorphins.” On his hip he sported an ancient brain box module down on a table in the dining a way to improve frequency shift efficiency.K-Series laser pistol acquired at a pawn shop. room. There was no point in stranding them He nodded to Captain Sedona. in inter-galactic space forever; without any Cloey leaned forward and whispered in his comms relays out this far, it would have been ear. The little man turned a bright shade of red “All right, Arc. Jump!” As soon as she finished the end of them. as she walked off, trailing a finger along his speaking, the Tachyon Valkyrie vanished from chin. the explicate order and reappeared instantly in That’s when the trouble started. Dean’s another part of space, only ten meters off theheart sank as he heard Creon’s big bass voice # nose of the stranded Limitless Endeavour. break out in uncontrolled laughter. He spun just in time to see Creon with his mask seal broken, weaving towards him. “Cycle up the lifters and get us out of here, “Now, Cloey,” shouted Dean. Arc,” ordered Captain Sedona, taking off her “Take us up to their airlock and dock,” “Creon, no!” screamed Dean, but it was too heels in the cargo bay. The big ramp was closed ordered Captain Sedona. A few minutes later late. The ex-mercenary was on top of him in a and Creon was hastily unbuttoning his shirt, the incoming transmission lamp was glowing fit of giggles, and in moments Dean’s mask was having thrown the tie up onto the railing. on the low band receiver. Dean looked to thetorn off. Captain. She nodded, so he flipped it. “Now for the fun part, Captain,” said Dean, Dean and Creon were still kicking their feet carefully folding his suit jacket. Cloey was “Hahahahaha, oooh, wooooo… Hey, this is...in laughter when the heel of Captain Sedona’s already in her pink coveralls but had left the waaaa-hahahahah! Help.” laser pistol knocked them unconscious. security ball cap on.

The sinister cocktail of THC gas and nitrous They all held on as the Tachyon Valkyrie # oxide were having a powerful effect. Dean lifted off, piloted by Arc, while sitting on the smiled in satisfaction as the ships perfectly old broken down couch in the mess lounge. “Friends of space, how are you all? Have you lined up due to Arc‘s precision piloting. All eaten yet? Come visit us if you have the time,” three members of the boarding party slipped Two hours later they had all changed said the Golden Record in Amoy, translated by clothes, recovered the weapons they had re-breathers over their mouths and noses the nanofibers in everyone’s ears. before entering the airlock, weapons ready. stashed on the asteroid, and were now getting ready to jump to the designated coordinates “Nice try, but I know what the restaurants Inside the Limitless Endeavor, the crew and where their prey would be waiting. charge there,” said Dean, holding a bag of passengers were rolling on the deck-plates in frozen peas on his head. Captain Sedona made a


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 9

shushing motion as they all sipped champagne Andy Heizeler in the mess lounge. Dean was between Cloey and Arc on the couch, while Creon sat at the David Bridge e started wri ng at the age table with a sandwich. The THC in the gas had given him a terrible case of the munchies. of ten in 1985 on a Tandy TRS-80 Computer.

ar llery training radio-plane drones in the swampsofFortStewart)enjoyingthebeauty of our Na onal Park System, deba ng the natureoftheuniverse,andreadingscience c on. By 1995 he had enough rejec on slips to Despite the lump on his head, Dean was accountfortheshrinkingrainforests.O and pleased. The mission had been a success and they already had a black market buyer linedonhecon nuedwri nginspurts,submi ng randomly butmostlypursuingtheartofdaily up. As it turned out, the Greater Star Repub lic’s Museum of Science and Industry had a living(asopposedtotheartofdailystarving). long chain of underground contacts with deep pockets. HejoinedtheArmyin2001a ertheterrorist a acksof9/11andhasdeployedtoIraqatotal “Hello to everyone. We are happy here and

ofthree mes.Duringhisthirddeployment,at you be happy there.” said the Golden Record in Rajasthani.

the age of 32, he decided a er a near miss— which is just as safe as a far miss, only more Considering how things were going, Dean didn’t think that would be hard to do at all.personal—by a mortar round that it was metoachievehisdreamofbeingpublished.

The pen name Andy Heizeler was created as a conglomera on of the ini als of his favorite authors, under which he created a series of stories about Dean the Space Rogue. The rst Dean the Space Rogue story to be accepted will be appearing in the anthology Star Stepping by Wild Child Press. The second, but rst chronologically, Dean the Space Rogue, appeared in Ray Gun Revival #40, with another Galac c Saviors,thatissettoappearinanupcoming issue of Newmyths.com magazine.

David’s hobbies include amateur drone hun ng with his lovely wife Kit, mostly stumblingupondowned1940’san -aircra


Issue 43, May 2008

The Weight of the World by Gordon Ross Lanser

Pg. 10


T

he observation station floated above shall’s eyes as she followed the others into cried as she watched the others struggling to patches of purple clouds, and Tiffany Mar-general bunk quarters, where they stripped regain their orientation, snap pieces together shall’s thoughts floated with the observationand transferred into flexi-suits. The vibrationand climb into the pill-like structures made station. While gliding fifty kilometers aboveof the craft worsened. They staggered against from bed cushions and frames. Already in her the surface of the planet, she half-listened a whipping, wave-like motion that shot lengthstructure, Marshall snapped a final clip into to Neil Becker and Freedom Long debate thewise down the craft. Over the blare of alarms,place and pressed a button that would inflate aesthetics of the planet below. Her mind kept a general message came across the loudspeakher balloon and provide a final seal. There drifting back to her life before this one, to theers. were several empty moments; she was deaf life she had left in another solar system, in to the world, insulated by the inflated balloon. another age. She peered down through thick “Proceed with Emergency Protocol One.” And then…the blow against the surface of polycarbonate shielding as Becker and Long the planet rang like a clap of thunder. Black Struggling to stand against the whipping smoke and momentary flame spat and pushed traded jibes. Memories came to her of her motion of the craft, Becker filled an emergency father, whose journeys into space had created outward. Metal parts whisked upward, the a longing for exploration in her. Suddenly akit with food stuffs and Long grabbed atmo- sharpest shavings planting like knives into sphere mixers. Marshall grabbed three sonic metallic clang thundered through the station. the soil when they returned to the planet’s pump guns and handed out lightweight wristsurface. Everything for nearly half a kilometer In its wake a persistent whine sang across the beacons. They stumbled as they grabbed round was blackened wasteland. supports and struts of their craft. flares and ultra-thin heat blankets. In the commotion, several other members of the “What was that?” Marshall blurted. # staff and crew pushed into the room and began climbing into suits. Becker, Marshall “I don’t like it,” said Long as the craft began When the thunder of the crash subsided, and Long moved onto the bed frames as to vibrate. “I’m initiating emergency protocol.” Marshall found herself balled claustrophobitheir colleagues attempted to maintain their She started for the escalator. cally in her cocoon-like balloon. She forced balance, and followed the simple illustrated herself to steady her breathing and waited for “But why haven’t the alarms sounded?” texts that had brought laughter in training but the balloon to settle. Her mind ran wild, and said Becker, following Long down the were now deadly serious. Some genius at the locked escalator stairs. “The alarms haven’ttechnical university had designed them; theyshe remembered what her mother had said sounded.” had never been used in a real-world situationwhen she had departed on the mission that before. Suddenly a tremendous roar shot skipped across fantastic lengths of space—the “A malfunction, or a delay in a system last time she would see her mother: “You are through the air wing. There was an explosion, cross-check…I don’t know. You can wait forand the sense of once effortless floatation your father’s little girl, and you always will be.” the alarms if you want to—not me.” There was no doubt her mother had meant collapsed into a horrifying plunge. Bodies shot it hurtfully. She had always called her father upward against the immediate loss of gravity; As the three descended into the main weak and self-destructive and had said he’d equipment pieces and parts were flung scatportion of the hull the vibrations increased gone into space to escape rather than explore. ter-shot upward. until they became a raucous shuddering. The Maybe that was how she had explained away red glint of flashing alarm lights shone in Marthe tragedy. “Get into the emergency balloons!” Marshall


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 11

Marshall’s thoughts came back to the “Let me,” she said, taking the tape from his terrain. Through her suit she could feel the present. She caught her breath, pulled a redshaking hands. She whipped the tape around cold creeping in. From her studies, her mind lever, and heard a hiss as the balloon collapsed several times, then tore the tape and flattened held what her eyes were slowly losing grasp about her. She pushed and dug at the synthetic the end stiffly down. of. The crusty soil of the planet was relatively material until her upper body was freed, and barren, but portions were carpeted by clumps she rested momentarily, staring upward at the “Who else?” he asked. of red, frost-dusted vegetation; hillsides were rusty-brown sky. The others, she wondered, thinly spotted with flowers and gnarled fibrous “Just us, and Long and Becker, so far.” Her weeds so large they passed for trees. Natural the others. eyes took in the panorama, searched for water sources were scarce and toxic, occasionmovement. The sun was lowering, and the She scrambled heavily to her feet, feeling ally bubbling up in acidic springs and filtering purpling twilight obscured details. for the first time the full weight of the alien along in muck-ridden creeks. Infrequent rainworld. Gravity here was nearly twice earth’s, storms spattered the surface with fat drops of “There should be twenty-one,” said Wright, and the atmospheric pressure was greater by acid rain, contributing to the land’s look of high “twenty-one.” fifteen percent. Her flexi-suit could help with desert. Yet, for all of that, the various scavengthe pressure, but not with the heaviness she “I know,” she said. “Can you walk?” ing beasts that inhabited the planet managed felt with each step, nor with the sluggishness to eek out a living. of her every movement. “Not well,” he said. Life, after all, she considered, is defined She began dazedly rummaging through “Okay. Okay.” She stood and clicked on her by its environment. Observing the native life the remains of the craft, searching for bits helmet ‘mic’. “Hey guys,” she said, waving at here, in the midst of that environment, gave and pieces of gear that might be useful. SheLong and Becker, “Wright’s down. We’ll have a definite sense of vulnerability. And with the gathered her senses and remembered the to make our camp over here.” cold emerging, and with being stranded in this wrist beacon. She flipped it on, and sent the barren, ugly land with only two or three days weak high-frequency ping upward to the satel- There was a hiss of static, then, “Sure thing, worth of atmosphere mix, the feeling bordered Tiff,” said Long, “as soon as we get the rest of lites. If the satellites received the faint signal, on desperation. And now it was getting dark. they would relay the distress call to workersthe gear.” on the more distant space station, who would She heard a rattle a hundred meters off As a science communications officer, then begin to assemble a rescue party. and stood. Marshall worked closely with both Long and Long and Becker emerged from their Becker. The two were opposites in looks and “Becker, Long, that you?” demeanor. Becker was a short squarely built balloons, and so did Wright, a systems engineer. man; Long, in her mid-forties, was a tall, lean “Over here,” came a reply. She turned Wright limped through the wreckage; a metal woman, with a generally relaxed disposi- slowly until she saw a hand waving far across shard had sliced through his balloon and lanced tion. Long usually spoke in calm even tones, the terrain. his leg. He sat and began rapidly applying tape to the tear in the flexi-suit, his head wobblingwhile Becker’s rapid, clipped speech betrayed She turned back to scan the debris field, as he fought against the toxic atmosphere a sometimes anxious mind. Long had a dry and saw a slab of high tension carbon fall to sense of humor; Becker was a man who relied that had leaked in. Marshall trudged across the soil. Something low and hunched was the hard soil and knelt beside him. Wisps of on facts. Marshall watched them examine the behind it. wreckage while their images became silhousmoke and steam rose around them from the ettes in the descending light. smoldering wreckage. “We have company,” she said. “I’m getting the Her eyes drifted across the darkening pump guns; and I suggest you join me.”


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 12

“We’ll be right there,” said Becker in his “It’s about time you showed up,” she said. “That’s yet to be seen. It’s probably closely rapid, flat tone. related to those SGH species we’ve seen, “Fashionably late,” said Long. but—” Marshall moved heavily to the remnants of her balloon, grabbed the edge, and began “There’s nothing fashionable about this,” The beast scuffed at the soil and scrambled dragging it back toward Wright. The beast,said Becker. “I think we’d better drag some of forward several steps. Long raised her gun probably a Semolian ground hog as they the pieces and parts we have in our vicinity and instinctively and fired a sonic wave across the referred to it, was about two feet high at themake a barrier, in case it decides to charge.” field, nicking the heels of the creature, which shoulder and built like a giant mole, except it screamed in agony and fell to its side. They heard a snort and squeal from a was hairless, and tailless. Satellite images had different direction, then others. “Why did you do that!” said Becker. revealed that the SGH’s preferred to dig and root beneath the plains of weeds, which robot “In case ‘they’ charge, you mean,” said Long. From the gloom a swarm of beasts rapidly explorers had shown to have deep, broad, and “How many guns do we have?” fell upon their wounded comrade and began intricate root systems. Marshall yanked her ripping it apart. Their thick snouts and short balloon to where Wright lay, and collapsed “Three,” said Marshall, “and six ammo squat legs, wicked claws and beady little eyes next to him. units.” were straight from the other side of the river Styx. “I didn’t realize how heavy everything would “At 30 a clip, that’s 180. That should do.” feel,” she panted, “but the heaviness is horrible “I’d rather have them eating themselves down here, and in these suits, with the tanks “We’ll see,” said Becker. “I was studying than us,” said Long pointedly, “Don’t you agree, and helmet, and dragging things around—”these things. Their families number sometimes Neil?” in the thousands. But most of them stay underground.” “Try it with a bad leg.” Becker sat and put his hand to his headgear. “No thanks,” she said, and reached up to “Are they carnivorous?” asked Wright. “Of course,” he muttered, “of course.” snap open a storage hatch at one end of her “How soon do you think they can get a crew balloon. She grabbed the first pump gun and “We don’t think so, but that might be beside down here for us?” asked Marshall. the point. This might be a territorial problem a flare, snapped the flare and tossed it, then we’re encountering, which could mean some readied the gun. “Might be a day-and-a-half, at the earliest, pretty vicious attacks. Nevertheless, this is but probably more like two or three days,” said chance in a lifetime for biological observa“I’m not taking any chances,” she said. aShe Wright. “They’ll have to fix their logistics, get tion—” gave Wright a gun. the appropriate fuel, landers, the works.” Wright grimaced as he turned toward the“There’s one,” said Marshall, pointing to The group fell silent, and listened to the gruff where one of the creatures dug at the soil, fifty SGH. grunts of the beasts around them, knowing meters away. the beasts’ attention could not be diverted for Moments later, Long and Becker slammed long. down a crate with supplies in it. Marshall “But that’s not an SGH,” said Becker. turned in a startled fashion, caught her breath, # then turned back to where she had last seen “What is it then?” asked Marshall. the SGH.


“Trouble,” blurted Long.

Sometime in the middle of the night,

Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 13

Marshall woke. She wasn’t sure how or whento fire another round and begin the violent horrible death, wasn’t it.” she’d fallen asleep; the shrieks and grunts of squeals and vicious snarling all over again. “A coward,” her mother had said. “If he’d the beasts were loud and consistent, but it was only been a real man—” She tore the papers Wright’s screams that woke her. # from Tiffany’s hands and left the room, slamming the bedroom door behind her. “What’s wrong, what’s wrong?” Marshall’s thoughts wound sleepily back to the night her mother tossed down the papers. “He’s got an infection,” said Long, kneeling # “Read them,” she’d yelled at Tiffany. “Read beside a quieting Wright. “I’ve doped him with about your hero! Read about your father!” synthetics, but …whatever it is, is eating his Her eyes blinked open on a muddy dawn flesh.” “What are you talking about?” creeping over the horizon. She looked dazedly down at the ammo counter on her gun. “No, oh, no. Isn’t there anything we can “These are the official transcripts of his…his do?” death. Read them. Find out what kind of a “I’m out,” Marshall said, ejecting her man your father really was.” cartridge, her face drawn from an exhausting “If we had the ship’s computers, lab night. equipment and medical chamber, yes, I think Young Tiffany had picked them up and read we could save him. But here? Without any of them. There had been an explosion in one part “That’s over half the ammo gone in one those things?” of the freighter—a hydrogen tank—and Jake,night,” said Long. “If we have to stay another, her father, had been blown out the shatteredwe’ll run out.” “How long then?” hull. “We can’t stay here,” said Marshall. She “I don’t know.” His body had been recovered only twentysnapped the final ammo clip into her blaster. The last word was punctuated by a sonic minutes later, but he was asphyxiated. The “But we can’t leave,” said Becker, “where blast, which ripped the air and tore up the coroners had concluded that he had feared would we go?” head of one of the creatures. There was thethe worst that any space traveler fears, being familiar sound of the herd attacking the victim, tossed into space and drifting forever, with no “There’s an old robot lander,” said Long, a sound which disgusted each of them. hope of any kind, waiting for his air supply to “about fifteen klicks west from here.” be exhausted. So he had opened his helmet. “I’ve studied something like this,” said They say the effect is like being hit in the solar “And what, we walk fifteen kilometers? Becker, lowering his pump gun. “This occurs plexus with a sledge hammer, that every bit Here, in the weight of this world?” said Becker. with Carcharinidae, on Earth.” of air is lost within seconds and that you lose control of your movements by the count of ten “Yes. We can crawl into the storage com“Carcharinidae?” asked Long, a geologist bylose consciousness by the count of fifteen. and partment, protect ourselves from these animals trade. After that, after gases are expelled from every and whatever else this planet offers up.” orifice, the lungs collapse, and then, at some “Sharks,” said Becker. point over the next two to three minutes, the “He’s right, Neil,” said Marshall. “And if the bot’s batteries are still good, we can use the They wrapped themselves into their foil heart seizes, and the body dies. bot’s beacon on top of our wrist beacons.” blankets and shuddered against the night chill, Tiffany held the papers in her hands the waiting for the sound of the herd to fall silent, longest time, then looked up at her mother. “A“I don’t know.” for the subsequent scuff of clawed toe on soil,


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 14

“I’ve got a fresh thirty rounds,” said Marshall, Why had she tried to be so deliberately cruel? the muck. “but you? How many do you have?” Marshall looked up and noticed the sun They sat motionless for several minutes, had lifted fully overhead in the putrid brownchests heaving and throats gulping oxygen. And “Twenty-three,” said Becker. sky. Her breathing was slow and deep, and then Marshall curled to her knees and quietly “Nineteen,” said Long. every sixty or seventy paces she paused to let recited that part of the common blessing she oxygen flow to her tiring muscles. Long andcould still remember. Afterwards, there was “We used over one hundred rounds last Becker were fifty meters ahead, Becker slightly nothing to do but get up and walk on. night. We have what—” she paused briefly trailing. Suddenly Long staggered and fell to calculate, “seventy-two remaining? Do we forward, splashed and skidded a few meters # have a choice? I don’t think so. I’m leaving and then turned frantically, her arms bent and with Freedom, heading for the bot.” her hands splattering muck that was already Hours passed, and the sun was creeping up to her waist. In a flash she knew: Long was down the ugly sky. She had used the last of “But what about Wright?” stuck; she was sinking. her water just after the quicksand, and now “You didn’t notice, did you,” said Long. “He her tongue was swollen and her throat dry. Marshall trudged forward, screaming as hasn’t moved for hours. He’s dead.” She clomped wearily up a steep slope behind she went; Becker was ahead of her and was Becker, each traveler pausing every five or ten beginning to sink. As Marshall drew nearer the Becker stared at the muddy soil. “All right,” steps to rest their leaden legs. As they crested soil became soft, and suddenly became mush. he said, “we stick together.” the ridge, they spotted a dull metallic reflecShe began sinking too. She looked up at the With the sun rising and the landscape others; she couldn’t reach Long, but Becker tion on a hilltop across a narrow valley. In the brightening, the beasts backed away into was only a few paces forward. She lifted hervalley that lay between, some yellow vegetatheir burrows, and hunched and snorted andleg and plopped it down, and lifted the other,tion waved in the cold slow breeze, and there gnawed at things in their strange and dark stepping forward just far enough to reach were holes. Holes like the ones that had dotted their crash site. underground homes. The survivors merged Becker, who was trapped to mid-thigh. Long the contents of Wright’s atmosphere mixer was buried to her chest and trying to turn. “No, oh no,” Marshall said, collapsing onto with their own, packed whatever small water Something whipped up from the quicksand, a bed-sized stone. supplies they could, and began their hike. snapped quickly around her and tugged Long backward. Her cries ripped through Marshall’s“Maybe we can go around—” The soil was sometimes slippery and hardheadset. Marshall grabbed Becker under his and sometimes as soft as sand, a muddy grayarmpits and yanked, collapsed backward, “No,” she said abruptly. “We’ll have to walk tone and dusted with an early morning frost,kicked, fought. They pushed backward andtwo klicks to get around this valley. And my and in this gravity, no matter the hardness, sank some, kicked again and fell into muck oflegs are about finished.” every step weakened the legs and strained the a consistency similar to wet concrete. With a back. And they trudged on, hoping to arrivefinal heave they landed on solid ground. Boots “Then we go across,” said Becker, his eyes and secure their position at the robot landercaked with wet soil, they watched bitterly asfixed on the valley. “You know,” he added, in before sundown. thick bubbles popped where Long had sunk, his clipped manner, “I met one of the old-timers the echo of her gurgling voice still resonating in a few years back. He said when things went south on them, during their expeditions, they # their headsets. The tentacle whipped up once used to say, ‘Do anything, but save one shot’.” more, and they scrambled backward several “You’re your father’s little girl!” she’d said. feet, before the arm blindly swung back under “Why?”


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 15

He stared at her through his clear face-mask. blasters and fired. The focused waves smashed“He went into space to escape,” her mother “You’ll know when the time comes,” he said. against the monster, but did nothing to impede had said. And what of herself? Had she left its movements. Marshall turned and tried her everything she had known behind forever just She thought of her father, her mother, best to run; Becker followed. They crossed the to explore, or had she wanted something else? lowered her head. She felt ill from fatigue, final meters of valley and staggered heavily up Had she wanted to escape a world of unhappy her hands quivered, and her thoughts werethe next hillside. They turned together andlove affairs, and a mother sinking deeper and agonizing over the purpose—the need—of afired, but the thing kept coming. deeper into a medicated insanity? Or were single round in the blaster. her intentions more pure? She only knew she “Hurry,” Becker yelled. “Get to the lander.”wished she hadn’t come. “Save one,” Becker Becker started off, his boots kicking some had said. Whynot? She wondered. Whynot? shale ahead of him, and she lifted herself “Come with me!” she cried, but did not stop. wearily, and followed him down the hillside She heard him behind her, firing his blaster, # and across the valley. cursing at the top of his lungs. She turned. The beast was nearly upon him but was oozing

After nightfall the beasts began rushing the black bile from beneath its miserable hulking lander, smacking their heads into the metal form. siding, making the entire craft wobble. Her The sound of their bootfalls created a stir in nerves jagged and her body stiff, Marshall “Run, Neil, run!” the burrows and the nasty little beasts peered searched for some way out. She felt around and from their holes, climbed to the valley floor, He turned and started up the hill toward her, found a ladder, and began climbing. The craft snorted, and began stalking them. They’d only then slipped and fell as shale broke away. And had a small cubby hole at the top of the ladder, gone a hundred meters when Becker stopped, then he was gone. “Neil!” She whipped up her just large enough for her to curl into, and she turned, and fired his sonic blaster, ripping a leg blaster and began firing, watching the ammo found a little hatch to one side whose purpose from one of them; the others descended upon gauge tick down, twenty-eight, twenty-seven,of releasing a small aerial drone was long since it like sharks pursuing chum. twenty-six, as she backed up the hill toward served. She lifted the hatch and looked outside. the bot. She fired again and again, unloadingThe blackness was nearly complete. She could The screams of the beasts sent a rush of half her ammo cartridge into the front of the only make out faint movements moments adrenaline into Becker and Marshall, and they charging monster, which began to slow, and before the crash of flesh on metal. She waited hurried away from the melee. With every step then waver. There was a deafening shriek and for the sound of scuffling toes on soil, raised they could see more clearly the glint of the the beast trembled, rolled forward spasmodi-the gun, stuck it through the hatch, and fired. robot lander at the top of the next hill. They cally, and collapsed. Then, below in the valley, The shock wave thumped against the barren were nearly across the valley now, closer, closer, the snorting beasts began poking their headsground. She heard a grunt and fired again. This when suddenly the ground shook and gravel out. Marshall turned and struggled to the time she heard the familiar terrible shrieks and spilled outward. A huge caterpillar-like beast lander, opened the hatch to the storage center, squeals of the swarming beasts, and closed her was shaking loose from the soil—it was at least and began pulling out gear. Equipment was eyes, waiting for them to end their butchery. twenty meters long, a fat, hissing monster. The piled around her feet when the first maniacal dozen short hard protrusions that passed for shriek approached her. She fired, fourteen, # legs kicked at the soil, and muscles in the molethirteen, twelve, climbed into the storage hunter’s body curled and rolled, and it gained center, and pulled the hatch shut. ground in herks and jerks. The snorting moleHer air was thinning. The mixer would thin animals squealed and scattered, diving into In the darkness of the hull she tried notand to keep thinning until the tank expired. She their holes; Becker and Marshall lifted their cry. still had twelve or fifteen hours, she thought, #


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 16

but hiking was sure to have increased the rate Gordon Ross Lanser of usage, and now…the beasts fell silent again. And then there were grunts, and then the bang of heads on metal, and the lander wobbled. Gordon Ross Lanser’s wri ng has appeared She waited as long as she could manage, and picked up her gun. For a moment she held itin several webzines and magazines during the past few years, in genres ranging from stiffly in her hand. Her thoughts traveled great distances in that short time, but delivered little magicalrealismtoscience c onblends. His in the way of answers. The pistol was heavy,workhasappearedinCaféIrreal,BurningSky, lifeless. She sighed, choked back tears, pointed GatewayScienceFic on,DarkMoonRising, the gun through the hatch and fired again. It C/Oasis,Ascent,andAlienSkinMagazine. He took her three shots to hit one. And she closed livesinSea lewithhiswifeandfourchildren, her eyes, once more wishing it would end, the and works in the high technology eld as a gun warm to her hand through the glove of her flexi-suit. consultant. # The roar of the rescue jet woke her. She

blinked and stared through the blurry haze

of oxygen deprivation, her mind not quite grasping her perceptions in an orderly fashion. Events passed in chunks—the sound of blasters, squeals and shrieks, banging on the compartment hatch, some light, a body, a voice, being pulled down the ladder, carried from the robot lander, set into a medical chamber in the rescue jet. Somewhere, she remembered, the blaster had fallen from her hand. And in her daze, the ammo count finally appeared: zero.

No, Mother, I’m not my daddy’s little girl; even with the weight of the world on my shoulders, I am my own woman. I am a survivor.


Issue 43, May 2008

The One Chosen by Robert Mancebo

Pg. 17

The One Chosen

by Robert Mancebo

the sequence. “Look at the figure inside.” lenn, I’m reading a malfunction on the ligent species out here in the big empty and regeneration sequence!” Stan wasn’t the they’re all humanoid, more or less.” “G kind of spacer to overreact, so I knew when he yelled there was a good reason.

The hazy blue outline of a humanoid form

“So, chances are, we can help this guy, was curled in fetal position on the screen. Stan right?” looked and shrugged.

“I told you not to try to revive him.” Trust “If we get this sardine can open fast and get “Roll the pod so the cutting angle is away Norm to waste time rubbing my face in a him out of the cargo bay into medical, yeah, from his head, you doof. When the cutting laser mistake. “You’ve got no idea how intricate this chances are.” volatilizes the cryogen, it could cook him.” alien equipment is!”

I looked from Norm’s pale face to Stan’s “Right, sorry,” he apologized. With a “My order—my responsibility,” I cut in questioning eyes. I knew what Stan was flashing of keystrokes, he had the crane rotate before he could really begin kvetching. “Stan, is it a hardware glitch or a software failure?”thinking; I was thinking the same thing. The the cryopod before initiating the cutting guy might have been floating out there in sequence. space for a century by the look of the pod, but “Who knows?” He threw his hands up “How do we know he doesn’t have and pushed away from his monitor. “The life he deserved a chance. something catching?” Norm whined. readings are fading. I haven’t got time to—” “Right or wrong, I started the process.” I “We don’t.” I retorted. “Go get into a vacuum “Open it.” I waved a hand at the fourteen told them. “Let’s see if we can finish it.” suit, if you want, but shut your pie-hole if you foot, egg-shaped capsule we’d picked up haven’t got anything to say.” “You should have waited for authorization,” from amongst the geological debris orbiting Norm told me. “It only would’ve taken a few Panoran VII. He snapped his jowly jaws shut with a more hours—” frown like an overfed pug dog. I knew better “But there’s someone alive inside!” Norm “Wrong time,” I brushed off his chastise- than to antagonize him. The NormanRose was protested. “We don’t know if they even never a big ship; with a member of our little breathe air. Maybe they were locked in stasisment without any consideration while I studied crew in a bad mood, the mining scow could because they were a criminal or have some the object for the hundredth time. seem downright cramped. But sometimes my horrible disease.” I could see his vivid imagina“There are no exposed hinges.” I told Stan. patience just wore too thin to put up with his tion beginning to work. In a few moments he’d “Where do the scanners suggest cutting?” complaining. be wrapped in fantastical fears and I wouldn’t get anything helpful from him at all. He hit a sequence of buttons before The cutters hummed and polished swaths replying, “It’s amazingly dense. Scannerswere cut in the strange silver metal. As the “Stan?” I looked to a more stable crewman make minimal penetration but it looks…like… integrity of the vessel was breached, steam for an opinion. there…” Holographic displays overlaid the pod, from the vaporizing cryogen vented almost marking where to cut. “It’s a crap-shoot, Boss,” he shrugged. “It’s explosively. sure not any technology we’ve ever run into in “Hold it!” I stopped him before he actuated“The beams are too hot!” Stan told me. the galaxy. But then, we’ve found lots of intel-


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 18

“He’ll be parboiled before we can get him clear motors. “It rolls every time I lift. The hinges“Didn’t we just receive the authorization trans of the pod.” aren’t cut through yet. They can still supportmission from the Rock?” We always called our the full weight of the capsule.” home station on Panoran VII, ‘The Rock’. “We can’t stop now that we’ve started,” Norm said with a smugness that irritated me. “Okay, look,” I told him, “lift it off the deck, “But you didn’t know that when you “The stasis systems are failing. He’ll be dead in and then counter-rotate the forks to add started—” minutes anyway. Captain Brilliant here couldn’t motor-power to weight and leverage.” “But the outcome would’ve been the same.” just wait for authorization…” I swear I aged a year waiting to see if those I prompted. “Shut-up, Norm,” I ordered. “Heat up hinges would break before the lifter’s motors the cargo lifter and get it over here ASAP!” I burned out. The motors screamed and smoked,“Except Normy would’ve had to find but in moments the hinges popped and the something else to obsessively gripe about,” grabbed a fire extinguisher, ran to the cutting entire pod dangled from the power-lift forks Stan by cut in. area, and let it have a blast where the laser was cutting through. its lid. Smoke and steam obscured the freezing “Gripe?” Norm whined. “I don’t gripe. There black interior and I shoved a robotic cutting are legal protocols to be observed. I just—” “It’s not on fire.” Norm scoffed. head aside to rescue the victim of my poor judgment. “Shhhh!” I hushed them. “She’s waking up.” “Expanding gas cools,” I snarled at him. “It doesn’t matter what I spray it with, so long as When I emerged from the gaseous cloud The graph on the remote sphygmomait cools down the metal as soon as it’s cut. Get with about a hundred and forty pounds of nometer was showing normal blood and heart that lifter over here and pry open this cover!” unclad, unconscious woman draped in my activity returning. arms, not even Norm could manage to think of “Watch the cutting heads, Glenn!” Stan anything to complain about. “Jeeze, look at the brain function!” Norm warned needlessly. exclaimed. “It’s pegged the display!” # “How’s the reanimation sequence?” I called “What does that mean?” I asked. as I gave it another blast from the extinguisher. “As usual, Glenn, you are luckier than any “It means the pick-up’s faulty.” Stan banged fool deserves,” Stan told me as we looked down a hand against the display, as though it would “Worse,” he replied. “Norm’s right; the heat at the bandage-wrapped form sleeping in ourhelp. from the cutting is making everything squir-medical compartment. “Our normal cryo-rerelly. It was bad before, but…” animation techniques are working. Other than When the girl’s hand rose to touch the the layers of skin she’s going to lose from thebandages covering her face, I caught it as gently “Norm,” I didn’t wait for Stan’s gloomy cock-up of having to cut her out of that con- as I could and held it in my own. prognosis. “Jam the forks into the cut and lift!” traption, she’s reading perfectly fine.” “You were scalded,” I said in what I hoped At the motion of his intrusion, the cutting was a reassuring voice. “You’ll be fine in a “Good to hear,” I mumbled. heads ceased and the computer’s safety couple of days.” warning announced movement of the target. “You bet it is,” Norm chimed in. “I’m not Since she scanned as completely humanoid, facing a manslaughter charge because my “Pry it!” we’d given her some topical pain-killer and captain can’t wait for proper—” I knew she wasn’t in physical distress. The “I am,” he yelled back over the whine of the “Speaking of authorization,” I cut him off.


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 19

emotional trauma could still be devastating as well bring her back to the Rock with a“Glenn. full My name is Glenn.” though. load.”

“G-lenn,” she mimicked hoarsely through

As far as we knew, there hadn’t been life Biological malfunctions frightened them.parched lips. or life-supporting technology anywhere in They’d been out away from people for too the Panoran system for thousands of years. long. I had too, but I’d spent two years in the “Yes, Glenn. Welcome to the NormanRose.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say. We had There was just the new terraforming project Dovan wars with the Mechanized Infantry. In no idea where she was from. I had to surmise on Panoran III and our little mining co-op hadwar, the only ones you had to rely upon were we wouldn’t have any language in common. started working on Panoran VII. She’d probably your buddies. been jettisoned by a passing star-freighter or When someone had a hole ripped through “G-lenn,” she took my hand and placed it something. There was no way to know how against the bandages wrapping her own chest. long ago, but the battered condition of the them, you didn’t hesitate to stick your hand “Vella.” cryopod showed it had been a long time ago. inside them to pinch off the artery until a medic could respond. When they went a little nuts you “Well, Vella, I guess you’re awake enough. calmed them down and covered for them. You She started to sit up but lurched and bent You’ve been asleep for who knows how long. I double, projectile vomiting a stomach full ofdid it because they were like family, because suppose you’re anxious for the grand tour. was no real family to do it. There had some foul cryogenic chemical onto the floor.there I only been us, a band of tired, grubby soldiers caught her in my arms as she did and held her. She let off a string of words I, of course, trying to survive until the war was over. couldn’t understand. But it showed she was “Whoa, the captain always gets to have awake and cognizant. So I helped her off the cot all the fun,” Stan said with a laugh, and Norm So I knew some of what she was feeling, and in our little medical compartment and wrapped snorted in disgust. her misfiring bodily functions didn’t surprise a disposable gown over her bandages before me. She was sick and scared—stuffed into that leading her through the rest of the ship. “Shhhh,” I patted her back and rocked her.capsule, not knowing if she’d ever wake up, not “You yokels knock it off.” She was still cold to knowing what she’d find if she did wake up. It wasn’t a big tour and I took it slow for the touch and probably terrified. I could feel her. The ship was mostly hold space, which her shivering under the blanket we’d draped I waited until some of the desperation went was full of ore from the asteroid belt we’d been her in. out of her grip, then pulled away and brought mining. The ‘Stellar-wide’ mining company had the unbandaged fingers of her left hand up to gotten the rights to Panoran III; our co-op only I wiped her unbandaged mouth with a wet touch my face. She was careful. She brushed had the rights to dim little Panoran VII and its rag from a bowl of water on the counter. her fingers delicately down my forehead, across associated asteroid belt. They got what would my trimmed moustache, hesitated, feeling the one day be a fully habitable planet, and we Her breath hitched like she was crying, but lines in my cheeks, and down to my chin. She got to scavenge bits of ore from a wide field of I doubted any tears would’ve come out of her made me very aware I hadn’t shaved yet—and scalded eyes…not for a couple of days. It would that I hadn’t had a woman touch me like that frozen boulders. Oh well, no one ever said the take the regenerative we’d administered that universe was fair. in a long time. long to work. I took her through the various compartI was suddenly overwhelmed by emotions ments and she seemed very comfortable “I’ve…I’ve got to get back to work,” Norm I usually switched off and on as the situation moving without sight. Several times I saw her said uncomfortably. “The hold’s almost full.” demanded. It caught me by surprise and I’m stop before hitting a bulkhead as though she sure I was blushing. I took her hand away and “Yeah,” Stan agreed, “me too. We might could hear the change in the sound or feel its placed her palm against my chest telling her,


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 20

presence in front of her. Like an experienced I listened to her continue in a methodical It was chow time, and I met Stan and Norm blind person, her other senses seemed uncomcadence for several moments before I told him, in the mess compartment. Stan was his usual monly sharpened to make up for the loss of “I’ll run a diagnostic on the medi-scan system.” affable self, but Norm was strangely silent. That sight. was like running a red flag up before a bull for I worked while he recorded. She never Stan. If Norm was sulking, nothing could stop hesitated to stop and think, never slowed to Stan from baiting him until he exploded. When we walked through Norm’s overwatch consider what she would say next. She just station, he made a logical request. droned on, one verbal piece of linguistic infor- “Nothing to complain about tonight, “Have her say something I can record to mation after another. Normy?” Stan began. run through the computer for a linguistic break-down. We’ll see if I can’t decrypt her After a full hour she stopped, waiting. “Nothing off-hand.” language.” I stepped up and took her hand. “Is that“You’re not sulking because Glenn didn’t I began talking to her and, after playing back it?” get his chops busted over waking up that little her answer, she immediately grasped what we alien girl, are you?” She coughed and raised a hand to her were trying to do. throat. “She’s not an alien,” Norm corrected quietly. Thinking back upon the incident, that’s “She’s completely human.” when our world really began to get strange. “Oh, of course.” I pulled her to her feet. “That’s it for now, Norm. I’m going to get her “Come on, no one knows what she is.” Stan As she sat there, orating to the computer argued. “She just came out of an alien cryosomething to drink. Run what we have through in a slow, clear voice, I didn’t know what to the computer when you get the chance.” chamber that may have been floating around make of it other than she was being meticuhere for decades.” lously careful. Norm picked it up in just a few I took her back to the medical compart“I know who she is.” Norm replied in an ment and got her a big glass of water, which minutes. she downed without hesitation. I refilled it and enforced calm that was so unlike him I actually quit thinking about Vella and became inter“She’s teaching!” he hissed to me. “Listenshe emptied a second. I thought we were going to her. She began with simple sounds, her for a third, but she returned the glass and satested in the discussion. down upon the cot, obviously remembering its alphabet. Now she’s graduated to compound“How?” I knew I was going to regret asking. ing those sounds into words. It’s like she’s location from when she’d woken up. He’d probably drift off into some paranoid reciting a dictionary.” diatribe about the government or how someone She reached out her hand and held it there, was after him. Norm had conspiracy theories “Her entire language?” waiting. about everything. But I was really interested in “I told you her brain activity was off theWhen I took her hand, she lay down and his opinion, for entertainment value, if nothing scale,” he accused. was sleeping in less than a minute. else. “Medi-scan reports that she’s 100% human: “Yeah, I’ll bet you’re exhausted,” I told “The technology of that little self-contained period.” I reminded him. “Maybe she’s a lin- her as I tucked her limp hand under the thin cryo-capsule is way beyond our 23 rd century guistics professor.” medical blanket I’d covered her with. I turned tinker-toys. She scans as human/normal in on a medical link, so I’d know when she wokeevery respect, yet her brain is functioning on “Yeah? And maybe the medi-scan terminal up, and left the compartment as quietly as I a level beyond anything humanly possible.” He is what’s broken!” could.


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 21

was warming to the subject and getting excited.“People don’t—no. That would mean—” My ancestors. Find out where her home planet is, His voice was getting louder. “Her language thoughts has were a whirl of erroneous timelinesand you may just find the source of all human been identified by the computer…” trying to mesh with new facts. I freely admit to life.” sounding like something of an idiot. “Oh, come ON,” Stan scoffed. “Maybe “You mean deciphered.” I began. “It means,” he prompted, “that we just it’s a scam. Someone taught her this ancient “I mean i de nti fi e d,” he insisted, “and blew out the theory of evolution and human-language—” languages don’t just spring from the ity’s entire concept of our species in a single dirt. Like-languages prove associ- moment.” “No! She taught the computer.” Norm cut ation—they prove a relationship”. him off. “We only have pieces of the language. “Okay, so who’s she related to?” Stan was “You mean because of this girl,” Stan broke “In one hour of recording, she’s increased getting bored with Norm’s meandering line of in, “all those scientists who’ve been saying humanity’s information on our linguistic base reasoning. man evolved from monkeys for four centuries more than professional linguists have in five are going to be out of a job? Man, they won’t centuries of study!” “Us,” Norm told him. like that.” “So now we’re going to put the linguists out “So? Great. She’s related to us.” Stan almost “Monkeys?” Norm snapped. “I’ll tell you yawned. “She’s a normal person and she’s about monkeys. You see—oh great brainy of business too?” Stan asked. “Man, we’re not going to be welcome anywhere, are we?” related to us. Wow, exciting.” one—on planet earth, ten-to-twelve thousand years ago, someone went and shook her family I knew Norm better than that. He was “It’s not funny!” Norm’s face began to turn tree and we are the monkeys who fell out!” building to something, something smug, some purple. “This is going to rip academia wide I-told-you-so idea that he could toss into our “Because she speaks—” open!” faces. “Proto Indo-European, yes,” Norm insisted.“Yeah, well I don’t care a fig about what a bunch of old professors teach in school.” Stan “What language does she speak?” I was curious enough to feed him the line he was “No one’s spoken Proto Indo-European refused to get excited. “We can give her a lift back to the Rock and let her turn science on its waiting for. in more than six thousand years.” I informed ear on her own time.” him. “The computer has positively identified her linguistic pattern,” he orated melodramatically, “If no one speaks it, then how do—” “But we have to do studies. You can’t “as what’s commonly called Proto Indo-Europejust—” “No, no one speaks it,” I admitted, not an.” waiting for him to finish, “but we have scraps “Norm,” I cut him off before he burst a blood “So?” Stan disappointed Norm with hisand cross references throughout a hundred vessel, “if you really believe it’s that important, other languages that indicate they all came you put what you’ve found out into a report and ignorance. from a single source.” I’ll forward it to the Co-op Regulator, okay? “No.” I wasn’t as linguistically uninformed. “No, because people don’t speak Proto Indo- “Proto Indo-European?” He looked at me“As far as I’m concerned, she’s simply a European. That’s a…” and I nodded. “And she speaks it?” refugee we saved while mining in the belt. She’s to be granted limited access throughout “It’s a positive match!” he insisted. “Absolutely identified.” Norm assured him. the ship, and she’s not to be bothered with any “Her people, wherever they come from, areweird our experiments.”


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 22

“But we should test her!”

her stomach to try a different motion. When swift and precise. She made figures of fantastishe flinched at that, I mentally kicked myself. cal animals and of people draped in clothing “You heard the skipper, Geek-boy,” Stan was of forgotten fashions. Each piece seemed to happy to chime in, “no experiments—nothing“Of course, how stupid of me.” I had to have a life of its own—some happy, others remember she was 100% human. “Two big sad, no few angry or tormented. She turned kinky, you know?” glasses of water and an hour’s time.” I escorted out an army of human figures, doubtless real “Enough!” I had to shut Stan up before heher to the restroom and took her hands through people whose lives had winked out on some pushed Norm’s cringing nature too far and a review of the sink knobs and toilet handle, alien world. they started a real brawl. “I’ll expect you both displaying how each worked before leaving her to treat her like a VIP aboard this ship.” alone. “It’s eerie.” Stan commented with as much awe as his flippant personality could muster. “Or…?” Stan demanded mockingly. It was an odd feeling, her being so “Every little figure tells a story in a look or dependent. When I heard the toilet flush, I position.” “Or I’ll kick your ass up around your ears.” I knew her dependence wouldn’t last long. warned him quietly. There was nothing slow about that woman. “They’re beautiful!” Norm exclaimed. “That’s what I thought.” he said with a “They’re creepy.” Stan disagreed. # snicker. “Don’t let things get too personal, Glenn.” he continued more soberly. “About a “We’re not getting any work done while week from now she’s off-loading. Don’t startThe computer had gained the ability to we’re sitting here watching,” I reminded them. translate simple requests for her and she had something you can’t finish.” asked for something to do with her hands while “Four days back to the Rock,” Stan said. “I I don’t know what I was going to reply she continued recording her linguistic dissertavote we head back now, before things get any because the medical monitor went off warning tion. stranger.” me that Vella was waking up. I left without a word. Maybe I was letting it get too personal, We’d almost offered her a foam ball to “Have you finished that report you wanted but she shouldn’t wake up to a cold, empty knead...which she might’ve accepted and me to send?” I asked Norm. medical compartment. spared us another surprise. Instead, though, “It’s waiting on your screen,” he replied, we powdered some rock and made her a sort I took her hand when she butchered of myporcelain clay. She sculpted with it distract“ready to go.” name. “G-lenn?” She was swathed in a worldedly while she spoke. She had smashed and “All right,” I told them, “I can see when I’m of calm darkness but I knew there were re-used still it three time before we began taking out of my depth. Norm, make scans of all the alien sounds and sensations surrounding her. the finished figures away from her and giving items she’s sculpted and include them with the her more clay. They were masterpieces. report. Stan, point our nose for the Rock. Let’s “I’m here, Vella.” I told her, and I think she smiled under the bandages that covered most “She’s another Michelangelo.” Norm get her to someone who might be qualified to of her face. whispered to me as he set one of the intri- figure things out.” cately crafted pieces on a panel to dry. “Look “I thought you’d sleep longer. Are you In another day she’d turned out hundreds of at the life and movement she’s sculpted into hungry?” She cocked her head, so I took her figurines and taught the computer her language. each one.” hand and motioned with it to her mouth. She With a medium of communication established, shook her head and I didn’t know if she couldn’t Like her linguistic skills, her sculptingshe began to question the computer about was understand or wasn’t hungry. I put her hand to our technology. It was not wide-eyed, super-


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 23

ficial questioning. She researched our science,“Bracil,” she said. “My world is Bracil. found It is no matching area of space. mathematics, engineering, biology, physics,time I returned.” “Could it be somewhere unexplored?” I software— everything. “Is there any way you can show us where asked. “She’s like a military biological intrusion it is?” I asked. “We found you floating in an “Could Miss Perfect have made a mistake?” device,” Norm commented as we watched a asteroid belt, in the remains of a shattered Stan needled. display of her discussing physiology with theplanet. Heaven only knows how you got there computer in her own language, “and she knows or how long you’ve been drifting.” Vella stopped working and brushed exactly what questions to ask.” “The constellations I know,” she replied. “Isensitive fingers across the paper to feel her work. “No,” she said, “my rendition is correct “Maybe it’s time we asked some questions can create a map if for you wish.” She brushed a hand across her bandaged eyes and added,and complete.” of our own?” Stan suggested. “But I must be able to—with my fingers see it.” “Maybe the computer just needs some “Please do.” When she replied in English, more data,” I suggested. Well, we gave it a try. We glued together Norm’s eyes got big and Stan’s narrowed. some wide sheets of packing paper from a “A little now your language abides in me.”crate and hung them up from the ceiling with “Or maybe she’s right and our current data is wrong,” Norm mumbled. Her words were choppy and misconstructed, scavenged wire. Using a stylus made from a but she was clear enough. piece of sharpened scrap steel, she began “Our navigational data might be wrong?” poking holes in the paper. She sang a haunting Stan scoffed. “You’ve learned English already?” I asked. melody interlaced with strange words as she worked. Her voice was a resonant contralto “Maybe,” Norm replied distractedly as he “Some I learn, yes.” with a lyrical, hypnotic quality to it. typed in commands, “or maybe we’re right, and so is she.” Norm was watching the computer “You’re quite brilliant,” I told her. She cocked screen as he talked. “Maybe her constellations her head in curiosity. She said something to the We were so lost in listening to the mesmerjust aren’t in the same place anymore.” computer and it translated; then she laughed. izing song, it was several minutes before we “Ah brilliant—not light—alternative meaning.comprehended the full scope of the project “You think the stars moved?” I asked. Yes, I learn quickly. It is my nature. I am the she was creating. I was expecting a sort of diagram with some constellations; what she vessel.” The computer beeped and flashed an alert was making was a complete map of all stars that it had a match. Norm pushed away from visible from her planet. “You are the vessel?” I asked. the screen. “My world dead. All people scattered. “This is going to take a while,” Stan “Well, where do they match?” When ice come—came—when ice came, I waswhispered. chosen.” “You have something more pressing to do?” Without a word Norm pointed to the visiplate displaying the stars around us. I asked. He replied with a noncommittal shrug “Chosen?” Stan asked. “Chosen to survive?” and found a seat. “They don’t match here,” Stan insisted with “No, my people scattered through space. I a snort. When she’d finished a huge swath that was chosen to stay. I am the vessel.” covered maybe a quarter of the room, Norm “No,” Norm agreed. “But they did twelve “What planet?” had the computer scan it and try to match. It thousand years ago.”


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 24

“You mean Panoran III is Bracil?” I asked. to agree. “And if our people are in a bind, think getting killed over it.” of the ‘Stellar-wide’ mining company who’ve “It looks like it.” Norm said with a nod. “The put all their billions into terraforming Panoran “I’m afraid he’s right, Vella,” I told her. planet did just come out of a mini-ice age. She III? In another decade they’ll be ready to sell“There’s no way we can get you there at this said that’s what made her people leave.” it as prime real estate to five hundred milliontime. I’m sorry.” I could feel her disappointpeople. They’ll never risk her getting to a ment and it made my guts wilt, but there was “Well, that’s a long time to wait around for nothing I could do about it. court.” a planet to recover,” Stan mused. “What do we do?” Norm asked in a panic. She didn’t sing or talk the rest of the “Oh no,” Norm became more pale than I’d afternoon, and I found the ship very empty ever seen him. “That report we sent—” without the sound of her voice. “We just don’t tell anyone.” I said. “We’ll take her—“ “Yeah, it was okay,” I told him. “It was just # a report.” “I must go home.” Vella cut in. “I must return to my world.” “If they even suspect she’s indigenous, it’s The insistent ringing of my video-link woke a death warrant!” He looked as though he was “Not until we’re sure they’re not going to me in the middle of the night. It was Don going to vomit. McClaren, my supervisor back on the Rock. try and make you disappear.” I told her. “We’ve got to think this out.” “Yeah?” I gave him a bleary greeting when “Look, Glenn,” Stan smirked, “you’ve got Normy back onto his conspiracy theories again.“I must return,” she insisted. I answered. There’s people out to kill us because we sent a “Glenn? What the devil are you doing?” report—” “They’ll kill you,” I told her bluntly. “Not us,” Norm cut him off, “her! Her! The “All people die,” she said with a shrug. “My “I was asleep until you called.” I grouched at him. “If you mean, why are we coming in, I last survivor of the indigenous race of this world has been waiting for thousands of years. sent you a report. We found a refugee in cryo system! Don’t you see? Oh they could argue Iitmust go home. I am the vessel.” amongst the rubble. We’re almost full anyway, out in court, but it’d be easier to just kill her!” so we’re coming back—” “What do you mean, you are ‘the vessel’?” “What are you talking about, Norm?” She stroked a hand down the map she’d “I got that.” he cut me off. “I mean, why “This system was classified as uninhabitedbeen , creating and explained, “I am the vessel. have you diverted toward Panoran III? Stellar you morons!” he explained. “If she’s a provenI carry the culture and knowledge of all the Wide’s been burning up the Regulator’s link survivor of the indigenous population, she has people of Bracil. If I am to die, I shall die upon with all sorts of claims about a conspiracy for prior claim! You don’t think our co-op is goingthe soil of my home world.” the co-op to take over the entire system.” to lose out on mining rights because we found “What’s all this talk about dying?” Norm “Panoran III?” I wasn’t quite awake yet but a lone survivor of a people scattered over demanded. “Look, we can just smuggle her that caught my attention. twelve thousand years ago, do you? “They’ll away on a transport out of the system.” He make sure she never reaches anyone who looked at Vella and added, “You can come back “Look, they’re talking full planetary blockade. might encourage her to exert her right of prior in a year or so the same way. You show up on They’ve sent out patrol ships and everything. claim.” Bracil then, and no one even knows who you I know you’ve got some high-minded ideas are, right? You’re home and no one ends up about right and wrong, but don’t take the “He might be right.” I could tell Stan hated


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 25

Norman Rose into some battle over planetary embrace for an eternity while wanderinggets in out we’ll have Galactic Patrol troops all sovereignty. You’d have no more chance than a over this system!” frozen dreams. I must go home.” candle in a hurricane!” She was an almost faceless stranger, “There’s no case against them if there are “But I didn’t— “ his accusation finally regisbandaged up like a mummy and wrapped in no witnesses.” I told him. “I’m re-transing the tered. “Vella! She must’ve reprogrammed the an off-white disposable hospital gown, but signal to our folks on the Rock. They may not ship’s course!” the pleading in her voice made my chest hurt. like what’s going on, but they haven’t tried to Worse still, there wasn’t a thing in the universe kill us yet.” “How could she do that?” he demanded.I could do to help her. “Yet being the operative word,” Norm “This woman can pretty much do anything “Norman Rose, this is the Fang,” a stern added. she puts her mind to.” I told him as I pulled on voice came over our audio system. “You are a shirt. “Better get ready for a fight.” I ignored ordered to heave-to and be boarded.” Norm. “Pressure suits all around.” “Well you’d better redirect before she gets“What?” I looked on-screen where an old you all killed!” he ordered. class IV tug was approaching us at flank speed.“Do we have a plan?” Norm asked with big It was a heap, but it out-classed the Normaneyes. “Yeah, thanks.” I hit the off switch and ran Rose in both speed and range. I suppose it for the bridge. “We’ll try not to get killed.” I told him. worked as well as any ship in the system as an “Other than that we’ll play it by ear.” interceptor. Vella was there. She’d taken over the ship and scrambled the computer access codes. I thought he might be inclined to wet his I felt my bile rise. I slammed a hand down pants at the prospect, but Norm gave a sort She was sitting stubbornly in a chair in onto the transmit button of a comm panel. of a sigh and went to go collect pressure suits front of the navigational console. Lucky for “Fang, we’re in open space; you have no rightwith Stan. me the Norman Rose was a crude old tub to board us!” with mechanical hatchways that the computer “You will fight?” Vella asked. “You will “We have the right of superior speed and couldn’t lock-down. protect me?” firepower, sonny,” their captain replied. “You “Vella…” I came in and pulled a chair up have a passenger we’ve been ordered to escort “As best as I’m able.” I told her. “We’re an out of the system. We’re taking her whether unarmed mining ship.” beside her to talk. “Honey, you can’t get home like this.” I took her hand and she let me you allow it or not.” “Why?” She asked curiously. “They have a hold it while her back remained stiff and her “This is piracy, Fang,” I warned him. “Youbigger ship, and probably more men.” bandaged face stared off into the darkness of want her? Try and take her!” I slammed off the her current world. “They’ll just blow us out of transmit button with a fist. “Because it’s the right thing to do.” I told the sky before we get there.” her. Both Norm and Stan were on the bridge by “I was not fully asleep,” she told me, her that time. The call to heave-to had been trans- After several moments of thought, she language smoothing out through interaction. mitted all over the ship. stood up and waved for me to follow her. As we “All the long centuries… For you, another year walked through the ship, she began unwrapmay not seem to make a difference. For me it “Are you crazy?” Norm demanded. ping the bandages that covered her eyes. is a lifetime. My world is almost close enough to reach out and touch. I have waited for its “Are they crazy?” Stan corrected. “If this


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 26

“Careful,” I warned her, “you’re not fully to kiss me. Instead, she pulled her left-hand little scuffle either: good. This should be quite healed yet.” weapon and fired a bolt of some sort of directed a surprise party for our uninvited guests.” He electrical plasma that blasted a hunk out of her hefted a wicked wrecking axe he’d picked up She ignored my concern and with dark eyes capsule hull. from one of the fire stations. blinking at the glare of the lights, led me to the cargo bay where we’d pulled her from her “These may help. Are you familiar with their “How many minutes?” I asked as I slid into cryo-capsule. She went inside the dark husk use?” she asked. a pressure suit. of her capsule and came out with a metallic “Five or six,” Stan reported, “and they have suitcase. We hadn’t really searched the capsule“Too familiar, I’m afraid.” I assured her. a boarding portal mounted forward.” since evacuating her, and I suppose I hadn’t “Signature-safety.” she jabbed a series considered that she’d have equipment stored of buttons on the side of the polished silver “All right, you two take care of any who on-board. weapon, then pressed the grip firmly into my come through the airlock. I expect they’ll have When she ripped loose the disposable right hand. “You can use it now, but no one their shock troops prepared to deploy through the boarding portal. Vella and I will stop them dressing gown she’d been wearing, I sort of else can.” forward.” started and turned my back in deference to the I thrust the muzzle into my belt and we unbandaged portions of her the act displayed. headed back to meet up with Stan and Norm. “Anything else?” Stan asked. She took no time for modesty though. When Vella did some sort of a womanly flip with her my curiosity piqued me to turn back, she was hair and had it secured in a knotty-bun at the “Sure, they’ll have more men than we do, dressed in a sort of body suit of golden liquid but not a squad of marines or anything like that. back of her head in a few moments. metal and was strapping on a gunbelt supportThey haven’t had time to field a real warship. ing a pair of holsters. The crew’s conversation stalled when The we Fang is just a routine security interceptor. entered, and I was surprised to see Norm Their with HQ sent her to stop us, and she’ll give it It was the first time I’d really seen her a good try. a .40 caliber Davis & General automatic belted without a face full of smoke and steam or on over his pressure suit. covered in burn gel. She was a handsome “My idea is to board her and capture her. woman—not take-your-breath-away gorgeous “Where’d you get that?” I asked. With a faster ship, we have a chance to get like a painted-up fantasy model, but with the Vella to Panoran III.” ‘girl next door’ sort of healthy good looks that “All the time Normy’s been badgering us caught a man’s serious attention. Her black about following the letter of the law,” Stan “Now we’re taking her home?” Norm asked. hair was long and straight, and her skin had asaid, “he’s had a very illegal personal side-arm “What about the planetary defensive satellites? dark, coppery tone to it. stashed aboard. Could’ve gotten us all in a What about…” world of trouble, eh Norm?” As we looked at each other, she stepped “I’m not asking you to come, Norm.” I cut forward and brushed a hand down my cheek “I…I…” Norm began, but Stan didn’t let him off. “You men will be in enough trouble asking, “Are you disappointed?” him finish whatever excuse he’d been goingwith to the co-op already. When we capture the Fang, you’ll pilot the NormanRose back to the give. “In you?” It took me by surprise and I Rock while I take Vella on to Panoran III.” “I like this side of Norm.” Stan slapped him realized I’d been staring. “Never.” on the back. “Too bad we don’t see more of it.I held out a pressure suit to Vella and told For just a moment, looking into her deep, her, “There won’t be any air.” But she smiled dark eyes, I thought she was going lean forward “And I see our guest isn’t backward about a shook her head. With a brush of a fingertip, and


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 27

the liquid metal of her clothing swept up our intoend, I heard the boarding portal latch on unarmed miners. a helmet. just behind the bridge and the cutters whine. There was an explosion, and a chunk of our hull We met Stan and Norm at the engine room with a final enemy holding them off by firing “That’s amazing!” Stan said seriously. blasted inward. I nodded and Vella and I raced from behind the cover of a bulkhead. Vella around to meet the boarding party. “How does that work?” Norm asked while touched a control on the side of her weapon— securing his helmet. I was in the lead and fired a blast into theobviously a power setting—and put a bolt right first soldier that dropped him in a twitching through the bulkhead to end the battle. The “Your people have not gone beyond basic heap on our deck. The next man tripped overwhole fight was over in a few minutes. nano-technology.” she explained. “Mine him, and Vella downed the third. Rushing mastered transmutational molecular technolforward, I gave the fallen man a heavy boot in “Clear the bodies, collect their weapons, ogy five thousand years before your world was and seal the hatches.” I ordered. “I’ll make the helmet as I fired through the hatchway to colonized. kill a fourth. Then I was aboard their ship. a quick scan for the police report. Let’s go, people. There will be more on their way. ” “This suit is not impervious to battle, but it I smoked two more in the corridor with is stronger than skin and responds to my will.” only a single shot fired wildly in return. They A roaring volley of shots resounded in the narrow hallway. We had let down our guard “I told you,” Norm said, “this is a crime were expecting a turkey shoot rather than a too soon. It was the man I’d kicked. Inside his against science! She needs to talk to our battle, and when I blasted the latch to their bridge hatchway, the pilot and captain were helmet I could see blood coming from his nose, leaders and our scientists. She could advance but he was still alive and shooting. I heard still scanning navigational panels. science and civilization by centuries in a single Norm yell and I pushed Vella out of the way conversation!” As I kicked open the hatch, they wheeledas I drew and fired. The bolt caught him deadand grabbed for their sidearms. They were center, knocking him galleywaist and dropping “Well, let’s hope she gets that chance,” Stan him to the deck like a lump of smoking clay. said earnestly. He waved to Norm and they much too slow on the draw. headed back toward the main airlock to try “You are quite a savage person, G-lenn,” I Norm was cursing, holding his arm where and hold off the boarding party. heard Vella say, but it was more of an evalu- his suit was venting air and spraying blood. I secured my helmet and called over the ation than an accusation. “I would not have “Stan, patch his suit and get these hatchways PA system, “I’ve turned up masking interfer- guessed.” sealed so we can repressurize—” I stopped as ence fields to scramble their scanners and I’m “I am what I have to be.” I told her. PhilosoVella slid slowly down the wall she was leaning depressurizing for combat—now.” phy could be discussed another time. against. If we were divinely blessed, they’d attack I picked up a spare pistol and waved her When she hit the deck, she folded forward thinking we had atmosphere and board without toward the stern. I was out of practice but I with her hands clutching her ribs. There was suits, but I doubted it. was still better than the rent-a-cops ‘Stellar-blood on the wall, but her suit had closed and wide’ mining company had hired. They’d resealed on its own. They latched on with both ships still roaring under full drive, a tricky combat maneuver I have never lasted a day in real combat. Vella I picked her up carefully and carried her had to admit I could never have managed. I followed along watching my back. She didn’t toward the medical compartment, shouting, heard the airlock blow toward the stern and have much to do because they came out of the “Lock-down this ship and bring Norm to woodwork like lemmings jumping off a cliff. I prayed Stan and Norm would be able to handle medical!” can only presume they were used to bullying whatever might arrive from that direction. At


Issue 43, May 2008

The One Chosen by Robert Mancebo #

Pg. 28 “Hmmm, and more…” Stan added.

“That’s semantics!”

Along about that time I was really glad she “Anyway, call it what you like, Normy here is was human, because I couldn’t imagine feeling an A-1 hacker.” about some alien the way I felt about that “I’m right here, Honey, you just relax.” I took “Can you actually boggle their satellite woman. her hand and replied. defense network?” I asked. “Well when you two get finished,” Stan “That—that is what you call a ‘pet name,’ said, “I’ll let you know that Norm thinks he can “For a while…” he said. “I mean, they’ll Honey?” She asked, taking my hand. “It shows sort it out in a few hours, but I can give you a disable their satellite defense grid.” affection?” window.” “What?” It surprised me out of my very “Yes,” I admitted, “it shows affection.” warm, trance-like state. “That’s a better chance than we had before,” I told him. “Good,” she sighed and relaxed back into “You see, Normy’s been holding out on us.” her pillow. “You are very savage, but I have “Yeah, now if it wasn’t for the whole fleet of pesky old ships trying to catch us before we get affection for you also.” “You never asked.” Norm said defensively. there,” Stan interjected with as much sarcasm I laughed and told her, “I think my mother “Yeah, the reason he’s hiding out hereasinhe could squeeze out, “it’d be a piece of said something like that when I was twelve.” the great inky, is, he’s running from the law.” cake.” “G-lenn?” I was there when she opened her

eyes.

She drew me close to wrap her arm around “Nothing was ever proven in court—” he“Hey,” I told him, “you had a ride right back my shoulders, putting her cheek next to mine tried to interject. to the Rock in the NormanRose. No one made to whisper, “I do not have feelings like I am you stay aboard the Fang.” “He skipped out with a warrant outstandyour mother.” ing.” “Yeah, well maybe I was just hoping for a I pulled back just far enough to look into her plan with a little more chance for success than “It had never been served—” deep eyes. My heart was thundering so loud simply butting into these folks head-first.” I didn’t hear Stan and Norm come in behind “Stole a police vehicle.” me. “I was planning on evasive maneuvering and speed,” I told them, “but I’m open to other “I couldn’t get a cab—” “Wow, he checked on me, what, once all the suggestions if anyone has any.” time I was in here?” Norm said loud enough to “And hopped the first deepspace vessel to distract me. “And he’s been sitting by her bed systems far-far-away.” “I’ve got one,” Stan said. for twelve or fourteen hours. It shows how he “Go.” values his crew.” “I like to travel—” “I suggest Norm and I find something to use “Nawww,” Stan corrected, “it just showsNormy, Normy, Normy,” Stan said while as seat belts ‘cause I’ve got a suspicion this is shaking his head. “When we hack into a bank’s she’s a better hugger than you.” going to be one rough ride!” computer and have it transfer lots of money I started to pull away from her to reply, butinto our account before we go, we don’t call it “Really, Glenn,” he became serious, “I think Vella took hold of the back of my neck and ‘travel,’ we call it running away.” you might want to reconsider heading back to pulled me down to kiss me.


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 29

the Rock.”

future generations will be up to posterityusto head-to-head and just kept coming. In the judge, not Vella Deywòs of Mu.” end though, he decided he wasn’t getting paid “It’s all well and good for us to get there,” to kill himself after all, and turned off close Norm put in, “but how do we get away again? “You’re from Mu?” Norm broke the spellenough of for his retro-rockets to sear the paint All those ships you evade will be on our tail. her voice to ask. from our hull. The satellites will eventually come back under their control. The guys with guns aren’t going “That is my home city,” she replied. Then we were through, and I nosed down to like us busting into their territory.” to break atmosphere in a spiral that would land “On the planet Bracil—Hy-Brasil!” Norm us upon the plateau Vella said was the location “You can leave as soon as I am dropped said with a bellow of laughter. “Do you knowof the city of Mu twelve thousand years ago. off.” Vella assured them. “I do not ask you to how many human legends she explains? stay. I plead with you only to deliver me to my Some of the wispy cloud cover nearby “Count me in! It’d be worth immanent home.” steamed and cleared in oddly perfect holes. death if I can just imagine the look on my A graphic display of how close the lasers of “You won’t be safe, you know.” I told her.college Humanities Professor’s face when even the defense satellites were shooting at us. a fraction of what she knows gets published.” Norm’s hacking seemed to do the job, though. “My love—” It gave me a thrill to hear her Wherever they were aiming, it wasn’t at us. say those words. “No one in the galaxy is ever We all stared at Stan. He shrugged his and said with a sigh, “Well, I guess I truly safe. Safety is only an illusion. I will notshoulders be The Fang hit the dirt in a perfect landing dissuaded by any fear of the future. I do whatwasn’t doing anything else important anyway.” and settled down in a cloud of dust. Gravity I must do, regardless of the cost. I will not be was normal but the air was hardly enough And so we approached Panoran III praying safe, but I will be home.” we could outmaneuver their screen of ships,to support human life. It would be another decade before the oxygen generators, as big praying that Norm could outfox their satellite “I never had a home,” Stan said quietly, “not defense network, and praying we wouldn’t as they were, could produce enough to allow like that.” crash and burn before we touched down. humans to breathe without life support. “You will when you learn to fight for it,” she It was nerve-wracking, but I’d been through It was a big, cold, dreary planet. told him. plenty of those type days before. It was new to Vella and I stepped down the ramp as Norm and Stan, and I felt sorry for them. Vella “If I’d fought to stay anywhere,” he told her, though we owned the whole place, which in was different. The thought of death seemed “I’d probably be dead.” reality, she probably did. to have no hold upon her. Maybe she was all “All humanity dies, but a few of us are human, but her emotional control was certainly There were six spacecraft coming down blessed with a chance at a memorable death,more evolved than ours. right behind us, and I could make out three a worthwhile death, a death that might mean armored transport planes approaching across something to future generations.” I went into the first blockade ship like the desert landscape. screaming death. Not wanting to have anything “And you think dieing for this mud ball to do with an insane game of chicken, the “You may all go now.” she told us without is going to inspire future generations?” hecaptain sheered-off. The second ship, which turning. “I am home.” demanded. was cutting across our bow, was a little braver but turned to avoid collision too. The fourth “So am I.” As I told her, I put my arm around “I think I am going home,” Vella replied her. captain was almost as crazy as I am. He met quietly, “and whether my journey inspires


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 30

“Thank you.” She pressed her helmet clothes going?” seemed to be where we had landed. But it against my chest. “I…I wanted you here, but I was not simple volcanic activity. The volcanoes The liquid suit she’d worn was running offwere blasting steam and oxygen, then settling was afraid to ask.” her skin like water, starting at her feet and back and cooling into mountain ranges. sloughing off higher and higher as she walked. “You don’t ever have to ask.” I assured her. “So your suit was the key?” Norm asked “So…” Norm hitched at his gunbelt. “What’sAs her helmet dissolved in a golden mist and Vella. settled into droplets over her naked shoulders, the plan?” she spread her arms wide in the caressing “No, I am the vessel. I hold the codes and “The plan is—” Stan hefted a scavenged breeze of her world and called to the invaders, knowledge. The suit was only a simple connecpistol in each hand. “We shoot ‘em until they tion to the transmutational molecular technolquit coming.” “Welcome to my home!” ogy embedded within the planet.” “You can’t think of anything else more When she spoke, it was not only the thin “Simple, she says.” Stan grumbled as he air of Bracil that carried her voice, it was thelooked out the viewport at the world of black important to do?” Vella asked him. mountains, the canyons, and the plateaus that smoke, storm winds and glowing magma. “I figure,” he replied, “I’ve never had spread across the whole of the face of the anything more important to do in my life.” world. “And this is the rebirth of a world,” Norm said in awe as we sat safely in the eye of a She patted him on the shoulder and toldThe planet itself knew her! swirling hurricane, “all condensed into…?” him, “Welcome home, Stan.” The ground shook and shattered, storm “The stored underground water and air will Ships were landing, encircling us. Dust winds howled, volcanic jets of magma and have been released onto the planetary surface was kicking up and catching in the thin steam Bra- erupted from the landscape as far as in about forty days.” cillian breeze. Armed men were offloading in the eye could see. The surface of the planet streams. became a churning, boiling mass. Then the “Forty days and forty nights?” Norm asked hurricanes hit, roaring with a force that swept with a laugh. “Looks like they really turned out the dogs.” planes from the air and raked rising spaceships Stan said. from the sky. It all happened so quickly I barely “Yes, why?” “Well,” I told him, “those anal-ized big-shotshad time to run out and grab Vella before she “You didn’t perhaps know Noah, did you?” to the ground. over at ‘Stellar-wide’ always were heavytumbled on cash and light on guts.” “I had an Uncle Noah—” While the geological hell swirled around us, We were talking ourselves up to the fightI placed an emergency tandem breathing mask“Another time, Norm.” I stopped his queswhen Vella walked away from our group. Sheover her face and carried her back to the ship. tioning. “Another time.” moved slowly, almost at a stroll toward where “What about life?” Stan asked. # troops were collecting. “A galactic resonance has been set up I didn’t have to do a scan to prove we were by the reawakening of Bracil.” Vella replied. completely incongruous with our situation, but the last living beings upon the planet. The “Those people upon planets where we are neither Stan nor I noticed; we were witness- entire surface was reforming in an impossible remembered will bring seeds and animals to ing the same thing he was. “Where are Vella’s geological upheaval. The only stable section “Ummm, Glenn—” Norm’s curious tone was


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 31

begin repopulation. This world will become a bounteous garden in a few short years. “My task is completed. I am no longer critical to the regeneration process, although my skills may be helpful.” “So what about people?” I asked. “They will come in time. I am not critical to that process either—” she leaned close and whispered, “although our skills may be helpful.”

Robert Mancebo I’maformersoldier,locksmith,andtechnician. I’vehaddarkandhistoricalfantasypublished both on-line and in various magazines.


Issue 43, May 2008

No Good Deed An Aston West Tale by T.M.Hunter

No Good Deed

Pg. 32

An Aston West Tale by T.M.Hunter

“N

What can I say? I’m a glutton for disap-I shook my head and sighed. “Just my o new messages, Aston.” My ship’s computer sounded apologetic, except pointment. luck.” electrons and emotions didn’t mix. I clasped my hands behind my neck. “Any “Shall I blow the hatch just to make sure?” I leaned back and sighed. “Course still laid way to tell if someone’s aboard?” “Sure, why not?” in?” “The only signal is automated. No accomThe cargo door burst open between the “Affirmative.” panying message.” vertical fins, but there was no more exciteA metal sphere hovered on my forward I smiled, taking it as a good sign. One of myment to follow. viewscreen against the backdrop of the galaxy. cargo bays was still available. Maybe fate had “It does not appear any cargo is on-board.” I’d hoped to at least find a nibble of a job to been toying with me all along. tide me over financially. That’s what I’ve come “Is the original course still laid in?” “Move to intercept.” to expect from hope. The aft thrusters fired and we turned away“Affirmative.” Jeanie drew my attention away from the communication beacon. “I’m picking up an from the beacon. I almost uttered out my command to emergency signal.” resume course, but a white flash filled the # viewscreen before I had a chance. I frowned and sighed. “How close?” I was disappointed when the ship finally “What was that?” “Approximately five megpars out.” came into range. Typhoons were short as far Jeanie ignored my question. “Incoming It was just long enough for a hyperspeed as interstellar transports go, barely capable transmission.” of space travel and definitely not designed jump, barely. I didn’t feel like wasting most of my fuel, though. My bank accounts would for use inside an atmosphere. It only had one I blinked and cleared my vision. “Put it bay on-board. Anyone hauling valuable cargo never forgive me. through.” would have sprung for something bigger. “How are we doing on time?” My viewscreen split into three sections. “What a waste,” I muttered to myself. Along the left, two windows were stacked for “Well ahead of schedule.” the conversation. The other side showed me The squat hull hung between a pair of Out of desperation, I’d agreed to carry stubby wings, while two vertical fins rose up two ships had just dropped in unannounced. One was a small transport similar to mine, some family’s personal belongings to some diagonally on either side of the aft end. A single far-off world I’d never heard of—not very exhaust nozzle stuck out, dormant against thewhile the other one was an AI-5 fighter-interceptor. valuable cargo, and the final payment wouldstarfield behind it. prove it. At least it would keep me afloat until This couldn’t be good. I found another source of income. So I hoped. “I do not detect any life forms on the ship and see no listing of cargo in the manifest.”


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 33

“Shut down your navigation computer or“Tell us anyway.” The fighter pilot became red-faced. “Are we’ll open fire.” you calling me stupid?” I looked down at the bottom window, where I looked up at the thin, wiry pirate in the two more pirates sat in a cockpit which mirroredThe third pirate mimicked his tone. “Are upper communication window. He sat in my own. The pirate in the second seat had to you calling my brother stupid?” the fighter’s cockpit, his body covered with be a relative of the one in the fighter, based on The transport pilot traded glances with numerous markings and nothing else. I was his facial features and body type. Other than glad the screen only showed his upper body, ragged garments in place of the natural look,both of them. “I said the idea was stupid. Are you two both brain-dead?” the only difference was his colored moustache because there was no reason for me to find out and grey wisps of hair around his ears. whether his lower half was similarly exposed. I realized a window of opportunity had opened, and I needed to capitalize on the dis He scratched his grey beard and growled. Their friend in the fighter became agitated.

traction. I eased my hand over and muted the transmission. “Jeanie, are you still hacked into My ship could probably hit hyperspeed The pilot of the second ship frowned. the “It stranded ship’s computer?” before any significant damage was done, butwon’t hurt to find out.” “Yes, Aston.” there was no reason to chance it. My cargo wasn’t valuable enough to sacrifice my life to He seemed reasonable, as far as pirates go. “Get ready to bring the navigation computer It was a good indicator of my chances. these fools. back up.” “A family hired me to transport three con“Jeanie, shut it down.” “The flight plan has been stored in another tainers of personal belongings to their new section of my memory. I thought we might home.” The navigation console went dark. need it.” He reached up and wiped his glistening“Are you kidding me?” I smirked. “Good girl.” scalp. “Now, dump your cargo.” The black stubble on top of his chubby head and under his multiple chins disappeared“Fire a rocket to distract them.” Even though it wasn’t valuable, this cargo was still my only means of financial support amidst a red tint of embarrassment. The stud “Shall I acquire a target?” through his nose almost glowed. for the time being. I had no intention of letting these fools deprive me of my livelihood. I thought about destroying all of them, but He turned to his on-board partner. “We leaving them alive was punishment enough. wait all this time for someone to show up, and At least not without some effort on their Putting them out of their misery would have he doesn’t even have cargo worth taking?” part. been too easy. “Don’t you even want to know what it isThe one in the fighter responded. “We’ll “Just fire it blind. Try not to hit anyone.” first?” take what we can get.” I returned to the three squabbling, just as They thought they had just ended up with a“And do what with it? Unloading the stuff a rocket ejected out of the Typhoon’s belly. It won’t even cover the cost of the fuel for the glorious payoff. I almost smiled. launched out into the darkness between the jump we just made. I told you this was a stupid two pirate ships. He snarled. “Doesn’t matter.” idea.”

“Shut it down!”

“It doesn’t matter!”

The fighter pilot noticed first. “What the...”


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 34

He launched a pair of his own rockets which A rocket ejected from their belly and lit off. the first time I’d stumbled across bloodthirsty impacted the Typhoon moments later. A huge Without targeting information pre-loaded, itpirates with only half a brain between them. explosion ripped the ship apart and extin- guided itself toward the first contact it saw in There was a reason I stuck with less aggressive guished itself a moment later. Debris scattered its immediate flight path. forms of piracy. from the scene of the crime. The fighter, fortunately for me. I wasn’t psychotic, and didn’t want to I hadn’t expected this to happen. Sometimes become so. “No!” The dead man’s eyes grew wide as his fate does smile on me. inevitable fate drew closer. His brother grew wide-eyed. “You just Screams were silenced as the fighter destroyed my ship!” became a second pile of scattered scrap metal. The viewscreen adjusted to show only one “It fired a rocket! I reacted!” image on the left. I watched the two remaining “I’m going to kill you!” pirates bicker and fight. I didn’t plan to stick around so they could fire off another blind This was the cheapest entertainment I’d rocket. There was only one other ship in the seen in a while; I smirked, because laughing vicinity. would have been too obvious. Mine. The reasonable pilot grabbed his partner’s arms as he scrambled for the weapons console. “Jeanie, start up the navigation computer.” “Stop it. No one’s doing anything of the sort. We can still...” “Done.” “Don’t try to stop me!”

The two pirates both stopped and turned toward the screen.

They struggled some more, and the wiry little man drew on hidden strength. He shoved The pilot became a little less reasonable. the bigger pirate into the controls and thrusters “Stop right there! What’re you doing?” started firing. The ship turned. “It’s been fun.” I smiled, then turned dead Suddenly, I didn’t have a good feeling about serious. “Hyperspeed.” this. T. M. Hunter He grew wide-eyed. “No, stop.” The smaller pirate pulled an arm free and The communication window turned to T.M.Hunter has been wri ng space opera stared into the screen. “You’re going to pay for what you’ve done.” He slammed his handstatic, then disappeared from the viewscreen for many years, and is currently trying to as we made the jump. I watched the trails of down. break into publica on through his various starlight race past. characters, the most notable being Aston The fighter pilot’s eyes grew wide. It was hard to believe grown men could West and Gabriel Peters. Look for more short “Brother!” resort to brother killing brother, but this wasn’t stories featuring these two coming soon.


Issue 43, May 2008

Featured Ar st: Bryan Dale Norton

Pg. 35

Featured Artist

Bryan Dale Norton

Name: Bryan Dale Norton Age: 376 months Country of residence: The Republic of California Hobbies: Studying and making concept art, sculpture, videogames, photography, history of science, science of history, poker, hiking and camping, and wri ng stories... Favorite Book / Author: Right now it’s The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, although I also immensely enjoyed Timothy Zahn’s Star Wars series, Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command. Before the prequels were ever announced, I was so sure Lucas was going to make these sequels to the original Star Wars saga. Hint!.... we’re s ll wai ng for this! Michael Crichton is also a favorite such as Sphere, JurassicPark, The Lost World, Disclosure, RisingSun, The Andromeda Strain, and The Great Train Robbery.

Favorite Ar st: Ashley Wood, Sparth, Craig Mullins, Ryan Church, Eric Tiemens, Dermot Power, Alphonse Mucha, John Singer Sargea Howard Pyle, NC Wyeth, J.C. Leyendecker, Dean Cornwell...and so many more. Ray Gun Revival magazine

Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 36

When did you start crea ng art? As long as I can remember I have always loved crea ng art. It was encouraged in my family so it was as natural to do as speaking. It wasn’t un l I was 15 however when fate took it’s turn for the be er. That is when I produced my rst photorealis c pencil drawing...quite unconsciously. The discovery of that talent turned me onto to tradi onal drawing and later by extension, pain ng. What media do you work in? I have prac ced nearly every medium you can think of from found object ne art pieces, to highly rendered airbrushing, to alla prima oil pain ng, and loose gestural watercolors and everything in between. I was trained tradi onally, but as a le college, the digital revolu on was already well on it’s way so more and more of my started to done digitally. Currently most of my work is digital, although I s ll have a love of tradi onal materials and aesthe cs. In the end, tools are tools, and usually I end up combining the best of both worlds.

Where your work has been featured? My personal work has been featured at the Carnegie Art Museum, Art Center Student Gallery, and a host of other smaller venues. I’ve had a Star Wars inspired piece featured in Stars Insider Magazine as well as the Caltech Undergraduate Reasear Journal not to men on having “Cold Planet II” featured as a Daily Deviant on d evi a nta rt .co m.

Where should someone go if they wanted to view / buy some of your works? I work as a professional concept ar st so my work is not really seen by the public in general. Some mes a piece might be use for a promo spot or other marke ng collateral such as websites or gaming magazines such as Game Developer Magazine. An since most of my work is for unannounced projects that take years to develop most of it has never even been seen. I would suggest my deviant space for now, even though I’m in the process of building the library of art for my print store there. My username on Deviantart.com is N o r te nyo. Ray Gun Revival magazine

Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 37

How did you become an ar st? Draw, draw, and draw some more! Ar sts who do not prac ce are cri cs. I love drawing, it is my passion in life. The very act of drawing is something very spiritual to me. What about pain ng?...well, to me pain ng is drawing with color. I got serious about it when I was s ll in highschool. It was then I discovered a hidden talent to draw photorealism. I took advanced elec ve courses in art all the way un l junior college. By then I was working in lm as a physical miniature model maker and set maker. A great friend of mine got me on my way by sugges ng, no...DEMANDING, I apply to Art Center College of Design which I did and was thankful for reminding me of what I really love to do. Thanks Jason H! A er design college, I got a job in the games industry making concept art and I’ve been doing it ever since. What were your early in uences? I’m a very visual person, probably because my genera on has been so immersed in media so it should be no surprise they have had a big impact on me. Cartoons from the 80’s, like GI JOE and Tr a n s fo r m e r s , not to men on the classics from Disney, Don Bluth, Looney Tunes, and Tex Avery. As I got older I was highly in uenced by the concept ar sts in lm that were responsible for Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, Aliens, Predator, and a host of other lms in the fantasy or sci- genre. What are your current in uences? I think ever since Metal Gear Solid came out for the original Playsta on I have been hooked on the ar st Yoji Shinkawa. And since then Ashley Wood...so naturally....I pissed my pants when I heard Ashley Wood


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 38

was doing a Metal Gear comic. Their in uence on my actual work is not so apparent in my

nished work, but in my sketches I do for myself. I’m currently crea ng new pieces for deviant art as well as my rst graphic novel where you will most likely see that in uence

in the future. All in all, however, my taste in

art lie generally with the more illustra ve and expressionis c ar st styles. That’s why I

am drawn to classic illustrators and modern

concept ar st. There is something always

visceral in their work that I love. Maybe its seeing the world from someone else’s

perspec ve...something concept art is all

about.

What inspired the art for the cover? The work, “Cold Planet II” started as an a empt to clean out my photo reference les. I had this image of some clouds and just for fun, I began to paint on top of them. This quickly turned into a landscape and from there it became an alien world of dust an with massive colonial mining opera ons taking place. Now I imagine this whole story of a group of people struggling to surviv across the vast expanse of space, searching for a new home while gh ng with each other. All I need is a seed crystal and everything evolves from there. I have had such a great response to that piece that I have promised to make new pain ngs for the Cold Planet series...this me in high resolu on so people can get prints this me, if they so choose. How would you describe your work? There is no singular descrip on that would capture what I would iden fy as my work since I like to change gears o en and try new and di erent approaches to my work. However with that said, I think as an ar st, even though you are constantly evolving, you start to no ce certain themes keep coming back. For me you might say my work can be a bit on the dark side, although not wicked, perhaps more contempla ve than anything. Hopefully it is entertaining to say the least. No ma er how Ray Gun Revival magazine

Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 39

I make my art, or what I choose as my subject, I always strive to engage the audience one way or another in a way th

some kind of las ng appeal. Some mes you win that ba le, some mes you lose, but I nd solace in knowing that I can always

make new art and try again.

Where do you get your inspira on / what inspires you? More like where don’t I get my inspira on or what doesn’t inspire me... I have a profound love of nature, as well as man-made things. That’s pre y much everything, right? I guess I love how things are designed either by natural means or by the logic and reason of our brains. I’m a bit of a primi ve and a futurist at the same me...a complete oxymoron of self. That might come from my understanding and lack of understanding of the Tao te Ching as it were. That’s a whole topic that is unanswe itself but one I completely accept. Have you had any notable failures, and how has failure a ected your work? To make art is to fail repeatedly as you improve with each success. Every mistake is progress in ac on. You never really stop learning. To that e ect, failure is a part of success in my work. Some mes you get what you are a er in the rst try, other mes you draw it repeatedly un l it feels right. Either way, I feel the ar st is responsible for his work, for any of his defeats as well as his victories. I give credit to both. What have been your greatest successes? How has success impacted you / your work? Success in games has really given me the courage to con nue improving my work. You reach a plateau and then a new challenge comes along and you take it on and learn something new...over and over. I love that aspect of my job as it keeps me humble


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 40

and keeps me on my toes. There are so many wonderfully talented ar sts in our industry and they are a constant source of inspira on and guidance.

What are your favorite tools / equipment for producing your art? At my job I currently use Photoshop CS2 and a Wacom Cin que for almost everything. I’ll s ll do a tradi onal pen or pencil sketch now and then, but so much of my work ow is digital because I don’t like to waste me scanning and cleaning up. Recently I’ve been using Google Sketchup and am learning how to use Zbrush as well as Maya. To me, I’ll s ll draw everything, but those are great tools for illustrators since they simplify some of our tasks and expand what we can do within the context of making video games. What tool / equipment do you wish you had? I’m in the market for a Wacom Cin que (for my home studio) or a mo on compu ng LE 1700 Tablet PC. I love my M1400, but it is sorely underpowered and lacking in storage, not to men on the screen can’t be used in direct daylight. I wish this technology would improve to the point where it totally replaces my desktop and sketchbook. What do you hope to accomplish with your art? A great ques on! Number one...entertain you! Number two...get you to think more cri cally, if possible. And number three...to get to the point in my career where I can teach all that I have learned to other ar sts so the cycle can begin for a new genera on.


Issue 43, May 2008

Calamity’s Child, Chapter Two, Part Two: Potlatch by M. Keaton

Calamity’s Child

Pg. 41

Chapter Two, Part Two: Potlatch by M. Keaton

and resultant mercury colored pupil-less eyes, level head. she made her living as a professional duelist. Three pros, two amateurs, and one hey started play with eleven. It took them Trademark flachette pistol cocked on her hip, complete unknown—the tally did not make well into the afternoon to get that far. she moved with the liquid grace and efficiency Ivan happy but it could have been a lot worse. of a panther, her only wasted energy a nervous The morning was spent on technical Now he just needed to figure out which one habit of pushing dark pink hair back from her minutia. The players were scanned for weapons went with Kor. face. and escorted into the playing room while Ivan and the five other bodyguards were forced to The man leaning against the wall between “Excuse me, please.” Another Hamatsa wait, crowded into the hallway; the only real the two lightweights was an unknown, youngpriest stepped into the hallway from the break in the monotony came when Ivan visited playing room. Unlike the others, rather than a and thick-lidded like he was half-asleep. It was the roof to meet Pharaoh’s son. The scope was an affectation; the eyes behind the lids dartedgold veil over his face, he wore a full headdress beyond salvage, the boy explained, but he had constantly, back and forth. He only wore one and mask formed to look like a bird’s head. stripped and cleaned the gun and everythinggun visibly, a simple slug-thrower in a shoulder Combined with the billowing crimson robe, it seemed in good working order. made him look like a giant cardinal. “You will holster. His presence bothered Ivan more than Rose’s; the last thing he needed was some be allowed to enter shortly. We’re just about Several players, Hoffield included, chose hot-shot rookie trying to make a name for to get underway. I trust you understand these to forgo personal protectors, relying on hotel delays have been necessary—before every himself. security and their own comparatively lowmatch, the sacrifices must be verified and stakes style of play to shield them from danger. “I tell you, my dear, you would simply love valued and sometimes that takes a little longer The gunmen studied each other as Hamatsa the summits of E-Three. The storm clouds than others. We’ve been additionally delayed priests, red robed with faces hidden by veils match of your eyes. I remember one storm...” today awaiting our twelfth player. It appears gold mesh, bustled through the passagewayThe in fossil chattering merrily at Rose was no he will not be attending.” The man folded his and out of the room beyond. Ivan discountednewcomer. The old man looked like little more hands together in front of him. “Now, a brief two of the mercenaries right away, reading than a kindly, red-nosed grandfather, but Ivan word about your behavior. We have our own in their body language and mannerisms the knew better. He had worked with Oden before security personnel and, intending no disretelltale signs of hired muscle but not killers. and knew the man was as unflappable as thespect, your presence at this function is purely a They would still be dangerous if pressed, butfrozen granite peaks he climbed and twice formality. I would ask you to bear that, and the predictable. as strong. Primarily a mountaineering guidewell-being of your patrons, foremost in mind on Everest Three, Oden worked as a hired and act accordingly.” The woman hovering to his left disturbed gun only sporadically during the off-season. him more. He knew of her by reputation, and “Yeah, at my rate, they always hire me Capable of being as cold and deadly as the ice nothing he saw indicated that the reputapurely as a formality,” Oden rumbled. he loved, Ivan was nonetheless relieved to see tion was exaggerated. Called Quicksilver Rose the man. If all went well, there should not be because of her cybernetically enhanced vision The priest ignored him and continued. any shooting. Oden could be trusted to keep a

T

Part Two


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 42

“You may speak to your patrons at any point or the lady want a drink?” The position money went straight under outside of a hand and about any topic not the table and the take from the first hand Ivan shook his head and moved to stand directly related to play. To be more specific—” alone was likely enough to cover the operating behind Graves’ right shoulder, just behind the costs of the entire match. The Kwakiutl, and “You may not say anything that could waist high rope. The dealer wore the same the Hamatsa in specific, obviously turned a possibly be construed as giving advice or robes and corn silk shroud as the rest of the considerable profit from their religious cercausing advantage for any player. Should you Hamatsa and moved with robot-like precision emonies. Other than the outfits, the Kwakiutl do so, your patron will be fined and forced toas he worked. The players were varied—men, rituals were present but easily overlooked. immediately withdraw from the hand in play.” women, young, and old—each with a portable The dealer chanted faint, indistinct prayers as Quicksilver completed the official’s sentence data in terminal sitting next to their chips. It he laid out the cards then revealed the final a sing-song voice. “We’ve heard it before.”seemed the only thing they had in common table card with a clear “Praise U’melth.” As he was money and a taste for gambling. reached to reveal the ‘Raven’s bid,’ he solemnly “Not everyone has and there must be stated “For Kakwas, may he be appeased.” The clarity,” the priest replied patiently. “In order Careful not to look directly at him, Ivan underside of the plaque showed a hologram to stay out of the way of the recording crew, sized up Albert Kor. Photographs did not doof a small pile of money and Ivan watched please stay behind the gold rope while play him justice; he looked even more like a weasel bemused as one of the under-priests brought is in progress. Due to the late start and the in person. He was a small man who hunched the cash to the table on a platter. Half was lighting, we’ve moved the play table away over his cards like a brooding hen, staring over given to the winner and the other half burned from the center of the room and closer to them from apple seed eyes stuffed into a long, to ashes right at the table before the next hand the inside wall, so you will probably be more weak-chinned face. Sausage fingers riffled his was dealt. Overhead fans whisked the smoke comfortable closer to the window. The bar, ofchips nervously. from the air. course, is open. Do try to enjoy yourselves, but The game seemed enough like hold’em please remember that our security personnel The actual hand being played was only a will shoot if they have to.” Tossing off the last poker to follow the basics, albeit with too fraction of the action taking place. Ivan began to sentence in a joking tone, he turned, leading many cards in the hole and on the table, but understand the game’s appeal to the hardened with telling differences. At the beginning of the them into the room. gambler; players were free to place side bets hand, the players bought their positions from on anything and everything, and the frenzied The first thing Ivan noticed as he the dealer. That explained how casual players activity was almost impossible to follow. Players entered was security detail; six figures in thelike Hoffield could stay in the game for any bet between each other on the next turn of the robes and veils of Hamatsa priests standing length of time; with enough cash, a player could cards, the actions other players would take, avoid playing first and being forced to put up a around the edges of the room, automatic rifles even at one point on whether a cameraman slung across their backs or cradled in their potlatch bid for quite a while. The black chips, would trip over a nearby cable; everything was really plaques, each had a small blue number arms. Only the man who had led them in wore fair game. More money had changed hands by on the back, indicating their value. From the a full headdress. As the he began narrating the the end of the first deal than in the entirety of look of things, every player would eventuproceedings for the camera, Ivan assumed him most poker tournaments. Hoffield in particular ally be forced to potlatch before the stakes the high priest or local equivalent. seemed more interested in the side betting were raised, and the plaques were numbered and folded every hand Ivan watched. Finally he “Is it always like this?” Ivan asked accordingly—everyone had a one, only a few gave up trying to take it all in, retreating to join aloud. had higher numbers. Ivan noted that Kor and Oden at the bar. Graves both had markers up to seven. “Oh, sure,” Oden volunteered on his The first break came after an hour. Graves way to the bar. “Pomp and stupidstance. You


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 43

made his way through the press of bodies,ahis pale blue suit and neatly trimmed van dyke. “You’re on tilt,” Ivan told him as they sat face red and furrowed. down to eat in the second floor restaurant. The other player shoved him away. “You “You’ve got to settle down or you might as well misrepresented the state of play! I don’t owe cash out now.” Ivan drew him aside. “That bad?” you anything.” “I’m holding my own at the table,” Graves

“I’ll be fine,” Graves snapped. “Got a little

answered. “But that empty twelfth chair was“And this is where we come in,” Oden saidrattled, that’s all.” softly. “The Hamatsa will get their pound of supposed to be our other player.” flesh but the side stuff is not their problem.” “Cut back and play tight for a while.” “I suspected as much. Any idea what As he spoke, Quicksilver stepped between the happened?” two men. One of the muscle twins started to lift “I said, I’m fine.” They ate in silence for his gun, and Rose shook her head, hair fallingseveral minutes before Graves spoke again. Graves shook his head. “Nothing concrete. “She didn’t have to kill him.” into her eyes. Belatedly, the man realized her I have my guesses though.” flachette pistol was already in her hand. With “I know.” a twitch of her wrist, the pistol muzzle moved Ivan casually lifted a hand to tap the butt of and she shot the bodyguard twice in the his .45. “Play the hand you’re dealt.” “Then why?” stomach. As he fell, she placed the still warm barrel against the second player’s forehead. “Maybe to set an example, maybe to remove Play resumed with ten players then dropped to nine within minutes. There was tension one more unknown from a volatile equation,” “Just a misunderstanding,” he said hoarsely. in the room now and the gunmen hovered Ivan answered. “Maybe because she wanted to closer to the table. In the next half-hour the “I’ll pay.” Rose slid silently behind the yellowmix a little pleasure with her business. Let it first non-cash potlatch saw the pepper half ofrope, and a pair of under priests carried the go—that side of the rope I’ve got covered.” a salt-and-pepper shaker set destroyed. The fallen bodyguard from the room. Graves gave a dry chuckle. “Know your role items had been carved from soapstone by a “Blue boy is hers,” Oden explained. and do your job. Got it, chief.” now-extinct alien race. “Who’s yours?” Ivan asked. Returning, they were down to nine players; “How’s business?” Ivan asked, finding true night had fallen outside. Graves bet small, himself standing next to Oden again. “The Mouthbreather there,” the mounfolded early, and made headway via the side taineer answered, gesturing toward the player pots. Another player dropped. A quick inspecThe older man rolled his shoulders in a slow seated next to Kor. “If you don’t mind my tion of the table told Ivan that only Hoffield and shrug. “Lost another climber this year. Damn saying, looks like your boy there is a bit green Kor remained with first round black chips. Two fool went loopy from oxygen starvation and around the gills.” more hands and the round would be finished. refused to come down the mountain. Other Hoffield won, potlatched half of his own cash. than that, I can’t complain. You?” Ivan glanced at Graves and suppressed a hiss Ivan was not alone hovering at the edge of the of frustration. The shooting had visibly shaken “I keep busy. House has been throwing a lot the ErSec agent. “He’s out of his depth,” rope. Ivan The entire room was knotted around the of work my way—” Their conversation ended table. agreed. “Give him time, he might get caught abruptly as chairs crashed backward to the up.” Graves’ stack of chips took a noticeable floor and two players surged into each other’s “Final hand of the day,” announced the hit before he regained his composure, and Ivan faces. high priest as Kor slid his plaque to the center was relieved when a break was called for the of the table. The other players folded in short evening meal. “You bet, you pay!” barked a man sporting order, leaving Graves head-to-head with Kor.


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 44

The two raised each other aggressively, driven “I will kill you,” Graves repeated, studying that had been used to bring the shanghaied more by ego than their cards. Suddenly Kor slid the plaque where it lay on the table. colonists to the world to begin with. his cards to the center of the table. The Hamatsa officials filed back into the The relief among the other players was tangible when the priest finally nodded and “I fold,” he said in a satisfied tone. “It’sroom, all expressions invisible behind mask and veils. pronounced, “Your offering is acceptable.” yours, pick your half.” The dealer turned the black plaque. “For“I am afraid,” began the high priest, “that “Just a moment.” It was Kor’s turn to raise Kakwas, may he be appeased.” the original ruling must stand. Though livingfrom his chair. “That transport is in orbit with being are involved, their objective value is its cargo. If the transport is destroyed, I fear Graves stared at the embedded hologram,virtually nil. As per information provided to us its current occupants, regardless of their value, his face stricken. “People? You bet people?” and independently verified, these sentients are may have some difficulty breathing. Unless my He jerked upright. “You bastard!” he roared,criminals, indigents, and low-skilled labor—” esteemed colleague has a ship of his own to exploding out of his chair. Ivan grabbed his take these people on, I’m afraid his suggestion shoulders and shoved him back into his seat. “Colonists, in other words,” interjected is unworkable.” Graves. Kor smiled and bowed from the neck

“Think!” he ordered in a fierce whisper.up mockingly. Ivan’s hand came to rest on“There is an Earth Defense cruiser currently the comfortable weight of the .45 custom. standing by,” Graves said wearily. “Mister Kor’s Graves turned away from Kor’s smirking can be off-loaded and out of the Catching his gaze, Oden gave a negative jerk captives of face toward the high priest. “I challenge the his head. system in a matter of hours.” bet.” “We regret the necessary ambiguity and The golden head nodded, comically overThe giant bird head tilted to one side. “On subjectivity of this decision,” concluded the balanced. “This is acceptable. Mister Graves, if what grounds?” priest, “but, again, the ruling must stand.”you will come with me, we will make the appropriate arrangements. This day’s competition is “Value.” Graves straightened in his seat, and Graves took a slow, steadying breath.completed. We will resume in the morning.” his tone grew firmer. “Yes, value. I challenge “Everything on the card is the bet?” that a bet involving human life is too valuable The players began to shuffle from the room to be accepted as a first round potlatch.” “That’s correct.” while Graves accompanied the priest through the side door behind the langer shell half-wall. “Your challenge has merit. We must confer.” “And you maintain that these human beings Ivan moved to follow, saw Graves motion him The room emptied of red robes except for theare almost valueless?” off with a head shake, and headed for his room dealer and the security detail. instead. After checking his own room, he let “That has been our ruling.” Graves looked at Kor, pure ice now. “I’ll kill

you for this, you know,” he said flatly.

himself into Graves’, found a seat across from

The ErSec agent sighed in resignation and the door, and waited. rapped the table with his knuckles. “I’ll take Kor laughed. “Many have tried. Come now, “I’m in here,” Ivan said loudly as the door the people. Kakwas can have the transport Earth man, if not this round, then the next, there in the background. Obviously a functional was unlocked, pistol aimed at the entry. I’ll get this into play. And then you’ll have to transport is worth more than these worthlessSeeing it was Graves, he holstered and stood. choose, who lives and who dies. If you’re too living beings.” Graves placed his index finger on “Dinner.” good for the game, walk away now.” the card, pointing to the personnel transport in “You go ahead,” Graves answered. “I’m not the background of the hologram, the transport


Issue 43, May 2008

Calamity’s Child, Chapter Two, Part Two: Potlatch by M. Keaton hungry.”

Pg. 45

stream. “So I’ll kill him and then worry about Earth.” “Hunger should never affect when you eat. “We’ve got Kor. That cruiser was in place to Let’s go.” Ivan steered the agent back into thehunt for Casey, ifyoufailed.” “First reasonable thing I’ve heard you say passageway and onto the elevator. He thumbed since this all started. You’ve got to stop thinking “It’s a nice thought, Ivan, but I know whenEarth and realize you’re on the frontier now. the button for the roof. I’m licked. Maybe you’re right, maybe we canStop relying on your precious Earth tech and grab Kor before he gets off world, but I’m notstart using frontier tech.” Ivan tapped a finger “Restaurant’s on the second—” good enough for plan A. I can’t outplay him.” against his temple. “Don’t wait for the fancy “Save it. We need to talk.” machine to spit out a number, make things “You don’t have a choice.” happen. Kor read you straight out of the book The roof was dark, unlit except for pinprick and handed you your lunch. You deserved it walkway lights between the fliers. The two men The tip of Graves’ cigarette brightened to because you were playing by the book. Now, walked to the railed edge and stood listeningan angry red. “He knew. He knew I was an ErSec to the hoots and cries of the jungle calling to agent, knew the cruiser would be there, knew go downstairs, get some red meat in you, and them. what I’d do when he threw that hand into me. figure out how you’re going to go post-literate And it’s not a leak somewhere because he had on his ass.” Graves lit a cigarette, pulled on it, vented to plan it, that transport was hijacked weeks Graves gave a bitter laugh. “Never figured a long breath. “I blew it, compromised the ago.” you one for giving pep talks.” whole mission by giving that cruiser away. It’ll be days before it can ferry those people out “Because you’re predictable,” Ivan said. “Not a pep talk. You’re my only card in the and get back into position here.” “ErDef run the transport number?” game, and I’m not giving up. You were good “Saved a few lives.” Ivan stared straight“Slo-po out of Farnham. It’s about the enough to get me here—now work Kor the eighth this year—somebody’s sitting on the same way.” ahead, into the darkness. route and we can’t find them. Not enough Graves shook his head. “You’re just as pre “Compared to what? How many more did ships on the frontier to do a decent search, no dictable as I am, probably more. That loyalty I cost?” survivors recovered.” kick of yours’ll get you killed someday.” “Maybe some, maybe none. Hard to count “Until now.” “I’ll take my chances.” Ivan put one boot the future.” A deep croaking repeated in the distance answered by a crash of brush and “Kor’s too smart for that. I’ll bet those on the raised lip of the roof and leaned his forearms against the railing. The low croaking silence. “What’ve you really lost?” people never saw anything or anyone outside of that transport from the time they left began again in the shadowed foliage below. Graves flashed Steponovich a perplexedFarnham. I can’t even tie Kor to it—according “I’ll need access to his terminal, the look. “I’ve lost the cruiser.” to him, his people found the ship floating dead portable he’s using at the game table,” Graves in space and rescued it. Who the hell knows Ivan nodded. “Which was here to do what? said thoughtfully. what the jurisdiction is once they got tied up in Eavesdrop, try to catch some bit of transmitted this Kwakiutl religious ceremony. The nutjobs “How long?” data that might get ErSec a step closer to Edgar back on Earth will probably say live and let live. Casey.” I’d never get a conviction on anyone.” Graves “Five, maybe ten seconds.” inhaled and blew the smoke out in a slow “And to intercept Kor when he left the “Seconds?”


planet.”

Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 46

“More Earth tech. It’s a nano-membrane,“That’s all right,” interrupted Graves. “I declaring, after half was poured away for the takes a flash copy of the current state of understand a you had nothing to do with it.” King of Ghosts, that the remaining half should system, where all the ones and zeros are mag be shared among the players. Another player netically. It’ll take them a month to reconstruct “Yes, well, thank you. But it’s not just lost the last of his chips to Graves, triggering it all back on Earth, but it works. I’ve done it that. You see, even before we started playing,an hour break for the midday meal. As the before—it swaps instant results for speed in Albert’s been about trying to buy up all the players filed toward the elevator, Ivan snagged players, offering to stake them if they’d agreethe elderly biologist, steering him aside for a the field.” to play against you, get you out early. A lot private conversation before catching up with of the lads, myself included I’m ashamed to the others. “Any information you get...” say, didn’t see any harm in going along with “I’ll get you a copy of what they end it, upyou being a stranger, new player and all. After eating, Graves’ stack grew steadily with. That was our agreement.” Graves finished But, after yesterday—” Hoffield straightenedand the next two players went quickly, one his cigarette, flipping the butt over the edgehis of shoulders and pulled himself up to his running out of chips and Hoffield dropping out the roof, watching until it winked out of sight. full height. “It looks to a lot of us that you’ve to avoid another potlatch. To Ivan’s surprise, “Let’s go get something to eat.” got the best chance of putting Albert out. If the younger gunslinger left as well, apparently nothing else, you’ve certainly got his back up.not Kor’s bodyguard after all. They were down Ivan did not move. “You go ahead. I think WeIknow we’re dead money, and I wanted youto four and four: Graves, Kor, Blueboy, and might go for a walk.” to know, as much as we’re able, we’re going Mouthbreather—Ivan, Quicksilver, Odin, and a lump of muscle with the reactions of a tree sloth. “Where? Out there?” Graves motioned to be playing into you.” The biologist thrust his hand forward. The incongruity of the mix set Ivan’s nerves on toward the jungle. edge; the unexpected was dangerous. Kor’s choice of guard was more than unexpected, “Maybe,” Ivan replied casually. “There’s a Graves shook it firmly. “I appreciate that, it was irrational, out of character for the man few things left out there that haven’t tried to sir. I’ll try not to let you down.” Hoffield walked out of hearing and he added, “Odd fellow, butso highly placed in Casey’s organization and eat me yet.” decent enough.” known for his caution. # “I’m not convinced anyone who plays this Ivan wandered to stand near the door. game can be called decent,” was Ivan’s grim Shrugging his shoulders beneath the weight of Hoffield met them on their way to breakfast, reply. his holster, he loosened the gun. That done, he nervous but determined. slid a hand into his pocket, pressing his thumb Seven players passed through the weapon “Gentlemen, I—about yesterday, some screening and into the second day’s play. Twoagainst a button on a tiny fob. of the other players and I—what Albert did others had cashed out and departed during # yesterday, well, it’s most unsporting. I mean, the night. we’re not children, we know what happens late in the game. But that’s the point, it happens With fewer players, rounds progressed The rifle, really just a pistol with an add-on late in the game. We—it’s not our cup of tea, more rapidly and the sacrifices to Kakwas stock, was in his aircar right where Ivan had you might say. We’re out by then—it’s not increased just as fast. The morning saw the said it would be. Hoffield grinned as he lifted it; right to put a man on the spot like that so earlyend of a Descallus portrait—a forgery but one it was a very nice gun. And a gift, he reflected, in the game. Technically acceptable or not, it’s of the few done in oils and, with the original for a favor he would have done anyway. For all not proper—” lost, almost as valuable—and a three-hundred his dour looks and terse disposition, the man year old bottle of wine. Hoffield won the wine, was quite the nice fellow.


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 47

The laser was light and lacked a scope. For- With amazing presence of mind, Kor hadshredded, caked in blood and debris. “I expect tunately, Hoffield had set up his binoculars ondisconnected his terminal and now pushed it will take a few hours to, to put right whatever a tripod; he should be able to hit something toward the exit with the black square clutched went wrong with the sonic field and repair the as large as a langer—just line in the binoculars playing area. Please, remain.” His tone was against his chest. Ivan shoved Graves behind and use them as a rest for the gun. He did nothim, into the hallway, and moved as if to strangely contrite. “I realize that your confieven really have to be that close. Plus, since itfollow, colliding painfully with Kor. Kor fell with dence in our, our facilities has been shaken and was a laser, he could walk it onto his target if a grunt and Ivan hauled him to his feet by theyou’ve every reason to leave but I would ask he were really off. lapels of his tuxedo, knocking the computer that you remain and finish your game. I know from his hands in the process. He pushed thethat for you this is just a game but, for us, it is, it He would have liked to see the results butgambler back and the muscle surged into theis a part of our religion.” The priest paused, his Ivan had warned him that the hotel might begap, shoving at Ivan. Steponovich stumbled,breathing ragged. “Please, honor us. Complete angry if he were discovered. It really was a shuffling his feet to regain his balance, shoved the ritual. Return to your rooms—I will send foolish risk. He would just shoot the langer and back. word as soon as possible.” He gave a shallow pop into his flier. bow and the golden crest slide precariously The langer hit the hotel and the building forward. The priest lifted a hand to right it and To the south there was a hunting lodge, seemed to stagger. Metal screamed as giant stepped backward through the doorway. and Ivan had promised him that the proprietorclaws swept up, cutting through beams and there could get Hoffield much closer to the sending fragments of glass showering across The players began to file toward the local wildlife than he ever would staying here the room like a silicon rain. Security opened elevators, up moving upstream against a tide of anyway. en masse now, the point-blank roar of their fire medics, hotel staff, and more cardinal robes deafening, pierced by the whining of deflected that flowed into the room. Kor’s bodyguard “Should one of those be so close?” Ivan bullets and the desperate cries of men caught started menacingly toward Ivan then veered asked as casually, motioning with a lift of his too close to the raking claws. away to follow his patron. Graves and Ivan chin toward the house-sized mass of shell watched them go, walking further away down and muscle undulating toward the hotel. AKor pushed his own man to the floor, the hall. heartbeat later, the room was awash in chaos. scrambling over him as Ivan pulled them both into the hallway by fists full of clothing. The trio “You get it?” Ivan asked softly. “Please, stay calm!” shouted the high collapsed, panting. The shooting behind them priest. “Please! Calmly!” He glanced back over “You could have warned me!” Graves forced trailed off, stopping as it became apparent his shoulder at the rapidly approaching bulk the langer had finally succumbed to superior himself to suppress a shout. “Yes, I got it.” and continued, in a shriller tone. “Get the hell firepower. out!” Ivan rechecked his guns, making sure nothing had been damaged in the melee. Graves extended a hand, pulling Ivan to his The players were happy to comply, sprinting “Sometime before you leave, you should talk feet. “You drop this?” he said, extending the toward the door as the mercenaries moved to to the hotel. Tell them to use mines.” black terminal toward Kor who snatched it cover their retreat. Several members of the greedily. hotel’s security detail were firing at the window, “For what?” slugs ricocheting back from the bulletproof “If you would, please, return to your glass. The high priest tried to harangue themrooms.” The high priest stood in the doorway, “Langer. No protection is perfect—they should have a back up. Way the hotel is shaped, into some kind of order but his words were leaning against the jam. His headdress canted swept away on the tides of noisy confusion.to the side at an angle and his robes were that main ballroom is about where the head would be on a rival langer. They wouldn’t have


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 48

to mine the entire approach, just a strip in front claimed could play music—but the Hamatsa The golden head nodded. “Unusual, but of it about halfway down the hill.” remained consistent. It was the magnitude of permitted. There is no requirement that the the loss, not the amount of possible gain, that sacrifices be kept secret, merely no requireGraves gave a noncommittal grunt. “Whydetermined an item’s value. ment that they be made public in advance of mines?” the giving.” “How long does this go on?” Ivan asked “Hoffield’s idea. Langer carry most of their Kor prodded the edge of the plaque with a Oden. muscle mass under the shell. Blow a directed finger, turning it to face him. “Weapon system,” charge under one and, if it didn’t kill it, it The mountaineer shrugged and refilled his he muttered. would at least slow it down.” Ivan paused, then glass. “Until someone gives up. I’ve seen ‘em added, “Shouldn’t take long to fix the sonics.” go a whole week. Supposedly, thirteen days is “ErDef missile system,” Graves elaborated. the record but—” He shrugged again. “Never “Two sets, one for the winner, one goes away. “Only a little sabotage?” Graves askedseen a game go past seven Ravens though.” Ultra-light mount—it can go anyplace on a caustically. ship you could mount a laser. Think about it, “Why’s that?” Albert,” Graves smiled. “You could have Earth Ivan shrugged and headed for the elevators. tech on your own ship.” “For a man who gets his way, you complain a “What’s left to bet?” Oden chuckled and lot.” walked back to the rope. Ivan followed. They “Installed? Immediately?” The question all stayed close now. The side betting had dried was directed at the high priest. up but the tension in the room was palpable. # “That is part of the offering, yes.” “I fold.” Blueboy slid his cards to the Play resumed the next morning with all four Kor wiped his face with a hand, looked dealer. men back at the table—same room and same at his cards, pinched his thin lips. If he lost, table, only the heavy plastic tarp that covered “Me too,” followed the Mouthbreather, he would be down to his last stack but, if he the outer wall gave any hint to the previous looking at Kor. won— “I call.” day’s interruption. They played slower, taking more time to place each bet, longer to study Kor stared at Graves, riffling his chips. He Both men revealed their cards, Graves each turn of the card before acting, but the licked his lips, looked down at his cards again. with an ill-concealed smirk, and Kor with a sick steady pace of “Praise U’melth. For Kakwas, “I’d better—” feeling in the pit of his stomach. The dealer may he be appeased” ground steadily forward, turned another card, and Kor turned greener. “You want this hand,” interrupted Graves. destruction in its wake. Video piped directly to each player’s terminal confirmed diamonds “Praise U’melth.” The last card turned. Kor raised his eyebrows. “Really? And why lowered into nuclear reactors and the explosive would that be?” Kor raked chips and giggled like a child on demolition of a city block of office buildings Christmas. “I win. I really win.” a dozen worlds away. Challenges to value Graves reached out and flipped over the rulings came more frequently and were more black plaque of his potlatch. “That’s why.” Ivan Graves leaned back in his chair, scratching heated—when a single branch was broken leaned in, trying to make out the details of the at the corner of his eye tiredly. “Everybody’s off of a century old bonsai, when the Mouth-hologram. lucky once.” breather bet the ashes of his late wife, her only remaining picture, and his wedding ring, “That legal?” Oden asked aloud. “And we install it now?” when Graves bet odd cylinders of wax that he


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 49

“Arrangements will be made immediately,” the elevators. “It was a good hand and a good They were too far away to hear, but they were replied the priest. “There is the matter of yourrisk. I had a chance to put him away, and I took obviously arguing, heatedly. Blueboy broke ship, however.” it.” under Rose’s metallic glare and stomped back to the table. Kor bobbed his head. “I’ll call it down now,“And lost. And now he’s got technology just tell me where.” He froze, hand poisedthat nobody else on the frontier will even know “Cash me out,” he said bitterly. Kor laughed and let the pot go to the Mouthbreather as above his terminal’s keyboard. “How can exists I be for another decade.” the dealer silently dealt the final cards and certain there won’t be any sabotage?” Graves smiled. “Earth tech. Perfect and displayed the sacrifice. “As with all things, our own inspectors exact Earth tech, right down to the IFFT. Idenwill be in place. The entire procedure will be tification Friend Foe Transponder,” he said in aIvan felt rather than saw Quicksilver at monitored.” The priest’s voice took on an edge. mocking tone. “Just like every good little piece his shoulder. “Whipsaw,” she said in a hissing “I trust that this will be sufficient?” of Earth tech, it announces itself and locks whisper and was gone, sweeping her patron from the room. itself out. Seriously though, Kor doesn’t realize Kor snorted. “Your crazy religion—youit yet but, with the lockout, it can’t fire on any couldn’t cheat me if you wanted, not without looked up from the table, eyebrow Earth or Earth-friendly vessel. It was a riskGraves I losing your immortal soul or whatever.” raised. was authorized to take.” “Does she smell like strawberries to you?” “Eternal spirit,” Graves said wearily. “If the “That helps the rest of us out just fine. I’d boy wants his toy right now, it’s going to be almost forgot your masters,” Ivan said sourly.Ivan asked him in lieu of answering, moving to hard to keep playing. I have to do part of the “You were starting to act downright human.”stand next to Oden. He watched the next two installation.” hands closely. Rose was right; both of the other gamblers were playing into each other, whip“It won’t matter if he doesn’t leave the “We will begin our midday break early andplanet,” Graves countered. “No harm in giving sawing Graves between them, trying to drain reconvene following the evening meal. Is thisflowers to a dead man.” his reserves. Impressively, the ErSec agent was satisfactory to all parties?” With no argument holding his own. forthcoming, the priest gestured toward the Ivan was grateful for the sleep; the others control room behind the curtains. “Let’s get were tired and tempers short. Twice in as Another hand passed, along with an our arrangements underway.” many hands the Mouthbreather and Blueboy unusually mundane sacrifice of some form of had to be separated, and the second time Ivanstatuary carved from diamonds. Ivan tried to Graves stood and looked at Ivan with ahalf-expected Rose and Oden to start fightingcatch Graves’ attention, but the man was com grimace. “This will take me a while. On the themselves. Bridges burned—both suspen- pletely absorbed in his cards. Unless Graves upside, the people that make certain I don’t sion bridges to an island on Australeus were could put the Mouthbreather away soon and gimmick Kor’s ship also have to make sure sacrificed when Blueboy won ownership of the play Kor straight up, it would become imposnothing happens to me. You get an afternoon island itself. The Mouthbreather was remaining sible for him to win. off.” in the game by the merest charity of sadistic He considered interrupting the game, fate. Ivan saw him off with a glare, decided he decided against it. Another hand was dealt, had a point, and slept until Graves rapped on Blueboy folded out of the third hand, and bids made. Kor bet heavily, forcing Graves to his door that evening. Quicksilver motioned him away from the table. match, playing into the Mouthbreather’s hand Ivan tried to split his attention between the rather than to his own. Graves matched chip “Don’t say it,” Graves said, walking toward game, and Rose as she spoke with her patron. for chip until Kor melted, leaving the pot for


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 50

his partner. The entire room seemed to hold from the table’s edge sprinkled the gray ofdying. his This’ll be over soon enough.” its breath. Wordlessly, the dealer laid the final balding head. “How? They’re not hitting anything.” card. “Swapped dealers!” Ivan shouted. Oden muttered something about suppresIvan shot him, the force of the slug sending sion fire, but Ivan did not wait to listen. He rolled “Swapped everyone!” Graves mouthed, the dealer’s body pitching backward. He let extending his hand. The palm was bright redto his side, cocked his legs against his chest, the pistol’s kick carry his arm, turning to smash rolled onto them. One deep breath and he was and swelling. Ivan passed him the sonic pistol the heavy barrel into Oden’s face, sending the exploding up, .45 held in both hands. His first then pulled another slug thrower from his boot other man staggering back. shot took Oden in the thigh, the second found and handed that over as well. his shoulder. For a split second, Ivan hesitated The sound of thunder cracked the room, The ballistic drum roll stopped. Ivan fired, at the top of his surge. He fired and a slug tore and Kor’s hired muscle collapsed, a surprised straight up, and it began again. “How many?” through a red-robed shooter. He let his legs look on his face and a hole in his chest. Graves go limp, dropping, fired twice more. At least cursed, throwing the blistering hot remains of “Can’t tell!” Graves answered. “Running one more shooter died, maybe two. The floor his shattered glass derringer. Kor jerked to his out of table!” rose up, striking him brutally. Not as brutal as feet, fell across his own chair. the torrent of bullets that shattered the air he “Stay down!” Ivan told the priest. The man Ivan kicked Oden in the head before he answered by trying to draw himself into a had occupied moments before. Even as they could recover. As Oden dropped, he spun back did, he could hear the higher pitched crack of tighter ball. toward Kor, free hand digging for the sonic his other gun—Graves firing now under the pistol in his waistband. Kor was up, running. They dove from opposite sides of the cover of Ivan’s distraction, enfilading fire. Ivan Ivan thumbed the sonic just as the gambler table, Ivan toward the langer shell wall, Graves crawled forward, burning his knees and elbows barreled into him, both collapsing in a tangletoward the bar. Half crawling, half sliding, Ivan on the carpet, surging into a crouching run as of limbs. Graves was shouting at him as he the shooters turned their attention toward the made it, snapping off shots blindly as he went. crawled free. The ErSec agent put his shoulder bar. Bodies littered the room; apparently not all of against the table and fought it onto its side. the security detail had been switched. Not all of them had turned. Ivan shot one Catching a swirl of crimson and a glint of The crack of a pistol shot told Ivan that of the men staring at him before the other two gunmetal from the corner of his eye, Ivan dove opened up, bullets slapping into langer shell Graves had reached cover, he hoped. Laying on forward, scrambling on hands and knees to get and whining past him. He shot another and his back, he began to push himself along behind behind the table, the Mouthbreather climbing dove flat, the impact knocking his gun from the half-wall with his heels. He was beyond the over him headed the other way. Graves threwmidpoint of the room when he heard voices his hand. He scrabbled after it in something an arm over the Hamatsa high priest, pulling through the splatter of gunfire. like panic, but far more urgent. Got it. Stood him to the ground. again. “You got to get me out of here. I’m dying— Automatic weapons fire ripped the sur- I’ve got to be bleeding to death internally.” They fired at the same time, but Ivan was rounding drapery to shreds and pounded Kor’s wheedling voice was harsh with pain that several feet away from where he had fallen. hot slag into the walls beyond. Ivan cringedbrought a smile to Ivan’s face. The shooter did not have time to walk his fire next to Graves and the priest as the booming onto his target. With icy patience, Ivan sighted continued in a long, unrelenting roll like the“Shut up.” The sound of Oden’s voice was the final gunman still firing at Graves and shot crashing of surf on shore. The priest had not lostthe surprise it would have been an hourhim in the back. ago. “You got hit with sonic. You’re hurt, not his headdress and stared bedazzled as splinters


Issue 43, May 2008

Calamity’s Child, Chapter Two, Part Two: Potlatch by M. Keaton “Graves?” he shouted, scanning the room,tentatively.

gun tracking along with his eyes.

“Someone swapped out your dealer and

Pg. 51 “You think friendly?”

they’re

set

to

be

Earth

most of your security people. If you’re lucky, “I’ll live.” Graves stood slowly from behind

Ivan barked a laugh of his own. “And there the bar, his hair and clothing dusted with you’ll find the real ones tied up in a closet. he is with a ship screaming to anyone who’ll glass, tiny scratches welling blood across hisIf not—what kind of fool idea was it to wear hear that it’s an Earth Defense ship. That’ll hands and face. The Mouthbreather’s body masks to begin with?” groused Ivan. leave a bruise.” lay sprawled partway across the bar. “Where’s Kor? You hit him. He can’t go far—at that range, “So that the ghosts cannot see our faces, “I told him I’d kill him,” Graves sighed. “I otherwise they would haunt us.” The expla-didn’t specify whose gun I’d use.” sonic powders bone.” nation was matter of fact. “But, how did you Ivan walked to the cratered bar, gently took know?” Ivan’s eyes swept the room again. “Was the guns from Graves. “Ain’t a damn thing left Oden wearing a vest?” Graves answered. “No praise Um’leth.” to drink.” “What? No, yeah.” Graves started across

the room. “Like a light duster maybe.”

“You noticed?” Ivan asked.

“I could use one, Mister Steponovich, I surely could,” whispered the ErSec agent.

The plastic covering the shattered window “Ever since the break.” They waited in silence as the high priest was shredded and streaked with blood. Ivan “I thought it was just the tension,” the wandered the room, moving gingerly from body cursed, running toward it. “What’s the closest priest said. “I was going to speak to him laterto body, separating the just from the unjust. “A entrance back to the hotel?” about it.” great tragedy,” he said at last. “You men have done a great and holy thing this day.” “One on either end and one in the center,” “He’s been spoken to,” Graves said and said the high priest in a quavering voice, began to laugh. “How’d you figure that, padre?” Graves crawling out from behind the remnants of the asked from the floor. table. “About fifty feet that way.” “Stop it,” Ivan snapped. “You have cleansed the temple of U’melth. Ivan spun and headed toward the other “But you don’t understand,” gasped Graves, end of the room. “Cut him off at the roof,” he pulling himself up just short of hysteria. “I didWe were lax—I was lax—and our sanctity was compromised. You two this day were the claws snapped aloud. what you said. Forced the issue. Frontier tech.” of the Raven. You have done us a great service. He laughed again, choking to a stop. “I gave We are in your debt. Ask and if it is in our “Him who?” Graves demanded. him an ErDef IFFT.” power, we will repay you.” “Oden. If he was wearing a vest, I must “What does—” have just hurt him. Carrying Kor, he could—” “Anything?” Ivan asked, his tone suspicious. Graves waved him to silence. “What do “Let him go.” Graves sagged against the bar, you think the chances are that Casey, or even shaking his head, and Ivan finally registered “Ignore him. You don’t owe us anything.” Kor himself for that matter, uses an automated the other man’s exhaustion. “Just let him go.” defense system to protect their sensitive The priest shook his head. “But we do, He let himself slide to the floor and sat there, bases?” Earth man, we do.” guns in his lap. “What, what happened?” the priest asked


“About 100 percent.”

“A future favor then,” Graves said.

Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 52

Ivan walked to the broken remains of the M Keaton large camera. With a fingernail, he pried out the recording crystal. “Mind if I take this? I’ve Growing up in a family with a history got a friend might like to have it.”

of military service, M. Keaton cut his linguistic and philosophical teeth on the bones of his elders through games “Graves, you ready to go home?” of strategy and debates at the dinner table. He began his writing career “What’re you talking about?” over 20 years ago as a newspaper rat Ivan slid a communicator from his pocket. in Springdale, Arkansas, U.S.A. before “Max, you there?” pursuing formal studies in chemistry, mathematics, and medieval literature “Right here,” crackled the speaker. at John Brown University. A student “You get everything?” of politics, military history, forteana, and game design, his renaissance “Every bit and byte of data and every little education inspired the short television message, oh crazy one.” series: These Teeth Are Real (TTAR). “It is yours.”

“Come pick us up, smart alec.” Ivan dropped the comm back into his pocket. His literary “mentors” are as diverse

as his experiences. Most powerfully, the author has been affected by the the entire time?” Graves asked. “Why didn’t works and writers of the “ancient” you tell me—forget I asked that.” world, including the Bible, Socrates, and (more modern) Machiavelli, Tsun Ivan reached down and pulled Graves to his feet. Tsu, Tacitus, and Von Clauswitz. (This horribly long list only scratches the surface; M. Keaton reads at a rate of over two books per week in addition to his writing.) “You’ve had somebody out there recording


Issue 43, May 2008

A Couple of Hours in Coreytown , A Jack Brand Story by John M. Whalen

A Couple of Hours in Coreytown

Pg. 53

A Jack Brand Story

C

by John M. Whalen

“Don’t mind if you do,” Wilson said. He the straw hat, gave him the look of a dandy. oreytown was little more than a collection of ramshackle buildings scattered along smiled and Brand noticed a tooth missing. He was openly staring at the two men at the a wide dirt road that ran four miles south of “Hey, Fred, another glass,” he shouted at thetable. the Jordeen oil fields. The fields were still in barkeep. “You still working for the Trans-Exxon “You know that boy at the bar, Ran?” Brand operation but only on a reduced production people?” asked. basis. The Big Shutdown of the oil industry on Tulon had only just begun. Virtual atomic fuel “Off and on,” Brand answered. The The old man glanced over at him and had been discovered back on Earth and the bartender brought a glass and Wilson poured snorted. “Yeah,” he said. “Young punk. Comes price of oil was plummeting. It would be onlysome whiskey into it for him. “Right now it’s in here most every night. Fancies himself good on. I’ve got to deliver some pink slips to the a matter of months until the Shutdown closed with a laser pistol. A wannabe. You’ll find him foreman of a new oil field out at Shyman. It’s all the fields. going to hurt them. The company’s shutting amusin’.” the project down. The demand for new oil is Jack Brand swung in through the batwing “I don’t like being stared at,” Brand said. fast. Looks like the company wants to doors of the Coreytown Saloon and looked dropping the He took another drink. They resumed their place over. Only half a dozen people occupiedcut its losses.” conversation, but Brand could feel the young the place. It was about four in the afternoon. man’s eyes all over his back. He was tired and The lunch trade had all gone back to work and “That’s business,” Wilson said. half baked-out from a long ride in the Tulon the nighttime crowd hadn’t started to show up “Here’s to business,” Brand said sarcasti-desert sun. He half-turned around. “Hey, boy, yet. There was a fresh-faced kid in blue jeans there something you want? The way you’re cally. The two men clinked glasses. “What have and a straw hat standing at the bar. He had a you been doing since you quit the Security looking at me, seems like there’s something on laser pistol strapped down on his leg, in a way your mind.” Force?” Brand asked. that was supposed to mean something. Brand looked over at a table in the corner and saw a “Not much,” the old man said. “Drifting The young man took his elbows off the bar much older man in a black coat sitting alone,mostly. Right now I got me a spot right here. and strutted toward the table. He was blonde playing solitaire and drinking synth-whiskey. Sort of keep the peace in this dump during the and blue-eyed and had what some might call night hours. They get a pretty unruly crowd in baby-face good looks. He walked with a bit of “Ran Wilson,” Brand called out. The man here most nights. Just came on my shift.” a swagger and kept his right hand low, close to looked up from his cards with a frown and then the pistol on his leg. smiled through a thick black and grey beard. Brand gave him a look. “You talkin’ to me?” he asked. “Brand?” He shook his head. “What are youWilson shrugged. “I know. It ain’t much but doing in this hell-hole of a town?” it gets me by.” “I don’t see anybody else standing in the space you’re taking up,” Brand said. “Just passing through on my way to Brand turned to his left and saw the young Shyman’s Bluff,” Brand said. “Mind if I sit a man in the straw hat standing with his back The boy came up to near a foot or two from spell?” He noticed the way the kid at the bar to the bar, his elbows on the edge. The whiteBrand’s chair and stopped, folding his arms kept eyeballing him. shirt and black vest he wore, combined withacross his chest. He half-chuckled at Brand’s


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 54

last statement.

“Sorry, Mr. Brand. Didn’t mean nothing. All Idown someday.” wanted to do was say hello. Tell you how much Brand’s frown grew even deeper as he “That’s a good line, I’ll have to useI admire it a man like you. You and Ran Wilson, listened to Jordeen. “How is it you know so sometime.” there. Why it’s unbelievable. Maybe most folks don’t know it, but you’re both legends. much about what I’ve done? Somebody write Brand looked up at him with a frown. Wilson a book about me?” Between the two of you, I figure you must have rocked back in his chair watching the exchange killed at least fifty men. Maybe more.” between the two, a bemused expression on his “No,” the boy said. “Maybe I will someday, bearded countenance. “That’s pure exaggeration, boy,” Brand if I live a long life and become an old man. Somebody should. I just know all this from said. “And anyway, you think that’s something “Don’t you know it’s not polite to stare at reading the papers. Watching the telenews to be proud of?” people?” Brand asked. when I can. I don’t know why, but from the first “Damn straight!” Jordeen said. “If I live time I read your name in a news story, I just The boy’s blue eyes gave him an icy look, became fascinated by you.” long enough to have even half that tally, I’d die and then he laughed. a proud and happy man.” He raised a finger and jabbed the air for “Sorry, Mr. Brand,” he said. “I didn’t mean Brand looked across the table at Wilson.emphasis. no offense. You are Jack Brand, aren’t you?” “You hear that, Ran?” he said. “You’re a “I’d almost have to say you probably have “That’s right.” legend in these parts. The kid thinks you’re a been the most influential man in my life,” he said. “Notice how I wear my gun tied down on “You’re a pretty famous man on this god- hero.” my leg, low like that. Just like you. I saw how forsaken planet,” the boy said. “Stories of your “No,” Wilson said. “I think he’s got his eyes you did it in pictures. Course I use a Smith & exploits over the last ten years have almost set on being more like you. I’m just a grizzled Wesson Laser Pistol, not the Beretta Electro grown to legendary proportions. I never old man now. But you’re something he can Gun still you always carry. The S&W is a more thought I’d ever get the chance to meet you. look up to. Ain’t that it, kid?” modern weapon, lighter weight, faster. That I’m Rafe Jordeen.” He held his hand out eagerly. Beretta is old technology, still good, but not as “I’d just like to shake your hand, Mr. Brand. It’s The boy nodded sheepishly. good as this.” a real privilege to meet you.” “I reckon so,” he said. “You see I’ve been Brand glanced over at Wilson, whose following your career, Mr. Brand. I know every Jordeen’s right hand flashed down and up amusement seemed to have grown even gunfight you been in. I know the story of everyand the bore of the laser pistol’s muzzle gaped a few inches from Brand’s face. further. town you cleaned up. I know the story of Black Creek and Jason Burnett. How you turned the “See that?” Jordeen said. His arm moved “Son,” Brand said. “I’ve had a long hot trip town into a black pile of cinders and destroyed and the gun was back in its holster. “And now?” all the way from Tulon Central to his jerkwater, Burnett and his whole lousy gang just to rescue The gun was out, twirling around his finger, I don’t cotton to being stared at while I’m trying the daughter of an old friend. I heard about again only inches from Brand’s face. Jordeen to have a private conversation. Why don’t you how you saved a town full of religious people twirled the gun four times and reholstered it, go on back over to that bar and have yourself a from Cal Thorson and his men. I heard it all. the gunmetal slapping softly into the leather. nice quiet little drink and leave us alone.” And I heard about how you lost your sister in “You shouldn’t pull a gun unless you mean The boy’s smile disappeared. He pulledthat his ambush by the Wilkerson gang. I’m sure sorry about that. I hope you track them coyotes to use it,” Brand said. “Some people might get hand back and looked like he’d been slapped.


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 55

the wrong idea. And if you mean to use it, you back in the holster, and we’ll see how good face you with the back of his hand. His lips quivered shouldn’t stand so close. Somebody could just are.” in rage. “You shouldn’t oughta done that,” he reach right out and grab it from you.” said. He looked down at the gun in her hand. “That’s enough, Rafe,” a female voice said. Crystal had it pointed at his stomach. “Oh,” Jordeen said. “You mean like this?” “Quit bothering the customers.” “Just go out and cool off,” the woman said. He backed away several steps, his hand Brand turned around further in his chair hovering over the pistols’ ivory grips. He drew and saw a woman standing on the steps leading The kid glared over at the men at the table again and aimed the gun at Brand. up to the private rooms on the second floor. and then stomped out of the saloon. She was in her thirties, had dark hair, a heart“How’s that? Better?” he asked. “Think I’m shaped face, wore a bright red dress and a lot Wilson chuckled dryly. “Nice move, Crystal,” fast? Think I’m as fast as you? Think that Beretta of makeup. The kid stayed where he was, stillhe said. could come out quicker than my laser?” holding the gun. The woman strode over to the table, twirled the “Sonny.” It was Wilson who spoke now. “This old man disrespected me,” he said. gun so that it ended butt first in her hand and set it on the table. “Don’t go waving that gun around in people’s“Thinks he can get by on his laurels.” faces. It’s damn annoying. Put it away.” “Ain’t that what I’m paying you for?” she The woman came down the steps and said. She looked down at Brand. “Who’s your Jordeen stood for a moment looking walked at along the bar to him. The barkeep and friend?” Wilson, the weapon still in his hands. the few other patrons in the place sat or stood still, eyes watching, waiting to see what would “What’s that, old man?” he said. “You say “This here’s Jack Brand,” Wilson said. happen. something?” She gave him an appraising look. “So you’re The woman stopped next to Jordeen and “I said put that pea shooter away.” Wilson’s Jack Brand,” she said. “I’d thought you’d be picked up the synth-whiskey bottle he’d been voice had gotten a hard edge to it. “Before I older. I’m pleased to meet you.” pouring from. She poured a drink into a glass take it off you and make you eat it.” and held it out to him. “Always a pleasure to meet a lady,” Brand “You know, Wilson,” the kid said. “I don’t said. “Have a drink, Rafe,” she said. “Cool off.” have to take that kind of talk from you. I know you killed a lot of men. But that was back in the Jordeen glared at Wilson. “I know he works She eyeballed him to see if he was trying to be funny. Brand sat straight-faced. She pulled day. You ain’t as young as you used to be. You for you, Crystal,” he said. “But that don’t give a chair out and sat down. “Fred, bring me my can’t be half as good as you once were. Not him no right.” special bottle and a glass,” she yelled at the like Brand, here. He’s still in his prime. I don’t bartender. “So what brings you to Coreytown, reckon you fit that description. Otherwise you “I said have a drink,” the woman said. wouldn’t be settling for a job like the one you Her hand moved fast and the booze splashedBrand?” got here. Maybe you ought not talk to me thatinto the kid’s eyes. She threw the glass down, “Afraid it won’t be good news for you,” way. Especially not in front of Brand here.” slapped him across the face several times, and he said. “If you get any trade from Shyman’s grabbed the gun out of his hand. “Go on,” she Bluff, looks like you may lose it. It’s being shut “Listen, you wannabe son of a bitch,” Wilson barked. “Get out of here. You can have this down.” said, his voice low, not nervous sounding at all, back when you settle down.” and still with an edge to it. “You got a play to “Not surprised,” Crystal said. “Price of oil make, why don’t you make it? Put that gun The kid wiped the synth-whiskey off his


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 56

down to $20 a barrel and falling. Pretty soon “Me and just about every other male first and said, “We want some drinks, barkeep.” won’t be nothing left on this big sandbox. walking on two feet. Even old Fred there’s had The fourth one had long braids of brown hair With so many men laid off, business is down a favor or two from you.” hanging down on his chest and sided the man to nothing. It’s gotten so bad, we used to keep with the Mohawk. All four of the Nomads had She poured another drink. “Can I help it ifweapons. Nomad scum out of here, but now we’ll even I like men, and they like me?” She lifted the serve them if they want a drink. “ glass to her lips and tossed it down, then threw Brand took note of gun the man with the Fred the bartender set a fresh bottle andher a eyes on Brand. She set the glass down andMohawk carried. It was old technology; a Colt glass down on the table. She poured herself areached out and touched him on the sleeve. .45, the kind they used back on Earth in the “You’re pretty likeable yourself,” she said. previous century. Many of the desert scavendrink and freshened up the two glasses already gers wore guns like that. They were cheaper to on the table. “See what I mean, Brand?” Wilson asked. get and lasted longer out in the desert where “Well, anyway, that doesn’t mean we can’t plasma charges and laser refills were hard to “No need to fuss over me,” Brand said. “I make the most of what is still left. Here’s to come by. The other three had beat-up looking progress and to those who get mowed down won’t here more than a couple of hours.” laser pistols. The man with the braids wore a by it.” rig, and from the snake embossed on “That’s long enough for what I have shoulder in the black grip of the pistol, Brand knew it to be mind,” Crystal said. The three of them raised their glasses and a Python X-2. drank. A loud commotion erupted out in the The bartender looked over at Crystal. She street. The sound of combustion engines. # gave him a nod and he pulled a bottle and four shot glasses out from under the counter. “Damn!” Crystal said. “Nomads. Get ready He poured the synthetic whiskey and set the “Hope Rafe didn’t bother you too much,”for a show, Brand.” bottle down. “That’ll be four even,” he said. Crystal said, smiling at Brand. “He’s just a kid Brand knew all about Nomads. The Wilkon the prod. Trying to be a man.” ersons were a Nomad gang. They’d ambushed The man with the Mohawk picked up the “He keeps acting that way, he might him kill five years ago, left him for dead, and shot glass and held it out. “Put it on a tab,” he himself trying,” Brand said. “Who is he?” kidnapped his sister. He knew about Nomads. said, and slugged the booze down. “And give Tulon was full of them. Some were the original me another.” “His daddy’s owner of the Jordeen,” she settlers of the planet who had been displaced said. “Kind of a spoiled kid. Neglected mostlyby the oil companies. Others were oil field Fred the bartender glanced over at Crystal. by his old man. Maybe that’s why he’s alwaysworkers who’d been laid off and left to survive “It’s all right,” she said. trying to get somebody’s attention.” on their own. They were a dirty, savage bunch The four Nomads turned and looked over and he’d as soon fire a blast of his Electro-Pistol “He gets enough of your attention,” Wilson at her. The man with the Mohawk raised the into one of them as look at them. refilled glass and toasted her. “Much obliged, said. ma’am.” The man with the braids and the The batwings swung back and four scruffyShe grinned. “He’s a good looking boy,” she looking men dressed in jeans, torn, black shaved heads did the same, their eyes moving said. “You jealous, you old walrus? You know T-shirts, and motorcycle boots stomped into over her like hungry wolves. I’ll always have a place for you in my heart, the Coreytown saloon. Two of them had shaved Ran.” Crystal got out of her chair and walked heads. One with a Mohawk came up to the bar over to them. Brand lowered his hand under


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 57

the table and surreptitiously undid the leather too. # restraining strap that kept the Beretta secure in “And who might you be?” Chino asked. its holster. Wilson picked up the deck of cards An hour went by. It was still daylight and resumed his game of Solitaire. outside, but it would soon be quitting time out “Ran Wilson.” at the oil fields, and the drillers, and riggers, “You’re good for it,” Crystal said to the man and derrick monkeys would be pouring into “I heard of you,” Chino said. “So you’re the with the Mohawk. “Aren’t you?” the place. Brand had some slum gullion stew bouncer in this place, old man? Thought you’d He looked down at her with a toothy grin.be dead by now.” He looked at Brand, who satto eat along with the whiskey and was feeling back, relaxed in his chair. “What about you? pretty satisfied. He debated whether to move “I’m good for a lot of things,” he said. “Who’s on to Shyman’s Bluff before it got dark, or just You in this too?” askin’?” get a room over at the hotel and leave in the just “Name’s Crystal,” she said. “I own this“That’s Jack Brand,” Crystal said. “He’smorning. visiting.” place.” The four Nomads had been loud and boisterous but hadn’t caused any real trouble. “Oh, a lady proprietor,” he said. “My name’s Chino looked at the man with the braids. “I’m impressed,” he said. “You impressed?”They’d taken turns running upstairs with the Chino. Pleased to meet you.” working girls and were now sitting at a table The man with the braids smiled but said The man with the braids walked around drinking with them at the other end of the the two of them and came to rest on the other nothing. saloon from Brand, Wilson, and Crystal. side of the woman. He leaned his back against “We got four girls working here,” Crystal “You remember Blue Mountain Pete?” the bar and looked over at Brand and Wilson. said. “All upstairs just waiting for the right type Wilson asked. Brand returned the look, and the man with the of customer to come along.” She smiled up at braids turned away and leaned forward on the Chino and reached a fingertip up to his jutting, “Sure I do,” Brand said. “Whatever bar. stubble-covered chin, and stroked it. “You’re happened to that old reprobate?” “The reason I ask,” Crystal said, “is that kind we of cute, in a low-down sort of way.” “In jail,” Wilson answered. “Seems he—” get some trash in here sometimes that ain’t Chino chuckled. “We come in here to have got no money. You don’t look like that kind. A a good time,” he said. “We ain’t looking for any The batwings crashed open loudly and man with enough money can have a good time Brand looked up to see Rafe Jordeen in the trouble.” in this place. If he behaves himself.” doorway. He still had his straw hat on his head He reached into the pocket of his jeans and Brand noticed he wore a fresh laser pistol “And what if he don’t,” Chino asked. threw two large gold coins down on the bar. in the holster that was down low on his leg. Jordeen stood there a minute sort of swaying, “Wouldn’t be a smart thing to do,” Ran “Fred, give them whatever they want,” peering across the saloon like a man trying to Wilson said from the table. In his hand was a Crystal said. “And have those girls come down see through a fog. sawed-off Ruger Plasma Rifle that he’d pulled here. Time they went to work.” from a special rig holster Velcroed to his right “Wilson!” he shouted. “Ran Wilson!” leg. Brand moved his hand away from his holster and let it rest on the table top. Wilson put the “Bad news is back,” Wilson muttered. The man with the braids turned to look at sawed-off away and went back to his solitaire. Wilson. The two shaved heads put their drinks “He’s drunk,” Crystal said. down and gaped at the old man with the gun


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 58

“Wilson!” The room got quiet. The Nomads Jordeen turned around to face the Nomads.“I’m Rafe Jordeen,” the boy said. “My father who’d been chattering among themselves, “Wha—Who asked you to butt in?” owns the Jordeen oil fields. I could buy and sell hadn’t noticed Jordeen before, but watched you a hundred times over and not even use up “What’s that, boy?” Chino got up from hismy lunch money. So why don’t you run along? him interest now. “I’m here to call you out, chair. The painted girl sitting on his lap nearly I got no quarrel with you. I came here to settle Wilson. Get up out of that chair.” fell on the floor. “You say something to me?” something with that old man over there.” One of the Nomad skinheads giggled. Brand hoped the boy had the good sense Chino glared at him. He moved a little closer “Whooee, listen to that.” to back off. to him. He outweighed Jordeen by at least fifty Crystal got out of her chair. “Didn’t I send pounds and stood several inches taller. “Who-who are you?” Jordeen asked. you out of here once, Rafe,” she said. She walked over to him. “Why you have to come “I don’t much like the way you talk, Rafe “Don’t make no difference who I am,” Chino back and try making trouble?” Jordeen,” he said. “And I sure don’t like the way answered. “I seen you knock that woman down. you treat a lady. Looks like I’ll have to teach That ain’t a right thing to do. Now why don’t “You shut up!” Jordeen snarled. you a lesson.” you help her up and tell her you’re sorry.” The Nomads cackled behind Jordeen’s back “I teach the lessons around here, Chino,” like a pack of drunken crows. “That’s tellin’ her,“No need,” Crystal said, getting up by Wilson said. He moved around the table. Brand boy,” one of the shaved heads hollered. Theyherself. “This is just a private quarrel. Why wondered why he hadn’t pulled the sawed-off don’t you go back to your table and—” all laughed. yet. It seemed a careless thing to do. “Sorry, ma’am,” Chino said. “Where I come Jordeen turned and gawked at the four “You stay out of this, old man,” Jordeen from we don’t treat a lady like that. I can’t desert trash not fully cognizant of what he was hollered. “I don’t need your help.” just let it go, especially since you treated us so looking at. good in here.” He stood cold-eyeing the kid, a “He’s right, Wilson,” Chino said. “You’d best twisted grin on his thick lips. “Rafe, be a nice boy and get out of here.” stay out of it.” Jordeen turned. His arm swung and he “Why, you ain’t nothing but Nomad scum,” “Can’t do that,” Wilson said. He stood a backhanded the woman hard across the face. Jordeen said. “Who you think you are talkingfew feet to the side of Jordeen now. “This boy She went to the floor with a yelp. to me that way? You know who I am?” may be a damn fool but he’s drunk. He ain’t no match for you. Why don’t you forget it?” “Did you see that?” Chino asked the man “Now how would I know that, when I ain’t with the brown braids. The man nodded his never laid eyes on you before, boy?” “What I tell you, Wilson?” Jordeen head. shouted. The two skin heads laughed at that remark. Wilson was on his feet. He hadn’t pulled the The man with the braids sat half drunk watching“Shut your mouth, you wet-nosed mule. Or sawed-off yet, but his hand dangled down near with a dreamy expression on his face, his armdo you want to die?” the butt of the plasma gun fastened to his leg.around the bare shoulder of a redhead. He raised a hand and started to say something, “I ain’t afraid of no Nomad gutter trash,” Chino had taken several steps from the Jordeen said. He backed up a few steps. “You’re but was interrupted. table and stood only four or five feet from wearing a sidearm,” he told Chino. “Why the kid. His grey eyes looked the boy up anddon’t you use it? I’ll take you on. And then I’ll “Now that ain’t no way to treat a lady,” down. Chino said. deal with this old man here. The old bastard


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 59

shamed me in front of this lady and that man “Not my fight, kid,” Brand said. “You started “Let go of it,” Wilson said. over there. The one man who I would never it with your big mouth. And old Ran there, this Chino froze. A slow, wide grin crept across want to let see me shamed.” is his job. He gets paid for throwing these dirt his weather-beaten face. “You’re still pretty bags out. And these particular Nomad dung “I’ll be most happy to oblige you,” Chino heaps aren’t the ones I’m looking for. I got no fast,” he said. “For an old timer. But there’s said. He looked at Wilson. “And if you want inreason to mix in it. You got yourself into it. You four of us. You may get some of us, but you on it, happy to oblige you too. And that goes for were throwing that gun of yours all over the won’t live to know about it.” your friend over there. Mr. Jack Brand, famous place earlier. Let’s see what you can do with “I don’t know which is worse,” Wilson said, Nomad-hater. Right, boys?” it.” moving the sawed-off back and forth over the The three at the table were on their feet The kid paled. His mouth hung openfour in of them. “Wannabe’s like the kid there, or drunken desert garbage that don’t have no and moved around Chino. It stood four against disbelief. respect for their elders. Drop your guns on the two. Brand remained seated at the table. “I ain’t got all day, kid,” Chino said. “Howfloor or start using them.” “Yeah, I heard about you, Brand,” Chino about just you and me then? Leave the rest of said. “Heard how you got it in for us Nomads.them out of it?” Nomads, Brand thought. They were the It’s because of what happened to your sister. product of their times. Human refuse created Some Nomads grabbed her. Nearly finished by the oil companies that had pillaged Tulon. “Damn you, Brand,” the kid shouted. “You you. And what I hear you go around looking for The instinct for survival had turned them into ain’t nothing but a coward.” Nomads to kill just to see if they know anything savage animals. He already had the Beretta “I’m waiting,” Chino said. about that damn sister of yours. Well, we’re loose in its holster under the table. He was Nomads. Why don’t you get out of that chair ready, whatever happened. The kid recovered himself. “I ain’t afraid of and see if we know anything?” you,” he said. It was the man with the long braids who moved first. His hand swept the Python out of “You hear that, Mr. Brand?” Jordeen said. The fingers of his right hand flexed over the shoulder sling and aimed it at Wilson. The He suddenly seemed sober. His eyes were clear the butt of his laser pistol. He licked his lips old man swiveled. The laser pistol and plasma and bright. “I know you’re not going to take nervously, his eyes were two blue orbs of that kind of talk from this scumbag. Not Jack intense concentration. “Let’s get it on,” he gun fired at the same time, a purple ray zapping Brand. Man, oh, man. This is going to be the out of Wilson’s gun, a white beam crackling said. greatest day of my life. The day Jack Brand and from the X-2. The man with the braids flew me stood up to four Nomad killers and made Chino’s hand moved for the Colt. Jordeenback and landed on the table where he’d been them sorry they were ever born. Right, Mr. went for his pistol. Wilson lunged forward with sitting. Glasses crashed and shattered. The Brand?” women screamed and ran to get behind the the sawed-off suddenly in his hand. He brought bar. Wilson yelled in pain and took two steps the barrel down on the kid’s head. Jordeen fell Brand sat slouched in his chair looking at to the floor and Wilson spun, the nose of the back. He’d been hit in his left arm. Chino had the tableau in the middle of the bar. He shook the Colt in his hand and aimed it at him. plasma gun aimed at the Nomad gang leader’s his head. “No thanks, sonny,” he said. “Believe chest. Chino was crouched, his Colt half out I’ll pass.” “Chino,” Brand yelled. He was on his feet, of the holster. The other three Nomads stood the Beretta held waist high. The Nomad turned tensed, waiting, their hands ready to clutch “What!” the kid was shocked. “What do you the gun towards him. Brand saw his finger mean? You’re not going to stand up to them? their weapons. squeeze the Colt’s trigger. Saw the iron hammer You’re going to back down?” rise and fall. There was a burst of flame and a


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 60

loud explosion. Brand fired the Beretta. He saw the air. Three bodies lay bleeding. Rafe Jordeen Brand saw the kid’s hand tighten around the the blue electric arc dart across the room and lay where Wilson had dropped him. Smith and Wesson laser automatic. There was hit Wilson in the side. Brand felt the lead slug no stopping what was going to happen now. “You all right,” Ran Wilson asked, walking from the .45 hit him in the thigh. It was like He spun, pushing Wilson away from him. The a blow from a hammer. His leg went out fromover to Brand. Beretta was in his hand. He had no choice. The under him and he went down on one knee. kid was drunk, and he meant to kill them. The “Doesn’t feel like it hit the bone,” he said. kid fired. A red laser beam cracked out of the Wilson helped him to get up. They could hear The two skin heads fired at Wilson. Wilson barrel. Brand dove to the side and squeezed the skinhead’s motorcycle taking off outside. sprayed Plasma rays in their direction. One of the trigger on the Electro-Pistol. The blue “Had been a laser, I’d have lost the leg,” he them crumbled to the floor but the other kept bolt of electricity hit Jordeen in the chest and said. “Didn’t know that Chino was so fast.” firing at the old man. Crazy, Brand thought. knocked him to the floor. His straw hat rolled The Nomad couldn’t shoot. He kept missing “We best get you over to the doc’s,” and stopped when it hit the brass foot rail in Wilson. front of the bar. Wilson said, draping Brand’s right arm over his shoulders. Chino stood wobbling, looking down at the Brand saw Crystal and her girls standing burnt flesh in his side. He glared at Brand and behind the bar looking down wide-eyed at his “How’s yours?” raised his Colt. “You’ll pay for that,” he said. sprawled body. The pain in Brand’s leg was numbing. He gritted“Ain’t nothin’,” Wilson said. “Don’t hardly his teeth and jerked the Beretta up from his feel it.” “Wannabe’s,” Brand said in disgust. He kneeling position and got off another blast. It thrust the Beretta back into its holster. hit Chino dead center of his chest. The Nomad They started for the batwings. Wilson helped him outside and they crossed fired the Colt down into the floorboards, an the street to the doc’s office. It was 5:30 and acrid cloud of blue smoke rising around him. He“Like the old days, ain’t it, Ran?” Brand the whistle had blown at the Jordeen oil field. said. paled and stood for a moment looking at Brand The oil field crews were pouring into town, as his eyes began to fill up with empty. The gun “It’s always the old days,” Wilson answered. some in vehicles, most on foot. It was going to dropped from his fingers and clattered to the be just another night in Coreytown. floor. His knees buckled and he fell down. “Things don’t change. Just the faces.” The last Nomad kept squeezing the trigger

They pushed the batwings open.

of his laser pistol at Wilson, but nothing “No, you don’t.” It was Rafe Jordeen’s happened. The gun had run out of fuel. He voice. Brand and Wilson turned around. The stood clicking the trigger, as if by some magic kid stood in the middle of the saloon floor, the he could make it fire. Wilson lowered his laser pistol in his hand. “I’m going to kill you plasma gun, shaking his head. two sons of bitches. Wilson, you shamed me, hit me on the head with that sawed-off. Brand “Get out of here,” he said. you would have let that scum kill me. You just ain’t the man I thought you was. I always The Nomad threw the gun away and ran thought I wanted to be like you. When you out the door. showed up here, I thought maybe we could be friends. But you just ain’t fit to live. I hate the Wilson turned and looked down at Brand. both The smoke from Chino’s revolver still curled in of you.”


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 61

John M. Whalen John M. Whalen’s stories have appeared in the Flashing Swords E-zine, pulpanddagger.com, and Universe Pathways magazine. His Jack Brand stories are a staple here at Ray Gun Revival magazine. Contact the author here.


Issue 43, May 2008

Deuces Wild, Fractured Facets, Part Three by L. S. King

Deuces Wild, Season Two

Pg. 62

Chapter 3: Fractured Facets, Part Three by L. S. King

Slap chewed his nails as Carter drummedsomething.” “The Medan natives? Those three-legged his fingers on the console. The engineer was aliens?” as frustrated as he was. Did he see Addie as a Carter shook his head. “I don’t know what we can do. We don’t know where he is, or what “I think we’re the aliens on this planet,” little girl who needed big brothers as Slap did? Carter said with a chuckle. “But yeah. And their he’s doing.” Perhaps. men are already setting up something near the “Where’s he likely to go? To where they docks’ west gate market.” He studied the thin, lined face. Carter’d had some tough times, from the little he knewhave Addie, right? The Confeds are here to buy “For an ambush, I take it? I ain’t of him, and undoubtedly worried about the and transport arms and stuff for the war, so wouldn’t they have a ship?” surprised.” Confeds getting him back. Did he have family? Part of him wanted to ask, but Carter seemed Carter’s crooked smile slid onto his face, “But there’s been some chatter about cargo about as willing to talk about his past as and he regarded Slap with an amused expres-that needs watching on the freighter Yangtze.” Tristan. sion, finally saying, “Yes. Yes, they would. And the location of their freighters is information I “Why would cargo need to be watched?” He stared at the comm panel, willing Tristan do have, among other interesting tidbits I want to call so they could leave—oh no! Slap sat bolt “Exactly—since they aren’t exporting upright. “Brago’s Bands! We’re in trouble!”to pass on to Tristan.” livestock.” “What?” Carter spun to stare at him. “Freighters? How’d you find out about Slap jumped to his feet. “I think Tristan them?” “How?” needs to know this.”

“Tristan wants us ready to go, to meet with“I’ve been monitoring their communica“But where do we find him?” tions and doing traces. And I...I really was him.” worried that Addie might already be dead.” “I don’t know, but we can’t look from here. Carter nodded. “Yes. So?” We need to be outside the space port.” “What!” “Customs. They make you go through the Carter rose, a contemplative look on his wait and search every time you leave the space “The Confeds don’t play games, and face. “I...I think you might be right. Let me grab they wouldn’t let her live if they got us, so I port. Tristan forgot.” a few things, and I’ll meet you at the hatch.” wondered if they were keeping her alive until Carter frowned, running a hand through they do. But from what I’ve been hearing, I # his silvering blond hair. “It’s not like Tristanthink she’s all right.” to forget things...” His eyes shone with fresh Slap slumped in his chair in relief. “I hope“So do you have a plan?” Slap asked as concern as he met Slap’s. “He’s doing this you’re right. So...what did you hear?” they headed toward the city after clearing alone.” customs. “We can’t let him! We have to do “To summarize, they’ve got locals guarding a warehouse—locals meaning natives.” “Not really.” Carter sighed. “I’ve thought


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 63

and thought, but I’m not Tristan. I can’t think making Tristan’s heart ache for his past, for about all you. Do you get me back to the ship in on my feet like he can. I really don’t know that was lost. “Go.” Zvi said. “ Go!” time to stop that?” where he might be.” Keeping a death grip on Polk’s arm, Tristan “You think you have all the cards, don’t “Scheme on his feet, you mean.” Slap’s shoved him past Zvi. Polk’s objections and wails you?” attention riveted to the glow at the edge of brought him no sympathy or help. “Unlike you, I’m not a gambler, I’m a card the city to their left. His mind filled in what he He wanted desperately to look behind, tosharp. I use false shuffles, false cuts, I deal couldn’t see at this distance, the huge multifrom the bottom and the middle, I cull, I stack colored dome, the holo-banner, the bright see Zvi’s face just once again, but he dared not. the deck—whatever it takes to make sure I’m As they crossed the backyard, Polk squirmed lights. “Tristan was looking for Polk, and he in control. So...” Tristan loosened Polk’s arm to get out of Tristan’s grip, but a twist on the said Polk worked for the circus. Think we’d find enough to turn him around. “Are you going to man’s wrist stopped any struggling. “You forget him there?” bet on me, or against me?” who trained me to fight—and to kill.” “I guess it can’t hurt to look around.” “Y-you said you need me, you can’t kill Polk snatched free and rubbed his shoulder. “You’ve...won against the Confeds before, that’s me.” # why they want you and your friend both.” “I can do anything I want,” Tristan hissed, Tristan took a slow deep breath, his eyes then whispered more softly in Polk’s ear. “How Ah. “Who? Who do they want?” and Zvi’s locked. He dared not show emotion, I fell...this all brings it back—from the heights dared not show weakness. of the Big Top to being Dray’s slave.” He jerked The gambler frowned. “Donegal, the Polk’s arm, making him grunt. “And it puts medemented genius. I don’t know the name he’s Zvi put a hand out toward the two youths, using now.” in a particularly sour mood. So you’re going to palm down, gesturing to lower their weapons. help me get that girl out of the Confeds’ hands “You may go. This is a personal matter.” Carter. So they didn’t know Slap was along? before their planned ambush at midnight.” Should he assume Polk was telling the truth—or As their guns dropped to their sides, Polk knew everything the Confeds were up to? “And “They’ll kill me if I help you!” squealed, “Zvi, he’s going to murder me!” you said there’s three Confed agents here? That’s all?” “I’ll kill you if you don’t.” The penetrating gaze switched to Polk.

“Jacek, shut up.”

Sweat seeped through Polk’s shirt and ran“Yes, see, they’re only here to move merdown his face. “I don’t see what I can do.” chandise along—Xanthus doesn’t like them Before Zvi could say anything else, Tristan much, and they have to be on the q.t.” cut in, “He’s involved in a young girl being “Get me in where they’re holding Addie. kidnapped and is my only card to play in getting I’m going to take her from them.” Tristan began “So I imagine.” her back safely.” moving again, pushing Polk into a high-stepping “But they hired some local thugs, so I’m not trot. “Cards. Such talk from you.” Zvi’s chin lifted, sure how many will be at the warehouse.” and he sighed. “So go. Save this girl.” “That’s suicide.” “And you know for certain this warehouse Tristan hesitated, surprised Zvi would just “You’d better hope it’s not, because at one is where they’re holding her?” let him leave like this. The old man waved a o’clock, an hour after their scheduled rendezhand in permission as he had a million times, vous with us, my message goes out to Dray“Yes. It’s where they’re storing the goods


Issue 43, May 2008

Deuces Wild, Fractured Facets, Part Three by L. S. King while waiting for their ship.”

The blood drained from Walczyk’s face.see a longing there? No, he was most certainly

“You!”

Tristan blew his breath out slowly. “Give

Pg. 64

projecting his own.

me the layout, and it had better be accuratePolk twisted his arm and bolted away. “Is there any way we can help?” because you’re going in the door with me.”Tristan broke into a run, and in seconds closed the distance. He dove through the air, hands We? “The Cirque? Mon Dieu, I am a After Polk gave Tristan details and answered murderer, remember? And worse, a groundie. around Polk’s waist, and the two smashed into questions, they exited the backyard and skirted What would the Cirque do for me?” the sawdust. the edge of the almost-deserted midway, Polk’s “Ah, boy...” Zvi shook his head slowly. “You arm in Tristan’s firm grasp. An older man with As Tristan wrestled Polk into a hold, the don’t—” greying hair and a slight stoop strode across gambler began blubbering. He dragged Polk grounds, and with a desperate cry, Polk yelledto his feet, then sharp pain crashed into the A shriek cut off what Zvi started to say. back of his head. Tristan fell to his knees, stars in Polish, “Evžen! Help! He’ll kill me!” Tristan spun to see Slap and Carter walking dancing before his eyes. toward him, Polk ensnared in the cowboy’s Tristan peered hard at the figure before arms, one around his neck, the other around recognizing the aged man. This was Walczyk? He didn’t need to see that Polk was getting his waist. The engineer looked a bit smug, Yes, of course. Time was no man’s friend. away, But he could hear the pounding footsteps as the man ran off. Rising and spinning, Tristanhands shoved into the pockets of his old, worn still, he remembered the man as tall, forbidding, frightening—in truth, Walczyk wasn’tmade out Walczyk’s face and aimed his fist at jacket. it much taller than Tristan. with all his might. “Lose something, Tristan?” Slap called, grinning. His one-time tormentor straightened a bit Glass jaw, old age, lucky hit—or all three, with a frown. “What trouble have you gottenbut Walczyk fell, crumpled unconscious to the Tristan glared in lieu of letting his mouth yourself into now, Jacek?” ground. The moment of satisfaction faded, and drop open and switched languages. “I said for Tristan turned to the direction Polk had run, “Bigger trouble than you know, Walczyk,”but the gambler was out of sight already. you to wait until I contacted you.” Tristan replied in their language. “Stay out of “Yeah, but we wouldn’t have gotten the way.” Tristan sighed and ran a hand through his through customs in time.” Slap’s innocent face hair. He had the urge to kick Walczyk, but that Walczyk’s frown deepened; echoes of oldwould solve nothing. He took a deep breath,didn’t fool Tristan. And Carter’s told the story memories, old fears from childhood night- trying to decide what to do next, and saw Zvianyway; they’d figured it out. mares returned to Tristan. But now...he sawwalking slowly toward him across the midway. So much for his original plan—he furiously the reality—this man was nothing. began revising his strategy as his gaze bored “He’s not dead,” he said in Russian before into Polk, another variable changed in his cal“Who are you to know me?” Walczyk Zvi could say anything. culations. “We’re running out of time. Let’s asked. “I know. I saw.” His mentor nodded in the go.” Hatred welled up in Tristan, boiled out direction Polk had gone. “So now, what about He strode forward, but Zvi’s voice arrested before he could stop it. “Do you wish to abandon this girl? What are you going to do?” him. “Boy?” me on a planet now, hein? Or shove me out an airlock? Zvi is not here. It is you and me. Can Tristan exhaled slowly. “Whatever I can.” He stopped and half-turned, his gaze on you bully a man as you did a baby boy?” the Zvi’s eyes held his for a long moment. Did heground for a moment, but Zvi taught him


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 65

better than that. Lifting his chin, he met thoseme from high up. I’m certain they don’t realize “Wh-where are we going?” dark eyes. Pain shone there, and it nearly broke how much they’re underestimating you.” “To the warehouse—where else?” In the Tristan’s reserve. He’d never seen such open dim lighting along the street, Slap couldn’t Tristan, as usual, seemed to know what emotion from the man. really see Tristan’s face, but his teeth gleamed. was really going on, and from his knowing nod, had picked up that Carter wasn’t betting, but“You are going to lead the way in the rescue.” “Be careful,” Zvi murmured, his voice had facts. breaking. “Lead the way? I don’t know how—I Tristan swallowed twice and, finally, trusted They proceeded across the midway in can’t...” his voice would remain steady. “Always.” With silence, unless you included Polk’s occasional Tristan pulled Polk away from Slap and a nod to his companions, he said again, “Let’s grunts as Slap hefted him to shift position. A companionably dropped an arm around his go.” sack of grain was much less trouble; it didn’t shoulders. “Certainly you can. You’re going to have legs to kick out at people. walk in the door—a task none of us could safely # A few people stared at them, and Tristando—and announce they are to give up the girl, said, “Set him down before anyone asks or the whole building will be blown sky-high Slap looked back over his shoulder at the within five minutes.” questions.” silver-haired man with the cane as they hurried away, a million questions running through his Slap obeyed, but still kept a grip on Polk’s “Blown up!” Rivulets poured down Polk’s mind. neck—not an easy task; did the man sweat face now, glistening in the street lights. He tried due to some medical condition or because of to stop walking, but Tristan kept his momentum “So what are your plans?” Carter asked. nerves? As they left the midway and entered moving forcibly forward. the “Polk, here, claims they’re holding Addie atcity proper, Polk tried to twist out of Slap’s Slap bit his lips together and swallowed hold, but squeaked and went still when he a warehouse.” found himself lifted from the ground by his hard to keep from laughing. From Carter’s pursed lips, he was fighting to keep a straight collar. Slap glanced down at the pale, sweaty man face too. The two men exchanged glances as still trapped in his arms, feet dangling off the their little procession continued on. “You’re getting very annoying, you know ground. How could he tell his buddy the man that?” Slap muttered. “If Tristan doesn’t think was lying without letting on what Carter had # found out? “Aw, Tristan, you gonna believe we need you anymore, I might use you for wit toss practice.” anything this slimy lizard says?” Slap squinted into the dark as he placed to His friend snorted. “The question is, will the “What’s wit toss?” Polk asked, trying the blast-disk Carter had given him on the wall Confeds think we believe him?” Tristan turnedtwist to face Slap. of the warehouse. He slunk along the edge and to Carter. “You know these people better than “A game on my planet. You pick up a sack set another at the other corner, then ran in I do.” with a large rock in it and whirl around a fewthe shadows to where Tristan waited. His two buddies assured him they were reasonably times to pick up speed then let go and see how The engineer pursed his lips. “The men here certain Addie was on the one freighter, the are mere smugglers, not their top agents, so Ifar away the rock lands.” Slap smiled broadly. Yangtze, not here. He hoped they were right, “I usually win.” wouldn’t credit them with too much in the way although Polk would certainly let everyone of brains.” Carter hesitated before continuing. Polk’s eyes grew large, and he wilted. inside know the place was going to blow up. “I’d bet they received orders about you and


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 66

He joined Carter when his side of the “He’s not going to try to leave us out again,To catch up on previous episodes of building was done, and the two squatted behind is he?” the adventures of Slap and Tristan, visit: a large dumpster. Tristan had gone ahead. http://loriendil.com/DW.php Carter shrugged. “Let’s not let him.” Deuces Wild is dedicated to the memory of “What if they kill Addie when they hear Three Medan natives with PB rifles stepped we’ve blown up their warehouse?” my best friend; my inspiration for an enduring into their path, making the two men halt. friendship...http://loriendil.com/Starsky/ “Tristan feels—and I agree with him—that if she’s not already dead, they want her alive as “Hold it right there,” ordered one, his voice understandable despite a strange alien-guttura bargaining token until they have us.” al quality. “But what if you’re wrong?” # “Slap, look, this whole thing is full of ifs and maybes. We’re playing it this way, believing it’s Tristan scrutinized the Yangtze, visible in the best way to get Addie back alive. But there the hardstand lights shining up on the hull. are no guarantees. The girl drives me crazy, but She was a true, full-sized freighter, not the

I don’t want her dead any more than you do. personal cargo ship the Giselle was. Many And Tristan does want her back alive.” places to store living—or dead—merchandise. But now she was quiet, slumbering in the night, “I really wonder about that.” no workmen loading or unloading, no hatches open for easy access. “He may not care for her, but he does have L. S. King his reputation, and what would his failure here He glanced at his chrono. It would soon be do to that?” time for Carter to send the signal to detonateL.S. began mar al arts training over thirty the blast-disks at the warehouse. He had to get Slap nodded. That he could hold onto. years ago, and owned a karate school for inside the ship quickly. Luckily, getting inside “Well, now we have to brave customs again.” a decade. When on the planet, she lives places was one of his specialties. “There are usually longer lines for entry, inDelawarewithherhusband,Steve,and and at this time of night, probably no lines at He adjusted the collar of the dock worker’s all going either way.” Carter rose and begancoverall he’d appropriated and donned, and theiryoungestchild.Sheenjoysgardening, soap making, reading, and all things walking, and Slap fell into step with him. approached the rear hatch. Overriding the lock was easy. He jumped onto the ramp before it Myst. She also likes Looney Tunes, the “We hope. Folks will be leaving the circus had completely lowered to find a Medani guard color purple, and is a Zorro a cionado, soon.” waiting for him, PBG in hand. “Those are mostly locals from the city. But we’d better hurry—I don’t want to take any chances. We have to be in place when Tristan needs us.” “What does he have planned?” “Who knows? He didn’t say, just to head for the Yangtze.”


which might explain her love for swords and cloaks. Like Londo Mollari, she wants to know if the Hokey Pokey is really what it’s all about.

Issue 43, May 2008

The Adventures of the Sky Pirate

Pg. 67

Chapter 22, The Confessions of Dangerous Men by Johne Cook something startling. As I went about perform- “Well you’re deep in thought.” The voice ing the duties of a cleric of Cyl, the supposedwas lyrical and wise, young but mature. It was Alacrity’s R&R was interrupted by an overomnipotent, omniscient, sovereign god of this becoming a comfort. To me, of all people. whelming fleet of Sylvan warships. Flynn sold world, some force was actually assisting me. I looked over to see Dr. Deena Prentiss the local merchant captains on a bold plan, It is understandable that Flynn doesn’t approach. She stood by the railing next to me buttheclericdidwhatclericsdo,andBoladid what Bola does. What happened next was understand who I am, but it is particularly and watched our descent. “Hello, Doctor,” I said. clearlyfollyandpossiblyamiracle,butnoless vexing that I don’t understand who I am. Now alegend. ItleftBolawithherownmercenary my motivations are even an enigma to myself. “Preparing your thoughts for Holy Day armyandtheclericwithsomehardquestions That can’t continue. service?” about the nature of his ‘faith.’ I’ve seen and done many things I’m not I could have left her to her misconception, proud of, and I’ve been involved with more than my share of death. But I’ve never seen but chose not to, for there is an equilibrium to Part One anything like this, and despite my best inten-falsehood, and I did not want to lose my sense of balance. It was a personal point of honor Splash Down tions and my deepest thinking, I’m alarmed. that most would not understand, but the ones y motivations have always been a mystery who give me pause are not those who don’t Part of me wants to say “Cyl help me.” And to captain Cooper Flynn. understand, but rather those who do. therein lies the conflict.

The story so far:

M

From the moment he laid eyes on me, he I smiled gently. “My good doctor, I have a # heard the title I used and saw the way I was far more serious demeanor when my musing dressed and thought he knew what to expect is preparation for official discourse. On this It was dawn and I stood at the railing as with regard to me. When he brought me occasion, I am simply thinking for the pleasure aboard—a euphemism for kidnapped—the Eggplant brought Alacrity into port and as weof thinking.” descended, I watched the approaching dock, Haddirron airship Alacrity, he didn’t have the first idea the kind of trouble he was inviting the visual demarcation of land and water. There She nodded, playing along. “Grave frown— was always a moment when Eggplant shut offdiscourse. Peaceful gaze—musing for fun. onboard his quaint little gadget craft. Whether the power and the ship settled into the water.Seems I that trouble followed me or cursed me or was clear enough.” She smiled. “What is the both anticipated it and feared that moment for nature of your musing on this occasion?” me didn’t faze him in the slightest in his naïveté reasons I can’t quite name. and ignorance. “I’ve been thinking about identity, about But that’s not what I was thinking about at He didn’t simply invite lethal trouble what makes us who we are.” that moment. There is knowledge, and there aboard, he insisted on it. He asked for it. I could keep that trouble at bay for only so long. is thought. I knew Alacrity would splash down. “Oh?” However, my thoughts were about a topic I gestured to the dock workers lining up to much closer to me. But as events unfolded and battles occurred, carry and cart things on and off the ship. “If I in my assumed guise, I started to perceive


Issue 43, May 2008

The Adventures of the Sky Pirate , Chapter 22, The Confessions of Dangerous Men by Johne Cook

Pg. 68

am one man when I leave the ship, who will I confess, you will be a cleric, and that is enough to me to stabilize her. be when I return? I will be wearing the same for me.” The ship rocked a little and then settled clothes, and people will address me with the in. Deena turned in my arm to face me, her I concealed the troubled shadow that flitted same greeting, but who is to say I will actually face looking up to me. I could feel her breasts be the same man who left? It haunts me at across my heart. “I’m not sure the...skills I have pressed against my chest as we regained our are suitable for the crew on this ship.” night sometimes.” balance. At that distance, she smelled slightly She shrugged. “If you are hale and whole, I She was having none of it. “Your contribu- of sunshine and island flowers. tions to this crew are immeasurable. I saw you shall welcome you back with a smile. If you are pray for the dying and the dead. We know you “I will never get used to that,” she said, her not, I will bind your wounds.” prayed for Bola, for the captain through this voice strangely husky. last battle. And you can’t argue that something I looked at her guileless silhouette, the very “Some things get easier with the passage soul of common sense. “If I return wounded, unexplainable happened. Everyone knows of time,” I said by way of reprise, and lightly what you did, even if we don’t know how it you will heal me, whoever I am at that moment? brushed a stray strand of hair from her face works.” Can it be so simple?” with fingers. She didn’t tremble. “It is that simple for me, yes.” She watched I had no answer to any of that. I took a half a step back. “Thank you for Mr. Pitt pass without comment, neither of the discussion. I have business on shore.” I She bumped my shoulder with hers. “Cleric, them meeting the others’ eyes. Her voice grew half-bowed, not so low to be earnest, nor so absolve yourself,” she said. I looked at her in distant. “Other things, however, are not so shallow to be ironic. It was gesture of an old alarm, for what she said made perfect sense to simple for me to heal.” friend, one to another. “Doctor.” me. Or would have, had I been an actual cleric. I nodded. “Some things are not yet simple,So much for maintaining equilibrium after all. I turned and saw Mr. Pitt watching the And speaking of which... but everything changes over time. Some things exchange, and knew the bow had been just get harder. Some get easier. And others...we right to stay him. For now. My eyes flicked won’t know about them until we get there and A sailor at the bow yelled out. “Fifty feet! away as I demonstrated to him I wasn’t putting Twenty five feet! On your mark!” take in the lay of the coast.” on an act for his benefit, and went below. Yes, Eggplant stepped out of the wheelhouse. it was a falsehood, but it was for his benefit, She said, “What about me, then? Am I a not his detriment, and I didn’t give it a second doctor right now, or am I just a woman adrift“Last warning! Cutting power!” thought. amongst dangerous men?” We grabbed the railing and the bottom dropped out beneath us. The ship dropped I thought about it. We were both stranded, Apparently, Mr. Pitt wasn’t getting used to into the water with a heavy, wooden sploosh,the splash down at port that any more than in a way, although the method of my estrangement was looking more complex all the time.water shooting up between the ship and the Deena was, but that wasn’t my problem. I had dock and raining back down on us. Deena enough crises of my own to attend to. And I Finally, I said, “What is important is that when you need to be a doctor, you will be, and that squealed and we fell a couple of feet to the knew who was responsible for those crises, deck. I landed lightly on the balls of my feet. and who I had to see next. is enough for me.” She landed awkwardly and started to fall. She turned to face me and smiled trium# Without thinking, my arm shot out, and I phantly, and I knew she had trapped me. grabbed her around the waist and pulled her “Very well, then. When we have something to I served breakfast to Captain Flynn in the


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 69

galley that morning and quietly asked him if we Flynn leaned forward. I changed into something innocuous, could speak privately after the meal. He looked slipped the leather strap of the small leather guarded, but agreed to meet. That pretty much “I initially thought it was an anomaly, andbag over my neck to rest on my chest under my then I thought it was a coincidence. However, sums up our relationship. casual bloused shirt, and left the ship shortly the more time that passes without normal afterward. It was time to return to my past, He tracked me down in the ship’s library activity, the more certain I am that something even if just for little while. I had the strangest is up, something so big they want to mask itsfeeling my future just might depend on it. afterward, closing the door behind him. “Cleric existence with artificial quiescence.” Vaneras. What can I do for you?” I closed The Paradox of the Ship of the “What are they talking about, then?” Seus and looked up. “Captain, I am a student Part Two of people’s motivations. You might call it an“The usual—court politics, who’s sleeping The Hail, the Feint, and the Ambush whom, the relative sanity of monarchs.” occupational hazard. Therefore, I’m very interwith On making landfall, I didn’t go to the local ested when somebody does something they’ve He might have looked amused at this point, temple as I’d suggested. Instead, I borrowed a never done before. And the corollary is likewise but he didn’t. He was taking me seriously. horse, rode to the far side of the island, and true, when they stop doing something they’ve “Because there is a lack of violent crime and there a commissioned a catamaran, known for always done before for no obvious.” wave of relative peace around the Mendaran, its speed, and left Roarke’s Island far behind. you’re suspicious? And not just a little We bypassed a number of medium-sized “What are you getting at?” curious, but suspicious to the point of genuine islands before spotting a tiny island between a “There is a loose information network concern?” loose group of other nearby islands. There was among the churches on the islands around the a well known, well-trafficked tavern there that great Mendaran Ocean. And part of the duties I nodded. served as a central hub for the area. that go along with my line of work is listening Flynn’s eyes were twinkling furiously. to the confessions of dangerous men. Such is I wasn’t going there. However, to his credit, he didn’t take it any the effectiveness of this network that we frefurther, and when I said I wanted to take a We docked there, and I left instructions for quently know things even before the navy.” quick tour of the nearby islands to speak to my the catamaran to wait for me, just as the horse Flynn gestured for me to go on. He was fellow clerics, he waved his hand negligently was waiting for me back on the west side of either aware of that network, or at least couldand told me to return before they lifted off to Roarke’s Island. I found a one-person kayak do battle at Yempher. that wasn’t in use at the moment and approbe convinced that such a network might exist. priated it. Interesting. Despite our sometimes tense relaHe left the study, and I smiled to myself. His tionship, he was learning to trust me. I tucked curiosity was at least as large as mine, and I I paddled to the furthest of the group of that insight away, as is the way of my kind. had his attention. islands with the scraggliest beaches and no I continued. “During our recent liberty on dock at all. There was nothing much of note My smile faded, perhaps a trifle wistfully. A Parrot Bay, I went ashore and spoke at length there except for a rather derelict watering hole normal cleric might have felt a twinge of conwith my peers at the local temple. Something known more for who didn’t frequent it than science for lying to his captain, but I was not a came up in conversation that arrested my anything, and a large, impassable ruins behind normal cleric. attention. The activity of that network has it. gone curiously quiet in recent months.” # There were some good reasons to come


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 70

to this group of islands, but no good reason to none of us spoke of that. of the word ‘room,’ but I was busy listening. come to this one in particular, nor this...estabThe hail is interesting; it’s never the same,It was the widow who spoke. “Blamoonian lishment. fronds are out of season right now. She’s right and there are no lists of things to memorize. about the rum—that’s what I’m having.” Which, as it turns, was perfect for what TheI concept is simple, but the implementation was looking for. can be tricky. I collected a hollowed out coconut shell of There was no door, nor really any walls. It Fortunately, these people are a naturallyrum and walked over to the widow. I couldn’t believe my eyes, or didn’t, at least. was essentially just a medium thatched roof tricky lot, so the challenge is garden-path-easy and some chairs and tables sitting uneasily on to them. “Will there be some arriving in another sandy soil. I took in the patrons of the bar with one shipment? Should I come back another time?” surreptitious glance; two nearly identical beefy I surveyed the place. It could not be more The widow laughed, a husky cackle that sailors who were doing more drinking than humble. This would be it. sounded of dried leaves and withered branches, dicing, a beautiful woman in expensive silks, a completely out of place in these lush tropical It is true there is a legitimate information peg-legged man with a faded hat, a savvy-lookenvirons. “There is no other time. It’s rum or network available through the island temples, ing native bartrendress, and a ragged looking ale, and trust me, you don’t want the ale.” She but as far as crime is concerned, why go to a widow-in-mourning. gestured to take a seat, and I did, thus comscroll vendor on the street when you can go right to the crime lord? And ironically enough, If that went too fast for you, the cast were pleting the hail. if I was interested in petty crime, I’d have gone not one, but two bouncers—interesting for to Flynn’s clandestine contact, the Friar of Briar this place, a merchant woman—not a madam, It’s never who I think, which is precisely the Island. However, I wasn’t interested in just any a captain of a tramp freighter that had seen point. average crime, I was interested in one specific better decades, somebody who owed someone # advanced discipline, and that was a different something working the bar, and, well, a widow. organization entirely. She looked at me carefully, her intelligent I mentally labeled the two peas-in-a-pod eyes betraying her disguise. “What can I do for # bouncers as ‘Pints’ and ‘Quarts,’ although they you?” looked enough like each other that they could I didn’t know who I was looking for, or what have been twins. The best lies have an element of truth, and they looked like, but I knew how to find them. my quandary involved that very intersection I walked up to the bar—two heavy planks between dark and light, lie and truth. “Things In this organization, I could count on three suspended over two heavy crates—and ordered have gotten very quiet, too quiet. I came in to things—the hail, the feint, and the ambush. without preamble. find out why myself.” There were at least two reasons for that. The first was to make it easy to keep the guild “Blamoonian Mist,” I said. “You came in,” she said, repeating my hidden in plain sight, a decentralized group words as if I’d said something profound. “How with no obvious head. The second was to keep The bartendress looked at me in disbelief. did you find us?” your wits sharp, keep your reflexes steady but “You’ll have rum or ale. The rum doesn’t suffer ready for action at any moment. by being room temperature.” Us? The third reason was simple arrogance, butI might normally have snickered at her use


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 71

“You can speak freely,” she said, as if that free himself, but threw a dagger, pinning thetaken very seriously, whether I intended it or would change everything. mark to a tree. Then Diamante drew his sword, not. sliced off his own leg above the ankle, bound I could? Maybe it would. I just wish I knew the wound with his shirt, and limped over and I had the strangest feeling yet, that I hadn’t what we were talking about here. It struck me finished the contract. Or so they said. And known this all was here, but Someone did, and at that moment how odd it was that I was only had led me straight here. that’s when he looked at me. in the dark in my role as a cleric. That seemed Oh, Cyl, I thought, you will be the death of backwards somehow, and the dissonance was Looking at him gave me the once-over, I me. threatening to tear me apart. wouldn’t put it past him—he was a completely humorless, serious customer. I’ve never seen I looked back around at the motley bunchsomeone with deader eyes. lounging around, and noticed they were all Part Three looking at me. Hungrily. I looked again at the bartender. “Still The Black Widower want that Blamoonian Mist?” she said, eyes I never would have missed that transitiontwinkling, and pulled out a bottle of perfectly The Widow—for that’s who she was, “before.” Another wave of identity confusion good whiskey, the sort you’d never expect in another legend in the organization—led the passed over me. This was not the time to lose an out-of-the-way dive like this. way. Pints and Quarts gestured. Their silence focus. was scintillating. One preceded me and the The widow in black stood. “You pass. Grab other followed. I started to think about what I was seeing a glass and follow me.” right in front of me. The two big guys were As I was being ushered into the abandoned Qantiinate, not just big, but smart. And another I did, wondering if I would live long enough temple—which wasn’t abandoned at all—Pints to discover I was the mark here. “Where are thing...I realized they weren’t just smart, they and Quarts patted me down again, thoroughly, were also twins. And not just twins, but sons.we going?” and only uncovered the leather bag tied around And those weren’t dice, they were nasty things my neck and resting underneath my shirt. “As long as you came to the trouble to track waiting to be thrown. down the inner sanctum and passed the hail, “What’s this?” I took a sip of my rum, not tasting it, asyou the may as well meet him.” truth of the rest of the room came into focus. “A sweetener that is completely organic and “Him?” I said, my carefully-crafted plan which is one hundred times sweeter than sugar The woman in silks was Qantrent—es- falling to pieces around my head. but which only grows on the Sylvan continent. sentially a gymnast assassin, as deadly as she It is a rare treat, made even more rare by the was beautiful. Her silks were flowing for easy “The Black Widower, of course. If you’ve misfortunes of war.” gone to the trouble to track down the Qantiin movement. She was a slayer of kings. But what field headquarters, you may as well enjoy the was she doing here, of all places? Quarts was outright skeptical. “You wear benefits of being at court.” sugar around your neck?” I looked again at the captain, and placed The realization hit me in that moment like him without even meeting his eyes. He was “Not just sugar, but a super-concentrated, Captain Solo Diamante. He was a Qantiin the striking of the purest bronze gong. This super-rare, super-expensive sweetener that legend. His leg had been caught in a trap aswas either the most colossal coincidence of all few have ever tasted. This is my nest egg. he was pursuing a mark. The mark stoppedtime, or yet another indication that the vow I’d When I sell it, I will be able to retire. So I keep it and laughed at him. Diamante didn’t stop totaken as part of my cover as a cleric was being close to me until I decide I want to liquidate my


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 72

holdings and take up the quiet life for good.” My first view of the Black Widower was a I told him. small, stocky man with a black cotton apron “What’s your cover now?” He shook his head. “I’ve never heard of tied behind him around the waist. It was a you,” he said. bit incongruous. He was facing the other way, “A cleric.” slicing something on a teak cutting board on “Does that make me worse,” I asked, “or magnificent granite countertops. “What’s quieter than that?” better?” “A restaurant owner and chef,” I said.

The Widow said, “We have a visitor.”

He looked at me with flinty eyes, and then grinned with grim amusement. “We shall see,” The Black Widower turned, a ray of filtered Pints and Quarts looked at each other he said, and the chill that went down my back light lighting up half his face, leaving the rest expressively. in shadow. Quarts stepped forward without was both unwelcome and all too familiar. being bid and whispered for a long moment. “What was your cover?” “A chef,” said Quarts. “Come with us,” said Pints.

The Black Widower nodded. “Thank you,”“I was mistaken for a cleric. I did not dissuade them from that misconception.” he said.

We walked out back to a vine-covered “You are Qantiin, an assassin of the brothboulder. I was instructed to avert my eyes, so I She bowed deeply, turned, and left. erhood. How did you find working undercover stared at the one behind me until he gestured He looked at me with knowing eyes. Thatas a holy man?” that I could look again. sort of scrutiny was unsettling. “What brings I shrugged. “The requirements of the two A vine-covered door had been opened andyou to the Temple?” are diametrically opposed. It was easy to hide there were steps carved into rock going forward in plain sight.” I thought about it. “What if I said I wasn’t into shadow. I followed Pints down the steps. sure?” “How do you keep the two clear?” # He nodded as if I’d said a great truth. “You “The needs of the moment dictate that. As were sure at one time, however, yes? What I expected to face the Black Widower in a was the last thing you were sure about?” an assassin, I need to know who to kill. As a cleric, I need to know who to save.” great room on a great stone throne, but they led me to a long banquet room with teak tables “There was the usual silence, and then He nodded. “When you wear the assassin’s and individual chairs with a grand kitchen onthere was a deeper silence. I wanted to find garb, who do you kill?” an elevated platform overlooking the tables.out what happened. I didn’t mind being underLight streamed through great curved archedcover, but I didn’t want to be forgotten, if that “Only the mark.” windows and overgrown foliage, created a makes sense.” muted green effect. Free-standing bamboo “When you wear the cleric’s garb, who do torches were set around the kitchen at strategic“You’ve heard of me,” he said. you save?” places to provide area lighting. “Of course,” I said. “Your exploits are I looked at him levelly. “Everyone I can.” There was a small spherical table on the legendary.” kitchen dais level, and I was shown to one of “You are a strange man,” he said, but the “What is your name?” the chairs there. way he said it was a compliment.


Issue 43, May 2008

The Adventures of the Sky Pirate , Chapter 22, The Confessions of Dangerous Men by Johne Cook “I have a strange wardrobe,” I corrected. balance of power in some way.”

Pg. 73

little cooking of your own.”

He thought about that, and then pointed The Black Widower nodded. “So what wouldAnd just like that, we were at the moment the knife at me. “And what happens when you be the point of an organization of assassinsof truth. I had no more time to debate who I wear no garb at all?” deliberately ceasing their assassinations?”was. I had to become the new identity, or I had to embrace the death of the old one. There “They tell me I snore.” I thought it through. “If the primary purpose was no more time to straddle the line. of conducting surgical assassinations was to The Black Widower put his head back andchange the balance of power, the only reason I had time to wonder if this epiphany was laughed long and loud, and the sound echoed not to continue with assassinations would be ifwhat Cyl intended for me. If He was behind throughout the old, stone hall. you found a more effective way to change the this, that tended to answer questions I wasn’t balance of power by not assassinating peoplebold enough to even ask. I waited him out, wondering where all this for a season.” would go next, and how long I could keep up The Black Widower laid the blade down the charade in the face of the most dangerous He smiled, and in that moment, I hadon it.the chopping board and gestured for me man I’d met yet in my colorful, complicated life. to pick it up. Pints and Quarts both stiffened “The regent of Haddirron City,” I said. One thing was sure—it was time to act instead imperceptibly. of react. The Black Widower tapped his temple with the flat of his blade affirming my epiphany. I grinned and stepped forward. “Easy, “I told those around me that there is a loose brothers,” I said. “I’m just chopping some veginformation network among the clerics in the Her Majesty the Queen was rumored to etables for a nice salad.” I looked at what had islands. The best stories have at least a kernelbe flirting with bouts of insanity as she aged,been made, at what was laid out. I carefully of truth. I said the chatter had gone quiet, andbut her new regent was said to be a calming picked the blade up, correctly squeezing the that I wanted to investigate why.” influence on her, a stable hand at court. top back of the blade between my thumb and forefinger. The Black Widower looked on “It’s true,” he said. “I put out the word to I was stunned. Why kill people to change the approvingly, and I knew I’d passed his test. go dark for awhile, to stay the hand, no morebalance of power when you have the ear of the assassinations for awhile. No Qantiin will liftQueen a and the authority to speak in her name What remained to be seen was whether he lethal finger until I give the word.” when she’s not Herself? Putting a temporarywould pass mine. halt to assassinations gave the false impresOho. I nodded calmly as a shadow of dreadsion of order and peace in the kingdom, and “Have you ever tried sweet mango tea,” I flitted around in front of me, chased by the husk created a false sense of security and approvalasked. He shook his head. “What’s that?” of a brainstorm. “Would it be too impudent offor the regent. me to ask why?” I grinned secretively and bustled around It was a quiet coup, and other than those for fifteen minutes, boiling tea over a brazier, He answered my question with another in the temple and the regent themselves, I was slicing and mashing fresh mango slices, and question. “Why do assassins kill people?” the only one to know anything about it. making a big production out of what is really a very simple drink. I recognized the strategy. “A variety of # reasons,” I said. “It can be for ideological or And then I pulled out the leather bag from political motivation. It can be for moral convicaround my neck. Quarts stepped forward. “It’s tion. It can be for revenge. But at the heart of The Black Widower pointed the chopping an exotic sweetener from the Reach, very rare, knife at my chest. “Sentha tells me you do a it, assassination is mostly about changing the


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 74

very expensive. A small amount of this will been watching the rapid development of raised the it to me. “Remind me never to cross you,” make for a taste sensation you’ve never had.”Haddirron I Naval airship presence?” he said, grinning. “That’s not only brilliant, it wet my forefinger and dabbed it into the bag, is simplicity itself to accomplish.” He drained The Black Widower was inscrutable. “I’vethe mug, smacking his lips. “Delightful. Sentha, licking the sweet grains, rolling my eyes in heard rumors but haven’t seen more than a bring me a messenger bird!” pleasure. couple, myself, and that from a distance.” Quarts stepped forward and cautiously I thanked him for meeting with me, sampled copied me. He was impressed despite himself. I said, “So far, all the airships have been another dessert bread, and returned through staffed by Navy crews, all except for one.” the rock tunnel to the little island bar where “It’s good,” he said. “Like sugar granules, only richer, more natural somehow.” everything—and everybody—was more than He shrugged, and stabbed a piece of banana they appeared. Pints wanted in, so I let him sample itwith as his knife. well. He nodded. “I like it.” Well, so was I. I stopped long enough to I leaned back. “That ship is not crewed, as make a round of sweet mango tea for those I measured a small amount into the tea, is widely thought, by privateers.” assembled before I left. I left the island without swirled it around, and poured a small mug a second thought, secure in the knowledge that That got his interest. “Who has the audacity for myself. I took a sip, smiled, and drank it all they’d all fallen for my own ambush disguised to defy Her Majesty in that fashion?” down. as a feint. I said, “The Qantiin has been trying to get The two brothers held out mugs of their Cooper Flynn for years, now. It should come as Of course, my private satisfaction was own, and I filled them halfway. They downed mitigated by the knowledge that I’d just fully no surprise that it is he who flaunts his possesthem and wiped their sleeves, asking for more. committed to the crew of Alacrity, and then sion of an airship and gets away with it by preInstead, I filled a mug and passed it to the Black tending to be a privateer. If the Queen knew betrayed us all to return us to Haddirron City Widower, topping my own off in the process what he was doing in Her name, She would as quickly as possible. before filling the other mugs thrust in front of recall him to Haddirron City forthwith.” me. I wondered if all clerics wrestled with such weighty choices. I decided that they likely did, I had him. His eyes were alight with the I held up my mug. “To a cunning peace!” I but probably felt some remorse about it. I idea of it. toasted. They clonked mugs with me, and we wondered if that would ever come for me, or all drank up. if my conscience was as scalded as my sense “Just think—all this time, the Qantiin have been trying to kill Cooper Flynn. In this time of taste. I sat down as the Black Widower made a of strategic quiescence, you can be rid of him plate of fruits and sliced sweetbreads. once-and-for-all without having to sully your # Sometimes, you have a lot of time to hands. Just drop a word into the right ear, and Her Majesty’s Navy will pick him up for you and I backtracked to the canoe, and then carefully and deliberately plan out your strategies. Sometimes, you have only the barest put him quietly away in a dungeon in Haddirron the catamaran, and then the airship I’d just moment of opportunity to make a decision City. You will have done worse than kill him, betrayed. I made it aboard in time to lift off you will have disgraced him and banished him that will change history. with the deck full of island warriors preparing to a lifetime of derision and ignominy. It will be for the assault on Yempher. I made sure kind of living death.” “I’ve been thinking,” I said, sampling a a nice something was simmering in the galley and apple cinnamon dessert bread. “Have you then I went to crawl into my hammock. The Black Widower refilled his mug and


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 75

Sleep was a long time coming, and when it # there’s something else about my training I haven’t told you yet.” finally arrived, my dark dreams, gone since my moment of deliverance, had returned, proving I told him my story. He stared at a place He was eating this stuff up. that even dreams condemned me. It was little on the deck and listened to the whole telling wonder—I left Alacrity confused, a man of without interrupting. When I finished, he sat “My secret is this—my taste buds are comdeath posing as a man of peace. I returned and thought for a long time before speaking. pletely deadened, an unfortunate byproduct confident, a man of peace posing as a man of of my dark art.” death, leaving a trail of death behind me, and “Why are you telling me this now?” preparing to embrace a betrayal of my own “Because I’ve made my choice. I know who He was mystified. “But how can that be? doing. I am, now, and what I will do with the rest of I’ve eaten your food. You are a gifted cook.” I was sick as a dog for a day, which I my life.” “There is a scientific component to cooking. expected, but I was alive, which was more than I cook by watching others and carefully I could say for everybody on that little island. He snorted. “I thought you had an awfully mimicking their formulas. I make great food extensive knowledge of death for a lifegiver.” based on the feedback of others, not by any Flynn tracked me down my first morning “You don’t know the half of it,” I said. olfactory ability of my own.” back in the galley. “How did it go?” “So that brings us back to the trip I just took. “You mean...” I snorted humorlessly. I’d been thinking Something happened that directly impacts you, and the contract on your life.” about this moment ever since I’d returned, and I said, “The delightful grains in the leather I was too tired to lie anymore. bag around my neck which tastes like a super“Oh?” concentrated form of organic sugar is a poison “You know how I said I’ve listened to the so toxic that five grains can damage your taste ”I’ve done something that will spare you confessions of dangerous men.” buds, and a small but consistent dose over from the Qantiin from here on out.” some years can destroy your sense of smell He nodded. “Do tell.” forever. A half teaspoonful will bring about death 24 hours. I’d developed immunity to it “Well, Captain, I have a confession of my “When I told you things were quiet, that over a period of fifteen years as an apprentice own.” was true. However, instead of seeking out the to Chalendron, the Master Poisoner. I’d learned His black eyes did that they did do when answer from the clerics, I went to the sourceeverything he had to teach, and ‘graduated’ by and sought out the answer from the Qantiin.” he gets angry. It’s like they become bottomless turning his dark art on himself. He’d known it pits, sucking you down. It’s a singularly spooky would happen—he just didn’t know when.” He stiffened imperceptibly. I plowed ahead effect. with my story. “But Cyl had other ideas. Instead “What happened in the ruins?” “I haven’t always been a cleric,” I said. of finding the local brood, I stumbled onto the secret ruins, the hidden headquarters of the “I met the Black Widower, the head of “Everybody was something before they head man himself.” the Qantiin. He’d put a gag order out to put found their calling,” he said, carefully. in motion another plan he was working on. I That got Flynn’s attention. “What gained his confidence, and discovered we had “Not like this,” I said, carefully foldinghappened?” my a mutual passion for cooking.” hands in plain view in front of me. “I made sweet mango tea,” I said, “but “You mean you...”


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 76

I smiled. “It was a perfect opportunity to would have to wait to share my final confesJohne Cook use the perfect assassination skill on the headsion for a short while. To be fair, I’d laid it all assassin himself, and cut the head off the snake out for him. All the clues were there, but he Johne is a technical writer, help author, in its own lair.” didn’t pick up on them. creative writer, and editor. He hooted. “You killed the master assassin,As I said, my motivations have always been a mystery to captain Cooper Flynn. The differthe head of the Qantiin, in his seat of power?” He likes prog rock, space opera, film noir, ence is that I now know exactly what I’m doing, I mock-bowed from where I sat. and why. and the Green Bay Packers. Flynn was rocked with the news. Cyl help us all. I said, “I’ve been conflicted since the battle of Roarke’s Island. Cyl delivered me into the lair of the serpent, and I walked into the lair as a conflicted assassin. My last official kill was to take off the head of the snake.” He looked at me with a critical eye. “What will you do now?”

Stay tuned for The Adventures of the Sky Pirate, Chapter 23, In the Hall of the Crimson Queen I snorted. “I’ve been hearing that question frequently as of late. I sit before you a reformed assassin, a true cleric. If Cyl can use one such as me, I will be His instrument. Maybe now I can be an instrument of life instead of death.” Flynn nodded and clapped me on the back. “I sensed in the beginning you were the right man for the spiritual needs of Alacrity, such as they may be. I still believe that, if you still want the job.” I didn’t have to think about it, as I’d thought about nothing else since leaving the Black Widower to die. “I have seen the power of Cyl here on Alacrity. I feel I can do some good here.” “Welcome aboard, Cleric,” he said warmly, and then walked off. I felt cold as I watched him walk away. I


Issue 43, May 2008

Memory Wipe Chapter 20, On The Rails by Sean T. M. S ennon

Memory Wipe

Pg. 77

Chapter 20, On The Rails by Sean T. M. Stiennon

T

he thick bone of Esheera’s heel connected more cautious now. Esheera took the loose

wingflaps, near where they connected to his

solidly with Rizzik’s jaw, and a thunderstance her husband Jaggo had taught her, arms ribs—the most sensitive region. Hot blood ous crack echoed from the gray stone of the extended but relaxed, knees slightly bent andpoured over her fingers, Rizzik screamed, and

toes curled to grip the floor. She struggled to his grip on her shoulders loosened. Esheera council chamber. Esheera swiveled on her stabreathe evenly. used the muscles in her back and shoulders tionary foot, letting momentum turn her while to throw him off, then rolled to the right and the male Vitai sprawled to one side. Esheera Rizzik closed the distance between them inscrambled up to her feet. brought her foot down and faced him just as he rolled to his feet, lips contorted in a snarl.two bounds. Then his torso rolled back while his legs shot forward, kicking for Esheera’s Rizzik hissed through clenched teeth. Torn kneecaps. She hopped to one side, but not skin hung in slender folds from his wingflaps, Strikes were discouraged in these contests, quite fast enough—he caught himself on dribbling red onto the circle’s polished floor. but this wasn’t a sporting bout—there were no judges to call on foul strikes, no points to be his hands and his heel collided with her shinOne of the Council shouted, “Nii bitch!” but won or lost. Just the Suto council on their shelf hard enough to knock her off-balance. Rizzik Rizzik was silent. His eyes burned. to award a final victory. Both shoulders pinned took the opening. He pushed himself forward, He charged again, ignoring what Esheera to the ground for three seconds. Any woundshooked Esheera’s foot with one of his, and knew must be intense pain from his wingflaps. or bruises that didn’t kill or cripple wouldn’tpulled her down. Esheera leapt to meet him, arms extended. matter. If Esheera won, she would have permission to use the enclave scrap yard—the raw She was instantly grateful for her thick Rizzik was stronger and heavier, with a longer reach, and animal panic swelled in Esheera’s hair—it was the only thing cushioning her skull materials to build a new ship. heart as he crashed into her and forced her as it slammed into the stone floor. She still felt back. She kept her feet under her only by as if someone had pounded a nail into her skull, If Rizzik, a warrior from the Enclave Council, retreating, foot claws scraping on the hard managed to beat her...the last thing she feltand flashes of green light burst in her eyes. stone. would be vacuum sucking the air out of her Up, she thought. Keepshouldersup . lungs. Then her heels struck the edge of the arena, hit Rizzik’s strength bent her over, arching Rizzik spat blood onto the stone of their She pushed herself on both hands and and Rizzik as he came down on top of her, handsher spine. She gritted her teeth and pushed arena—a depression in the floor twenty feet clawing for her arms. Her head slammed intoagainst him with muscles fueled by fear and in diameter, smooth and gleaming with flecks his shoulder, and her world exploded in a fresh rage. She could feel her joints popping. Zartsi’s of quartz. Lanterns hanging above their heads cast golden light over the council, guards, wave of pain as they rolled over together. voice snarled something she didn’t catch. She Zartsi, and the rich hangings smoothing the His arms were like iron as they grasped her felt herself begin to fall, locked in his iron grip. shoulders and pressed down. Cold stone. Three Her own arms weren’t strong enough to push rough walls. seconds and she would be dead. him back. “So the woman has some fight in her,” She curled her hands into claws. Vitai So she pushed off with her feet and bent Rizzik said. “Good. I hate easy fights.” females grew pointed nails in their puberty her knees, letting Rizzik force her back. As that males lacked, hard spikes of gray enamel. He spread his muscular arms and crept she fell she swung her legs up, buried them sideways around the circle’s carved perimeter, She raked them through the silky skin of Rizzik’s


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 78

she rolled over and hauled herself to her feet.Milsu clapped her hands. “Enough. Lithralin Rizzik’s bare stomach, and extended them Her back protested with a twinge of agony.lian, let him rise. If you kill him your friend’s with all her strength. She hit Rizzik just below

victory is abrogated, and your lives are his lungs, forcing out his air, and his hands A cold silence had fallen over the councilforfeit.” tore away from her shoulders as they flew in chamber. Esheera waited on her knees as the opposite directions. eyes of the eight council members and several Esheera had spent enough time with Zartsi Esheera hit rough stone and rolled with the to see his reluctance as he stood, still holding guards drilled into her, and her heart seized up impact, scraping her shoulders raw. The painfor a moment. Could she trust Suto to honor an his blades ready to strike. He knocked Rizzik’s helped her focus, helped her claw her way back agreement? Or had she just sealed her deathknife away with a sullen kick before sheathing his own daggers and stepping back to stand by publicly shaming a council member? to her feet. Rizzik lay inside the circle, sucking beside Esheera. She couldn’t help smiling at the for breath. Esheera was on her feet before he “I he hovered over her, like a bodyguard. could recover, and the electric pain in her skull “Victory to the Nii,” Milsu repeated.way move we grant her the Jallinza right.” wasn’t enough to hold her back. She bounded Milsu narrowed her eyes and looked back into the ring, threw herself face down on Esheera turned to look up at them. One ofEsheera up and down. “Councilors? Is the right Rizzik, pinning his shoulders while she kept his the warrior councilmen looked as if he couldgranted?” hips down with her feet. Her legs were strong. barely restrain himself from launching a blade She hadn’t gotten across the deserts of Nihil into Esheera’s skull from his volgi. None of Silence answered her motion. One Suto—his with pure force of will. With them anchored on them looked happy. Milsu’s expression was no golden scarves and chains marking him as a his hip-bones, she could throw all her weight better than resigned. successful merchant—croaked loudly. “A fight, and strength onto his shoulders. and a dirty one at that. It means nothing. As Esheera had expected nothing more. Shemuch as I like to see Rizzik torn up...we don’t He recovered enough breath and strength could hardly bring herself to celebrate her own owe a shit to any Nii.” to strain against her. She absorbed the force victory. Under the terms of the Jallinza right she of his struggle on her arched back and rooted would have to fly her new ship under the Suto Fear tightened on Esheera’s heart for a legs. She held him for Jaggo. For the Nii clan name, with a substantial portion of any moment. Then she saw Milsu’s eyes narrow to clan. For Takeda. Even for Zartsi, who would profits due back to this enclave. Her clansmen slits as her head turned towards the merchant. probably slice several Suto to pieces before might never accept her again. “I can’t hear you, Pulqi. Repeat what you they got him out the airlock. If Rizzik threw her said.” off she would lose—she wouldn’t have enough Rizzik interrupted her thoughts. He got strength to defend herself. Rizzik was strong, to his feet, blood still dribbling from his torn Her words had all the hardness and effecand his strength was augmented by rage. wingflaps. It took Esheera a moment to notice tiveness of a blade held against his throat. The Esheera thought her spine would crack before the saw-edged knife in his hand. In the next merchant quailed, chains rattling, and defenthree seconds had rolled past. instant he lunged for her. sively curled his arms around his substantial belly. “I said...nothing, Councilor. You must be Milsu’s quiet voice almost didn’t register inAnother second and he was on the floor mistaken.” her ears. “Victory to the Nii.” again with nearly two hundred pounds of Lithrallian crouched on top of him, ivory daggers Milsu looked back to Esheera. “Is the right Her strength gave out and Rizzik hurled her poised to scissor his throat open. Zartsi’s granted?” she asked again. off a moment later. She landed on her belly and pointed teeth opened in a long, low hiss. “Do slid across stone that felt smoother than ice. Despite herself, Esheera felt her smile you wish to die?” Her head pounded and her limbs ached, but broaden as she heard the reactions of the


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 79

seven other councilors still seated. Muted “I just betrayed my clan. I’ll have toand fly red rock dust staining his clothing and his affirmations all around. Milsu seemed to hold under the Suto name now.” hands. He brought new rations sometimes, iron authority over the entire enclave. ate, said a few words, and then slumped down Zartsi shrugged. “You did what was onto his bed and fell asleep. He rarely turned for Takeda. For Empire, as well, if on his vidscreen, and when he did the programs She nodded, satisfied. “The Jallinza rightnecessary is Takeda told us truth. Rovers would have few were oddly horrifying. News reports delivered granted to Esheera Nii. Ratch?” places to retreat if Empire fell.” by grim-faced men in gray suits that centered The warrior stepped forward, his expresaround mining, production levels, honors given sion stony, as if he were fighting to hide his He spread his claws in the air before him. to particularly hard workers. Others programs true feelings. Esheera thought she knew what “My respect for you is not decreased.” showed the surface of Caulthor: a wasteland they were. of red stone, smoldering volcanic craters, and Esheera smiled. Now all she had to do was “Ratch,” Milsu continued, “I believe I canbuild a workable interstellar ship from scrapbleached white salt pans. There was apparently parts with her own hands and whatever helpa lot of water deep in the planet’s crust, but it trust you as a warrior of the Suto clan. Take four she could get from Zartsi. He could do the took enormous drilling rigs to bring it up. warriors you, in turn, can trust. I command you with the authority of the enclave council to heavy lifting, but she doubted a Lithrallian There were also wrestling matches between prince would have received much instruction ensure Esheera’s full access to our scrap yard miners dressed much like David—brutal ones on how a ship’s bowels were put together. and protect her against any harassment. With with blood spilled. Takeda saw a second or your lives if necessary. Am I understood?” two of one involving sledgehammers. Another She prayed to all the kind stars she could time he saw a few seconds of a fight between do it in time to save Takeda’s life. Rizzik’s jaw clenched. “Understood.” three men armed with spears and something that looked like a spider pieced together from As she was led out of the council chamber, # shards of glass. Takeda caught flashes of porsoaked in sweat and with blood growing cold on her claws, Esheera nearly collapsed against nography as David flipped through the dozen Takeda’s first days on Caulthor were agothe tunnel wall. Zartsi looped an arm around or so channels. David never watched them. nizingly similar to the long weeks he had spent her shoulders for support. “You are all right?” underneath the Gallant Snatch’s cargo bay The miner occasionally asked questions She breathed deeply to control her floor. He sat in complete darkness or slept on about him, about his past. Takeda decided that, David’s bed. The bed was a hard slab with a with what he already told David, there was hammering heart. “Well enough. But that was easily the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.” foam mattress, a pillow that felt like it was filled information which couldn’t hurt him—that he with sand, and a couple ragged blankets. The had worked at the colony casino on Belar, that place was too hot for the blankets. OccasionalZartsi cocked his head, blue eyes intent. he liked reading, that he had spent some time ly he groped his way into the other room to eaton Freedan and Coalsmoke, that he had known “But you won. And fighting was...impressive.” and drink, but could never satisfy his thirst— a Lithrallian and a Vitai. He only withheld his She smiled weakly. “Thank you, Zartsi.”David’s water ration was just barely enough missing memories, his powers, and the battles to keep both of them alive. His food consisted he had been through. That got nothing more than a grunt. As they largely of dry, tasteless bread, slightly spicy continued down the passage, following Ratch, pieces of some gummy protein, and similar David was voracious for whatever Takeda Esheera asked, quietly, “You don’t think less of stuff, all filling but not quite satisfying. could tell him about other worlds. About the me, do you?” moist jungles and green plants of Belar, about David stumbled in every night with gray the functioning of casino games and the logging “Why would I?”


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 80

industry, about the rain-slicked streets and colored dark gray, snugly fitting but not uncomthings have been boring since I lost Marta, smoky taverns of Freesail, about the crowdsfortable. of Takeda was almost glad to leave and I’m too old for them to give me another beings in hundreds of styles of clothing. Expebehind the sweat soaked shirt, vest, and pants wife. It’s not implausible. My friend is cozy riences Takeda considered commonplace—the he had been wearing for nearly a month. David enough with the Hands that he occasionally feeling of rain on his face, the taste of beef, the grunted and shouldered his pack. recommends transfers. I suggested to him that hum of hovercars gliding overhead—were new I might like to go to Installation 91 because of Then they stepped out into the street. its high casualty rate.” and strange to David. Takeda had only really lived for three years, and yet his experience Puffs of bone-dry dust rose whenever Takeda set his feet down, and the sky—no, the dome “And that convinced him?” vastly dwarfed David’s. He had known nothing covering the settlement—was a uniform pitchexcept the domes, concrete towns, and black “Maybe it would have. The kicker is how black. They had come out during Caulthor’s mines of Caulthor. I’m long night. Scarlet light panels mounted on iron getting you aboard the train down to 91. I About two weeks after Takeda had first poles cast red shadows against the concrete told him you were a Hand bastard who’d been dwellings lining the narrow roads. Deep rutskeeping yourself hidden for twenty-odd years arrived, David came home smiling. “Ready to had been worn into the ground by decades ofby drifting from one settlement to the next. leave?” he asked. vehicles grinding along the same paths. Call yourself Jack.” Takeda had been dozing on the bed, and

he blinked in the dull glow of the apartment’sDavid kicked the steel door of his apartment, “Jack...all right, sure. Why Jack?” once. “Eleven years,” he grunted. “Eleven years lights. “Now?” David shrugged. “Common name. The sort since my Marta died, and I’ve spent every one a bastard would take.” “The train leaves in five hours, and if we’re in that hole. I won’t miss it.” not on it, they’ll send a Hand looking for us.” He walked on for a few minutes before Then he turned and began to walk up the he added, “You don’t know what I’m talking Takeda stared at him. “Leaves for where?” street with a quick, deliberate pace. Takeda about, do you?” jogged to catch up with him and walked at his “Installation 91. An iron-mining city eighty side. It felt strange to stretch his legs, to walk “I’d be lying if I said I did.” miles from the Lord’s fortress. I’ve mentioned farther than the distance from David’s bed to it to you, haven’t I?” his cupboard. “Right. Well, the Hands...they don’t have much compunction what they do with our “Yeah.” “How did you manage this?” he asked. women, although they tend to stay away from the married ones. They’re not half as fertile “Well, I’ve been transferred. And I’m “Well, two main things. I know one of the as normal men, though—children from them taking you with me. Come on—I’ll explain your men in charge of my work zone—not a Hand, are rare. When they do sire a child, he has identity along the way.” but he works with them breathing down his Hand powers...or, at least, some of them. So neck. I’ve been suggesting to him that I’d like David took a battered satchel down from its generally they sweep them up and ship them to die pretty soon.” hook and threw his remaining food and water, to the Lord.” three polished pieces of blue stone, his tools, “I don’t blame you,” Takeda said. The dome four printed books, and a bundle of clothes Takeda grunted. “But it would be hard felt like a massive oven, slowly roasting every into it. He tossed Takeda a shirt and pants. to catch every pregnancy, especially among man and woman beneath it. “Change. Stuff your old rags under the bed.” married women...” A smile split David’s cracked lips. “Well, The shirt and pants were a coarse cloth “Right. So now and then they turn up a


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 81

Hand bastard who got loose, usually when David nodded brusquely to them as he fell away in a jagged cliff to his right, and far his powers come through somehow. Maybe slashed his card through a slot between twoacross a flat expanse of stone a range of dark they’re more unstable than the full-blooded red glow-strips. “What’s the bag for?” one ofmountains shattered the horizon. Ahead and Hands. You’re one who’s spent thirty years the guards shouted. to the left he saw faint lights like power indicaevading notice.” tors in a dark room, and faint outlines of mine Takeda hesitated for a moment, but Davidshafts and towering cranes and machinery and kept walking, not looking back. “I’m getting sheds. Farther away, towards the horizon, he They rounded a corner, and on the street ahead Takeda could see a horizon wheretransferred. Eat dust for me, Nate.” made out more domes, black lumps rising up the dome curved down to meet the ground. from the surrounding rock. And more mines. Takeda made out a patch of some lighter color Takeda swiped his own card. Neither of the Mines stretching to the horizon. guards made any objection. He kept his eyes against the midnight black of the dome. It took down and followed David out into the Caulthori “Nothing but bare rock and sand for miles,” him several minutes to realize that, for the first night. time in nearly a month, he was seeing open sky David said, quietly. “Some plants grow in through yawning gate set in the dome’s base. the cracks, but rain doesn’t happen often... The night sky was blacker than any Takeda Brighter yellow lights shone at the gate’s base. sometimes during winter nights. Not much had ever seen, and the stars were almost lives around here except rockworms and some “How does that get me onto a train?” painfully bright against it, gleaming like beads spiders. And it gets damned hot during the of mercury scattered across a plate of black days. That’s why we have domes.” David scratched his roughly shaved chin.strome. He could see color in some of them, tinges of red or cold blue or eerie yellow. He “Well, the Lord is picky about Hand bastards. I The track they followed took them straight paused for a moment, enjoying the feeling through the mines. Takeda couldn’t see much think he sees it as a failure when one turns up of open air and sky stretching above him. on the surface: deep shafts drilled into the after staying hidden for decades, and it doesn’t go well for the men in charge—I mean regular He realized only then how imprisoned hestone, with cranes crouched over them, ready men, not Hands. So when I told my friend that had been, first by the darkness and confinedto heave up crates of raw ore. There didn’t I had one nearly thirty years old on my hands... spaces of his voyage and then by David’s tinyseem to be much activity, but the wind carried he wants you out, and fast, so someone else apartment. The air was warm, but cooler than faint grinding and crushing noises to Takeda’s can deal with it.” he had expected. ears. Some sort of crawler rumbled by a couple hundred feet to their left. David pressed a rectangular card of warm, “Keep up,” David called back. “We need to smooth plastic into Takeda’s palm. “Swipe it arrive early.” “This is where I’ve worked for twenty-one through the reader. Try to look natural.” years,” David said. “These mines are older and They walked along a broad stone path deeper than you can probably imagine. They’ve A ten-foot steel fence with deep wheel lined on both sides with tiny red lights. It went grown by miles of tunnel since I’ve been here, ruts running under it stretched across most steadily downwards into the black landscape and we’ve pulled thousands of tons of iron out of the open gateway. David led him to one all around them. Takeda’s footsteps sounded of the rock. Refineries are on the other side of side, where a bulky card reader stood beside painfully loud to him in the dry, still air. A slight the town.” a narrower opening in the mesh gate. There breeze stung his eyes and lips with flecks of was also a guard post, lit up by the brightest dust. “You walk every day?” lights Takeda had yet seen on Caulthor. Two As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, men in black uniforms manned it. Automatic “They’ve got crawlers for some of the weapons, black as skitter chitin, gleamed in he saw more of Caulthor’s surface laid out workers farther out, along with temporary beneath the intensely bright stars. The ground their shoulder holsters. accommodations for the ones who do day-long


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 82

shifts at the outlying mines. And the workers A dark at bandana covered his entire face except But he had already been through so much, the hydroponic farms live on site.” for a narrow slit exposing his eyes. Steel plates from Belar to Nihil to here, and with any luck it covered his shoulders and he wore a sidearm, wouldn’t be the last thing he would endure for They turned to the left, skirting a holewith in a rifle strapped onto his back. His eyes Sherri’s sake. the stone the size of a trans-Imperial cargo flicked nervously across Takeda. “This him?” ship. Pale yellow lights trailed away down the Car Seventy-five was near the end of the side of the shaft, lighting up two elevator lines David nodded. “Yeah.” train, some distance away from those currently bolted into the rock. The mines seemed to go being loaded. David tried the door and found on forever, broken up by occasional buildings “He showed you his power?” it unlocked. He slid it open, straining with both of rough-cut stone and sheet iron. arms, and a blast of stale air washed over “He melted solid iron with his bare hands.” Takeda’s face. David pulled a small light out of This was David’s life. Stone, iron, darkness, The man grimaced. “Good enough. Youhis bag and flicked it on. The beam whipped and the cramped confines of his sparse over more crates, labeled with spray paint. didn’t tell him my name or rank?” apartment. Nothing but dry, bland food and lukewarm, bitter water. An endless cycle of “Get in and stay down,” David said. “My “Nope. Nothing the Lord could trace.” work and exhausted sleep, boredom alternatfriend should be by with some water for you, ing with intensely hard work in the mines and The man looked up at Takeda. He narrowed but you’ll have to do without food.” fear of Tong’s Hands. Even his wife had been his eyes slightly. “This is a borrowed uniform. Takeda chuckled dryly. “Don’t worry. I’m assigned to him. The life Takeda had led on I’m not actually a border guard, so you have used to it. I’ve been in deserts before.” Belar had been a paradise by comparison. Asnothing to tell anyone. Understood?” far as Takeda knew, the entire planet was like Takeda nodded. “I don’t plan to get David clapped him on the shoulder. “Good this, with men and women laboring in virtual luck, mate. Hopefully I’ll see you on the other caught.” slavery to pull metal and gems up from Caultend, but if not, I wish you all the best as far hor’s unforgiving crust. as rescuing your friend and crushing the Lord’s “You have been successful so far.” rotten skull.” And Sherri was in the clutches of the man The man looked back to David. “Car Sevenresponsible for this hell. Count Jezai Tong. ty-five is listed on the manifests as loaded, butTakeda stepped forward into the darkness, his footsteps alarmingly loud on the metal its half-empty. Get him back there while I grab The train lay between two massive loading floor of the train. “Thanks, David,” he said. “No some water.” docks. Heaps of metal crates piled in blocky matter how stupid I am, it seems like there’s pyramids stood out against the night sky, The man jogged away in one direction always someone there to help me out.” and Takeda spotted a handful of men driving while David led Takeda in another. “To answer gravity lifters to load some of the cars toward your question,” he said, “I’ll be riding in the David shrugged. “You’re still going to the train’s rear end. A few dim lights showed passenger car up front. You’ll be packed in die. But then, all of us keel over eventually... Takeda that the cars were purely utilitarian, with the cargo. Sorry I couldn’t do better, butwhether it be from a rock fall, the Lord’s men, with only long slits near the top of the wall to it beats three thousand miles of desert and or just our own bodies giving out. Good luck serve as windows. glasspiders.” again, Takeda.” “Where are we riding?” Takeda asked. Takeda cringed inwardly, dreading the David’s friend handed him a cube-shaped thought of returning to close spaces and intoljug of water which he passed in to Takeda. Before David could answer, a man in a pale erable heat after this glimpse at the open sky. It weighed maybe six pounds, with enough uniform ran out of the darkness ahead of him.


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 83

empty room for the liquid to slosh around. question, and another moment to remember.could do for you.” The officer muttered a few words to David, Her first attempt at an answer came out as a the two exchanged a handshake, and then he raw croak. She swallowed heavily, wetting her Her fingers gently kneaded Sherri’s flesh, her touch gentle, comforting. “Do you know vanished. throat with saliva, and made another attempt. why...Count Tong has you?” “Sherri,” she said, able to understand herself. “Can’t say I’ll be sorry never to see him Sherri shook her head, feeling fresh tears again,” David said. “Try not to move around The faint noise of fabric rustling on stone well up. They had shaved her head again, premuch. Save your water. My friend is going to came from just in front of her. She lowered her venting her hair from growing longer than a try and keep this car from being searched, but hands again, and this time she was able to make if there is an inspection anywhere along the out a woman with flowing black hair sitting infuzz. “I don’t know him. Who?” line, just lay low—they won’t search every carfront of her, deep blue skirts spreading around “The ruler of the Vodrune province. He is... thoroughly unless they’re looking for someone her like a pool of still water. Sherri sobbed at he’s the man holding you now.” in particular. And they probably won’t bring the sight of that dress. It seemed like the most Hands.” beautiful thing she had ever seen. “Hate him.” Takeda looked up at the stars one last time “Sherri,” the woman asked. “Will you The woman laughed softly, but even Sherri as the door slammed shut, leaving him in hot,promise not to tell my name to anyone else?” could tell there wasn’t any real humor there. dry darkness once again. “I think everyone who knows his name hates Sherri jerked her stiff neck in a nod. The him. I think he hates himself.” woman’s face smiled. “Very well. I’m Liun. I...I # suppose you could say that I live here.” “Do you know why?” The woman came to Sherri’s cell again, She waited a moment, as if expecting a “I don’t. I can’t understand most of what some infinite time after the first brief visit. The response from Sherri. When none came, shehe does. But if he were going to kill you or hurt light of the hall outside blinded Sherri once asked, “Where are you from?” you, he would have done it already.” again, and she frantically rubbed her streaming eyes with the heels of her hands, hoping for a “Belar,” Sherri croaked. “Casino. I was...She stood up then. “I’ll come back later, brief glimpse of her visitor. waitress.” and we’ll talk more. I’ll see...maybe I can see that you get more food.” “I’m sorry it’s been so long,” the woman “Belar...that’s a colony planet in the Canghi said, her voice soft and sweet. “But I think I province, isn’t it? Only limited development Sherri wiped her eyes again to see the can stay a little longer now.” for now, but two or three substantial towns.” woman climbing a set of rungs that had emerged from the stone wall beside the high-set door. Sherri blinked her eyes. Hot tears still “Yes. I lived there.” As she left, Sherri finally got a good look at her blocked out her vision, but she got a glimpse face. She was gorgeous—pale skin the color of a figure in colored cloth descending the dark The woman was silent for another long of ivory, blue eyes like stars captured in flesh, surface of the wall. Color—Sherri had almostmoment, and for a moment Sherri was afraid gentle features. The woman turned and smiled she would leave. Then she felt a cool hand forgotten that color existed, here in the eternal to Sherri. grip her bare shoulder. She recoiled from the blackness. Blue, she thought, deep, dark blue. touch, alarmed, pressing her naked back into Then the door closed again, and darkness the wall. Feet that weren’t Sherri’s stepped lightly resumed its reign. on the polished floor. “What’s your name?” “Please don’t be afraid,” the woman said, It took her a few moments to understand the voice low and soft. “I wish there was more I


Issue 43, May 2008


Pg. 84

Sean T. M. Stiennon Sean is an author of fantasy and science connovelsandshortstories,withmanypublica ons under his belt. His rst short story collec on, Six with Flinteye, was recently releasedfromSilverLakePublishing,andhe won 2nd place in both the 2004 SFReader. com Short Story Contest and the Storn Cook Razor-Edged Fic on Contest with his stories “Asp” and “ The Sultan’s Well,” respec vely. “ The Sultan’s Well” has been published in the anthology Sages and Swords. Sean’s short story “ Flinteye’s Duel” was published in Ray Gun Revival,Issue01,and “Flinteye’s Sabotage” waspublishedinIssue35. Sean’sworktendstocontainlotsofac onand adventure, but he o en includes elements of tragedy and loss alongside roaring battles. A lot of his work centers around connuing characters, the most prominent of whom is Jalazar Flinteye (Six with Flinteye). He also writes tales of Shabak of Talon Point (“ Death Marks,” in issue #9 of Amazing Journeys Magazine), Blademaster (“Asp,” 2nd place winner in the 2004 SFReader.com Contest), and others who have yet to see publica on. Sean loves to read fantasy and science con alongside some history, mysteries, and historical novels. His favorites include Tim Powers, Declare by the Memor y, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams, Stephen Lawhead’s Song of Albion trilogy, and King Solomon’s Mines byH.RiderHaggard.Hehasreviewed books for Deep Magic: The E-zine of High Fantasy and Science Fic on, and currently reviews books at SFReader.com.


Issue 43, May 2008

The RGR Time Capsule

Pg. 85

April 2008

Sci-Fi news from the RGR Date: April 09, 2008

To get rich o pirates, copy them

Ray Gun Revival forums

RGR Date: April 10, 2008 Ge ng closer to more V projects?

RGR Date: April 18, 2008 Ender’s Game lm news

http://raygunrevival.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=1883 http://raygunrevival.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=1880 http://raygunrevival.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=1892

h p://www.boingboing.net/2008/04/09/ pirates-dilemma-auth.html

h p://io9.com/381714/wolfgang-peterson-o -enders-game

Ma ’s spiel is great, and for the rst 30or-so minutes, I found myself just nodding along as he expressed -- eloquently and deligh ully -- things I’d heard others like Lessig, Barlow (and me!) say. But then he got to his kicker, and I sat up, electri ed: “The best way to pro t from pirates is to copy them.”

You can forget your dreams of a Das Boot/Enemy Mine-style version of Orson Sco Card’s classic novel Ender’s Game. Director Wolfgang Peterson, previously a ached to the project, has moved on, producers tell io9. Charto Produc ons is busy mee ng with a slew of poten al directors for the Ender’s movie, which they hope will start lming by early 2009. But who will play child prodigy Ender?

This is one of those eloquent li le apho risms -- like Tim O’Reilly’s “The problem for ar sts isn’t piracy, it’s obscurity” -that just nails it. Pirates are out there g uring out all the ways that products and services might catch on, outside of the realm of the managed, slow-moving corporate environment. It turns out that there’s a market for DVDs sold on blankets on Canal Street; that the public likes using BitTorrent even if it starts slow and doesn’t stream; that there’s a bo omless appe te for short, embeddable clips, and that the audience wants to do all the work of selec ng, conver ng, uploading and tagging them.

We’re in the process to do a remake of the original mini-series rst as a theatrical feature, which I’m so jazzed about because it will give me an opportunity to really realize it and execute it in a way that was impossible to do back then. Then that will lead to the obvious sequel, because it is a franchise, and then we’ll get into The Second Generaon and I’m hoping we’ll be able to do two movies, because there’s certainly enough material in the novel to warrant two separate sequels. That’s my goal at this point and Maybe we should be hos ng BitTorrent verthat’s what we’re in the process of doing. I sions of RGR. I put the torrent for the Deep just literally came from a mee ng, 15-20 Magic library out there years ago, and see minutes ago with a fellow in Beverly Hills it’s s ll oa ng around. who really says that we’re gonna do it.


Producer Lynn Hendee was mum on possible cas ng for the movie’s lead role. “We all have our favorites, but it is crucial for the new director to weigh in on that.” But she did reveal that author Card has nished a dra of the script and is “already working to make it even be er.” Hendee predicts that much of the lm will be shot on a sound stage. “Ender’s Game requires an extended pre-produc on due to the many visual effects.” And by visual e ects we hope they mean shoo ng the o -the-wall ba le school zero gravity scenes.

Issue 43, May 2008

Ray Gun Revival magazine, Issue 43, May 2008

Recommend Documents