Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 24, June 15, 2007
Pg. 3
Within the last couple of weeks, I’ve had the sameconversaon with several writers. Now, I didn’t learnanything new, but the conclusion was reinforced:writers are needy lile cusses. We crave feedback.We’ll crawl naked through shards of glass to get it. Er,well, some of us will. I can’t claim to speak for everycon writer out there.And, as an editor, I’m the same way about this ‘zine. Ilove to hear what folks love about it, and what faultsthey might nd with it (assuming they’ll dare, she says,pang her ray gun).So if there’s a story you really like, take a few momentsand send an email to that author. If you can’t nd anemail address, send it to the RGR editors, and we’llforward it. Or post to our forums. Same with the ‘zine.Let us know what you like and don’t like; we have broadpowers, but the one thing we all unked in the Beyondthe Rim College for Overlords was mind-reading.All right—leaving needy cusses behind, let’s moveonward with full forward momentum, and introducethis issue’s stories.S. A. Miller gives us
Stupid Computer
:
An arcial intelligence is used by a hunter of people.
Tanner paed his chili-red Mustang. “Open up.”The car did nothing.“Open sesame.”The car sll did nothing.“Stupid A.I.” Tanner lied the door handle. As he did,the handle validated his identy, and it unlocked thedoor.Beige leather squeaked as the bucket seat moldeditself to Tanner’s preference. He pressed a buon.The dashboard swallowed the steering wheel, and a joysck emerged from the armrest. The head and bareshoulders of an elegant brunee appeared on thedashboard screen where the steering wheel had been.Tanner scowled at her. “Why didn’t you open when Iasked?”“I’m not made to open. I’m made of closed circuitry.Dust does bad things to electronics like me. Don’t eventalk to me about magnets—”
Next we have Part Two of
Eight Arms of Death
byJohn M. Whalen.
Jack Brand journeys to Nemuria, a city at the boom of the Tulon Inland Sea, where he meets a doomed raceof people and an evil high priest who rules the city in fear of an ancient evil that dwells at the boom of theBlack Gorge.
Something—a movement above him perhaps—alertedhim to danger. He ashed the radium torch up intothe water over his head. The beam struck somethingbig and dark, darker than the water all around him.Suddenly a nightmare descended. A bulbous sack,big, so-looking, and almost shapeless fell towardhim. The torch lit a hideous red eye that glared in rage.Eight huge tentacles ared out and Brand’s hair stoodon end as he realized that he was looking at the largestocto-pod he had ever seen.
The Sky Pirate: “Assembling The Crew”
by JohneCook
A disgraced captain, a wedding, an amazon with awicked sharp knife, a pilot named Eggplant, and thelong-awaited explanaon of how Flynn survived the fall o the cli. This chapter is about the end of thebeginning, and the beginning of real adventure asCooper Flynn assembles his legendary crew.
He ordered ale and was liing it to his lips when ashadow fell over his mug. He lowered it again andlooked into the eyes of Pey Ocer Baskins. “What dowe have here? Looks like somebody’s outside the wallswithout the protecon of the academy.”Flynn lowered his mug. “Pey. Ocer Baskins.”Baskins leaned into Flynn’s space. “You don’t have yourpet giant to defend you this me, Traitor.”Flynn looked around the room and saw a good vepeople with Baskins, each looking like they madeup for their lack of educaon with hard living and asingle-minded devoon to the one paying them. Flynndecided this would be a bad me to use the ‘you andwhat army’ comeback.
Overlord’s Lair