Ray Gun Revival Magazine, Issue 28

Issue 28 August 15, 2007
Pg. 2
Ray Gun Revival
Table of Contents
Overlords (Founders / Editors):
Johne Cook, L. S. King, Paul Christian Glenn 2 Table of Contents
Venerable Staff:
3 Overlords’ Lair
A.M. Stickel - Managing Copyeditor 5 The Walking Stick
Shannon McNear - Lord High Advisor, grammar consultant, listening
ear/sanity saver for Overlord Lee
by Lawrence Buentello
Paul Christian Glenn - PR, sounding board, strong right hand 9 No Revolution Is Too Big
L. S. King - Lord High Editor, proofreader, beloved nag, muse, by Mike Lynch
webmistress
Johne Cook - art wrangler, desktop publishing, chief cook and bottle
18 Featured Artist: Alex Ruiz
washer 21 The Adventures of the Sky Pirate
Chapter 14, Alacrity Under Way
Slushmasters (Submissions Editors): by Johne Cook
Scott M. Sandridge
John M. Whalen 31 Memory Wipe, Chapter 14
David Wilhelms
Shari L. Armstrong
Broken Men
Jack Willard by Sean T. M. Stiennon
Serial Authors: 42 The RGR Time Capsule
Sean T. M. Stiennon
John M. Whalen
August 1 - August 14, 2007
Lee S. King
Paul Christian Glenn
Johne Cook
Cover Art: “Workships” by Alex Ruiz
Without Whom... Bill Snodgrass, site host,

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Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007
Pg. 3
Overlords’ Lair
W elcome to Ray Gun Revival, Issue 28. No Revolution Is Too Big by Mike Lynch
Contrary to what you might have heard, I
The Walking Stick by Lawrence Buentello
have not been spending all my time vaporizing Fiction collides with reality when a cynical alien What if the creation of artificial genius is too
planets. Some I merely reduced in size, so their offers a failed writer the chance of a lifetime. perfectly achieved?
local solar systems can reclassify them. We all Matt grabbed the sliding door handle and “What about Solomon?” Tomlinson said. “I
must have our little pleasures, mustn’t we? pulled it open, leaving just enough room for just spoke to Connelly at the labs yesterday
Returning to America from across the pond was him to slip through. As his left foot stepped and he told me Solomon was doing fine.”
sorrowful; I fell in love with a beautiful land onto the deck, the yard suddenly went “Yes, I know,” Martin said. “Solomon’s
and had to leave it behind. So it was exciting dark. been revising the Oberon files. Drafting
to find this issue’s stories all ready for me. Nice Backing up against the glass, Matt improvements on the design.”
to know Overlord Phy was busy during my instinctively raised his bat. “What in the
absence, wading through the slushpile to look world is that?” To his astonishment, he saw “So?”
for gems. I enjoyed reading them all. a strange looking object sitting in the middle Tomlinson had been reluctant to come to
Overlord’s Note: The Slushmasters slog through of the yard. It was smooth, cylindrical in Martin’s office; now that Martin was no
the slushpile; I just pick off the low-hanging shape, but without any visible markings or longer considered the most brilliant mind
fruit that remains from their labors. They do windows. in the corporation he’d lost the ability
the thankless gruntwork and I reap the glory. Then something like a door began to move to easily capture the attention of senior
It’s a system. ; ) upward. A brilliant white light illuminated management. Even though he’d been the
Not to slight any of the other stories, but this a figure standing in the newly created project’s chief scientist; even though he’d
offering of The Sky Pirate was especially exciting. opening. Matt gripped the bat just a little practically given birth to Solomon—
It really takes to the air. tighter. “His improvements are what’s disturbing
Author’s Note: I didn’t pay her to say that. I me.”
blame jetlag. “Aren’t you pleased that he’s refining your
design?” Tomlinson said. His expression
betrayed his annoyance. “Is it a matter of
propriety? Surely he could only do wonders
for the program—”
“No,” Martin said. “I’m sure he could do
wonders. Absolute wonders. That’s not the
problem.”

Pg. 4
The Adventures of the Sky Pirate, Chapter 14: Memory Wipe, Chapter 14: “Broken Men” by
“Alacrity Under Way” by Johne Cook Sean T.M. Stiennon
The Sky Pirate takes off—literally. Takeda and his companions meet old enemies.
Flynn and Mr. Pitt locked eyes. Suddenly “What’s going on out here? Is there water
grim, Flynn said, “If you’d just lost your yet?” a voice said from behind him.
technologically miraculous, one-of-a-kind
air ship, what would be the first thing you’d Takeda knew that voice. Suddenly he felt
do?” cold in the oven-like heat of the chamber.
His senses snapped into crystal clarity as
Mr. Pitt shook his head slowly. “There’s he turned. Every odor in the room crashed
nothing fast enough in the fleet to catch it. on his nostrils and he saw motes of dust
I’d probably try to shoot it down before it swirling in the reddish light.
got away in the first place.”
A man stood in a dark doorway across the
“And how would you do that?” room. For a moment, Takeda wondered if
he had misheard—this man wore a dark
Mr. Pitt said, “I’d start with a catapult and leather vest, white shirt, tight-fitting black
flaming oil, if I had it. Otherwise, any ready pants, all of them stained with grime,
cannon would do.” dust, and blood. Nothing like his polished
Flynn tapped his index finger against his police uniform. But that pale, aristocratic
temple in grim agreement. He called over face, framed by midnight-black hair, was
to the ship’s ensign, recently recruited unmistakable.
from the Haddirron Navy. “Mr. Gillings, do Brian Vass recognized him a moment after
you spy any sign of cannon?” their eyes met. “Croster...” he hissed.
Gillings stepped briskly to the railing and
gingerly peeked over the edge. “There are
two cannons further up the pier. Captain, L. S. King
they’re running toward them right now!” Overlord, RGR

The Walking Stick by Lawrence Buentello Pg. 5
The Walking Stick

by Lawrence Buentello
Dr. Raymond Martin stood by the terrarium so he turned away from the display and sat in react to his suggestion? He’d decided to use
containing the motionless insect, fascinated by the chair behind his desk. Papers lay strewn the term project termination, which seemed a
the creature’s mimetic design. When he was a before him. Reports. little less personal—but, in the end, it was still
child in Texas, he’d hunted through the brush synonymous with murder.
and trees for alligator lizards, garter snakes, “Solomon’s been revising the Oberon files.
and walking sticks—his love of science and Drafting improvements on the design.” “Do you know the basis for this project?”
nature were the only things in life that ever Martin said at last.
“So?”
mattered to him. “I know the specifics of the grant,”
Tomlinson had been reluctant to come to Tomlinson said. He wasn’t a scientist, but he
“It’s about Solomon,” he said after a Martin’s office; now that Martin was no longer was a very good administrator. “The technical
moment. Impulsively, he tapped the terrari- considered the most brilliant mind in the cor- details are beyond my training, but you already
um’s glass wall with an unsteady hand. poration he’d lost the ability to easily capture know that. As I understand it, the basis of this
George Tomlinson straightened in his chair. the attention of senior management. Even project is the belief that genetic manipulation
Tomlinson was Vice-President of Technical though he’d been the project’s chief scientist; can greatly enhance human intelligence. And
Affairs for the corporation, and had been even though he’d practically given birth to the greater an individual’s intelligence the
against the Oberon Project from its inception. Solomon— greater human achievement becomes. Or am
But now, years later, the profitability of the I mistaken?”
“His improvements are what’s disturbing
project was coming to a remarkable fruition, me.” “No, you’re quite right. We’ve used
and Tomlinson’s skepticism had been replaced
by an exuberant optimism. Though Martin computer generated paradigms to achieve
“Aren’t you pleased that he’s refining
hoped that a vestige of that skepticism still that end, of course.”
your design?” Tomlinson said. His expression
remained. betrayed his annoyance. “Is it a matter of Tomlinson sat up straight in his chair. “Ray,
propriety? Surely he could only do wonders what’s this all about? I don’t have time for
“What about Solomon?” Tomlinson said. for the program—” games.”
He was a small man, with a finely contoured
beard and small, sharp eyes. “I just spoke to “No,” Martin said. “I’m sure he could do “I’m sorry for the circuitous conversation,
Connelly at the labs yesterday and he told me wonders. Absolute wonders. That’s not the but it’s not easy admitting that you made a
Solomon was doing fine.” problem.” mistake.”
“Yes, I know,” Martin said. He tapped the “Problem?” Tomlinson began stroking his “Mistake? What mistake?”
glass again until the insect exposed its cam- beard nervously. “What kind of problem could
ouflage by moving its antennae. Until that there possibly be?” “The mistake I made in creating Solomon.”
moment it had appeared to be just another
dry twig among the rocks and leaves. He Martin faltered. He’d rehearsed the conver- Tomlinson seemed not to know whether to
remembered how difficult it was to find them sation repeatedly, but now he couldn’t force smile or frown. Instead he said, “What in the
in the woods. But the thought disturbed him, the words into the air. How would Tomlinson hell are you talking about?”

“Before you say anything else, I’d like you to Martin leaned over the desk and spread And all in a year, Ray?”
listen to what I have to say.” his hands imploringly. “Solomon’s brain is not
like yours or mine. It’s a perfected structure, a “I know.”
Tomlinson’s face relaxed into a neutral refined structure, capable of abstract thought
expression. “Explain,” he said simply. “Solomon learns at an accelerated rate. He’s
unhindered by the haphazard design of normal mastered physics, chemistry, and biology, he’s
evolution. I removed the natural obstructions learned enough
Martin inhaled deeply and leaned back in from his brain, I refined his neural pathways so agency, and nowengineering to advise the space
his chair. he’s learning as much about
his cognitive functions were unobstructed by medical science as any doctor who ever lived.
“When I first conceived the Oberon project,” primitive barriers. And that’s where I made the What’s next? Biochemistry? Pharmaceuticals?
he said, “I had one goal in mind. And that was mistake.” Think of what he could do for medicine—”
to design a human being with enhanced neuro- “What mistake?”
logical processes that would increase his intel- “No,” Martin said, still studying the motion-
ligence exponentially. That was many years ago. Martin, unable to silence his nerves, less insect. “Now he’s focused on the Oberon
I had to wait to actually begin the project until rose from his chair and turned away from project itself. I’ve seen some of the computer
the moral question of genetic manipulation Tomlinson. He walked back to the shelf holding generated mapping sequences he’s devised,
was more socially acceptable. And many more the terrarium. The walking stick had changed though I can’t say I fully understand them. They
before I found sufficient financial support. Even positions in the foliage and was now hiding must be ten times as complex as the designs I
after the project was initiated I had to endure beneath a large gray leaf. used to create Solomon.”
countless court challenges to the legality of the
procedures. We didn’t even know if the DNA “I knew I had to redesign the cerebral cortex “And that’s a concern for you? I’d think you’d
paradigms we generated would prove success- in order to enhance Solomon’s intelligence. The be ecstatic that he was refining your work. But
ful for another ten years. Of course, they were animal experiments provided some impres- you’re acting like it’s a crime.”
more than successful.” sive results, but the human brain is the most “No, not a crime. But dangerous.”
complex organ on earth. In this kind of genetic
“All that is ancient history,” Tomlinson said. game I knew I would have only one chance to “How?”
“You must know that everyone appreciates succeed before the program would fail under
your efforts.” the stress of popular opinion. So I wanted to Martin turned to face the Vice-President
Martin smiled gently. “But I didn’t appreci- and would succeed beyond anyone’s expec- and Technical
make certain the computer design was perfect, of Affairs, ambivalent certainly,
more than a little frightened. What if he
ate my efforts. I didn’t realize the evolution- tations. The design was perfect. And so was was wrong? Could he have misinterpreted
ary leap I was making. I didn’t realize how Solomon. But I didn’t realize what my success Solomon’s new schematics?
advanced the paradigms were until Solomon would mean. I didn’t understand what might
began working on our projects. He’s a genius. happen if the thought processes were signifi- He said, “George, how old is Solomon?”
He’s more than a genius.” cantly freed in the human brain.” “Eleven years next month, I believe. Are you
“But wasn’t that your intention? To design a concerned about him because you think of him
“And what does it mean?” Tomlinson said.
new level of human intelligence?” “Solomon has become the best scientist we as a child? Is that what this is about?”
“Yes, but not to this extent.” have. He’s advanced countless projects that
would have taken years to advance with our as “No. And, believe me, I don’t think of him
a child. What I’ve observed of his habits
“What extent?” current staff, and in five different disciplines. indicates something else entirely. He doesn’t

associate with other people aside from the better suited to a particular environment children born with advanced mental capacities.
staff he works with. And he doesn’t have much tends to dominate that environment over Don’t you see? In five years Solomon could
to say to me anymore, either, and I’m as close other species. Sometimes multiple organisms produce a mature population of mentally
to a parental figure as he knows. No, he’s not can co-exist in a given environment, but when enhanced human beings. A population of
a child, not in the way we think of children. I that environment has limited resources the geniuses.”
think it’s time we started considering him much competition is usually decided by the better
more than a child.” equipped organism. Now, the reason human Tomlinson’s eyes betrayed his thought pro-
beings dominate the earth is irrefutably cess—Martin could see the realization come
“All right, what should we consider him?” because of their intelligence. But Solomon is over the man’s expression, but then fade into
the better suited species, George. And as that a professional indifference that was undoubt-
“A mistake.” edly born from the profound profitability that
young boy grows older I don’t think he’s going
to be content to co-exist with a lesser species.” indifference could provide.
Tomlinson stood abruptly and straightened
his coat. “Ray, I think you need a vacation. How “I don’t know what made you think I’d
“You are crazy,” Tomlinson said, though
could you call your own project a mistake?” He believe any of this,” Tomlinson said. He reached
Martin could see something else in the man’s
shook his head and laughed uneasily. “You of for the doorknob without taking his eyes from
eyes, perhaps a grudging realization of the
all people should appreciate what Solomon Martin. “But I don’t. For some reason you can’t
possibility that he was correct.
has done for this corporation. And what he’ll handle the fact that a boy is taking your project
continue to do for us, and for humanity.” “I created Solomon without realizing how to heights you can’t even began to imagine, and
effective the design was,” Martin said. “Half you’re trying to turn the rest of us against him.
“He’s not interested in humanity.” my work was simple good luck. But Solomon You’re paranoid, Ray. And don’t believe for a
Tomlinson raised his hands in the air in mock doesn’t have to worry about luck. He knows minute that I won’t report this conversation.”
surrender. “This is crazy. I’m not sure what’s exactly what he’s doing. And while he keeps
everyone in the corporation happy with his Tomlinson opened the door.
set you off on this delusion, but I suspect it
probably has something to do with Solomon’s mechanical designs, I believe he’s really only “You don’t understand,” Martin said. “We’re
improvement of your work. If you think I’m concerned with the Oberon project. I think he’s idiots to Solomon. How could we possibly trust
going to remove him from any of the projects come to understand who he is by now, what he our well-being to someone who thinks of us
he’s working on because you’re jealous of his is, and I believe he’s making provisions for the that way? Humanity has a limited social envi-
success, then you’re crazy.” future.” ronment. How would we ever know for certain
“What has he done?” Tomlinson said. “What whether his work would benefit us or destroy
Tomlinson turned toward the door.
could possibly make you suspect him?” us?”
Martin hurried to the door and grasped
“I studied some of his experimental models, “Stay away from the boy,” Tomlinson said
Tomlinson’s arm. Tomlinson stared at Martin’s
and some of them had nothing to do with before stepping through the doorway. “I don’t
hand as if it were an apparition.
neurology. He’s produced a computer simula- want you upsetting him.”
“What do you think you’re doing?” tion of a new genetic design. I don’t believe he Dr. Ray Martin stood alone in his office.
meant for me to see it, but I did. And within it
“Please, listen to me for one more minute.” he’s matched physical maturation with mental He wondered why he’d bothered consulting
Martin released Tomlinson’s coat when he was maturation, which means that he intends to Tomlinson at all. But he needed one reassuring
certain he had the other man’s attention. “In accelerate the physical maturation of any new voice to tell him that his reasoning was correct,
most cases of evolutionary biology the species his fears justifiable. Now he was certain he

would be effectively removed from the project.

And why not? He couldn’t hope to produce as
Lawrence Buentello
successful results as Solomon. He was already
useless to the project. He should have killed Lawrence Buentello lives in San Antonio,
the boy himself—but, really, what good would Texas. When not writing or reading, he
that have done? They already knew how suc- works in the Reference department of
cessful the design had proven to be; surely they
would only create another Solomon. Or several an academic library in San Antonio. He
more Solomons. The financial incentives were is the co-author (along with his brother,
unquestionably lucrative. No, Pandora’s Box John Buentello) of the short story
had been opened, and Martin had forged the collection Binary Tales, and the science
key.
fiction novel Reproduction Rights.
He walked back to the terrarium. The
walking stick sat aligned on a twig, its antennae
twitching briefly. No, he thought, not right away.
Solomon would first disguise himself within
his environment to prevent the other species
from destroying him. He would pretend to be
concerned with the welfare of humanity. But
once he had sufficient numbers to support
his cause, it would soon become a matter of
attrition.
He wondered, too, what he might do in the
few years he had left.

No Revolution Is Too Big by Mike Lynch Pg. 9
No Revolution Is Too Big

by Mike Lynch
M att Rogers picked up his backpack and

hurried out the door. He thought this
would be a class for some easy credits, but
next week. A solid score will bump up your
average.”
Matt stared at the screen trying to find just
the right word. The cursor sat there, blinking
at him, as though mocking his latest round
he could not have been more wrong. His two “It’s not the grade so much, but what of writer’s block. The longer he stared, the
failing papers were a frustrating reminder of Bohn said.” Matt retrieved his paper from his more his mind emptied. After re-reading the
that fact. backpack and read the professor’s comments. same paragraph for the umpteenth time, Matt
“It seems like you have something to say here, slumped down in his chair, frustrated.
“Hey, Matt. Wait up.” but it never really comes out. The reader is not
convinced that they are a part of the story. If Only one page written in two hours, he
He turned around and saw his classmate, you wish to involve them, you have to make thought. Maybe a short break might do me
Dan, running after him. the characters come alive and act in a way that some good.
is natural, not forced. Your paper doesn’t come
“I was thinking about goin’ for a Coke,” Dan He got up and went into the kitchen.
close to meeting these standards.”
suggested. “How ‘bout you?” Combing through the cabinets and refrigera-
Dan just nodded as he bit into his tor, nothing looked appealing. “Just a bunch of
A faint sigh passed through his lips. “I sandwich. healthy junk,” he complained.
guess so. Anything sounds better than doing a
re-write on my paper.” “I always thought of myself as a budding Dejected, Matt went back to the family
writer,” Matt added, “but this has really set me room and skimmed through the TV Guide.
They went over to the Student Union and back.” There wasn’t anything worth watching, but he
set their packs on an empty table. After he paid turned on the television anyway. It was a good
for a soda, Matt sat down in his chair, dejected. Dan glanced down at his watch. His eyes excuse to stop working on his paper.
He still couldn’t get what the teacher had said widened. “I gotta get going! My next class starts
out of his head. in five minutes.” He grabbed his backpack and As the shows came on one after the other,
darted out the door. the dull glow emitted by the screen began
“What’s the matter?” Dan asked after to lull him to sleep. Just as he was about to
arriving with a tray full of food. “You’ve hardly “It was good talking to you too,” Matt said, drift off for good, a brilliant white flash filled
said a word.” sarcasm dripping off each word. the family room for an instant, followed by a
“I’m still thinking about what happened in muffled explosion.
After a few moments, he looked down at
class today.” his paper sitting on the table. It stared back at Matt bolted up, awake. Every one of his
him, red marks and all. He sighed again. It was senses heightened as his heart raced in his
Dan reached over and slapped him on the going to be a long night for them both. chest. He looked around, but everything
arm. “Hey, don’t let it get you down. A couple
of bad grades won’t make that much of a dif- seemed normal. Just to be on the safe side,
ference. Besides, the midterm is coming up # he went to the sliding door to check the back
yard. Pulling the drapes back with a jerk, Matt

could only see the half-finished barbeque pit Backing up against the glass, Matt instinc- Stelfson: Rescue Broker
near the overgrown lawn. tively raised his bat. “What in the world is
that?” To his astonishment, he saw a strange “No Revolution is Too Big”
It must have been lightning, he reasoned. looking object sitting in the middle of the yard.
Errant bolts were known to light up the night He looked up at the man standing before
It was smooth, cylindrical in shape, but without
sky from time to time when there were a few him. “Is this some kind of joke?”
any visible markings or windows.
clouds about. “No,” Stelfson replied. “I’m actually here to
Then something like a door began to move
As he closed the drapes again, a feeling of offer you a business proposition.”
upward. A brilliant white light illuminated a
heaviness descended on both shoulders. His figure standing in the newly created opening. Matt’s eyes drew together into narrow slits.
paper was waiting for him—unfinished. And Matt gripped the bat just a little tighter. “Business proposition. What are you talking
no amount of procrastinating was going to about?”
drive that fact from his mind. After a muted The figure, being, whoever it was, stepped
groan he sat himself back down in front of the onto the lawn. The person looked human “A backyard is not the place to discuss such
computer. enough. He was dressed in silvery tight-fit- matters. May we go inside?”
ting clothes, and appeared to be in his early
Just as he placed his fingers on the forties. Matt looked him over a second time.
keyboard, his backyard began to glow. At first, Stelfson seemed harmless enough. And if he
the ambient light was barely perceptible. But “You will not need that,” the visitor said in had miscalculated, the telephone was a whole
after a few seconds, the illumination grew in perfect English. In an instant, the bat in Matt’s lot closer in the house than in the yard. “Uh,
intensity, until it was blinding white. hands disappeared. yeah...I guess so.” He spun around and pulled
the door all the way open. When they walked
Matt froze, unable to move or speak. Near “What?” he asked, confused. “How did you into the family room, Matt motioned for his
the window, he saw a baseball bat leaning up do that?” guest to sit down.
against the wall. Summoning up all his strength,
he managed to lift his arm and take hold of it. “I’m disappointed in you,” the uninvited Stelfson just kept his spot, unmoving.
After drawing in a deep breath, Matt rose to guest said in a dispassionate tone. “I thought “Time is running short,” he said in the same
his feet and took a cautious step towards the you would have been somewhat friendlier. monotone as before, “and we need to depart
door. “Here goes nothing,” he whispered, and I guess I should have expected that from a as soon as possible. But before we do, I’m sure
then yanked the curtains back like before. human.” you have a few questions for me.”
Matt made a quick scan of the yard. The Matt looked the person over. “Who are “Who are you?” Matt asked without hesi-
intensity of the light, however, was such that you? And what is that thing doing in my yard? tation.
he could not make out anything recognizable. And where’s my bat?”
“Like the card says, my name is Stelfson.
Despite the alarm bells ringing in his head, A look of bemusement blossomed on the I come from the Southern Quadrant of what
he felt compelled to find out what was going man’s face. “Oh, that’s right. Your species is you call the Milky Way.” He stopped and gave
on. He grabbed the sliding door handle and terribly inquisitive, especially when fear is the family room a cursory glance. “It is quite a
pulled it open, leaving just enough room for the dominant emotion.” He pulled out a small bit different than this place. I was hired to help
him to slip through. As his left foot stepped white card and handed it to him. defend a race against the Coalition of Planetary
onto the deck, the yard suddenly went dark. Alliances who are waging a war against—”
In big black letters it read:

“Wait,” Matt interrupted. “You mean you’re continued. He pulled out another card. “Let’s “G-gold,” Matt stammered. He bent down
an alien from another world?” see...height, six feet. Weight, one hundred and touched it. It felt real enough.
and seventy-five pounds. Two arms, two legs,
“Of course I am,” Stelfson replied in a one head, and a spoken language. You do not A second flash of light caused the block to
tone that suggested he was offended by the possess telepathy, but you do fit the descrip- disappear.
question. tion.” Until now, Matt had no intention of going
“How long have you known about us?” “Description?” Matt asked, his annoyance anywhere with Stelfson. He figured the guy
finally beginning to spill over. “What are you was probably an escapee from a mental ward.
He shook his head. “I don’t know exactly... But how could a crazy person make gold appear
talking about?”
maybe several thousand years.” and disappear at the drop of a hat? No. What
“I’ve been hired to do a job, and I need your he could do proved that he was from another
“If you already knew about Earth, then why help to do it.” world, one willing to pay him handsomely for
haven’t you made contact before?” his services. “How long will we be gone?”
“But why can’t you do this job of yours. You
Selfson sighed. It seemed like what little look human enough.” “The two of us will return before you know
patience he had was wearing thin. “We it.” He checked his sleeve a third time. It was
discussed that proposition a few hundred of The corners of Stelfson’s lips turned blinking even faster than before. “But I must
your years ago,” he replied, “but it was rejected. upward, forming something of a smile. “My have your answer now.”
You’re a typical class G-4 species.” appearance is not what you think. It is merely
what you think you see.” Two flashing lights on The image of that golden block intercepted
Matt’s eyebrows drew together. “Class his sleeve near the cuff caught his attention. every contrary thought passing through his
G-4?” “It looks as though time has run out. We need head. It was just too tempting to resist. “All
“Oh...panic, mass hysteria, and predications to depart without delay.” right, I’m in.”
of doom. You know...the usual. Your society is “But you still haven’t said where we’re “Very good.” Stelfson spun around and
far too primitive to handle this sort of thing in going.” He stopped himself. “Wait, I can’t go hurried out the back door.
a thoughtful manner.” anywhere. I still have a paper to write.”
Matt saw the side panel open up on the
“If you’re so advanced, then why do you “Remember, I am offering you a business right side of the ship as it had done before. He
need the help of us primitive humans?” proposition,” Stelfson repeated. He looked swallowed hard before stepping aboard.
Stelfson went over to one of the book- back down at his flashing sleeve. “It is not used
as a currency where I come from, but we know The interior was brightly lit. There were
shelves lining the wall and picked up a dish filled
it’s something you humans greatly value.” two chairs towards the front, and a small rect-
with potpourri. He took a sniff and wrinkled angular-shaped window. Below the window
his nose. “Put yourself in my place. When the The uncertainty Matt was feeling must have was a control panel of sorts. There were just
other brokers find out about this, I’ll become registered on his face. three buttons, all colored red, and a sphere
the laughing stock of the business.” suspended above them.
“I’m talking about paying you. How does
Matt became indignant and let out a twenty-five pounds of gold sound?” There was Stelfson went over to the control panel
snort. a flash of light, and then a block of what looked pressed the central button. The door to the
“But I’m afraid I have no choice,” Stelfson like pure gold appeared on the coffee table. rear began to slide down, until it merged with

the rest of the ship. Stelfson reached down and pressed a Without any warning, there was a muffled
blue button Matt had not noticed before. A explosion from the rear. The vibrations
Matt took a step forward. “How does this small circular-shaped disk materialized out of dropped off at incremental levels, until it all
thing work?” nowhere. He positioned the ocular device at but ceased.
eye level and peered through it as though he
“It is so simple, even you humans could “I just love going through the inter-dimen-
was searching for something. Several moments
operate it,” Stelfson replied after taking the sional gateway,” Stelfson commented aloud.
later, he seemed to find what he was looking
chair on the right. “The two outer buttons turn “You never know what to expect.”
for. “There you are.” He made a slight course
the central star drive on and off, and the ball is adjustment. “We’ll reach the gateway in less
the directional guidance control.” “Nothing like a smooth, quiet ride, eh,
than a minute.” Stelfson,” Matt replied with a tinge of sarcasm
“Seems easy enough. Can I try?” in his voice. It was only then that he let go of
“What’s going to happen now?” Matt
asked, nervous. his chair.
“I don’t think so. You’re here to aid me, not
drive. Just hold on and keep quiet.” “I think the best part was when we were
Stelfson ignored the question. “You had
better hold on. The trip through the gateway temporarily caught between the gravity wells
With a simple press of a button, the star
can be a little bumpy.” of two neutron stars. If I had kept the ship in
drive came to life. The interior light dimmed the field just a moment longer, we would have
for a moment, followed by a pulsating hum. Matt found himself clutching his seat tight. been crushed into interstellar dust. Is this a
When Stelfson pushed the ball up, the trees great job or what?”
outside the window fell out of sight. In their Taking hold of the ball, Stelfson nudged it
place, a darkened sky with thousands of stars forward. The hum around them increased in Matt jumped to his feet. “Crushed?! Are
appeared. Strangely, Matt didn’t feel any sense intensity, as did the strength of the light filling you saying we were almost killed?”
of movement. It was as though the ship was the interior of the ship. Suddenly, everything
still planted firmly on the ground. went dark. Matt gripped the edge of his seat Stelfson pondered the question for a
even tighter than before. He then noticed the moment. “Yes, I guess I am. What of it?”
“How long until we reach wherever it is ship begin to shake. As the moments passed,
we’re going?” “You didn’t tell me anything about neutron
the vibrations grew worse. stars or getting crushed.” He began to pace
“In short order,” Stelfson replied. “Once I back and forth. “You make it sound like we are
Stelfson just sat in his chair, stone-faced.
open the inter-dimensional gateway, we’ll be on some kind of Sunday afternoon drive.”
His right hand moved the directional ball with
on our way.” a delicate touch, as though he was moving the “How do you think I feel? I’m forced to go to
“What’s an inter-dimensional gateway?” ship past unseen objects. Matt never felt more your miserable little planet and find a human
helpless in his life. to help me deal with a planetary uprising. The
“You don’t have to concern yourself about
Though he didn’t think it possible, the least little thing happens and you act like it’s
that. It’s not worth going into things you
shaking became even more pronounced. It the end of the world.” Stelfson paused and
couldn’t possibly understand.”
appeared to Matt that even Stelfson looked looked him over. “Definitely a class G-4.”
Even though the dig was aimed right at nervous. He laughed in his mind. If his host Matt knew he was getting nowhere. Rather
him, Matt decided it was probably better to let ever got nervous about anything, he would than trying to reason with him, he just folded
it pass. never admit it to him. his arms together and sat back down in his

chair, fuming. When he was calm enough to the ship, their scanners would pick me up for the only way?”
think rationally again, Matt said, “You still sure.” He leaned towards Matt. “This is where
haven’t told me what this mission is about.” you come in. The Coalition has a central records “Trust me,” Stelfson replied, an undeni-
complex deep inside Asteroid Prime. All you able measure of confidence in his voice. “You
“You humans are an inquisitive lot. I must need do is get in and alter the planet Helot file. should be in and out before anyone knows you
remember to figure out why one day.” He The result of this will make the planet quite were there.”
pushed the third button on the panel. Stelfson unattractive to the Coalition, I get paid...and
then swiveled his chair around and faced Matt We, Matt thought cynically. Seems like I’m
you go home.”
directly. “Since I am not required to change the one taking all the chances.
our trajectory for a while, I have locked the Matt sat back in his chair and crossed his Stelfson turned forward again and pressed
guidance control setting.” arms a second time. “Is that all? Well, why a blinking red light on the control panel. “This
didn’t you say so? While I’m there, is there
Matt tried to figure out Stelfson’s angle. is the Helot ship, Amek. Requesting permission
anything else I can do for you? Maybe fix a
There were no derogatory remarks, no hints to land.”
parking ticket or two.” He let out a snort. “This
of contempt. It was almost as if he was being is a suicide mission. You can’t seriously expect No response.
nice. me to waltz in, change a security file, and then
walk out again without anyone noticing.” Matt felt beads of sweat form on his
“As I mentioned before, the planet I forehead. He was certain the Coalition was
represent has rebelled against the Coalition. A look of contempt crossed Stelfson’s onto them.
The Helots are well aware of the services I face. “To think I am actually using a human to
provide, and so they hired me to resolve this complete a job I was hired to do,” he said to “Permission granted,” a disembodied voice
matter for them. They know I am someone himself. “If the other brokers find out about finally responded. “Proceed on your present
who gets results, quickly and efficiently.” this, I’ll never hear the end of it.” course. Landing pad three has been cleared for
your arrival.”
Matt’s curiosity turned into annoyance. A muted chime sounded three times.
“Then why do you need me?” Stelfson spun around in his chair and unlocked “Number three,” Stelfson replied.
the guidance control system. The floating
Stelfson shook his head. “I don’t really He maneuvered the ship over a vast number
sphere, which had disappeared when he set
need you. It’s rather what you are. My species of landing pads, until the one they had been
the ship on automatic, reappeared again.
is what you call a shape-shifter, though we assigned came into view. Gripping the maneu-
“Don’t worry,” he said while getting a fix on a
like to think of ourselves as hybrids—a strong vering ball just a little tighter, he pulled it down
distant object. “I’ll lead you every step of the
energy signature, but with a material base. This at a slow but steady rate, stopping when they
way.”
enables me to assume any form I choose. The came into contact with the landing pad. After
only problem is that the Coalition has quite a Stelfson grabbed hold of the ball and set the Stelfson shut down the main drive, he got out
file on me.” craft on an intercept course towards a rocky, of his chair and opened a panel near the rear
potato-shaped asteroid. As they approached, of the cabin. There, a small, silver sphere was
“So you’re a criminal,” Matt declared. Matt saw other ships in the vicinity. Some were suspended in the air. He grabbed the micro-
The corners of Stelfson’s lips pushed moving away from the asteroid, while others sized orb and brought it over to Matt.
upward, forming a smile. “Let’s just say I will were coming in for a landing on one of several
dozen numbered pads. He was beginning to “Fit this behind your left ear. It is kind of an
do well to keep out of their way. They have my
get a knot in his stomach. “Are you sure this is audio/visual transmitting device. It will enable
energy pattern on record. The instant I step off us to keep in contact with each other.” Stelfson

looked Matt over. “Jeans, tennis shoes, and “Can you hear me?” Stelfson asked in his on your right goes by, step off the mover.”
a button-down shirt will not do. You need to earpiece.
make yourself appear more like a Helot.” A light fixture above revealed not a
“Loud and clear,” Matt whispered. doorway, but a corridor coming up on him fast.
He extended his right hand. In an instant, That must be it, he thought quickly, and then
Matt’s clothes changed into a silver-colored “Good. Turn right and go down the corridor hopped onto the stationary walkway.
body suit, similar to Stelfson’s. “That’s much about thirty paces. There, you will reach the
better,” he commented after taking a step horizontal movers.” He was about to make his way down the
back. narrow passageway, when a shadowy creature
Matt peered down the hallway. “Horizontal stepped into the light. Whatever it was must
Matt rose to his feet and looked himself movers? What are those?” have been seven feet in height, and weighed
over. He wasn’t sure if it was a little too form- several hundred pounds. He raised one of his
“No need to explain,” Stelfson replied. That
fitting. arms on his side and prevented Matt from going
same tone of contempt had crept back into his past. “What is your business in this area?” the
Moving over to the middle of the ship, voice. “You will know what they are when you creature asked in a low, guttural voice.
Stelfson depressed a small plate on the floor. reach them.”
A square-shaped panel rose up and then slid Matt had to think fast. “Uh...” His mind
Cool stiff breezes blew on Matt from
horizontally, creating a small opening. “This is went blank.
different directions as he made his way down
where you get off,” he said. “A ladder below the corridor. At five-foot intervals, a light “Tell him you are here to make an early
will take you into an access way. If you follow fixture suspended above brought a certain installment of the money owed by the Helots,”
my instructions to the letter, we should be in level of illumination into what was otherwise Stelfson whispered in his ear.
and out before we’re detected.” a darkened tunnel.
Matt took a deep breath. Even though he “Yeah, that’s it,” Matt said. The guard bent
Without any warning, the floor underneath closer, throwing a dark shadow over him. “Uh,
was starting to have second thoughts about his feet began moving. “What in the world?” I mean they...umm, I’m here to make an early
the whole thing, there wasn’t much he could Caught off guard by the action, it was all he installment of money owed by the uh...the
do about it now. For all he knew, Stelfson had could do to keep himself from toppling over. uh...Helots.”
flown him to the other side of the galaxy. “Here
goes nothing,” he said before stepping into the “I told you,” Stelfson said in Matt’s ear. The guard grunted, and then moved aside.
opening. “You would know what the horizontal movers The opening he created was just big enough
are when you reached them.” He paused for a for Matt to slip through. As he hurried down
“Just remember you are a Helot. Try and moment. “Now, you are going to pass a number the hallway, he shot a quick glance over his
keep your human mannerisms to a minimum.” of doors on your right. When you arrive at the shoulder. “Man, that was close,” Matt exhaled.
“How am I supposed to do that? I don’t desired one, I will tell you to get off.” “I thought I was dead for sure.”
even know what a Helot is.” Matt didn’t reply. He figured it was best “Go straight for the door in front of you.
Before Stelfson could reply, Matt jumped if he didn’t say too much, act too human as That is the records room.”
down into the corridor. Several shadowy Stelfson had chided him. Instead, he just bided
figures moved past. Some of them did indeed his time, thankful for a quiet respite in the When he had gotten within a few feet of
look human, while others were quite different, middle of an unsettling situation. the door, it slid open on its own. Inside, the
reminiscent of the cantina scene in Star Wars. scene could not have been more different than
“You are getting close. When the next door

the corridor. Bathed in luminous white light, and slip it into the receptor.” Matt patted his pressed down on the blue button both times.
he saw an immense room filled with hundreds bodysuit with both hands. In the upper chest When the disk popped out, he slipped it into his
of people moving about in different directions. area, he felt a flattened, circular shape. “Put pocket, and then beat a hasty retreat towards
There were multiple floors, each one filled with it into the narrow slot below the screen. It will the exit.
thousands of what appeared to be computer activate the Coalition’s planetary database.”
terminal outlets. When his eyes adjusted to the darkened
Matt did as he was told. The screen, blue corridor, Matt saw the same creature was still
“Look for a unit that is not being used by at first, went dark, and then a listing appeared. there, blocking his way. “What do I do?” he
anyone.” Organized and categorized alphabetically, he asked.
scanned through the titles.
Matt made a slow turn so as not to draw “My instruments tell me additional guards
attention to himself. Over by the wall, he saw “This is a breakdown of the different are moving in your direction. Your only chance
dozens of people, some human, others not, chemical compounds found on the planet Helot. is to grab his weapon.”
placing some kind of polished metal disk into You’re going to insert one that is harmless to
narrow slots near the central display. “Those the inhabitants, but lethal to members of the “This is going to get me killed.”
are computer outlets, aren’t they?” Coalition. This will no doubt change their minds “Nevertheless, you don’t have any other
about occupying the planet.”
“Yes,” Stelfson replied. “Now get over to choice.”
one. You don’t have much time.” Matt had to admit, it was a clever idea. The alarms continued blaring in Matt’s
Matt stopped in mid-stride. “What do you “Turn the blinking red knob to the right. ears. There was no time to lose. He drew in a
mean I don’t have much time?” This will enter the new information. Once this deep breath and then tiptoed his way towards
happens, a blue button will start flashing. Press the guard. What looked like a weapon was
“The moment you stepped into the on it twice. When the disk pops out, get back nestled into a holster at his side. The problem
corridor,” he replied in an emotionless tone, to the ship.” was that one of his hands rested against it,
“receptor grids started analyzing your DNA ready to be pulled out in a moment’s notice.
signature. In short order, they will figure out “Piece of cake,” Matt said. And just like that, An idea popped into his head. Matt reached
you’re an outsider.” the blue button next to the red one started to up as far as he could go and tapped the guard
blink off and on at regular intervals. This crazy on the shoulder. Startled, the creature spun
“You mean they’ll know who I am?” plan just might work, he thought. around. Matt dropped down low and grabbed
his weapon. When the guard realized what had
“Not exactly, but close enough for our Suddenly, alarms began ringing all around happened, it was too late. He was staring down
purposes.” him. It was a high-low din that rattled Matt the business end of his own sidearm.
down to the bones. “What’s going on?” he
Matt did not try to argue. Every breath, asked after looking around. “How do I use this thing?” he asked.
every uttered word kept him from finishing his
job and getting out of there. “That’s just great.” “They know you’re here. Finish inputting “The same way you use your weapons on
He marched over to an unoccupied terminal. the data. It will take them a few minutes to Earth—just pull the trigger.”
His proximity to the electronic device seemed triangulate your precise location.”
to activate it. Matt’s finger found the curved piece of
Matt didn’t have to be asked twice. He metal and grasped it tight. There was a sudden
“There’s a disk in your pocket. Take it out

flash of light, and then the guard lying on the longer.” Then a horrible thought popped into say, though, for a human, you did all right.”
ground, unconscious. He wanted to bask in his his head. Now that the job was done, there
moment of triumph, but there was no time. In was nothing stopping Stelfson from leaving Matt accepted the compliment with a nod.
the distance, he heard voices shouting at one him behind. It was enough for him to know that humanity’s
another, asking if they had spotted the intruder place in the galaxy was at least seen in a little
yet. Matt fired two more shots. The guards better light.
easily dodged the blasts and fired in return. If
Matt peered around the corner. Set in the he didn’t figure out something soon, he was #
middle of the horizontal mover, he saw three going to remain on Asteroid Prime for a very
more guards coming up on him fast. long time. The sounds of the television blaring into the
living room roused Matt from a deep sleep. As
“There he is,” one of them shouted. In the blink of an eye a dozen people his eyes focused on the screen, he sat up and
appeared, forming a circle around Matt. Each
Matt buried his chin into his chest and tore realized where he was. “My house?” he asked
of them spun around and fired at the guards.
off in the opposite direction. High intensity himself. Only seconds before, he had been on
They in turn ducked for cover, the sounds of
packets of light flew by, detonating all around Stelfson’s ship, heading back to Earth.
their frantic voices asking for reinforcements
him. filling the corridor. Confused, Matt went over to the sliding
“Hurry up and get out of there,” Stelfson door and looked outside. Everything appeared
Matt recognized his opportunity and
chided. “I’ve got the ship ready to go.” normal enough. He checked the time.
scurried up the stairs. When he closed the panel
in the floor, Stelfson grabbed the maneuvering 11:57
“I’m trying,” Matt replied between each ball and pushed it straight up. The asteroid
breath, “but they’re hot on my heels.” beneath them quickly fell away out of sight. “I’ve only been asleep for half an hour?”
Up ahead, he saw a shaft of light coming He checked the patio again. Nothing. Could it
“I thought that rather exciting,” Stelfson have been a dream?
from the ceiling above. Just a few more feet, said in his usual calm.
and he would be out of there. A deep yawn came out of him. It was late
“How in the world did you do that back and he was tired. Rather than try and figure it
Suddenly, several other guards appeared at there?” Matt asked between each winded out, he thought it best to get a few hours of
the opposite end of the corridor. breath. sleep and solve the mystery in the morning.
When they pulled out their guns, Matt “Do what?” A look of recognition crossed Matt trudged up the stairs and rolled onto
dropped down to the ground and fired a couple his face. “Oh, all those copies? Like I said when his bed, not even bothering to get out of his
of shots. “Stelfson! Get down here and help we first met, that which cannot be seen can clothes. Within minutes, he was asleep.
me. I’ve got aliens coming at me from every- also be seen. I just made it appear to you and
where.” those guards down there that you had a little As the sun crested the distant hills, early
“What do you propose I do? I have no help—that’s all.” morning light reached into Matt’s room and
weapons with which to fight.” gave him a gentle nudge. He opened his eyes,
Matt just shook his head and smiled. “Well, unsure which day it was. Then it hit him. This
A couple of shots flew past Matt’s head, thanks anyway.” was Wednesday. He hadn’t finished his paper
missing him by inches. “You’d better think yet. Matt closed his eyes again, disappointed.
Stelfson kept his attention forward. “I must
of something fast. I can’t last out here much That paper was worth thirty percent of his total

grade, and he was no closer to finishing it than was only one person to turn to...”
last night.
Rather than wallow in a pool of self-in-
crimination, Matt got up. He figured he might
have enough time to salvage something of his
paper.
As he hurried over to his desk, something
caught his eye. Matt stopped and took a closer
look at the object sitting in the middle of the
floor. It was cube-shaped, shiny, and with a
golden hue. “Wait a minute,” Matt gasped. He
took a step closer towards it. “Gold. It’s the
gold Stelfson promised me. It wasn’t a dream.
Last night really happened.” Mike Lynch
He then noticed something else. Some Mike currently resides in San Jose,
papers were sitting next to the block. I don’t
remember leaving those there, Matt thought, California with his wife, Kathleen, and
perplexed. two children. He graduated from San
Jose State University in 1986 with a B.A.
He picked them up and looked at the cover
page. “No Revolution is Too Big.” in History, and from San Jose Christian
College with a B.A. in Bible and Theology
The title sounded familiar. Remembering in 1994. In 2004 Mike wrote BibleQuest,
the card Stelfson had given him, he reached
into his pocket and pulled it out. The moniker a study guide that helps people better
was the same. For some reason, he felt understand the Bible. Mike has also
compelled to look at the other side. There, written a book chronicling the history of
a hand-written note appeared. “Something Dublin, CA. Published by Arcadia Press,
I neglected to mention is that I can also read
people’s thoughts—humans being the easiest. it was released in July 2007. And in
I hope my story is up to the standards you February 2008, Mike’s first novel, When
humans demand in writing classes—Stelfson.” the Sky Fell, is scheduled to be released
Matt shook his head and smiled. “Well, I’ll by Silver Leaf Books. In a conscious
be. Perhaps we humans aren’t so bad after effort to help hone his skills as a writer,
all.” Mike has also attended several Christian
He flipped the cover page over and began writers’ conferences since 2005.
to read. “The Helots were in trouble and there

Featured Artist: Alex Ruiz Pg. 18
Featured Artist
Alex Ruiz
Name:
Alex Ruiz
Age:
31
Hobbies:
Shredding on the Wacom tablet, and shredding on guitar!
Favorite Artist:
Andrew Jones, Sparth, Stephan Martiniere
When did you start creating art?
In the walls of my mothers womb.
What media do you work in?
Usually sketch on paper, then scan it in, and the rest is Photoshop.
Where your work has been featured?
Imagine FX magazine, CG Society Choice Gallery
Where should someone go if they wanted to view / buy some of your
works?
alexruizart.com (which has links to prints/other galleries)
What were your early influences?
Disney animation was the first thing that truly lit the fire of creativity in
me. I remember seeing Aladdin and realizing, ‘I have to be an animator!’
What are your current influences?
Now, I’m happy just doing illustration, so I’m more influenced to create one piece of art to convey a theme instead of hundreds
as in animation.
What inspired the art for the cover?
Workships was inspired by the basic idea of work factories, and how they produce and pollute at the same time. I just took
that concept and applied it to the future, where factories have become airborne.
How would you describe your work?

Sci-fi/fantasy with a touch of abstraction.
Where do you get your inspiration / what inspires you?
To me, nature is the most inspiring thing around. Once
you think you’ve designed something yourself, boom...
you see it in nature to some degree or another.
Have you had any notable failures, and how has failure affected your
work?
At the time, not getting into the art college of my dreams was a huge
failure! But in retrospect, it probably was the best thing that could’ve
happened. It led me down another road, which turned out to be quite
the fortunate shortcut, but also forced me to teach myself art.
What have been your greatest successes? How has success impacted
you / your work?
I’ve been an artist for The Simpsons for over twelve years now, working
as an animator and illustrator on the show, movie, and product line. I’m
very proud to be a part of that show, and grateful, for it has paid my rent
for such an enormous amount of time!

What are your favorite tools / equipment for producing your art?
Paper+Mac+Photoshop= happiness :)
What tool / equipment do you wish you had?
I really want one of those electric blanket mobiles...that, or hamburger earmuffs!
What do you hope to accomplish with your art?
If people are inspired by my work, then my work is done!

Pg. 21
The Adventures of the Sky Pirate
Chapter 14, Alacrity Under Way
by Johne Cook
The story so far: I’d probably try to shoot it down before it got Flynn said, “Cannons. The dispossessed
away in the first place.” sailors have had the same thought we had. If
Captain Cooper Flynn has put together a small they can’t keep this ship, they intend to knock
rag-tag crew and has managed to retake his “And how would you do that?” her out of the sky.”
experimental anti-gravity sailing ship during a
daring overnight raid. They were very careful Mr. Pitt said, “I’d start with a catapult and Chain thought it out. “Oh. Well, it doesn’t
not to kill anyone. flaming oil, if I had it. Otherwise, any ready affect anything crucial if they just punch holes
cannon would do.” in the side of the ship. However, the voltaic
The dispossessed officers and sailors on the elements take up the entire layer between the
pier below aren’t so limited. Flynn tapped his index finger against his lowest deck and the hull. We have a double-
temple in grim agreement. He called over to layered hull, but if they puncture it, it could be
the ship’s ensign, recently recruited from the a long drop and a short trip.”
Haddirron Navy. “Mr. Gillings, do you spy any
M r. Humble said, “That was a neat bit of
work. Now that the ship is free of the pier
ropes, how long do you think it will take us to
sign of cannon?”
Gillings stepped briskly to the railing and
Flynn paled at the thought, sketched a
salute, and worked his way back toward the
stairs.
make way?” gingerly peeked over the edge. “There are two
cannons further up the pier. Captain, they’re Mr. Pitt was looking over the railing with
Captain Flynn wiped his brow from his running toward them right now!” Mr. Humble when Flynn burst back up on deck.
exertions in the light of the new dawn. “There’s Flynn looked at Mr. Pitt and said, “Get Bola
so much to go over with a new crew. We need Flynn said, “Oh, cliff. We don’t have all day and come with me.” He checked his sword and
to discuss all the things that need to be covered to get under way—we may not have more than started strapping on a skypack. “We have to do
before we even get to the sails. It might take all a few minutes!” something about those cannons.”
morning.”
# The three of them gathered at the rail after
There was a flurry of small arms fire from they had donned their skypacks. Mr. Humble
the pier below, the balls thudding off the hull The captain went below to meet with Chain. checked all their straps and nodded to Flynn.
of the ship like rain on a window, furious but He clattered down the stairs and worked his way
impotent. The echo of the reports was muted The captain said, “Listen up—we only have
aft down to Chain’s workshop in the bowels of
by the time the sound reached them. time to do this once. We’re going to drop
the ship. “Chain, are we in any danger here?”
overboard as close as we can to the pier and
Flynn and Mr. Pitt locked eyes. Suddenly Chain looked up from his workbench, the engage the skypacks halfway down to the
grim, Flynn said, “If you’d just lost your tech- lamplight reflecting off his round spectacles. pier. Be prepared for the strain—the packs
nologically miraculous, one-of-a-kind air ship, “Danger of what?” will fight against inertia, against gravity itself.
what would be the first thing you’d do?” When you’re close enough, cut the power and
They both felt more than heard the distant drop to the water or the pier. You can engage
Mr. Pitt shook his head slowly. “There’s concussive poom poom of the pier cannons. the sailors, but don’t kill anyone. That’s vital.
nothing fast enough in the fleet to catch it.
We have to get to those cannons and disable

The Adventures of the Sky Pirate, Chapter 14, Alacrity Under Way by Johne Cook Pg. 22
them.” # Bola’s bench was a battering ram clearing

the pier of tightly-packed sailors. Flynn nimbly
Mr. Pitt asked, “How are we going to do Flynn was on the pier and had already sprinted forward and put his shoulder into it.
that?” engaged three swordsmen when Bola and Mr. They pushed so hard and so fast that the surge
Pitt came up behind him. More sailors were of sailors falling back on their heels and then
Flynn said, “I have no idea at the moment.
streaming out of the warehouse every moment, over the edge started a domino effect. All they
We’ll have to innovate on the ground.”
pushing Flynn back by the sheer press of bodies heard were sounds of thudding bodies against
Bola said, “Innovate?” as the pier filled with sailors eager to redeem the wood ram, curt exclamations, and heavy
their humiliating ouster from the ship. splashes on both sides of the narrow pier as
Flynn looked at her. “We’ll need to think of they cleared it.
something on the spur of the moment. Are we Bola shouted, “Are you sure I can’t kill
all ready?” Flynn climbed up on the opposite anyone?” In mere moments, they reached the
side of the quarterdeck and grabbed a rope. cannons and dropped the bench over the side
“Follow me!” he said, and swung out over the “Kind of busy here,” said Flynn, straining. into the water. The cannon on the right pointed
rail, releasing his hold as he reached the highest into the air at the ship had a fuse eight inches
Bola sized up the situation. “Mr. Pitt, how in length.
arc of the swing. “Waaaaahhhhooooooo!” He many men do you think there are between us
disappeared from sight. and those skiffy cannons? Thirty, you think?” A lit fuse.
Mr. Pitt caught the rope and motioned to She looked around and saw a backless wood
bench with some blocks and tackle on it. “Hang Flynn quickly drew his sword, sliced through
Bola. She climbed the quarterdeck and gripped
on, what do we have here? Mr. Pitt, could the fuse, and threatened the sailor behind it
the rope tightly. “You ready?”
you give me a hand with this?” She picked with his sword. Faced with the sword, that one
“Not really,” she said. the bench up and flipped it so the top faced put up his hands and voluntarily dove into the
forward. She grabbed the left side and nodded water with all his mates.
“Afraid of heights?” her head toward the men crowding the pier, as
cool as a cleric. The other cannon, however, was going to
Bola glared at Mr. Pitt. “I’m not afraid of be trouble. The first lieutenant stood behind it
anything—I just don’t like falling.” A flicker of understanding went over Mr. with drawn sword, and sighted in on the hull
Pitt’s face and he grabbed the right side of the of the ship above. The officer locked eyes with
Mr. Pitt grunted. “Just prepare for the battle bench. Flynn. Without breaking his gaze, he started to
in your mind,” he said. “Think only of that.” She move his left hand with the glowing punk stick
closed her eyes and brought up her knees. She “Flynn, hit the deck NOW!” she roared. toward the fuse.
swung over the deck and away from the ship.
“Now!” Pitt yelled, and she released the rope. Flynn glanced at what was coming behind Bola danced around, looking for an opening,
To her credit, she didn’t make a sound as she him and dropped to one knee, bowing his head but seeing nothing.
disappeared from view, her shoulder-length as he did. The bench cleared his head by mere
hair streaming out behind her like a short inches and he heard a number of heavy thuds Mr. Pitt took a step back and watched Flynn
cape. Pitt grabbed the rope and the yardarm followed by surprised splashes. Flynn raised intently, his hands at the ready like a wrestler.
creaked just a little. He made his swing and his head, stood, and saw what they were up
to, mowing through the wall of sailors like a Flynn watched the officer’s eyes as he lit
released the rope, falling rapidly toward the
ball through tenpins. He quickly sheathed his the fuse, the acrid smoke of the burning fuse
battle waiting below.
sword, and rushed forward to help. rising up between them like the incense of war.

Neither man said anything. Flynn stepped to the edge of the pier and “I was good, wasn’t I?” she said. “That was
pointed at a sailor treading water. “That officer fun.”
As the fuse burned, Flynn stepped back, is unconscious. If he drowns, it is on your
sheathed his sword, and held his hands up away head.” When he was satisfied that the sailors in “I believe she means it,” said Flynn quietly
from his body as if to say ‘I’m not armed.’ the water were caring for the downed officer, to Mr. Pitt, earning an understated smile from
Flynn turned to his crew. “Slice the cannon’s the big Reacher. “Mr. Humble, sound ‘all hands
The officer smiled in victory and brought on deck’ if you please.
restraining ropes and push those guns off the
his sword to his face in mocking salute. pier.” Captain Flynn called everybody together
As he was temporarily obstructed, Flynn on the deck amidships. “First, thank you
Bola was getting very good at slicing
leapt forward and started pushing the barrel of everyone for your part in this historic venture.
through the heavy ropes, and Flynn and Pitt
the small cannon to the side toward the water, As I mentioned when we were putting this
pushed the cannons into the water. When the
the iron wheels scraping on the wooden pier. crew together, we have tacit permission
second cannon went over, they heard the cheer
Mr. Pitt leapt to his side and put his back into it, from Her Majesty to appropriate this ship in
from above. Saluting his crew with a flamboy-
increasing the squealing noticeably, swinging her service in the form of the Queen’s Writ.
ant gesture, Flynn turned to Bola and Mr. Pitt.
the cannon around to the right. Legally, we should be able to move around
“Follow me,” he said.
with impunity.”
The officer’s face fell and he stamped He sprinted down to the end of the pier
forward with his sword, only to find himself Eggplant anticipated Bola’s question.
and leapt into the air, activating his skypack.
engaged by Bola’s sword at the backside of the “That means, ‘without being bothered by her
He rose over the water and grabbed an out-
cannon. Majesty’s ships,’” he whispered. Bola blinked
stretched hook. They got Mr. Pitt in the same
way, but Bola came up closer to the ship than but stared at the captain as if she hadn’t heard
“Watch it,” yelled Flynn, and stepped back
they had, and ended up climbing up the wide him, acting as if she understood precisely what
from the cannon. Mr. Pitt released the barrel
rope ladder on the port side. he was saying, fooling no one.
and grabbed Bola’s collar, yanking her suddenly
backward. “Our mission is simple,” said Flynn. “The
When she stuck her hand up over the side
and started reaching for a purchase, a hand as Sylvans are expanding their borders and making
The cannon fired, and the cannon ball
large as a small dinner plate grasped hers and bolder forays against Haddirron shipping lanes.
disappeared into the sky, narrowly missing
effortlessly pulled her up and onto the deck. Formerly the most technologically backward
the stern of the ship hovering overhead. The country of the big three nations, the Sylvans
bucking cannon slammed backward into the Flynn dropped his skypack on the deck and are developing new steam-powered technol-
officer with savage results, knocking the sword clapped Bola and Mr. Pitt on the back to thun- ogy to do virtually everything. I don’t know
out of his hand and throwing him backward derous cheers from the crew. whom they have there developing all this new
into the water on the other side of the pier as technology, but they’re quickly catching up to
if swatted by a giant hand. The cannon itself
# Haddirron and are making quiet overtures to
rested crazily on the edge of the pier, one the Menorrans. Menorra is committed to their
wheel over the edge.
“That was close,” said Mr. Pitt. lives of ease, and are not eager to admit there
Mr. Pitt watched the whole thing. Bola is anything wrong with their way of life.”
stood there with her sword out and her hair in “Too close,” said Flynn. “Bola, you saved
our stern with that battering ram idea. I can’t Bola leaned her head almost imperceptibly
her eyes. “What happened?” she said.
thank you enough for your quick thinking.” toward Eggplant. Humble saw this and nudged
Eggplant. “Uh, the Menorrans are Utopians.

They believe that everyone in their culture standing of the science behind it. I received weight restriction is so much different, we
should live lives devoid of labor and struggle. a formula as a gift passed down from my haven’t been able to determine the upper limit
They don’t actually, uh, ‘work.’ They don’t father to the Abbot on Patience Bay, who was of human-powered flight with the skypacks. In
believe in it.” my guardian and kept those things safe and fact, these are the first that we’ve had time to
entrusted them to me when I fled there from make.”
She turned to him and snapped, “I know the Qantiin at age fifteen. Boiled down, our
what it means not to work.” friends out in the ocean discovered something Bola was unimpressed. “If you can only
amazing, a colony of, that is, a collection...” go straight up or down I don’t see what’s so
“They also don’t fight,” said Eggplant. “They special about the skypacks,” she said.
don’t believe in that, either.” Flynn stopped and gathered his thoughts.
“Okay,” he admitted, “here it is in blouse- “Very good,” said the captain. “You’ve
Bola’s mouth literally dropped open in put your finger squarely on the first major
sleeve language—there’s this goo that, when
shock. issue drawback of air flotation—horizontal
impregnated into the hull of a ship and excited
by the smallest dose of electricity from a large movement. Take this ship, for example. We’re
The captain grinned and continued. “The
voltaic layer, pushes the vessel into the air. The drifting slowly away from the pier. Anybody
Menorrans have successfully rebuffed the
presence of water is vital somehow—the effect have any idea how we’re going to move the
Sylvans so far, but the Steamers are getting
doesn’t hold true over land for reasons that ship now that we’re free from the moorings?”
more and more aggressive, and it won’t be
long before they turn to open hostilities against are beyond me. Now, before you ask, I don’t “Oh, whapp,” said Bola, distressed. “I
them to get their hands on Menorran technol- know for sure if it pushes against gravity or thought you’d know the answer to that one.”
ogy. That would be a disaster.” pulls toward... something, but what I do know A shocked silence descended on the group. “If
is that a good battery can launch a ship like this you don’t know, who does?”
“The Menorrans have to do something to and elevate it between 100 and 250 feet for as
defend themselves,” Bola blurted. long as the trickle of energy remains. Rising is a “An excellent question,” said the captain,
simple matter—activate the electricity and you and then he smiled. “Mr. Gillings. Would you
Flynn nodded. “They’ll likely depend on rise up out of the water. Increase the charge, mind addressing this question?”
their own automated technology for defense and you elevate. Decrease the charge, and you
or pay somebody else to do it for them.” He descend.” All heads turned his way. He thought for a
looked around at the small crew and smiled. moment. “The sails,” he said. “You can catch
“And that’s where we come in.” Humble asked “Is that how the backpacks the breezes and sail the skyways just as you
work?” would sail the waterways, only faster—perhaps
# much faster.”
“Same principle, yes. The buttons on your
chest activate the battery. Right now there is They all looked up into the rigging at the
The captain took a drink of water from a only ‘on’ and ‘off’ but Chain, here, thinks he dressed yardarms and masts.
nearby pail. “Okay, so that’s the ‘what’ and can develop a metering system that will allow
‘why.’ If you’re at all like me, what you’d really a skypack wearer, an ‘aviator,’ to be able to Flynn turned to the crew. “There you have
like to know next is the ‘how’; how is this control how high he can fly.” it,” said the captain, grinning. “Let’s see what
wooden sailing vessel weighing many tons she can do!”
hovering light as a feather one hundred feet “What is the current practical range for
above the tranquil waters of Bitten Bay? skypacks?” #
“I’ll be honest—I only have a vague under- The captain’s eyes sparkled. “Since the

The captain set up some ground rules aspect of a massive oiled gimbal, which rotates unless I miss my guess, we’ll have charts for
before they got started. “As long as we have the axis of the ship. Wait until the sails are up Menorran waters—and thereby air space—to
them, everybody who goes up in the rigging and then we’ll take everyone else below and the left and Sylvan airspace to the right. Behind
should wear a skypack just in case. Eggplant, let you get a feel for what she can do. Oh! One you on the wall, we have Haddirron charts, as
you take the wheel. Everyone else with me. last thing—if you need to set her down for well as charts for the great expanse of ocean
We’ll start fore,” he said, pointing, “and work whatever reason, it’s this slide here. It’s based that separates the three countries. There will
our way aft. Questions?” on the same principle as the rudder, only be other miscellaneous charts, as well, but I’ll
dealing with elevation. All the way down is sea let you find them on your own. We won’t need
They got right to work. The captain stopped level, that first little notch is 100 feet, and the them anytime soon, but we may need them
Gillings on his way to the bow and said, “If second is 250 feet.” down the line.”
they have any specific questions, I’d like to
have the crew ask you. I’ll be available in my “But Captain,” said Eggplant, “there are so “So, Captain? Where do you want to go
cabin later if you want to compare notes, ask many more notches there.” today?”
questions, make suggestions. You might have
some questions of your own for me.” Flynn “So there are!” said the captain with a wink. Captain Cooper Flynn strode to the door
turned to go, had a thought, and turned back. Eggplant wasn’t sure what to do with that, so and stopped. “We need a few days to get used
“Oh, one final thing. If you’re going to be an he asked about the two controls left and right to the new girl, get a feel for what she can do.
authority around here, you may as well have of the elevation control. In the meantime, hold your present course,
the authority that goes with the responsibility. Eggplant, and steady as she goes.”
“Good question. The middle control is for
As of right now, you’re officially a lieutenant. global elevation, the entire ship as a unified He sketched out an informal salute and
Congratulations, Lieutenant Gillings!” With ascend or descend. The control on the left is left Eggplant to the wheel. “He fought against
that, Flynn clapped Gillings on the shoulder for bow-only and the control on the right is reverting to the third person in his terror,” said
and went back to Eggplant in the deckhouse aft-only. That gives you some degree of control Eggplant standing alone in the wheelhouse.
by the wheel. over the pitch of a climb if you needed to get Then he started to gingerly try out the various
“Okay,” said Flynn, “let’s go over the basics the nose up or the tail up for whatever reason. controls. If he made any changes, nobody
about handling this girl. Since we’re in the air, I don’t know how useful they’ll be for you, but noticed.
there’s no rudder, per se, but there are massive they’re there if you need them.”
flaps that you’ll use to point us in the right #
The captain looked around him and took
direction. You operate them with this wood a deep breath. “I guess that’s it for now.” He
rod. It’s mounted in a horizontal slot here and Captain Flynn stepped out of the wheel-
started to leave.
it’s pretty basic—slide it left and the flaps will house and looked at their progress unfurling
bring her around to port. Slide it right and we’ll “Captain?” the sails. He snickered to himself, his black
go to starboard. Go ahead and try it now.” eyes lively. Somehow, they’d roped Bola into
“Yes?” helping. Somehow, Bola’d roped herself into
Eggplant did this, noticing that the rod the rigging and was hanging upside down
moved easily enough. “What about navigation aids? Charts and fifteen feet above the deck, dropping sharp
the like?” implements and invective onto the deck as she
“If you need to lock it down, draw it toward dangled there.
you into one of the notches. You’ve already “You’ll see that we have tables for spreading
tried the wheel—it changes the horizontal charts out on either side of the wheelbox— He greeted the crewmembers as he passed

by. “Mr. Pitt. Mr. Humble. Bola.” He walked but it would take some tech that we don’t yet The crew quieted as they waited for him to
to the bow where Gillings was rigging the have. A lot of that will depend on how desperate speak. “Well, we’re done here. Next up is a
foresails. “We seem to have a problem with the the Menorrans are to cooperate with us if we little tradition common to sailing ships around
rigging back by the mainsail. Would you please help take some of the heat off their back, but the fleet. I like to call it ‘lunch’!”
help them figure it out?” Gillings looked over I’ll leave the negotiations to the captain.”
the captain’s shoulders and his eyes widened. The crew erupted in cheers again and,
“Yes, Ven! On my way, Ven!” Captain Flynn and the riggers happened to with the exception of Eggplant, who took the
be passing by. He heard the last part of that afternoon helm, they all filed down to the
“Oh, and Gillings?” exchange, stopped by the wheelhouse, drew galley below deck to see what they had in store
his sword with a flourish, drew the hilt of his to eat.
“Ven?” sword up to his face, saluted, and jauntily
sheathed the sword again before making his #
“You can just say ‘On my way,’” said Flynn. way to the aft sails.
“Your respect is more important to me than
the formality.” Everything onboard ship is smaller than
It was noon before the ship was fully you think it should be, and the galley was no
underway. It took longer than anyone expected
“Yes Ven! I mean ‘Yes’...uh.” different. With that said, the designers of the
to get the sails unfurled and tied but it was an HMS Majeste knew what they were doing, and
Flynn chuckled. “Don’t hurt yourself, exciting moment when the mainsail crackled the galley as a gathering area felt larger than it
Gillings. You’ll get it as you go along. Keep up to life and filled with wind. The little crew sent actually was. With four wide, strong, portals,
the good work.” up a cheer as the ship started moving. two on a side, there was good light streaming
They went over to the rail and looked into the galley on both sides, and everyone felt
Gillings nimbly jumped down and ran over
overboard. right at home.
to help extricate Bola. If he noticed the blue
stream coming from her mouth, it didn’t faze Mr. Pitt showed a side of himself that
Humble said, “So that’s it, we’re on our
him, although he didn’t indulge in any of that nobody expected and quickly rigged together a
way.”
himself. Flynn liked that. great pot of beans, fresh bread, fruit, and had
Mr. Pitt said “Yup,” which earned him an cracked open some of the sausages so common
Chain was on deck to show Eggplant appreciative grin from the crew. onboard ship. The crew gathered around a
another nifty feature of the ship that took the table and they sat down to eat.
form of a big, round brass handle. “This handle Chain said, “I’d guess she’s giving us 30
controls a series of counterweights below deck. knots, at least, at least three times faster than “I’ve been onboard a number of Haddirron
Because of the mass of the ship, you shouldn’t we’d be in the water. naval ships,” said Mr. Humble, “and I’ve never
have too much trouble with the attitude of the had a spread like this.”
ship. However, if the wind starts coming in too Gillings said, “Stick around—you haven’t
hard, you might feel the sails tipping the ship, seen anything yet.” “We’re not just any ship,” said Flynn. “I
and that’s where this comes in. If the winds had the larder stocked for our crew earlier
are taking you firmly to port, pull the handle Bola said, “It’s official—I don’t like rope.” this week in advance of this cruise before the
to starboard. A series of articulated coun- confusion with Her Majesty’s accountant. I
Eggplant said, “Captain, what’s next?”
terweights engage below deck, fore and aft, know that other naval ships have one menu
allowing you to correct for the wind. I’ve got The captain looked around him and then for the captain and the officers and another,
some ideas on how to automate that process, stared ahead with a faraway look in his eyes. lesser menu, for the crew. That ends here. We

eat together or not at all.” ‘Alacrity,’” she said, and then proceeded to scraps from the kitchen. I waved to him and he
pare her apple as if that was that. came up. I thought he wanted to make friends,
That earned a frankly appreciative stare but he grabbed the ribs out of my hand and ran
from Mr. Humble and the other seasoned The captain leaned back and nodded his off down the alley. Well, I took off after him,
sailors. head. “Well, there you have it. She’s fast, tearing my dress on a pipe. I was gaining on
nimble, and ours. ‘Alacrity,’ it is. Thank you, him when a hand jerked me to a stop. That’s
“This is a special occasion,” said Flynn, and Bola.” when I felt the blade at my throat.”
he drew a hitherto hidden dagger that he used
to expertly lop the top off two bottles of wine. Bola gestured with her blade in such a way She took another bite of beans and washed
“A toast to our new ship.” as to indicate that it was nothing, and he was it down with more wine, gesturing for more
welcome. If it also indicated other things to the when she was done. Humble was closest and
“About that, Captain,” Humble said, “we men that she was slightly unhinged and wasn’t topped off her mug.
know she used to be called the Majeste, but one to mess around with, she didn’t bother to
we don’t know what to call her now.” correct the misunderstanding. “I smelled stinky breath and felt sweaty
hands on my shoulders, but all I knew was
Bola snorted, busily shoveling beans into Ensign Gillings said, “Bola, you appear to that that dog was getting away with my dinner.
her mouth, gripping the spoon over-handed know how to handle that knife. Where did you ‘Where do you think—ooh!’ he said when I
and leaving all style for anyone else. come by it?” stomped on his ankle with my very proper
“You have something to add, Bola?” asked shoes. Then I whirled and clobbered him in his
She quaffed a large gulp and answered.
Flynn. throat apple with my elbow. He dropped this
“Never mind where I came by the knife. I came here knife, and it glittered so in the sun, so I
by knowledge of what to do with it growing
She paused, wiped her face on her sleeve, picked it up and ran off after the dog. I didn’t
up in the streets of Jhaston. They were mean
and said, “You told us her name there on the get ten steps when the man ran me down
streets and I never seemed to quite have
pier.” again and grabbed the neck of my torn dress.
enough to eat.” He ripped it, hard, tearing the dress right off
They all looked around at each other and my gangly bones.”
“Where were your parents?”
then back at her.
“I never knew my parents. My first memories She downed her wine and gestured for
She set her spoon down. “I may not be as more. Humble looked at the bottle and ended
are from a local orphanage. They mistreated
fast with the words as the captain or Eggplant, up passing the whole thing over to her.
me terribly, making me wear dresses and
and somebody had to tell me what the word trying to learn me things all cooped up with the
meant, but that doesn’t make me slow. I heard “He probably thought he was something
others in a classroom. I tried to learn but my
it just as all of you. Coop can stand for me. He but he was just doing me a favor—I didn’t
mind was always outside with the mercenar-
said, very clearly—even if he was whispering like that dress anyway. But I didn’t like being
ies. We always seemed to be eating vegetables
a bit—’Okay, this is our night, let’s take what’s handled that way. I sauntered toward him,
and water while they dined on meat and wine.
ours, with Alacrity. The captain can settle if he waving my budding chest and working my hips
It was a rare day that we got meat, much less
said that or not.” like I’d seen the strumpets do. He got a hungry
good meat, but one day, one of our supporters look in his eye and that’s when I smiled.”
Nervous laughter broke out among the brought in great plates with ribs and sauce. I
men until she drew a knife larger than a paring thought I was in the heavens. I’d went out back The galley got very quiet. Some looked at
knife but smaller than a dagger and buried the to eat in peace but had no sooner sat down Bola, others at the floor.
point of the knife in the table. “Her name is when I saw that dog who stayed around eating

“He was smiling, too,” she said, “until I She struck a defiant pose. “Look, I may be Humble cleared his throat. “So, Captain,
hauled off and pinned his hand to the wall with a woman but...” where’d you find Bola? Has she been with you
his own knife. Then I kicked him in his man long?”
area, took his knife, wiped it off on the tore-up Pitt rose, suddenly, towering even over her.
dress, and ran off after that mangy dog.” She took a step back despite herself. He stood “I’ve known her for some months now.
there, wordless, for a slight moment, and Her reputation precedes her. We’re going to
The galley erupted in relived laughter. then she turned and placed his dishes in the need capable damage-dealers where we’re
sink. He leaned against the wall, watching her, going. It’s a harsh truth, but an accurate one
Mr. Humble asked, “What happened dishtowel in hand. if the intelligence I’ve been receiving is worth
next?” the parchment it’s scribed on. All signs point
Bola stalked right up to Mr. Pitt and stuck to coming hostilities with the Sylvans and we
Bola looked at him like he was charming the point under his chin—a gesture made need to be prepared for battle if and when it
but a little slow. “Well, I got most of my ribs somewhat less menacing by the presence of is necessary. We will be enlisting the help of
back. The dog dropped them in the grass when the apple skewered thereon. a number of sailors, both to serve on Alacrity
I caught up to him. I think he knew I meant to and to ferry captured ships back to Haddirron
have my dinner one way or the other.” “I’d hate to have to ventilate your chin,” ports of call.”
she gritted.
“How’d you do that?” The captain dribbled a splash of wine in his
“I’d hate to have to take away your little
“I asked him, naturally. But I kept the knife glass. “Besides, she has immense gifts in two
toy and spank you over my knee with it,” he
and I got pretty good with it, pretty fast. I had much-needed areas of expertise.”
grated.
to after I stole some trousers and shirts off a “Oh? And what’s that?”
clothes line and started roaming the port city They stared at each other for a beat, and
on my own, but that’s another story. I really like then the moment passed. Bola whirled and The captain raised his glass as a mock toast.
this knife and I really didn’t like the school—it’s buried her knife back in the table with the “Publicity, and recruitment,” he said, and he
just that simple.” apple still pinned on it. She strode over, picked tossed off his wine amid a roar of laughter.
up her dishes, and stalked over to the sink,
She rose, wiped her chin again, grabbed placing them down in with less clatter than
the knife by the handle, and pulled it out of the #
you might imagine. Then she strode back by
tabletop. She leaned over, skewered an apple, the table, gripping her knife, and plucking it up
and stepped over the bench, making to leave. Flynn put the crew through two days
as she passed. of making sail and heaving-to so as to have
Mr. Pitt cleared his throat. “And to think I said you was no good with enough skill to adequately control the ship.
women,” said Humble to Mr. Pitt with a wry Bola was not impressed, at first.
She stopped and looked at him. grin as he returned to his seat. “I don’t see why I need to be scurrying
“You want something, big fella?” about loosening and tying ropes, and raising
“You have no idea…” murmured Mr. Pitt.
and lowering sails,” she groused.
“Your dirty dishes go in there,” he said. The captain looked to Mr. Pitt, met his eye,
“Please.” He looked at her place and then Gillings happened to be helping alongside
and rewarded him with an almost impercep-
looked over at the sturdy metal trough that and noted, “I would have thought you would
tible nod, which earned him an almost imper-
served as a sink. have been one of the first to want to do this
ceptible smile.
because of the muscle that it helps develop.

You already have nice cannons there. This The captain walked up and joined Mr. Pitt Mr. Pitt slapped the captain on his back,
work only serves to make you stronger, more at the bowsprit which extended out in front of and they smiled like schoolboys.
defined.” the ship and waited for Mr. Humble—and his
sly entourage—to join them. When Humble Humble said “Hey…”
“Cannons?” she asked, dangerously. arrived, Captain Flynn gestured toward the Bola slapped the captain on the back and
proud beam as Mr. Pitt picked up a rope coiled
He nearly panicked. “Yeah,” he said, flexing almost knocked him off his feet. She and Mr.
there on the deck. “While we will, indeed, have
a bicep. “Raising and lowering sail is a fantastic Pitt were helping to stabilize him when Humble
watchmen up in the nest, we have another
workout for your arms. Just think how jagged blew, hard, on his whistle.
alternative for these next weeks and months
you’ll be after a couple of weeks helping with right here in the bow. If you’ll notice, Alacrity Everybody stopped and looked back.
sail.” With that, flashed a superficial smile and has sturdy nets strung on both sides of the
scurried onto the next sail, leaving her deep bowsprit. We’ll station a watch here to scan “Ship ahoy!” roared Mr. Humble, pointing
in thought and surreptitiously flexing her arm the horizon in front of us. While here, I highly down below.
muscles. recommend wearing a skypack, but Mr. Pitt will
demonstrate a back-up contingency for safety. They scrambled to the rail and Humble
Mr. Pitt was watching from high in the sails
Mr. Pitt.” handed up the spyglass. Captain Flynn looked
and looked down at Flynn on-deck. Pitt nodded through it and whistled. “Well, I’ll be dipped,”
once and the captain waved, clearly pleased. Mr. Pitt displayed a hook on the end of he said. He handed the glass to Mr. Pitt, who
Captain Flynn started to post watchers for the coiled rope and proceeded to hook it to had even less to say than normal.
sailing ships below on the third day out of port. Humble’s skypack. “Wear one of these,” he
said, and then stepped back and crossed his “How far do you think she is?”
“We’ll take turns scanning for ships. I want to
know when we see anything; fishing boats, arms over his massive chest. “Three points to starboard and maybe
pleasure cruisers, other privateers, or men-o’- three miles ahead.”
“If you see anything, sing out and pass
war. Mr. Humble, you’ll take the first watch.” the word.” With that, Flynn looped a lanyard A crowd started to gather up at the bow.
“Aye, Ven.” around Humble’s neck, a cord worn around
the neck to which was attached a whistle and “What is it,” asked Chain.
Humble started climbing up the mainmast a spyglass. He clapped Humble firmly on the
toward the Crow’s Nest far above while Mr. Pitt shoulder, said “we’ll relieve you in four hours,” “It’s a med ship,” said Captain Flynn, trying
walked forward toward the bow. and strode off. very hard to disguise obvious mirth.
“Mr. Humble,” said Flynn. Bola bent forward and murmured, “You’ll “I don’t get it,” said Bola.
find us something to attack if you know what’s
“Ven?” good for you,” spun, and strode off. “Ven, I don’t either,” said Gillings, which
earned him a favorable glance from Bola.
“This way,” he said, walking toward the “Great,” said Humble to the others. “I finally
bow. Puzzled, Humble reversed his course get paid to lie down on the job. Why doesn’t Mr. Pitt looked as expressionless as usual,
and dropped lightly to the deck, following this make me any happier?” but now somehow managed to add ‘miserable’
Flynn. Chain, Bola, and Gillings exchanged a to ‘impassive.’ “It’s the HMS Florence,” he said.
glance and followed along after at a distance. The group shared a chuckle over that and “It’s my wife.”
Eggplant stuck his head out the door of the started to leave him to his watch when he said
wheelhouse. “Uh...”

End of Chapter 14
The Adventures of the Sky Pirate continue next
month.
Johne Cook
Johne is a technical writer, help author,
creative writer, and editor.
He likes prog rock, space opera, film noir,

and racquetball.

Memory Wipe, Chapter 14, Broken Men by Sean T. M. Stiennon Pg. 31
Memory Wipe
Chapter 14, Broken Men
by Sean T. M. Stiennon
The Story so Far: walls almost gleamed in the dim light of gray The passage turned and ended abruptly
bulbs spaced twenty feet apart, and shadows in an oblong cavern lit by a single light with
Three years ago, Takeda Croster woke up in clung tightly in the corners. The heat remained, a faint blue tint. Closed metal doors with
the city of Greendome on the colony world of amplified by the cramped space into a suffocat- white numbers stamped on them lined the
Belar with no memories, no connections, and ing miasma. Takeda’s throat burned with thirst, walls. Krane pulled open the third on the
no possessions aside from the clothes he was although he had drunk a good deal of water right, revealing an upward shaft with steps
wearing and an Imperial citizenship card with before leaving Hope’s End. Already a layer of of unpainted steel. Krane started up without
his name on it. He worked at the Silver Sun sweat clung to him like a second skin. another word, and one of the other miners
Casino, ignored by most, until one night when gestured Zartsi up. Takeda noticed that the
he began to manifest superhuman powers in “How many survive?” Zartsi asked. man had one hand on his pistol.
a fight against two corrupt cops: enhanced
senses, great strength, lightning-fast reactions. Takeda could see Esheera flinch out the As they climbed, with steel steps clanging
He seriously injured both cops. Strange dreams corner of his eye. The question could have beneath them, Takeda called up to Krane,
and a feeling of great exhaustion followed the been more tactful. “Where are the mines?”
encounter. “A few hundred,” Krane said, without “You people are full of questions,” Krane
Takeda now travels with the Lithrallian turning around. His arms swung at his sides said.
hunter Zartsi, who saved his life after he fled like iron pendulums.
into the jungles of Belar, and the Vitai Rover Silence fell over them and remained as
“And then there’s us,” said another of the Krane led the way through more passages, all
Esheera Nii, who granted them passage for men. “Miners who were stationed here when
nothing more than a little money and their life of them filled with identical metal doors. Sweat
the Evils hit.” soaked Takeda’s already filthy clothing. At last,
stories.
Krane came to a door set into its own alcove
Their footsteps rang hollowly against
Now, stranded on the desert planet Nihil, at the end of a clean, brightly lit hallway. He
the slightly uneven floor, echoing from the
they have found the colony of Hope’s End knocked, and a muffled voice answered. Krane
confining walls. They could only walk two
destroyed by the beasts known as Walking Evils. opened the door and led them in.
abreast—Esheera at Takeda’s side, Zartsi just
Takeda seeks refuge with the survivors, holed ahead, with miners before and behind. Every
up in the iron mines to the north of Hope’s End, Cream-colored plastic paneled the office’s
step pained Takeda’s wounded foot. walls. A tall man with curly hair that extended
and continues to seek Cramer Orano, his only
hope for discovering what happened to him in down his cheeks and across his chin sat behind
“Where are we going?” Takeda asked
all the years he cannot remember... a desk made of dark plastic and steel. He wore
softly. a gray uniform with brass buttons and shoulder
Several seconds passed, and Takeda had plates that had been recently polished. Blotches
opened his mouth to repeat the question of red surrounded his eyes.
L aw Krane led them down a tunnel which
looked as if it had been sliced out of the
reddish-brown rock with a laser cannon. The
when Krane said, “To see the boss. Check in.
Take care of business. Whatever you want to Krane stepped aside, ushering Takeda,
Zartsi, and Esheera forward. “This is Governor
call it.”

Vance Lombardi, of Hope’s End.” wearily, rattling the beads in her hair. “Go here. She sent me to look for him—Cramer
ahead, Tak. I don’t have the energy.” Orano, his name was. Zartsi knows her too, so
Lombardi stood slowly, wearily. He looked he came along.”
the three over, frowning, then said, “It’s been Takeda sucked a deep breath of hot air
years since I’ve seen a Vitai. Law, who are these into his lungs. The windowless office felt like “Ah. And what were you going to do when
people?” an oven. He sketched out their journey for you found Orano?”
Lombardi, omitting Lashiir and claiming that
The bald man shrugged his shoulders. they were victims of engine failure. Esheera “Drag him back to her and make him pay
“They showed up in a track car from Hope’s and Zartsi remained silent. child support.”
End. We figured it’d be a damn cruel thing if
we left them to the Evils, so we popped the When he finished, Lombardi looked up at For an instant, Takeda was disturbed by
doors open just long enough to get them in.” Zartsi. “You killed a dust worm?” how easily the lie rolled off his tongue. Then
Kramer said, from behind him, “I only know one
Lombardi nodded cautiously, as if his Zartsi shook his head. “Rover and I killed Cramer Orano, and if he had a wife, he’d put a
head weighed twice as much as it should. “I together. Trophy is hers.” gun to his head and pull the trigger before he’d
see. Good, then. There’s been too many lost get a cup of coffee without her say-so. Must be
already. Too many...” The governor offered her a thin smile. a different guy, huh?”
“Nice work. You probably just set a record for
He wiped a hand across his eyes. “I’m sorry. smallest party to bring one down.” Takeda inhaled quickly. So Orano had been
I haven’t slept in...a long time. Sit down, please. here...the one man who might know what
I’m sorry I can’t offer you something to drink.” Esheera smiled in return. “You flatter us.” Takeda was, where he came from. Takeda
could only pray he was still alive, somewhere
He sat down again, clearing papers off the “No,” Lombardi said, “That is one thing I in these mines, conscious and willing to talk.
desk. Esheera folded herself into one of the never do. For example, I’m not afraid to tell you
chairs, and Takeda limped forward to take the that your story has gaps. First, I’d like to know Lombardi nodded. The exhaustion in
other one. Zartsi took up a position against the why in the hot cauldrons of Hell you came to his smile pained Takeda. “Law said it all. To
wall, balancing the dust worm’s spine against this rock in the first place. In case you didn’t be blunt, I don’t buy it. And I honestly don’t
the wall and cradling his rifle in both arms. notice...well, we don’t exactly run a tourist appreciate being lied to.”
trade.”
“You men can go,” Lombardi said, waving Takeda heard Zartsi’s hiss, saw the Lithral-
to the miners. “Law, stick around.” Esheera chuckled. “Don’t ask me. I’m just lian tense out the corner of his eye. Esheera
the pilot these boys hired.” planted her feet on the floor, as if readying for
The men filed out. Krane leaned against a action. Takeda felt his senses begin to intensify.
clear patch of wall on the opposite side of the Zartsi jerked his head at Takeda. “You He didn’t know what he’d do if Lombardi tried
room from Zartsi. His meaty hand clamped the explain.” to arrest them. Probably whatever Zartsi did.
grip of his pistol. Takeda settled into his chair, He didn’t want to tell the whole story, from
which was plastic with hard foam cushions. “Wait, now,” Lombardi said, shaking his
that night in the Silver Sun on, and for some head. “Let’s look at my options. I can throw you
“All right,” Lombardi said, knotting his time Takeda struggled to compose a story that out in the desert and let the Evils have you, I
forehead with one hand. “Go ahead. Tell me didn’t sound ridiculous. He started speaking can give you want you want—food, water, and
your story.” before he had completely made up his mind. whatever safety we have—or I can lock you up
The words came out in a rush. “I knew a woman somewhere. First one first. I’m not the kind
Takeda glanced at Esheera. She nodded back on Freedan whose husband ran away

of man who would kill you like that for a few “I thought you didn’t want any more people to have you. But note, if you sneak off, you’ll
whoppers. I’ve already seen...damn, I don’t dying,” Esheera said. Takeda thought he heard never get aboard those transports alive. If the
want to see any more beings go into those amusement in her voice. Evils don’t get you we will. Understood?”
devils’ stomachs. So I won’t do that unless I
have to.” “Eaten. They wouldn’t have made me Takeda nodded. “Understood.”
governor here if I couldn’t execute a few men
He spread his hands on the scuffed surface if I had to.” “All right, then. Law? Take them to Level
of his desk. “Locking you up is tempting...but I Three, give them water along with the men
don’t think I’m going to do that either. Let me “I see,” she said. She crossed her arms, there. Just be sure someone’s watching them
explain our situation to you: by my estimate rustling her wing-flaps, and exhaled loudly and that you know where to find them when
there are a minimum of sixty and a maximum through her nostrils. “What do you think, Tak? we need to roll out.”
of one hundred Evils besieging us. You saw the Zartsi?”
“Yes, sir,” Krane answered. “All right, you
ones in the sand. There’s others in the rocks. “Not much choice,” the Lithrallian hissed. three. Welcome to the club. Move out.”
And every night they move, trying to find some “Put gun away, human. I will do it.”
way in, beating at all our doors. Those things Just as Krane closed the door behind them,
are strong. I should know. I saw one of them rip Takeda glanced at Krane just in time to see Takeda thought he heard faint sobbing drifting
my wife in half.” him holster his pistol. It looked like a .45 caliber from the office behind them.
weapon.
Tears shone in his eyes. He wiped them
away. “We’re down to a few hundred fighting #
Takeda turned his eyes back to Lombardi,
men, and we’ve got women and children too. and the governor looked back. “I have one
Rescue is coming, but it might not be for forty- “How do you find your way around here?”
question: is Cramer Orano alive?”
eight hours yet. Might not seem like a long Esheera asked as Krane led them through a
time. But not all our passages are secure. The “Yes. I think so. But to my knowledge he’s labyrinth of dark passageways. Their footsteps
Evils are in the mines. We’ve got them sealed down below.” echoed hollowly—the mines seemed almost
in, but we’re cut off from over a hundred of our abandoned—and they passed through several
people. I’ll put it this way: When the ships do A cold ball of fear condensed in Takeda’s areas where Krane’s lantern was the only
show up, and contact us to let us know, our job gut. He had a vision of dark mine shafts crawling source of light.
isn’t over. We’ll need to get those people up with specters of gleaming chitin and venom-
swollen stingers. Orano was somewhere far He grunted. “I’ve been on Nihil fifteen years.
out of the lower shafts through areas that, for
below him, trapped in the mines. If he died I was around when a lot of this got hacked out.
all we know, are packed wall-to-wall with Evils.
Takeda might never know why he wasn’t like The iron veins wander all over the place, and
And we need to hold the bastards off while the
other men. we follow ‘em, but eventually you pick things
transports load. up. Either that or you get lost in some hole and
“Where do you figure in that? All three of “I’ll do it too,” he said. shrivel up.”
you have weapons, and you already brought Esheera’s beads angled. “Far be it from me He pulled open a door that creaked. Weak,
down a dust worm. My offer to you is that to die while those two keep fighting. Count me red-tinged light from inside showed Takeda a
we give you food, water, and space on the and my hotchoker in.” cavernous room crowded with men crouching
company transports. In return you fight at the on the rough stone floor, sitting on plastic
front lines. You refuse, and I’ll have no choice Lombardi smiled sadly. “I’m sorry. I suppose benches, or leaning against the walls. Some
but to order all three of you shot.” that wasn’t really much of a choice. I’m glad of them held gray playing cards, stared down

at dusty chess boards, or clutched obsolete “Forty-eight hours. Then what?” Zartsi its holster. Rage blazed in his dark eyes.
readers and music players. Their clothes were hissed.
a motley assortment of mining and security “Guns down!” a man shouted.
uniforms, ragged shirts, stained and torn pants, “We’ll probably end up at company head-
quarters on Coalsmoke. Pleasant name for a Takeda ignored him.
and boots coated in filth. Openings in the back
of the room showed more crowded back there, planet, isn’t it?” Esheera answered, sighing as “Tak, what’s going on?” Esheera asked.
including women. At least thirty in all. she rested her head against the wall. “I wonder Takeda heard her slip her hotchoker out of its
if it’s quite this hot there.” harness.
Everywhere Takeda looked he saw hollow
eyes and guns. Rifles leaned against the walls, Krane left with his group of men. Activity in “This is Captain Vass,” he growled. “The
and several men had pistols on their belts. the room seemed to have ceased in anticipa- man I told you about, from Greendome.”
One man had what looked like a harness for a tion of the water he’d bring. The silence felt
military-grade shrapnel gun. He wondered how oppressive in the hot air. Takeda had his back Other beings crowded into the doorway
many of them had watched while their families to the colonists, facing Zartsi and Esheera as behind Vass, including a wiry Lithrallian with
were devoured. they slumped against the wall. red and purple whorls tattooed on his arms
and flowing up his throat, ending at his jaw
“Hey, Law,” one of them said. “More new “What’s going on out here? Is there water line. He had a rifle in his hands. “He the man
arrivals?” yet?” a voice said from behind him. we’re looking for?” he hissed.
“Yeah. Just came in off the desert.” Takeda knew that voice. Suddenly he felt Vass nodded just as three Nihil miners
cold in the oven-like heat of the chamber. stood up with their own guns out. “Everybody
“Huh. Pretty exotic crew,” he said. “Lithral- His senses snapped into crystal clarity as he settle down,” one of them barked. “Put the
lian and Vitai together.” turned. Every odor in the room crashed on his guns away and we’ll talk about this.”
nostrils and he saw motes of dust swirling in
Law nodded. “Yeah. Regular museum piece. the reddish light. Takeda locked eyes with Vass. His finger
I need five volunteers to help me carry up food tensed on the trigger. He could shoot Vass
and water.” A man stood in a dark doorway across the any second. Zartsi could be trusted to nail the
room. For a moment, Takeda wondered if he
“Hey,” said another man, his voice faintly tattooed Lithrallian while Takeda started on
had misheard—this man wore a dark leather
slurred. “Those other guys had a Lithrallian. Vass’ other men. He wanted to do it so much
vest, white shirt, tight-fitting black pants, all
Think they know each other?” his entire body ached. This was the man who
of them stained with grime, dust, and blood. had driven him out of the only home he had
Nothing like his polished police uniform. But
“There’s billions of Lithrallians. Not likely. ever known. Or ever remembered. There was
that pale, aristocratic face, framed by midnight-
Now, volunteers?” no fear in Vass’ features. Only cold anger and
black hair, was unmistakable. defiance. A single bullet would freeze that
Hands went up slowly, reluctantly. While expression on his face forever.
Brian Vass recognized him a moment after
Krane picked his group, Esheera led Takeda their eyes met. “Croster...” he hissed.
and Zartsi to a relatively open patch of floor “First man to fire, dies,” the miner said flatly.
towards the back of the room. Takeda avoided Takeda had his pistol out, cocked, and Others had drawn their weapons, spreading
the eyes of the men and women staring at him. aimed in an instant. He heard the sound of a their fire between Vass’ crew and Takeda’s
The sorrow and shocked horror in those gazes bullet snapping into the chamber of Zartsi’s companions. “Put the guns away, both of you,
was too much for him. rifle. Vass froze with his pulser halfway out of or we might just shoot you all.”

“I think we should listen, boys,” Esheera The door swung open with another loud criminal—I can buy that. It’s obvious he ran to
said. “Vass, I don’t know how many of you creak. Law Krane stood in the doorway, massive Nihil to get away from something. I think you’re
there are back there, but I don’t think you can water jugs clutched in his fists. He glanced the assassins someone set on him.”
win a firefight against these colonists.” at the miners standing with drawn weapons.
“Something happen here?” he asked. Vass’ lips curved upwards in a cold smile.
Takeda heard her put her hotchoker away “You’re perceptive. Now are you going to shoot
and disconnect the fuel tank. Zartsi kept his “Yeah, Law. Vass steps in here and all of a us?”
rifle on Vass. Takeda’s hand shook. Vass’ lips sudden our two straggler crews pull iron on
moved up in a cold smile. “Shoot me if you will, each other.” Krane shook his head. “Not unless you give
Croster. Jiza, stand down.” me a good reason to. We need fighting men
Krane set the jugs down to one side of the right now. And Lombardi doesn’t want me
The tattooed Lithrallian slowly lowered his door. Then he stepped aside to let his helpers axing anyone I don’t need to. But you’re going
rifle, fangs showing in a snarl. Half of them unload their burdens: more water and boxes somewhere else, and if you try to kill Croster
were gleaming steel replacements. Another of food. “Pile it up there,” he said. “We’ll sort or his pals while you’re with us, you’re mine.
man with a shaved head and an eye patch this out first.” Deal?”
holstered his pulser. Vass cocked his head.
“Well, Croster? Your move.” The colonists grumbled at having to wait for “You people don’t offer much choice, do
their water, but Law ignored them. He made his you?”
Takeda clenched his pistol so hard the grip way through the crowd to stand between Vass
felt as if it might break. His finger tightened on and Takeda. He gently scratched the crimson “No.”
the trigger. He couldn’t miss—the bullet would tattoo emblazoned on his left cheek. “Well? Vass’ gaze slid back to Takeda. “It seems
smash straight into Vass’ forehead. Blood and Vass? What’s up?” you’ll live a while longer, Croster. But I’ll see
brains painted across the rock.
“This man is a wanted fugitive,” Vass said, you again.”
Sheri’s face appeared in his mind. The only hands clasped behind his back in an imperious Takeda locked eyes with him for a second,
woman who had ever really paid attention pose familiar to Takeda. “I’m seeking him on then looked to Krane. “Why not move us
to him—only human woman, at least. He behalf of the United Police Forces of the Empire. instead?”
remembered her smile, her pale green eyes, He’s guilty of several murders and a starship
her shoulder-length golden hair with its ever- hijacking. The other two are his accomplices.” “I’ve decided Vass and his boys need...a
present blue highlights. She was gentle, kind. heavier guard. Come on, people. Ten volun-
What would she think of the violence, the red Krane grunted. “Imperial Police my fat ass. teers to see ‘em down.”
anger, that filled his mind? That gunship you showed up in isn’t police.
Neither are your clothes. Or your weapons. Vass stepped out of his room while the
He lowered his gun. Zartsi did the same Or pretty much anything. You aren’t cops any Nihil colonists opened a path for him. A faint
almost immediately. He stuck the weapon back more than I’m a granny.” sneer remained on his face as he walked out.
into its holster. Jiza came afterwards, glaring murderously at
Vass’ mouth tightened into a hard line. Zartsi, followed by ten other beings—including
“Good,” the miner said. “Now are you going Jiza hissed from the shadows behind him. “All two Drava—all of them armed. Takeda tensed
to whip them out again as soon as we take our right,” Vass said, slowly. “Tell me, then, Mr. as he watched them march out.
eyes off you? ‘Cuz if you are, we might as well Krane: if we aren’t police, what are we?”
kill you anyway. We don’t need fights.” Then the door clanged shut behind him,
“Assassins is my bet. Maybe Croster is a and he allowed himself to relax. Sight, touch,

hearing, smell: all of his senses returned to dull with one hand. Her fingers picked out the She chuckled softly. “Ah, yes. I doubt
normality. Takeda’s exhaustion—and the pain beads, particularly the single gray one which our foreman would appreciate the assassins
from his wounded foot—reasserted itself. Only hung on every knot of hair. The look in her eyes chasing us.”
the distribution of food and water kept him was distant, wistful, and for a moment Takeda
from collapsing. felt as if he was intruding on something deeply Her eyes turned slowly to Zartsi, still
private. slumped against the wall, his arms wrapped
# around his rifle and the dust worm spike. A
“I’ve really screwed it badly, haven’t I, Tak?” smile crinkled her weary features. Takeda
she said, softly. wondered what she saw when she looked at
Takeda woke to the same red-tainted him—only she knew anything about his past
light, filling the crowded room like a bloody “What do you mean?” life beyond the hints he had scattered. Takeda
mist. Sweat had dried on his skin, and for a knew that he had once been a nobleman and
few seconds he struggled to open his eyes. Her wing-flaps rustled as she crossed her nothing more.
His entire body felt gummy, like someone had arms, clenching her knitted sweater with both
squirted glue into all his joints. His foot burned hands. “I lost my husband. I lost my ship. And “Couldn’t you go back to your clan?” he
as if someone had sewn a coal up in the flesh. now it looks like I’m going to lose my life.” asked.
He groaned.
Takeda shook his head. “We’ve been “The Nii would welcome me, certainly.
“All right, Tak?” Esheera asked. through a lot. I don’t think we’re going to die But it wouldn’t be easy to contact them. I
now.” doubt there’s a strong Rover presence on
He sat up immediately, feeling a twinge of Coalsmoke.”
embarrassment. “Yes. Sorry.” She smiled, eyes looking downwards.
Takeda heard faint, half-stifled sobs drifting Every pair of bloodshot eyes in the
“No apologies. I’m glad you could sleep.” from somewhere in one of the back rooms. chamber went up as the door creaked open.
“Lombardi said we’ll be in front, not hiding Law Krane stepped in. The large man looked
She blinked her small, dark eyes slowly. in back. Wouldn’t pick any other place, really. weary himself—his skin was paler than Takeda
Her head was resting lightly on her chest. “You But if we fight Evils, Tak, I’m not sure if a single remembered. A few men mumbled greetings
haven’t?” Takeda asked. man will survive. They took out Hope’s End like to him which he acknowledged with grunts.
“No,” she said, smiling. “Not very much, it was made of sand. He strode through the mass colonists and sank
anyway. It’s...just hard to hear children crying. down next to Takeda.
“And what if we do survive and get off Nihil?
I overhead a woman back there who doesn’t I’ve got nothing. You’ve got nothing. Zartsi has “Morning,” he said. “We got another
have any milk, and they couldn’t make the child nothing. Maybe we could all get jobs in some message from our rescue ships. Thirty-six
drink water. So it cried until it fell asleep.” factory on Coalsmoke. Save up our quarter- hours. They’ll arrive at night.”
“That’s...terrible,” Takeda said. He knew he Silvers for a ship, eh?”
sounded like an idiot as soon as the words left His voice rolled through the room like the
“I don’t know. All I want is to talk to Cramer echo of an artillery piece. Someone moaned,
his mouth. Orano...I won’t know what to do with myself and Takeda heard a voice whispering a prayer
“More so. The mother was crying, too—her until I know why my body is like this. Vass in what sounded like Reborn Chinese. Takeda
husband died in Hope’s End.” is still trying to kill me. Lashiir is out there immediately grasped the significance of the
somewhere.” news. Walking Evils hunted in the darkness.
Esheera gently stroked her dusty braids

Krane seemed not to notice any reaction. knifed a collections agent and they still took what we were, they spread the word around,
“How are my desert vagabonds?” he said, me. They’ve taken worse, too. Not the worst, and eventually they gathered from thousands
smiling just enough to push back the folds of but men who couldn’t find homes anywhere of miles around. Gathered until there were
fat on his cheeks. else. They got a second chance here. A chance enough of them to crack us open.”
at something, anyway, until the Evils came.
“No worse than anyone else,” Esheera He stood suddenly. “Water time. Sit tight
answered. “That’s the kind of world Nihil is. With a and be ready when we need to move.”
whole militia of Evils beating down our gates
Takeda sighed. He could almost feel Krane’s I’ll take assassins and murderers and Rovers. If He left without another word.
boulder-like head swiveling towards him. “You Xiang Butcher showed up I’d give him a rifle.”
want to know why I don’t shoot Vass, since I Thirty hours passed. Esheera sang softly
know he’s an assassin. I saw your face.” His meaty shoulders rolled in a lazy shrug. under her breath. When Zartsi wasn’t sleeping,
“That’s how it works, sometimes.” he stared at nothing, hands clamped protec-
A statement, not a question, and Takeda tively on rifle and dust worm spike. Takeda
had no energy to contradict it. “Yeah,” he said. Somewhere in the darkness a baby began drank every drop of the water they gave him
“They’re all thugs.” to wail. Esheera turned towards it, her lips and forced down every crumb of food. He
curved downwards and her nostrils flared. A slept whenever he could, curled up on the
“See this tattoo?” Krane pointed at the soft voice tried to hush it, but the shrieks only dark, warm stone. Moans, muffled conversa-
slash of red ink stamped on his cheek. “I got became more violent. Takeda heard other tions between hoarse voices, sobs, and snores
that on Smith’s Island, Gray Sea, planet Ulster. tears. A woman without milk, nothing to feed drifted through the dim light. Gun metal
Ring any bells?” her child. Her husband gone. gleamed—the colonists sat poised for action, a
ragged army awaiting the call to battle against
“A high-security prison. They fly hard cases “Where did all these Evils come from?” he the living nightmares which had destroyed
in from as far away as Imperia,” Esheera said. asked Krane. their home.
“Got it. I spent ten years there, solitary con- “Good question. Wish I knew the answer.
finement. They gave me a reader that wouldn’t Here’s what I think, though. Nihil’s an empty #
work three days out of four and two bowls of place—that’s what the planet’s damn name
gruel a day. Six times a year they’d haul me means. Every animal and plant has to scratch Takeda dreamed he sat in a room that was
down to a dark cell far underground and whip for whatever it can get, and not much is wasted. utterly, completely black, as if the vacuum
me and pour salt water on the wounds. Broken So what happens when a few thousand humans between stars had been locked into solid form.
men don’t escape. come dropping in for mining operations?” Pale blue light emanating from a single trian-
gular panel in the vaulted ceiling let him guess
“I got out eventually. Still sane, mostly. Esheera clenched her hands into fists. “I the room’s boundaries. He sat in a tall chair.
They told me I was free, but that no one on think I begin to see.” Soft cushions gave way beneath his weight.
any civilized planet would give me a job. They There was other furniture, but it seemed hazy,
gave me this mark, along with a chip in my “You should. The Evils eventually picked as if it was a poorly concealed illusion.
skull. Told me it was the colonies or a handful up what we were—a real shitload of food and
of government businesses. I came here.” moisture. I don’t know how intelligent the The room felt lonely and cold. Takeda
things are, but they have a big range. It would shivered and realized he was naked—every
His smile showed filthy teeth. “The Nihil surprise me if there’s more than a few thousand square inch of his body was open to the chill.
Iron Company doesn’t care who comes. I on the whole planet. I think, once they realized His flesh looked paler than he had ever seen it,

as if sunlight had never touched it. He had no red light. Takeda’s chair rolled back with a He felt his pistols. Both in place, both
hair, either. His scalp had been shaved clean. sickening lurch and the cushions hardened into loaded. He had plenty of full magazines, enough
steel. Restraints pinned his arms and legs, cold ammunition to kill a small army. He stood. His
Then she was there. against his flesh. He was bleeding. Knives of foot throbbed with pain—he suspected some
light stabbed into his eyes. dust had gotten beneath the wrapping—but
The woman reclined on a throne of he could walk. That was enough.
shadows, close enough that Takeda could have Two yellow orbs hovered above him. Eyes,
touched her simply by stretching out his hand. featureless except for wide black pupils. A “All right,” Krane called out. In addition to
He wanted to, but she was too beautiful. Her cruel mouth filled with pointed teeth opened, his pistol he now carried a massive assault rifle
hair was blacker even than the walls. Her eyes scarred lips bent, and three words slid into his with a vented barrel, slung across his shoulders
burned like blue stars. Every curve of her face ears: “You are mine.” on a leather bandolier. “Here’s the plan.
was perfect—so perfect Takeda wanted to cry. Women and children will report to Level Four,
But still her expression was lofty—lonely and Takeda screamed and woke. Alpha section, to await evacuation. All able-
cold, to match the room, the prison. bodied men follow me down to Level Zero,
# Loading Room, to rendezvous for a trip down
When she spoke at last, her voice was music. into the mines. We’ve got a hundred people
“Man,” she said, “may I give you a name?” Esheera’s face hovered in the dim light down there, and we’re going to pull them out.
Takeda’s lips moved without his will. “You above him, nostrils flared, small dark eyes Bring your guns.”
may do anything you wish, my lady.” concerned. He felt her hand grasping his
shoulder. “Just a dream, Tak,” she whispered. He stepped out into the passageway. The
Her smile sent shivers along his skin. “You “Drink this.” colonists and miners shuffled out after him.
betray your ignorance. I shouldn’t even be Some paused to kiss their wives and hold their
speaking to you. To anyone except him.” He took the plastic cup and gulped warm children one last time before picking up rifles,
water. It was gone too fast. He coughed, handed pistols, flame guns, knives, even tools like force
Her head bowed, and for a moment the the cup back to Esheera, and rubbed his eyes. hammers and power saws. Their bloodshot eyes
lights in her eyes flickered out. “Would you “How long have I been sleeping?” held a fierce glow as they marched out. Takeda
even care if you had a name?” she asked. followed with Zartsi and Esheera just behind.
“Long enough. We’re moving out.” The Lithrallian cleaned out the chamber of his
“I...I don’t know,” he said, hearing his own rifle even as they walked.
hesitation. “I’ve never had one.” Takeda groaned. A deep pain seemed to
have infiltrated all his muscles, more than just No voices interrupted the steady sound of
The woman’s hair rustled in an unseen the ache of sleeping on rock. The dream clung stamping boots. The colonists walked in silence,
wind. Her eyes came up again, brighter than to his mind, particularly the woman’s face...a weapons clanking, breath heaving raggedly.
ever. “Go. Leave.” woman that beautiful couldn’t exist. Just a They went through tunnels stripped of all their
dream. iron, down steps that rattled beneath their
Suddenly, Takeda remembered: feet, through areas where lights had burned
Greendome, Sheri, Vass, Zartsi, Clane, Lashiir, Takeda prayed Cramer Orano still lived, out, leaving only darkness.
Esheera. He remembered his three years. He somewhere in the mines below—he couldn’t
remembered his name. “Wait!” he screamed, rest until he knew why he had these dreams, At last they emerged into a large, low
as her face began to fade. “What am I?” why his body was full of organs and bones cavern illuminated with strips of pale red. A
and chemicals no ordinary man possessed. handful of men waited for them, leaning on
She said nothing. She had vanished, Why he couldn’t remember anything before rifles in one corner. Machinery lay untended in
and now the walls began to bleed streaks of Greendome. the shadows, and the floor was split by four

gaping shafts with lift equipment rigged over to use and retrieve them, but got cut off by engine failure—damage from the Clord-
them. Every one of the lifts was raised. Evils. We didn’t want to pull them out earlier ite’s weapons had been more extreme than
because our supplies upstairs wouldn’t have it appeared. Atmospheric entry had only
Takeda estimated that their group consisted sustained all together. Anything else?” worsened it. They had approached Hope’s End
of over fifty men, altogether. from the north, but when Vass’ comm signals
Nothing. had been answered by someone at the mine, he
“Lift shafts are closed,” Krane said. “To had decided to land there instead. The miners
keep the Evils out. So we’re taking the long “All right. God help us, for He knows we’ll would be less likely to ask difficult questions.
way. Best armed men in front, in back, around need it.”
the sides—that’s anyone with a heavy rifle or He had been right. But Krane and the mine’s
a pulser. Keep your eyes open. Remember that There was a massive portal shaped from a other officers had put him to work until they
Evils smell like burnt wood. Aim about a foot metal that could only be strome. Krane pulled could refer his case to the governor at Hope’s
above the legs—don’t bother with the head. out a digital key, turned it in a lock the size of End. Vass and all his men had spent almost
And don’t take your eyes off one. Ever.” an elephant skull, and stood back as the door seventy-two hours hauling iron up out of the
swung open. The opening yawned, full of mines. Calluses covered his once fine hands.
Krane examined the men carefully, eyes hollow darkness.
hovering briefly over each face. “Carter, Shao, Then they had evacuated Hope’s End.
Patel, Mufura. You each take about ten men. “Lights out,” he said. “Oh, yeah, someone Wretched colonists flooded into the mines, and
Doesn’t matter if it’s uneven. I’ll take what’s with spares, give them to our guests.” Nihil Colony went into a state of emergency.
left—Croster, Esheera, Zartsi with me for The other small mines curled in on themselves
Someone pressed a small hand lamp into
certain. Just so long as you know which men and awaited evacuation themselves—small
Takeda’s palm. The sweat of terror dribbled
you have. We’ll stick together, but keep track parties of Evils harried them as well, taking
down Takeda’s back. Suddenly, he felt a cold
of those.” whatever sections of the mines they couldn’t
certainty that he wouldn’t live to speak
with Orano, wouldn’t live to know what had close off. It was as if the desert itself had risen
The men divided into their groups. Takeda
happened in all those lost years. against human habitation.
and his companions went to stand with
Krane and eight others. Krane watched them Vass hissed through clenched teeth. Shot
They marched forward, down into the
separate, listened to them whisper to each down. Pressed into labor. And now forced to
darkness.
other, then said, “Shao, in the rear, watch our fight for a ragged band of colonists too stupid
backs. I’ll be in front. Patel and Carter on the to realize what a Hell they had picked for a
flanks. Mufura in the middle. If anyone near #
home.
you drops, and he’s got a better weapon, take
it. Any questions?” Brian Vass sat with his legs crossed and his The door swung open. Vass’ hand instantly
hands curled into fists on top of them. Anger dropped to his pulser, and across the room he
Silence. Krane was about to go on when burned inside him, anger which threatened to saw Jiza tense, hooking a single claw around
Takeda asked, “How did they get down there? burst out in raw violence. Finally, he had seen the trigger of his rifle. A man stood in the door-
Why not bring them earlier?” Croster, had him in easy range of a shot. But he way—Larson, Vass vaguely recalled. His blonde
couldn’t kill him. Couldn’t take his vengeance hair was shaped into a ridge of bristles running
Krane’s eyes turned, and for a moment on the only man to ever successfully defy him. along the center of his scalp.
Takeda was sorry he had spoken. But there was
no anger in the bald man’s voice. “There were When the Black Dog had entered Nihil’s “We’re moving out,” he growled. “You boys
extra supplies down there. They went down atmosphere, she had been close to complete coming?”

“Moving out where?” Thomas crouched in a dark storage room Only Thomas and Heziah remained.
which now contained only broken tools and
“Extracting the folks below. Our job is to obsolete machinery. His stained miner’s “Where?” the Clordite asked.
go down and create a little...distraction, for uniform was uncomfortable after years of
the Evils. Hopefully keep them off Law Krane’s Thomas told his lord all that he knew:
wearing the soft fabrics Lashiir provided,
back.” Croster’s destination, their planned route,
and it felt strange—wrong—to have his head everything he knew of the mine’s layout. He
uncovered. But when his lord had ordered him
Vass stroked his cheek, disgracefully stained had already downloaded a digitized map, and
to hide among the miners, to watch them and
with dark fuzz. An idea was beginning to take sent it to Lashiir over the comm. He spoke while
wait for any sign of Lashiir’s prey, he could not
shape in his head. “Where’s Krane going out it was translated into the Despair’s protocols.
refuse, could not question, could not show any
from?” sign of displeasure. “Meet me in Shaft Alpha, Sublevel One,”
“Level Zero Loading Area. We’ll be in the Lashiir said. “I will summon Heziah. You have...
At least it concealed his weapons well
shafts, opposite side of the mines.” fifteen minutes. If I don’t find you there I will
enough. not look.”
“I see,” Vass said. He tried to remember He placed the communicator against his
the layout of the mine, hastily learned during “Yes, lord.”
ear and activated it. It went to only one source.
his three days of servitude. Yes...he knew the Soon, the flat, metallic sound of Lashiir’s voice Thomas did not dare to question how his
place, and he thought he knew how to get to said, “Speak.” master could move so fast—leave Despair,
it.
enter the mines, and find his way to the spot
“Thomas, my lord. I’ve found your prey.”
“So, coming, or should we just roll a couple he had named in fifteen minutes. He had seen
grenades in here and slam the door?” Larson The sound of air fluting out of Lashiir’s his dark master do things far more impressive
asked. beak still terrified him, even after many years. in the years of his apprenticeship.
“Finally,” the Clordite hissed. “Where?”
“We’re coming,” Vass said. “Get up, boys.” The connection cut off. Thomas slipped the
“I...my lord, I only found him a few minutes communicator back into his pocket, patted his
As they marched downwards, however, clothes to check that all his weapons were still
ago. He is moving. A party of men goes below,
Vass slowly worked himself towards the rear of concealed where he had left them, and left the
to rescue some others trapped there. Croster
Larson’s band. Jiza noticed what he was doing room, going to meet Lashiir. The hunt was on
goes with them. And the Rover, and the Lithral-
and did the same. They walked through dark again.
lian.”
tunnels, and the men were terrified—Vass
could smell their sweat and piss. They didn’t Lashiir’s silence extended for three seconds.
notice when Vass led his men down a side-pas- Fear gripped Thomas’ heart like his lord’s black
sageway at an intersection. He got away clean, talons. Lashiir’s anger and frustration had been
and heard Jiza laughing in the darkness. “Nice, growing since his prey had first escaped him
boss,” the Lithrallian hissed. at the hotel. It had grown when they had suc-
cessfully left Freedan. It had flared up when he
Vass smiled as he led them towards the failed to destroy them in orbit, or find them in
loading area. Croster would be his yet. the desert. It had become something deep and
sickeningly murderous when Tsuke and John Next month...Chapter 15: Memory Rush
# had failed to check-in. Dead, both of them.

Sean T. M. Stiennon
Sean is an author of fantasy and science fic-
tion novels and short stories, with many pub-
lications under his belt. His first short story
collection, Six with Flinteye, was recently
released from Silver Lake Publishing, and he
won 2nd place in both the 2004 SFReader.
com Short Story Contest and the Storn Cook
Razor-Edged Fiction Contest with his stories
“Asp” and “The Sultan’s Well,” respective-
ly. “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, Issue 01.
Sean’s work tends to contain lots of action and
adventure, but he often includes elements of
tragedy and loss alongside roaring bat-
tles. A lot of his work centers around con-
tinuing characters, the most prominent
of whom is Jalazar Flinteye (Six with Flin-
teye). He also writes tales of Shabak of
Talon Point (“Death Marks,” in issue #9 of
Amazing Journeys Magazine), Blademas-
ter (“Asp,” 2nd place winner in the 2004
SFReader.com Contest), and others who
have yet to see publication.
Sean loves to read fantasy and science fic-
tion alongside some history, mysteries, and
historical novels. His favorites in-
clude Declare by Tim Powers,
the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn
trilogy by Tad Williams, Stephen Lawhead’s
Song of Albion trilogy, and King Solomon’s
Mines by H. Rider Haggard. He has reviewed
books for Deep Magic: The E-zine of High
Fantasy and Science Fiction, and currently
reviews books at SFReader.com.

Pg. 42
The RGR Time Capsule
August 1 - August 14, 2007
Sci-Fi news from the Ray Gun Revival forums
RGR Date: August 01, 2007 ponential and what we are experiencing now Will global warming catch up with us? Is that
Zeppelin vs. Pterodactyls: the lost film is the real vertigo of that - we have no idea irreparable? Will technological civilisation
http://raygunrevival.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=1304 at all now where we are going. collapse? There seems to be some possibility
“One of the wacky ideas floated by Ham- of that over the next 30 or 40 years or will
mer Films in 1971 but never developed we do some Verner Vinge singularity trick
beyond a sweet poster was ‘Zeppelin vs. and suddenly become capable of every-
Pterodactyls.’ People have said it’s tragic thing and everything will be cool and the
this movie was never made. Now tragical- geek rapture will arrive? That’s a possibil-
ly it has been made, a mashup of public ity too.
domain cliffhanger serials and old mov- RGR Date: August 13, 2007
ies. What if Republic Pictures had gotten
this idea in 1936? See it here. Watch for Vernor Vinge ‘Rainbows End’ interview
glimpses of John Wayne, two ‘Wilhelm’ http://raygunrevival.com/Forum/viewtopic.
screams, and one actor who wasn’t even php?t=1329
born until 1939. ActuSF: Rainbows End is very surprising
for French readers, who know you mostly
through your space opera. Were you a bit
RGR Date: August 06, 2007 tired of it ?
Wm. Gibson - the future wears him out
http://raygunrevival.com/Forum/viewtopic. Vernor Vinge: Rainbows End was a nice
php?t=1314 change of pace for me. However, I still
So why not write about the future? enjoy space opera. I also have some ideas
for stories that are neither space opera
The trouble is there are enough crazy fac- nor near-future SF.
tors and wild cards on the table now that
I can’t convince myself of where a future In other news, he’s working on a sequel to A
might be in 10 to 15 years. I think we’ve Fire Upon the Deep. It takes place on Tines
been in a very long, century-long period World, about ten years after the end of AFUD.
of increasingly exponential technological- That is exciting news.
ly-driven change.
We hit a point somewhere in the mid-18th
century where we started doing what we
think of technology today and it started
changing things for us, changing society.
Since World War II it’s going literally ex-

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Issue 28 August 15, 2007

Cover Art: “Workships” by Alex Ruiz

Without Whom... Bill Snodgrass, site host,

Visit us online at http://raygunrevival.com Rev: 20070815c

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

The Walking Stick

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would be effectively removed from the project.

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

No Revolution Is Too Big

M att Rogers picked up his backpack and

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

How would you describe your work?

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Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

them.” # Bola’s bench was a battering ram clearing

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Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

He likes prog rock, space opera, film noir,

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Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

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Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 28, August 15, 2007

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