Ariane and company were now in the Deeps... ----- Chapter 20. "Orphan, we're being followed." The tall alien was beside her almost instantly. "Are you certain, Ariane Austin?" "Pretty sure. See these returns? And using the rear telescopes I thought I saw a couple glints where that cloudbank thinned out." Orphan straightened, stroking his headcrest in the way he often did when thinking. "This is an excellent place for an ambush. We are actually heading for another of the Sky Gates that – as far as I am aware – only I know [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 19
November 11, 2016 By 25 Comments
Simon had been confronted with a new problem... ----- Chapter 19. Simon stared incredulously for a long, long moment, before his natural politeness asserted itself. "Pardon me. Of course, please sit down." I've just invited a known mass-murderess and part of another faction to eat lunch with me. But perhaps a wiser course than rejecting her. Relief was visible on the perfect features as Maria-Susanna sat down. "Thanks so much, Simon. I... know you probably haven't heard good things about me." "And some of them are true," he [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 18
November 9, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Oh, you didn't think I'd just continue the LAST scene, did you? There's other characters to see! ----- Chapter 18. "The idea is tempting, Doctor DuQuesne, but ... are you certain it will work?" "Not certain. But... say eighty percent chance it'll work," DuQuesne answered. "And if it does work, your firepower just went way up." "It will drop if you fail, however," Orphan pointed out. DuQuesne could tell that the protest was, at least partially, purely from Orphan's instinctive need to be cautious. "You'll still have the [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 17
November 7, 2016 By 6 Comments
Simon Sandrisson had some work he was doing... ----- Chapter 17. I am completely exhausted, Simon thought. Refitting an entire ship with the 'primary beam' weapons was not easy. That wasn't entirely true, either. It had become easier and easier to perform the changes as he moved from turret to turret; his body moved almost of its own accord, the Arena-born knowledge and inspiration guiding his fingers as they flew across the complex interior of the energy cannons and readjusted, shifted, added, changed. And that still [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 16
November 4, 2016 By 2 Comments
Orphan had an explanation to give... ----- Chapter 16. "To use a human expression that's probably going to be interesting in translation, Orphan, we're all ears," Ariane said. Orphan tilted his head. "That... was an interesting expression indeed. But I get the gist of the meaning." He stood, leaning back against a railing in front of the actual viewport, silhouetted against the planet-sized whirlpool of cloud and storm ahead. "It begins many, many years ago, when I signed on for an expedition to the Deeps headed by a [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 15
November 2, 2016 By 18 Comments
And now to see things from another point of view... ----- Chapter 15. "Leader, an urgent communication for you." Dajzail looked up from his meal, seeing Kanjstall the Salutant waiting. "That urgent?" "It is from Fleet Master Alztanza, Leader." Home and Hive, that is urgent. With only seven Fleet Masters in the entire One Civilization (that the undercreatures mistakenly called an "empire"), communications from them were rare and always important; and Alztanza himself had been one of Dajzail's friends since they were [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 14
October 31, 2016 By 6 Comments
Our friends were finally on their way... ----- Chapter 14. "Orphan…" Ariane said apprehensively. "Are you sure we want to get any closer to that?" "My dear Captain Austin, we are going to get far closer," Orphan replied with a chuckle. The immense vessel loomed ever larger in the suddenly-tiny shuttle's viewport. Just about an old-style mile long, and looks it, DuQuesne thought, as he saw a brilliant line of light that widened, became a massive pair of doors into a huge landing bay. "Almost like coming home, isn't it?" he [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 13
October 28, 2016 By 8 Comments
Preparations for departure are underway... ----- Chapter 13. "Not taking Zounin-Ginjou?" Simon asked, looking at the relatively small craft – no more than fifty meters long – that was sitting at the end of the berth the Liberated were assigned. "Later," Orphan said, carefully checking the exterior of his ship. "If all three of us took Zounin-Ginjou from here, too many eyes would note the departure; this is a short range vessel, the sort used for brief jaunts from point to point." "With your permission," said [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 12
October 26, 2016 By 23 Comments
And what do you do after winning a race? A party, that's what! ----- Chapter 12. "As always, a fine celebration," Orphan said, observing Wu Kung trying to imitate a whirling dance by three of the Genasi, while a laughing crowd of a dozen species watched the performance. "Afterward, however, would I be correct to hope that you and Captain Austin will be free?" "You mean, to go on your little jaunt into the back end of nowhere? That's the plan," DuQuesne answered. He had noticed the tall alien had a particularly cheerful [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 11
October 24, 2016 By 42 Comments
Sun Wu Kung had won the race... ----- Chapter 11. Even as Wu crossed the finish line, he was suddenly there in front of Ariane, skidding to a halt not three meters from the table at which DuQuesne and his opponent were seated, surrounded by rank upon rank of spectators, silent, staring, frozen in disbelief and shock. Even though she had been warned, Ariane was herself still in a state of utter awe. DuQuesne had said Wu was better than him. But this… And then the silence broke and a roar of applause, of furious curses and [ Continue reading... ]
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