Things were busy and confusing around here yesterday -- apologies for missing my schedule! Sakura's out exploring... ------ Chapter 18 Sakura cut, perhaps with unnecessary viciousness, at a bamboolike stalk that blocked her passage. The machete—cut and ground down under Whips' direction from one of the pieces of steel that had formed a major wing support—sliced cleanly through the stalk, which fell, spattering her with drops of blood and an explosion of crimson tendrils from the [ Continue reading... ]
Castaway Planet: Chapter 17
December 8, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Time to relax, it's been a long day... ------ Chapter 17 Whips jolted awake as a loud, strident beep! beep! beep! sounded from somewhere above him. That was the camp alarm! Something was coming through the perimeter! The night of Lincoln was, by Earthly standards, pitch-black; even if one of Lincoln's two moons had been up, they were too small to shed very much light. But Whips' ancestors were from the utterly lightless sea of Europa, orbiting Jupiter in the farther [ Continue reading... ]
Polychrome: Chapter 25
December 5, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Well, let's see what Erik's up to now... ------ Chapter 25. "Chancellor, we have stormclouds ahead." Inkarbleu glanced up from the small dining table we were sharing. "That is… unusual, is it not?" "Very, sir. Weather indications for this time of year are usually clear – for weeks or months at a time." The Captain looked grim. I rose and ran up the steps to the forward deck. Black stormclouds loomed up in a narrow front, focused on the Pearl of Gilgad, our ship, and her escorts. I narrowed my eyes, [ Continue reading... ]
Castaway Planet: Chapter 16
December 3, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Well, Hitomi hadn't gotten herself killed after all... ------ Chapter 16 "Barkcloth," Laura repeated wonderingly, looking at the green sheet which was slowly coming apart under repeated handling. "A beginning to it, I think, yes," Caroline said. "The Polynesians made something like this, called tapa. We'll have to do some experiments, but… I think Hitomi might have found us something really important." Hitomi looked very proud. Laura bent down. "But you also could [ Continue reading... ]
Castaway Planet: Chapter 15
December 1, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Sakura did some exploring before; now there's time to do some work... ------- Chapter 15 "Can't I please come with –" "No." Her mother's answer was firm. "You seem recovered, mostly, but you were in very bad shape for a while yesterday. I don't expect to see any more trouble, but for today you're staying near camp. You'll have plenty more chances to explore, I promise." "Sorry, Saki," her father said, and gave her a consoling hug. That didn't exactly make up [ Continue reading... ]
Polychrome: Chapter 24
November 28, 2014 By Leave a Comment
We should see how our Heroine is doing... ------ Chapter 24. "He is clever! And lucky! Oh, Father, this might work, it might really work after all!" Polychrome was dancing around the viewing pool, the perfectly circular bowl of mist and rainbow through which Iris and those in the throne room could, when he willed it, see that which passed in the area of the Jewel of the Bridge. Iris watched her closely, a faint smile on his lips but a chill in his heart. He glanced over at Nimbus, [ Continue reading... ]
Castaway Planet: Chapter 14
November 26, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Sakura was safe now, time for a little aftermath and a discovery... ------ Chapter 14 Whips wallowed his body back and forth, feeling the coral-based sand squish reassuringly under him. "Hm. That will be good." It had been quite a while since he built a land-nest—years ago, when he and his father had gone on a camping trip with the Kimeis, and that was long enough that he'd had to think about just how you did this right. His first attempt, about three [ Continue reading... ]
The Ethical Magical Girl: Princess Holy Aura — Teaser Chapter
November 24, 2014 By 2 Comments
Because I've had a lot of questions about this new novel (hopefully series), I'm posting the current first chapter which should at least give an idea of what's to come. Of course, at this early stage there's no guarantee that this will still be the first chapter, or that this chapter won't change some as time goes on, but the basic concepts will be there! ------ The Ethical Magical Girl, Volume 1: Princess Holy Aura Chapter 1. The screaming came from the alley to Steve's right; it was high-pitched, the [ Continue reading... ]
Castaway Planet: Chapter 13
November 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Sakura had discovered the local wildlife was not harmless... ------ Chapter 13 Laura restrained the urge to leap forward. Panic would not help her. Even as she scanned the data from Sakura's internal medical nanos, she categorized the symptoms of the shaky girl. Skin reddening… pupils dilating… heart rate increasing. Sakura was also looking dizzy, disoriented. The data from the nanos confirmed her guess. "It's a hyoscyamine derivative, something like atropine. And a [ Continue reading... ]
Polychrome: Chapter 23
November 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Back to Our Hero, who is out there looking for allies... ------- Chapter 23. The gates of the city of Gilgad stood wide before us, a full fifty feet high in a wall of white and black marble. The wide street continued on, with houses and larger buildings visible, street vendors, and hundreds of people bustling about the city's business. "You should be safe here, Amrin. At least as long as anyone is, and I hope that will turn out to be a long, long time." I shook his hand. "Many, many thanks, [ Continue reading... ]
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