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... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 10
October 21, 2016 By 7 Comments
Wu Kung was apparently in trouble... ----- Chapter 10. Wu Kung landed in a crouch-and roll, came to his feet in the precise center of the platform, saw the figures – one Dujuin rhino-like creature, two Daalasan like armored frog-men, and one spidery Milluk in the silvery Arena armor – appear from nothing around him. Adjudicators! The Arena's own peacekeepers! Then he heard Orphan's quiet despair, and rose to his feet, grinning savagely, baring his fangs to the Adjudicators as they raised their own weapons. "I gave my word to [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 9
October 19, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Time to look in on DuQuesne and see how he's doing... ----- Chapter 9. "Draw two," DuQuesne said, evaluating his cards. Nothing impressive in this hand. I need a break. The two cards passed to him turned out to be a Sky Gate and a Nexus Gateway. With the Inner Gateway and Outer Gate I have, that at least makes a decent run. "Bet 5 points," he said, not without trepidation. That's half of what I've got left. He could see Orphan, absently stroking his high head-crest in a nervous fashion, sitting near Ariane; Laila Canning [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 8
October 17, 2016 By Leave a Comment
The long-awaited Challenge is about to start! ------ Chapter 8. "Boy, Tunuvun," Wu Kung said, "This is going to be fun!" He couldn't keep from bouncing up and down on his feet, staring out at what Ariane had pronounced in disbelief to be "a triathlon on full enhancers!" He and Tunuvun stood at the top of a mountain – that ended abruptly at a wall behind them! – and looked out upon a racecourse that could only be possible in a place like the Arena. Or, he noted with a momentary pang of sadness, at home. The bittersweet [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 7
October 14, 2016 By 1 Comment
If you haven't played a game before, you'd better practice it a bit prior to a species-critical Challenge... ----- Chapter 7. "I yield the play, Dr. DuQuesne; once more you have outmatched me." Orphan tipped his remaining cards into the dump-bucket. "Anyone else still in?" he asked the others, looking around the conference-room-turned-simulated Arena. A shadowy holographic display showed several simulated runners speeding along a course, overcoming various obstacles. "Not me," Oasis said promptly. "I know Marc too [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 5
October 10, 2016 By 1 Comment
Sharp-eyed readers will notice there's one edit that needs to be done in this chapter; missed it when I changed something during the writing process. So Simon had something to tell Ariane... ------ Chapter 5. "All, right, Simon; you insisted we have breakfast in private today," Ariane said; per Simon's request, she'd even had Wu Kung stay outside the meeting room. "What is so important?" Simon was uncharacteristically sober; his usual smile was a shadow of its normal self. "I would have brought this up yesterday, but by the [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 4
October 7, 2016 By 5 Comments
Ariane and Wu had found themselves involved in a Challenge that wasn't even Humanity's... ----- Chapter 4. "That might not have been the best choice, Ariane," DuQuesne said somberly. Simon was puzzled by the gravity in his voice. Reflexively, he glanced around the meeting room, but there was no one present except the members of the "core group", as Simon thought of it – DuQuesne, Ariane, Simon himself, Laila, Carl, and the newcomers Oasis and Wu Kung. "Do you think Wu might lose? Or is there some other [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 3
October 5, 2016 By 2 Comments
The Monkey King is back! ------ Chapter 3. Wu bounced along in front of Ariane, watching in all directions at once. The Grand Arcade, that gigantic area of open-air markets, stalls, covered collections of shops like mini-malls, was a constant whirl of activity that never stopped – ideal for both an ambush and an escape. He turned periodically, seeing that Ariane was just behind him, that no threats loomed nearby. Then he could return for a few moments to the enjoyment of the moment. The Arcade was one of [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 2
October 3, 2016 By 1 Comment
Our friends were about to pay a visit to their oldest alien acquaintance... ----- Chapter 2. "Captain Ariane Austin, Doctor Marc DuQuesne, it is an honor to welcome you back to my Embassy once more," Orphan said, giving the full pushup-bow which both the Blessed and the Liberated used as a sign of greatest respect. "And you as well, Sun Wu Kung. I take this to mean that the various... issues in your home system have been addressed in a satisfactory manner?" DuQuesne saw a smile instantly appear on Ariane's face, [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 1
September 30, 2016 By 4 Comments
Today we begin snippeting the third Arenaverse novel, Challenges of the Deeps, which will be released March 2nd, 2017. The eARC will be released in early December, by which point about one-half of the book will have been snippeted. Re-Enter the ARENA! ------- Chapter 1. Ariane Austin felt the peculiar jolt that the Sandrisson jump always gave her, and found a smile on her face. "We're back," she said. "Out of the political frying pan and into the Arena's fire," DuQuesne said, chuckling. "Feels good, doesn't [ Continue reading... ]
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