Even long journeys come to an end... ----- Chapter 22. Wu Kung found himself feeling an incredibly rare tinge of apprehension, as well as awe, staring at the thing that had just become visible through the mists of the Arena's Deeps. Silhouetted against a backdrop of dull crimson clouds, it was black as night, an angular shape of incomprehensible vastness. An ebony stitching of criss-cross darkness that looked like monstrous girders, great arching curves with hints of fluted, organic shapes rising about a central assemblage of [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 21
November 16, 2016 By 30 Comments
Just because it starts with a meeting doesn't mean that's all that's going to happen... ----- Chapter 21. "I am glad, tremendously glad, that you were able to resolve that situation so well, Laila, Carl, Simon," said Oscar Naraj, his deep, rich voice resonating in the comfortable meeting room. "The Tantimorcans were appreciative of your tact and sympathy, and I have thus concluded a most advantageous negotiation with them." Simon still found it somewhat uncomfortable to sit in the same room and talk civilly with a man he still [ Continue reading... ]
Challenges of the Deeps: Chapter 20
November 14, 2016 By 4 Comments
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... ]
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