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 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 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 6
October 12, 2016 By 1 Comment
Simon had a theory to test.. ----- Chapter 6. Simon stood on the bridge of Paksenarrion and gazed outward. I do not think I will ever grow fully accustomed, let alone jaded, to this. The great warship – one of several gifted to Humanity by the Liberated – was cruising now many thousands of kilometers away from the Sphere of Humanity, so far out that the Sphere itself was but a shadow in the gloom, its Luminaire a fuzzy circle of dimmed brightness. On every side flowed and eddied incredible banks of cloud – white and [ 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... ]
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