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 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 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 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 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... ]
Just For Fun: My Top Ten Villains!
October 14, 2013 By 6 Comments
While, at least in theory, we cheer for the victory of the heroes, it is often the villains that define a work, and certainly the villains tend to get the best lines, best music, and commonly the coolest "style" in a work. This probably partly stems from the fact that villains are more "free" than the heroes; they get to do what they want rather than what they should or must. In addition, the villains tend to be in control, the ACTIVE force, in the story, at least up until the end; the heroes spend much of their time reacting [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 27
August 12, 2013 By 1 Comment
Well, they weren't on board Zounin-Ginjou just as travellers; they had somewhere to *go*... ----- Chapter 27. Impressive, DuQuesne thought. Not quite up to the standards Seaton and I set, but then, this is real. As he'd guessed, Zounin-Ginjou was a luxuriously-appointed battleship, a warship with an admittedly thick coat of ocean-liner paint. The fact that Orphan was the lone member of the Liberated had obviously driven him to push the limits of automation in the Arena – and had drastically [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 24
August 5, 2013 By 9 Comments
It had been mentioned that they needed more people... ------ Chapter 24. "I know it's only thirty people, but that's a hell of a crowd compared to us," DuQuesne murmured. He glanced in the direction of the group that was waiting, mostly patiently, outside the entrance to the Guardhouse area, then looked back down at the cable he was rigging. Going to need a lot more power here. Carl Edlund paused in the middle of fixing the last brace for the table. "I don't think they even outnumber you," [ Continue reading... ]
Spheres of Influence: Chapter 21
July 29, 2013 By 17 Comments
They'd finished the meeting, but there were still a few points left untouched... ----- Chapter 21. "I'll want to talk to you later, Wu," DuQuesne said as they got up to leave. "But first I have to talk with the Captain. Privately, if she will." Wu looked to Ariane, who nodded. "Stay in the Embassy, Wu Kung," she said, warningly. "I already promised… " Wu Kung began, then, seeing her start to straighten, quickly said, "I mean, yes, Captain!" Once the room [ Continue reading... ]
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