F-R-A-C-T-A-L * N-O-V-E-L-S

Many Hearts, Many Meetings (x51.y13)

2011-12-08T17:45:00.000-08:00

Contributor: BinaryAgent

“Have you ever heard of 'Death with Dignity,' Honey?” The woman asked.

“Isn't that what people are calling assisted suicide in the papers?” Robert asked. Thelma nodded.

“Do you remember the day you took me to the nursing home?”

Robert's eyes watered. Of course he remembered. How could he ever forget that day? He had cared for Thelma all through the beginning, middle, and late stages of her Alzheimer's. Eventually though, he had to admit that he couldn't keep up. He took her to the rest home where “attentive staff would care for her” they assured. It broke his heart. He stopped by every Monday and Friday to sit and talk with her. It was less for her – she didn't even recognize him – and more as a way for him to continue to hold onto what they had left. One dreary Monday morning he showed up, only to be told that Thelma had passed in the night.

The funeral was held a week later. It was a lonely affair. Robert and the gravediggers were the only ones in attendance.

“Oh Thelma...Thelma...I'm so sorry Thelma.” He muttered to himself.

The tears overflowed, running in tiny rivers through the wrinkles and creases in his old face. He felt a pair of young hands slip into his. Surprised, he looked up at the young woman. She smiled, tears in her own eyes.

“Oh, Robert.” She sighed. “Robert, there's nothing to be sorry for. I'm just glad I found you in time.” Robert just stared at her, the tears still dripping from his face. “You know that there's no cure for Alzheimer's. But that particular rest home has an interesting...treatment.” Robert stared at her dumbfounded. “People looking for death with dignity come in the back while patients come in the front. There's a machine of some sort Robert; a wonderful device, really. An attractive young lady came in a few days before I was about to die. She had been in an abusive relationship. She was mentally unstable. She wanted all of the pain to go away. They hooked us both up to the machine and, switcheroo!” She exclaimed.

“Wait a minute!” Robert shouted. “How does it work? Wouldn't you still have Alzheimer's?” She smiled.

“Oh Robert, I couldn't hope to understand all of it, but I do know why I don't have Alzheimer's. The disease affects my brain. Too many degenerate cells, or so they say. My brain stayed with my old body. My mind went to this new, perfectly healthy host.” Robert shook his head.

“So when you died...”

“Oh, silly! I didn't die! My old body finally succumbed to the disease. The other woman got just what she asked for. They took away the pain. She died peacefully, in her sleep I believe.” She giggled. “I, on the other hand, was in therapy – learning how to control my new body.”

“I'm not sure that I should believe you...” Robert started. He examined the young girl carefully. She seemed so vastly different, but at the same time – he could see Thelma shining through at times. “Alright...” Robert started. “I'll trust you on this. But, why come back? I'm an old man.” Thelma laughed again.

“Oh, Robert! That's exactly why I came back!” He gave her a quizzical look. “What I mean to say is this.” Thelma took a deep breath and squeezed his hands more tightly. “Robert, how would you like another shot at life? We could have another life together. We could be happy again...”

- - -

Helium Moons (x10.y0)

2011-11-08T11:25:00.000-08:00

Contributor: SpaceBrown

Helia worked furiously in the dimly-lit area. She sliced through bulging tubers, wilted carrots, and dried meats. She scraped the ingredients into a large black kettle hanging over an open fire. She mopped sweat from her forehead with her dirty apron. It had taken hours to clean the galley, just so she could use it. When Helia had entered the galley, there was a crust of dirt, grease, and bilge at least an inch thick over the counters, the dishes were glued together with old ale and black grime, and rotting garbage was piled all over the floor. The stench almost caused Helia to faint. Jim had only laughed and locked her in. Now that it was considerably cleaner and she had started a stew, she leaned back to catch her breath.

She leaned against the counter and looked up at the dark space above her head; she could hear footsteps on the deck above. She closed her eyes and sighed. She was lost. She had no idea where she was and had no prospects of ever getting back – not even to her horrid old tavern. Lavera had left her to fend for herself and she'd been kidnapped. She'd lost it all. Her money, her clothes, her hopes of adventure and freedom...maybe she should have listened to the others and stayed behind instead of chasing after fantastic stories of helium moons with Lavera.

Finally the shock of the past few hours caught up with Helia. She slid to the floor and curled up, sobs shaking her body. She cried uncontrollably for a few minutes before she heard a loud thump as something hit the floor by her. She opened her teary eyes, expecting to see the repulsive visage of a pirate, sneering down at her. What she saw however, was a tall, slender woman with blonde hair reaching just below her chin. She was dirty, and a bit disheveled, but it was her. Lavera was back.

“How ya' been kid?” Lavera asked, glancing around the galley.

“Oh, Lavera!” Helia cried. She threw her arms around her and broke out into fresh sobs. Lavera pried Helia off. She held a finger to her lips.

“Quiet Helia!” She whispered harshly. “Do you want to get me killed?” Helia choked back her tears.

“But how in the world?” Helia asked quietly. Lavera smiled and climbed up onto the counter.

“Let me tell you, it wasn't my easiest job.” She chuckled. “There I was, watching in the shadows.” She began. There was a creak, and the sliding of a wooden crossbar at the far end of the galley. “Oops. Gotta go.” Lavera stated, leaping from the counter and swinging into the rafters. “I'll find you later. Tonight, if possible!” Helia snapped her attention back to the black pot and dipped a long wooden spoon into it, stirring slowly.

The door opened and Jim came in.

“The grub smells good.” He called. “What is it?”

“Stew.” Helia replied meekly.

“Oh, you been crying?” Jim asked in mock sympathy. “Good. Don't worry, before long you won't even remember home.” He chuckled.

Many Hearts, Many Meetings (x50.y13)

2011-10-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

Contributor: E.S. Wynn

Knees and floorboards creaked together in protest as Robert shuffled to the door, stretched feebly to peer through the peephole. Outside, a beautiful woman fidgeted with her gorgeous chestnut hair, eyes wandering nervously across the rickety porch in a way that seemed familiar, seemed odd.

"Go away!" Robert shouted, pulling in his own nervous breath, settling back down onto his cane. "I don't want whatever it is you're selling!"

"Selling?" She shouted back. Porch boards creaked beneath shifting feet. "Robert! It's me!"

Swallowing, Robert stretched again to look through the peephole, saw the woman staring back at him, emotions playing across her face, hurt and sadness, nervousness, hope. I'd remember that face. He told himself. "How do you know my name?"

"I'm your wife, Robert." She replied. Soft, direct. "I've lived with you for over fifty years. Your name is Robert Coleman. You were born in Dusseldorf. Your favorite dinner is roast beef with fried cabbage."

Can't be. His brow furrowed. "Thelma?"

"Let me in, Robert." Beyond the peephole, she almost danced, excited, worried. "It's cold out here."

"You don't look like my wife." He said suddenly. "Even when she was younger. Thelma was a beautiful blonde."

"This isn't my old body, sweetheart." She smiled. "Natural blonde is very in vogue in SoCal, so I traded it in for something different. Something more. . . fun." She giggled. "Do you like it?"

"It's. . ." He shook his head. "Traded it in?"

"Oh silly." She tried. "Listen, let me in and I'll tell you all about the whole experience."

- - -

Many Hearts, Many Meetings (x49.y13)

2011-10-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

Contributor: Binary Agent

Robert shuffled through the door to his house and flicked on the lights. It was quiet as usual. He slowly made his way over to the refrigerator. He opened the door and pulled out a microwave dinner. He opened the box, and slid the plastic tray into the microwave. While the timer counted down, he pulled a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. He sat at the table and stirred in his fiber supplement. The microwave pinged. Robert grabbed his cane and got back up with a grunt to retrieve his meal. As he sat eating his “Ham and Gravy Dinner” his eyes rested on a small framed portrait in the center of the table. He sighed to himself.

“Nobody cooks like you did, Thelma.” He picked up the frame and stared at the older lady's portrait behind the glass. A tear ran down his wrinkled face.

The doorbell rang. Robert pulled off his thick glasses and dabbed at his eyes with his handkerchief. He ran a hand over his thinning gray hair and called,

“Coming! I'm coming!”

Helium Moons (x9.y0)

2011-10-21T16:45:00.000-07:00

Contributor: Binary Agent

The man was like thousands of other pirates Helia has timidly served for years. He was dirty, unshaven, and wore ragged clothes. He was tall, with tough, stringy muscles and a scar cutting across his left bicep. His dark hair has pulled back, partly hidden underneath a frayed hat. He swaggered over to Helia and the slave. The boy backed away.

“What have we here?” He growled.

“A new slave, Jim.” He squeaked. Jim stared her up and down. Helia didn't back down, by now she was good and mad. They stared at each other for a moment, neither one even blinked. Finally the buccaneer broke into a wide grin and half turned away from Helia.

“Adam was wrong about you.” He started. “You've got plenty of spunk.” Jim laughed out loud. “But, I'm afraid we can't afford to let him take you. Not if you really worked in a tavern.” Helia looked at him incredulously. She thought back to meeting the pirates in the alley, how he had looked at her -- grabbed her dress. Helia's skin crawled. She shuddered. Jim laughed again.

“Now, I suppose that even if you hadn't worked there – you'd insist that you had!” He chuckled.

“What difference does it make anyway?” Helia demanded. “So what? Yes, I worked as a cook and server!” The pirate smiled again.

“We can loot, shoot, burn, rob, raze, drink, sail, rape, pillage, kill, destroy, and keelhaul.” Jim stated. “But a pirate can only live on beer and stale biscuits for so long. If you can cook – you'll be stuck in the galley!”

Helium Moons (x8.y0)

2011-10-21T15:54:00.000-07:00

Contributor: SpaceBrown

Helia shivered in the dark hold, but not so much from the cold as from fear of what was going to happen to her next. Her hands were still tied behind her back, and her feet had been bound too. Her jaw ached from the gag. Sweat dripped from her nose and forehead, running into her eyes. The thick black sack was still over her head. She heard someone thumping down the wooden stairs to the hold – the door creaked open on its rusting hinges. Helia could sense someone approaching her, her muscles tensed and she got ready to strike. Suddenly the bag was ripped off her head. She pulled away and kicked out with her tied feet. She connected with something. She heard a yell and a thud, followed by another shout as the figure hit the floor. She rolled off the crate she'd been sitting on, into the shadows of the cargo. Her eyes were still stinging from the sweat, but she hadn't heard anything else. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her hair. She tried to squirm away but the grip was too tight. Suddenly, the gag slipped from her mouth. She gasped in a mouthful of air. A wet rag passed over her sweaty face. She blinked as the stinging salt water was wiped from her eyes.

A young boy, twelve or thirteen at the most, was kneeling on the floor by her -- the untied gag in one hand, a wet rag in the other. He was thin, with messy, greasy blonde hair. He smiled.

“It's a good thing I'm me, and not a bigger pirate. If you'd kicked a real buccaneer like Pedro Blomar, you'd be dead right now.” The boy announced. Helia stared at him.

“So you're not a pirate?” She asked.

“Oh no! I'm a slave.” The boy replied. “Just like you are.”

“I'm not a slave.” Helia retorted. The boy grinned.

“Of course you are! You're tied up in the hold, gagged, and obviously not familiar with pirates.”

“Oh, believe me. I'm familiar with them.” Helia replied. “I served them at a tavern for long enough to become familiar with them. They're the lowest, slimiest, most perverse group of vagabonds out there!”

“Compliments,” A gruff voice sneered from the stairway. “Will get you nowhere, sweetheart.”

Shadows and Silver Dollars (x36.y2)

2011-10-18T17:23:00.001-07:00

Contributor: Binary Agent

Mac entered his dimly lit room in the back of the boarding house. He dropped Emery's limp body onto his cot, sending up clouds of dust that swirled in the slanting rays of the setting sun. He stalked across his room to a small table. He stooped down and grasped one of the creaky floorboards. He sat back on his heels and pulled. The warped board flexed upward, revealing a small tube under the floor. Mac reached for a small, tin box of bullets and wedged it under the floorboard. He reached down into the floor and pulled out the rolled up paper. He untied the twine around it and unrolled the paper across his tabletop.

“It's been a long time.” Mac said with a sigh. “A very long time.” He ran his leathery hands over the yellowing map. “The Green Mountain Mine.”

Helium Moons (x7.y0)

2011-10-18T17:19:00.001-07:00

Contributor: BinaryAgent

Lavera crawled from her hiding place. The sun had set hours ago, the pirates hauled off to the gallows, and the officers had confiscated all the evidence they could find. She slowly staggered back to the bar. She limped through the broken doorway and over to corpse on the floor. She knelt by the towering frame of Nigel. A bloody bandage was wrapped around his torso, his face frozen in a grimace of pain. Donovan was sitting nearby.

“By the time the surgeon got here...” He started. Lavera sat back on her heels. She ran her hand over his cold, contorted features. She got up with a deep sigh and sat down at the table. A half-finished drink sat on the table. She picked up the glass and drained the remaining liquid. With a grunt she flopped back in her chair.

“I'm gonna' need at least three of those before I can forget this.” She moaned to herself.

Helium Moons (x6.y0)

2011-10-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

Contributor: ToddGM

“I think they went this way.” A gruff voice said. Helia stared from her hiding place. A group of seven pirates entered the alley. She looked up into the shadows where Lavera had disappeared. The pirates staggered through the alleyway, flipping over crates and smashing barrels. Helia pressed herself against the brick wall. She squeezed her eyes shut and curled herself up into a ball. She heard the pirates getting closer.

“Well, well.” Helia opened one eye. A dirty, unshaven face was inches from her own. She gasped and leaped to her feet, dropping her small suitcase on the ground. Two burly men caught her, latching onto her wrists and forearms. The first stalked over to her. He looked her up and down with an evil grin. “She'll do.” Helia squirmed in the grasp of the two pirates. The first pirate approached and took hold of her dress. She screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Help!” The pirate clamped a hand over her mouth.

“This way!” Helia heard voices and then footsteps running down the alley. A group of five constables charged down the alleyway, their blue and bronze uniforms glinting in the light of the setting sun. “Stop those scoundrels!” The lead officer shouted, drawing his weapon. “I'll see them hang!”

“Come on!” The pirate shouted. The three pirates with Helia dashed down the alley. The police quickly dealt with the four up front, and three officers ran after the ones with Helia. As the pirates ran, the one holding Helia's mouth pulled out a rope. He secured her hands and gagged her. One of the bigger pirates released his hold on Helia and turned to take on the officers. The other two made a mad dash for the docks. They burst out of the alleyway, only a few yards from where their ship was moored. The ruffians ran across the gang-plank and the captain fired up the engine. In a cloud of smoke and foul-smelling gases, the ship lurched away from the dock. Helia turned back to look at the shrinking port. Her eyes began to fill with tears. As she turned back to examine her surroundings, a black sack was yanked over her head.

Helium Moons (x5.y0)

2011-10-17T15:57:00.000-07:00

Contributor: SpaceBrown

Lavera yanked open the drawer and pulled out a long pistol. She released the safety and fired across the top of the bar. One of the pirates yelped and dropped to the floor. The other patrons were either hiding beneath their tables, or staring at Lavera drunkenly. Nigel was on his feet and over the bar in a flash.

“Lavera, what are you doing?” He exclaimed. “I've always known you to be crazy, but this is too much!” Lavera shot at the charging pirates again. This time the shot only grazed the lead pirate's shoulder.

“Actually, they were shooting at me before I got on the ship with you.” Lavera said as she fired another shot. It went horribly wide, blowing a hole in the wall. “Blast this alcohol!” She exclaimed. “I didn't think it was that strong!”

“New blend.” Donovan gurgled. “Good stuff.” Lavera grabbed Helia's arm and dashed for the exit. Nigel was right behind them. Luckily, the pirates couldn't aim any better. Glasses on nearby tables shattered, lamps exploded, and the windows crashed as the group ran for the door. As they ran out into the street, Nigel yelped. He collapsed on the ground. Lavera screeched to a stop.

“Go!” Nigel shouted. As he held a hand to his lower back. Lavera didn't need to be told twice. As the pirates stumbled out into the street, Lavera and Helia dashed into a narrow alley.

Helium Moons (x4.y0)

2011-10-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

Contributor: Binary Agent

The ship slowly pulled up next to the dock. With a scrape and squeak, the doors opened and the crew began unloading the cargo. Lavera and Helia stepped off the ship with their belongings.

“Why are we dragging our bags along, Lavera?” Helia asked. Lavera grinned.

“When you travel with me, you need to be ready to run at a moment's notice.” Nigel approached them, wiping his broad, sweaty brow with the back of his gloved hand.

“I know just the place.” He said as he approached. “Not too far from here, just past the docks on the east there.” Nigel said, pointing towards a few docks in the distance. As the three approached the bar, the door crashed open and a man staggered out the door. He tripped over his own feet and collapsed on the cobblestone street. He laid there motionless.

“Oh my goodness.” Helia gasped, bending down. “Are you alright?” She turned the man over. His eyes were closed. Suddenly, a snore erupted from his partially open lips. Nigel unleashed a bellowing laugh. The man opened his eyes slightly and began to giggle drunkenly.

“It's barely sundown! Drunk already?” Nigel chortled. “Ladies,” he said, motioning to the drunk on the ground, “this is our host, Donovan Dagon.” The man on the ground smiled crookedly. Nigel helped Donovan up and led Helia and Lavera into the bar. Donovan leaned against the bar and filled up three mugs. Nigel held up his mug and smiled. Lavera tipped her mug up with Nigel but Helia stared at the surface of the green liquid. She sniffed it and sipped at it. She grimaced and put it down. She turned to look at the bar's other clientèle. Many of them were crusty, old captains and muscle-bound crew members. She noticed a group of pirates across the room. They were getting up, a few had pistols drawn. They were pointing at Lavera and Nigel.

“Lavera...” Helia started. “It looks like those pirates know you.” Lavera slammed her mug onto the table.

“Pirates?” She asked tensely. Lavera turned slightly. “Excuse me!” She shouted as she leaped over the bar. She pushed Donovan aside and began yanking open the drawers behind the bar. “Come on!” She exclaimed. “What decent bar owner doesn't keep a gun behind the counter?”

"Third drawer." Donovan groggily replied from his position on the floor.

Starships of Destiny (x26.y2)

2011-09-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

Contributor: SpaceBrown

Kenna’s tirade stopped abruptly.

“The Admiral.” She gasped. “The Admiral's on Mars…Oh my gosh! He knows!”

“The Admiral’s on Mars?” Graffyr asked. Kenna whirled around.

“Of course not! Why would the Admiral be on Mars?” Suddenly Graffyr got it.

“The Admiral had received a report about an uprising on Mars, hadn’t he?” Graffyr asked. Kenna turned white. She had just divulged confidential information to the ship’s engineer, information she didn't even know she knew until a few moments ago. “I get it now." He continued. "The Admiral received the news six days ago, but didn’t believe it. At least, not fully. That’s why you were transferred to the Holgar. He wanted you within calling distance when he went to check out the situation, if in fact there was one.” Graffyr stopped. “Kenna.”

"What?" Kenna asked, shocked that Graffyr had put together so much more of the puzzle than she had.

"If there had been a real jailbreak -- if someone had escaped -- would the officials know that?"

"Of course they would." The Kenna insisted. "They know every prisoner on that planet."

"Kenna, is there no way that a prisoner smart enough to escape could stay off the record?" Graffyr pressed.

"I'm telling you Graff, there's no way he could have been erased from the database. Once you're in, you're in. They have pictures, prints, DNA samples, cranial scans, and a firewall that not even the designers could hack protecting it." Kenna countered. "If anyone escaped -- and that's a big if -- we would have been alerted."

"What if he'd been found? Would you have been notified, or just the Admiral?"

"What are you trying to get at Graff?" Kenna asked

"Is there any way the Admiral could be in danger Kenna?" Graffyr asked.

Helium Moons (x3.y0)

2011-09-28T16:14:00.001-07:00

Contributor: BrettB

He was at least two feet taller than either Lavera or Helia. His massive upper body rippled under his linen shirt as he trudged into the engine room. A long scar cut across his face from ear to chin -- the nearly straight line deformed a little by the scowl he was wearing. He carried a large wrench in one hand a large wooden mallet in the other. A thick leather tool belt was cinched around his wide waist. He looked down at the engine upon entering the room and noticed the two women for the first time. A wicked grin replaced his frown, wrinkling the scar into a squiggly snake-like line. Helia gulped.

The man swooped down and, dropping his tools, scooped Lavera into a bear hug.

“Lavera!” He bellowed. “How’ve ya been?”

“Nigel! I haven’t seen you since we were on that convoy with the Sheiks of Agamemnon! What are you doing here?” Lavera exclaimed.

“I’m a deck hand. You?” Nigel asked.

“Engineer.” Lavera replied. “I’m fine-tuning this tub.” They both laughed. Nigel dropped Lavera back onto the floor and turned to Helia.

“And you are..”

“She’s my help.” Lavera interrupted. Nigel continued to stare at Helia. She began to squirm uncomfortably. Without turning to look at Lavera he asked,

“Assistant or Apprentice?”

“Apprentice, definitely.” Lavera said. “She doesn’t know the first thing about Aether or clockwork.”

“Say,” Nigel began. “We’ll get to the next port by tomorrow morning. How about I treat you and…”

“Helia.” Helia squeaked.

“…Helia to a couple of drinks once we’re unloaded?”

“Sounds great!” Lavera chimed.

Shadows and Silver Dollars (x37.y2)

2011-09-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

Contributor: SpaceBrown

Shadows and Silver Dollars (x35.y2)

2011-09-22T19:05:00.001-07:00

Contributor: Binary Agent

Mac stood at the bar. The kid was slumped against it, his head resting on the wooden counter – surrounded by beer mugs and shot glasses. He had probably consumed more alcohol in the last five minutes than he had in his entire life. After the bandits had had their fun with him they'd left, presumably to fetch the wizard. Mac eyed the boy, eyes closed, drool leaking from his partly open mouth.

“So,” Mac started. “Who are you anyway?” The kid slowly opened one bleary eye, then the other. They finally focused on the cowboy.

“Uhh?” He moaned.

“Your name, boy. What's your name?” Mac repeated.

“Em'ry.” He drawled quietly.

“Emery?” Mac asked, leaning closer. The boy just shut his eyes again. “Alright Emery, where're you from? Chicago? Richmond? New York?” Emery tried to lift his head off the bar like it was a block of lead. He gave up with a groan.

“Sure, Ch'cago.” He whispered groggily.

“How'd you get into the mine?” Mac questioned. Emery wearily opened his eyes.

“...Mine?”

“Yes, the Green Mountain Mine! The mine in Solitude!” Mac shouted. “How'd you get in?” Emery winced and pressed his hand against his head.

“Gree...Moun'n...Sol'tude...Mine Door's Rocky. You can't get in.” Emery moaned while squeezing his eyes shut.

“I know, the entrance caved in years ago. How did you get in?”Mac pressed.

“Small hole...sagebrush...top...ropes.” Emery slowed to a stop. Mac examined the drunk boy. Maybe he wasn't lying. Only a few people knew about the other entrance to the mine. Explorers couldn't find it, not unless they fell into it – yet this kid had. Mac slapped his money on the bar and picked up Emery, slinging him over his shoulder.

“Let's get you back to my room 'till you sober up.”

Helium Moons (x86.y0)

2011-09-21T18:19:00.000-07:00

Contributor: BinaryAgent

Helia gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. The professor clutched his seat with white knuckles. Lavera took a deep breath and reached for a sturdy wrench. She wedged the tool into the wheel and let go. Helia's eyes snapped open when she heard the cockpit whoosh open. Lavera was gone! A wrench, wedged between the dashboard and the wheel held the steering in place, but the engineer had vanished! Helia saw her, on the front of the glider, straddling the engine. The portly old wizard was also outside the cockpit, latched onto the tail of the ship. He was frantically attempting to repair the rudder.

"What are your doing?" Helia shouted at Lavera.

"Making sure we don't all die!" Lavera exclaimed without turning around.

"Are you crazy? We're going to hit that moon any second!" Helia yelled back.

"12.7 seconds, actually." Professor Fleischer responded, crawling back into the cockpit. His clothes and hair were a wind-whipped mess, but he seemed strangely clam. "Lavera! That'll have to do!"

"Just a few more seconds..." Lavera called.

"Impact in 8...7...6...5..." The professor counted. Lavera vaulted back into the glider and kicked the wrench loose. The professor's repair held and the glider buzzed through the dense forest treetops.

At the Edge of the Grave (x12.y0)

2011-09-21T18:15:00.001-07:00

Contributor: BinaryAgent

I was up in a flash, tire iron ready. My flashlight was clutched in the other hand, but I didn't turn it on – not yet. The girl was up too. She clutched a short camping shovel with both hands like a bat. I glanced over a short piece of plywood wall that separated the area of the warehouse we were in from the back. A window had been shattered, but the rest of the space was empty from what I could see.

Those monsters don't hide. If they'd smashed the window, they'd have been clawing to get in. I flicked on my light. The beam fell on a hefty rock surrounded by broken glass from the window. Definitely not monsters. I heard movement outside. I clicked the light off. Two stout glass bottles flew through the broken window, flames sparking from rags stuffed into their mouths. I dove backward, knocking the girl down. As we scrambled behind a pile of rubble, I heard the glass shatter. There was a loud roar as the flames came to life and we were blasted by a wave of heat. As the flames licked the walls of the old building we ran for the door. We escaped into the gray twilight while the whoosh of flames crackling filled our ears.

Starships of Destiny (x25.y2)

2011-09-21T18:12:00.000-07:00

Contributor: BinaryAgent

Kenna watched closely as the video footage began to play. For the first few minutes it was just filming an empty hallway. Then the tape blipped.

“That's where the power went out.” Graffyr explained.

“A power outage? How? Mars has more than enough when it comes to backup power.” Kenna objected. Graffyr shushed her as the video came back to life. The video was fuzzy as the automatic's lenses refocused. Large red letters that spelled out “Power Outage” flashed across the screen. Suddenly the picture jolted to the side, like the automatic had fallen over. The footage began to get especially grainy. Suddenly a face whipped across the screen. The sound of ray gun fire blasted through the hallway and the video ended. “A prison break?” Kenna asked.

“Looks like.” Graffyr responded.

“Graff, how old is this recording?” Kenna asked.

“This was recorded nearly 140 hours ago.” Graffyr responded.

“Six Days!” Kenna exploded. “A prison break on Mars happened six days ago and I haven't heard anything?” She shouted.

“Maybe no one knows.” Graffyr suggested.

“No one knows there was a prison break on Mars?” Kenna exclaimed. “It's only the highest security prison in our sector of the known galaxy!”

Whispers of Ancient Magic (x12.y6)

2011-09-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

Contributor: Binary Agent

Ket and Daelindra circled above the ogres. The brutes continued to march around the borders of the swamp.

“I'm going in for a closer look.” Ket said, folding his wings. As he dove he stretched out his talons and let out an ear-piercing shriek, knowing an attack from a full-grown gryphon would send the dimwits running. One casually turned and solidly placed his club in Ket's feathered chest. The force threw the gryphon into the scrubby brush a few yards away. He staggered upright as another ogre lumbered towards him. Ket flapped his wings and took to the air.

“Are you hurt?” Daelindra asked.

“Fine, Dae.” Ket winced. “But something is seriously wrong here.”

Many Hearts, Many Meetings (x23.y2)

2011-09-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

Contributor: ToddGM

The truth was that Stella did miss her home from time to time. But what wasn't to miss? She had been born in northern Maine, and spent the first twelve years of her life there. The pine forests stretched almost as far as the eye could see, a few gentle mountain slopes, and the wide blue sky. They had moved right before her thirteenth birthday. Although she vowed to hate her new home, school, and the people in the neighborhood, she had eventually grown to like it.

She had her first job in this town, her first date, finished out high school, started college...life was good, but at times she still longed for the smell of pine wafting through her open window, the sight of a lone hawk soaring overhead, or a late night by the fire. Jared helped make up for some of those things.

She smiled as she looked up at him again.

So much like home...

- - -

Starships of Destiny (x24.y2)

2011-09-07T15:02:00.000-07:00

Contributor: SpaceBrown

Kenna eyed the chip dubiously. It was burnt and chipped, pieced together from two different colors of circuit boards, and appeared to have been resoldered all over. All in all, it was a wreck.

“It looks like it was pieced together from three different chips.” Kenna sniffed distastefully. Graffyr smiled.

“Seven, actually. The original board was hardly recognizable. But, I'm sure it's a 77-GLK. Generation 4.”

“GLK...that sounds familiar...aren't those really high-profile chips? Government-use or something?” Kenna asked.

“Military, to be exact.” Graffyr clarified. “But you're right. Top-of-the-line, government-controlled, hack-proof, surge-proof circuit boards.”

“Then what was it doing in the trash?” Kenna questioned.

“My thoughts exactly!” Graffyr exclaimed. “But, this chip wasn't just thrown away. It had been broken, shredded, burnt, crushed, and magnetically wiped. I had to replace all the resistors, capacitors, transistors, and resolder everything! It took over five hours and all of my skill to repair it!” Graffyr cradled the chip in his hands. “But you don't get to restore a true masterpiece every solar cycle.”

“You mean, you retrieved the data on it?” Kenna asked incredulously.

“Well, I obviously didn't call you down here just to admire my work with a soldering iron.” Graffyr grinned. “Of course I got the information! It's not perfect, but it's enough. Whoever tossed this chip sure didn't want anyone to see the information on it.” He smiled. “But here's where it gets really weird. This chip came from the Eastern Mars Penitentiary.” Kenna's jaw dropped.

“Mars?” She breathed. “But nothing ever happens on Mars.”

“I wouldn't call this nothing, Kenna.” Graffyr said, suddenly serious. He plugged the ship into his black communicator. “This chip came from a prison automatic on Mars.” He hit a few keys and the grainy footage began to play.

Starships of Destiny (x23.y2)

2011-09-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

Contributor: BinaryAgent

The elevator doors opened into a dimly lit space. Kenna stood in the doorway and watched as a large bulldozer plowed through a pile of garbage. As the huge machine rumbled towards a compaction unit, several smaller robots flew towards the moving vehicle. They hovered close to the garbage it was pushing, scouring the mix with small scanners. By the time the trash reached the compactor, all of the machinery and electronics had been salvaged. The refuse was pushed into the mouth of the compaction unit and, after a few seconds, a compact cube emerged. Kenna turned her attention away from the load-lifters as they carried off the cube to the containment unit. She spotted Graffyr at a makeshift workbench behind a mountain of salvaged parts taller than he was.

“Kenna!” He exclaimed as she rounded the pile of recovered garbage. “You're not going to believe this!”

“What? That you collected all this in one day? Or the fact that you built robots to help you sort through the trash?” Kenna asked sarcastically.

“Oh, you like those? Let me tell you about them.” Graffyr said, launching into his narrative.

“I was down here in the trash collection unit repairing one of the compactors; something had lodged in the machine's tracks. I had the wheels half taken-apart before I found it – a large crushed-up piece of scrap metal was wedged in the worm drive. I put down my drill, knowing it wouldn't be too hard. I looked it up and down, then latched onto it with three of my arms and braced myself against the compactor. As I yanked on the machine, the sound of twisting metal squeaked and the chunk budged a few inches. So, I readjusted my grip and pulled again. The scrap began to tear and with a loud crunch the mangled metal came loose from the gears. I walked over to a pile of trash and dropped it in. I was going to go reassemble the tracks but I watched as the metal roll and slide down the gentle slope of refuse, and noticed several pieces of pretty interesting garbage. Naturally, I leaped down into the loose trash and began scavenging.”

Kenna shot Graffyr a look. “Hey, it's in my nature.” He said shrugging and continued his story.

“Before long, all four of my arms were loaded with motors, circuit boards, capacitors, and scrap metal. I cleared away a spot on the floor and placed my finds in a neat pile at my feet. It was then that I turned around and surveyed the immense mountains of interplanetary waste that the Holgar collects daily. I knew I was going to need a lot of help. There's way too much junk to go through it all manually. So I built those little guys to scan for certain serial codes and chemical signatures in the parts. Impressive, huh?”

“It's garbage. Excuse me for being underwhelmed.” Kenna sighed.

“Well, I didn't expect you to care about salvage – but you may be interested in this.” Graffyr held up a small red and blue circuit board.

Starships of Destiny (x22.y2)

2011-09-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

Contributor: SpaceBrown

Kenna glanced up and down the hallway. No one was around. Just because she wanted to talk to Graffyr didn't necessarily mean she wanted to be seen with him. She took a deep breath, knocked on the door to Graffyr's room, and waited. Nothing.

“Hello? Graff?” She called on the intercom by his door. “Graffyr, you in there?” She sighed and was about to leave when a small hologram of the four-armed engineer materialized.

“Message for Kenna Dalais.” It beeped. “Relay message?”

“Please.” Kenna responded. The small hologram flickered and Graffyr's message began to play.

“Hey Kenna! I found something really cool. Come down to the Holgar's collection unit when you can get away for a minute.” As the message ended, the hologram flickered again. “End of message. If you'd like to replay the message...” Kenna turned and headed for an elevator at the far end of the hall.

“If he shows me any of the garbage he's salvaged...” She muttered as the elevator doors slid closed.

Whispers of Ancient Magic (x11.y6)

2011-09-06T17:50:00.001-07:00

Contributor: BrettB

Daelindra glanced at the trio of large ogres, then back at Ket. She was visibly frightened.

“Ket, those are ogres – big ogres.”

“With clubs!” Their sprite volunteered. Ket shook his head.

“Relax,” He began. “Why do you think I chose gryphons for the Polymorph? Don't forget Dae, you're not a wood elf practicing alchemy, and I'm no longer a halfling either. We're two fierce gryphons!” Ket flexed his talons. “I mean, look at these claws and beak, and I can fly! We're more than a match for a few dim-witted swamp ogres.” Daelindra still didn't look convinced. “Okay, look. We've got a sprite who can cast spells on our side, right?” The two gryphons turned to look at the small green fairy.

“Uh, well...I can do minor healings, make you fall slowly, cause a mild rash in most human and demihuman races, um...I can perform sendings, there's...” Ket cut her off.

“See? She can do sending spells. If we're in dire trouble, she can instantly call for help.” Ket backed out of the bushes they were in and spread his wings. “Last one to the swamp is an orc's mother!” He called as he took to the air.

“You're on!” Daelindra challenged as she took off behind him.

“Please be okay. Please be okay.” The sprite whispered as she crossed her fingers.

Helium Moons (x82.y0)

2011-09-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Contributor: ToddGM

“They're gaining on us!” Helia cried. The gargantuan black and purple dirigible was indeed gaining on their small glider. Lavera pulled a daring aileron roll into a cloud bank, then turned quickly to the left. She glanced behind at the old wizard, checking his various instruments.

“Professor!” Lavera shouted. The old man looked up.

“They saw right through it!” He exclaimed. “They're still coming straight at us!” Lavera ground her teeth, performed a tight flip, and entered a barrel roll. The tiny glider cut through the clouds and they exited on the bottom right side. Professor Fleischer shook his head. “They're a little disoriented, but their scanners will pick us up before long. We need to go faster!” Lavera bit her lip. She knew the wizard was right. She glanced at a bright red switch on the dash labeled “Turbo.” She had no idea if it would even work. She had thrown it in last second, cobbled together with a few odds and ends from various other mechanisms. It may provide the boost they needed to outrun the Namestnik and his men, or it may send them plummeting to a fiery aether-fueled death. No, as much as they needed to escape – she couldn't risk it. Not yet. Lavera was suddenly aware that the cabin had grown oddly quiet.

“What's going on?” Lavera asked, glancing at Helia. The professor offered an explanation.

“They've stopped. The Namestnik's airship has stopped completely.” Lavera could hardly believe what the old man was saying.

Stopped?