Ray Gun Revival Magazine, Issue 13

THRILLING TALES FROM BEYOND THE ETHER
Conversion
by Shaun Farrell
M. Deirdra
by Richard S. Levine
The Price of Conquest

by Mik Wilkens
Exclusive Serial -
Deuces Wild: “In the Lap of the Gods” - Part One
by L. S. King
Issue 13
January 01, 2007
“EMAN,” by Bassem Hassan
Pg.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents 2
Overlord’s Lair: It’s 2007 - Strap in and hang on! 3
Conversion, by Shaun Farrell 4
M. Deirdra, by Richard S. Levine 14
Featured Artist: Bassem Hassan 17
The Price of Conquest, by Mik Wilkens 20
Serial: Deuces Wild - “In the Lap of the Gods” - Part One
by L. S. King 49
The Jolly RGR 55
Overlords (Founders / Editors): L. S. King, Paul Christian Glenn, Johne Cook
Venerable Staff:
A.M. Stickel - Managing Copyeditor
Paul Christian Glenn - PR, sounding board, strong right hand
L. S. King - lord high editor, proofreader, beloved nag, muse, webmistress
Johne Cook - art wrangler, desktop publishing, chief cook and bottle washer
Slushmasters (Submissions Editors): Scott M. Sandridge, John M. Whalen, David Wilhelms
Serial Authors: Sean T. M. Stiennon, Lee S. King, Paul Christian Glenn, Johne Cook
Cover Art: “EMAN,” by Bassem Hassan
Without Whom... Bill Snodgrass, site host, Web-Net Solutions, admin, webmaster, database admin, men-
tor, confidante, liaison – Double-edged Publishing
Special Thanks: Ray Gun Revival logo design by Hatchbox Creative
Visit us online at http://raygunrevival.com
All content copyright 2007 by Double-edged Publishing,
a Memphis, Tennessee-based non-profit publisher.
Rev: 20070101c
Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

Pg.
Overlord’s Lair:
It’s 2007 - Strap in and hang on!
R ay Gun Revival went live in July of 2006. Six months
and twelve biweekly issues have passed and Ray
Gun Revival continues to grow and thrive. The Overlords
cover of the first issue of 2007, and Bassem Hassan’s
“EMAN” is not only a great piece, it is also the result of a
collaboration and was created in honor of a special person.
Lee (Loriendil) King, Paul Christian (Fireflyfellow) Glenn, Click on over to the Featured Artist interview for the most
and myself thank each of you for visiting Ray Gun Revival, touching story we’ve featured yet!
downloading the e-zine, and taking part in the fun on the And that brings us to The Price of Conquest, by Mik
forums. Wilkens. This is the longest work we’ve ever published at
Despite being a RGR, however, this is one of
paying market, RGR will those works that starts fast
continue to be available and never lets up. Smart,
as a free download for this challenging, and gripping,
coming year (donations this story features a plucky
cheerfully welcome to heroine and a ship with
support our authors). We something of an attitude:
provide this out of our Freedom is all Kressa
own pockets because we, Bryant has ever wanted.
like you, believe in space When she’s given her own
opera and golden age starship, it seems the
sci-fi / adventure fiction. answer to all her dreams.
As Overlords, we are But the ship has a mind of
committed to the resur- its own and comes with a
gence of quality space price she may not be able
opera authors and stories. to pay.
This issue features Due to the size of Issue
a story by Shaun Farrell 13, look for Paul Christian
entitled Conversion. It is a Glenn’s popular JASPER
ripping good story, a cau- SQUAD serial in Issue 14, so stay tuned for that.
tionary tale, and starts Issue 13 off with a bang:
Wrapping things up is Overlord Loriendil’s stunning
When nanotechnology changes humanity and elimi- Deuces Wild installment, the first of a multi-part mini-arc,
nates free will, a small group of people on a distant colony “In the Lap of the Gods,” in which one of the intrepid adven-
world fight to escape the pervasive NET. turers is kidnapped and the other comes to grips with his
Our second story, M. Deidre, by Richard S. Levine, is feelings on the matter (or would, if he had any).
more of a flash sci-fi piece than we normally accept, but the Stay with us as we venture into this new year—we have
slushmasters and editors liked it so well that we couldn’t a lot planned for the year and with your continued encour-
resist picking it up to share with you: agement and readership, will be shooting ever higher. Strap
We all know how deadly hurricanes can be. What in and hang on! Issue 13 launches right now!
would you do if you knew you could turn one away?
We were looking for something special to grace the Johne (Phy) Cook

"The Battle for Monday Morning," by Jordan Lapp Pg.
Conversion
by Shaun Farrell
“T hey’re here, aren’t they? Aren’t they?

Hush. I already know. I can feel them.
The music, the music!” Flapper stumbled away,
other over the years. Weird.
“They’ll try,” Gen said, softly.
“What will you do?”
leaving Gen to huddle over his hand-held
computer interface. Flapper’s right hand shook Gen sighed and turned back to his computer.
uncontrollably, like it always did, his arm tucked Captain Tuck should just about be ready with his
into his side. traps. Gen would have to finish his work from
within the underground facility.
“Yes,” Gen replied, feeling nauseous. He
rubbed his leathery face. “They’re here.” “I’m going to kill them back.”
Flapper danced, left shoulder tilted to the #
floor, right leg kicking sideways. To Gen, the youth
looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, except “How about you give us some of those guns,”
uglier. Dixon said.
“I knew it!” Flapper exclaimed. “Maybe my Tuck looked over his shoulder at the ex-criminal.
nans are working again! I can hear the network. No, Tuck reminded himself, still a criminal. Just
The voices.” He fell to the floor, lifting his arms in beyond the short reach of the law. For now.
exaltation, drinking the wireless energy beaming “Is that a joke?” Tuck asked. His low voice was
around him. Then he stopped and looked at Gen faint but managed to carry inside the vast under-
in concern. “Are they going to kill you?” ground chamber. He had just finished setting
Gen grunted. He saved his work on the the primary trap for the NET soldiers. This was
computer and resisted the temptation to throw it the most logical entry point into the warehouse,
against the wall. For twenty years he had sought and he had rigged it with enough explosives to
a way to infiltrate NET, to break their seemingly demolish a small house.
impenetrable control. But their firewalls were too He gazed over Dixon’s shoulder. Lynda huddled
advanced, and by now they were so complex he against the wall, shushing her baby girl. The baby
hardly understood what he was looking at. There cried softly, as if she understood the need for
was always a backdoor, and he better find it in stealth but couldn’t control her fear.
the next few hours or he’d be converted himself.
“When have you known me to joke, Captain
Unless he forced NET to kill him. Which suited America?” Dixon asked. His ivory skin gleamed
him just fine. Better than conversion. under a thick layer of sweat and grease. Green
“Are they going to kill you, Gen? Are they?” eyes peered out from shaggy eyebrows with
Flapper stood at Gen’s side now, eyes strangely feline malice. The eyebrows looked huge under
focused and sincere. They had grown to like each his bald head.

Conversion, by Shaun Farrell Pg.
Dixon swaggered a few steps forward. “Come bastards, but you can’t stop them. Figures.”
on, you can’t hold them off by yourself.” “I had nothing to do with nanotech,” Gen
Tuck aimed a pistol at Dixon’s face. “Why growled, a warning in his voice.
don’t you stay where you are? No one touches Dixon responded to perceived challenges like
my guns.” a rabid dog inhaling bloody meat. He pushed off
Dixon hesitated, then slapped his thighs with from the wall with the heel of his foot, muscles in
clenched fists. “Why the hell not? If something his thick arms twitching. “I think you’re lying,” he
happens to you the rest of us are screwed!” whispered with a smile. “I think you helped NET
“Not my problem. I need them.” Tuck had five infest the nations of earth, but when they turned
guns on him altogether. Two pistols on either leg, on you, you ran away like the little coward you
a spitfire—a gun so small he could barely hold are. You booked passage on a ship and fled as far
it—wrapped around his ankle, and two L-20 rifles as you could. And here you are, one of the last
strapped to his back. They fired a pea-sized round clean humans in the universe, facing your own
capable of splitting a man in two. creation.”
Dixon started to stay something else, but Gen’s face turned a deep shade of red. Blue
threw his arms up in disgust. “Fine.” He turned, veins throbbed in his temples.
muttering under his breath. “Come all the way to “That’s enough,” Tuck said. “We need to get
this damn planet just to have those NET bastards deeper underground. Their troop landers will be
chase me down anyway. Now, Captain Superman here any minute. We need to—”
here—will you shut that kid up!” “Son of a—” Gen swung at Dixon, but the bigger,
Lynda hugged her daughter even more tightly stronger man easily blocked it. He returned the
to her breast. “She’s scared. She knows something blow, splitting Gen’s cheek open with callused
bad is happening, and you’re not helping!” knuckles.
“Whatever.” Dixon spat on the floor as he The world blacked out for a minute, and when
walked away. Gen came to he saw Tuck pointing a gun at Dixon’s
Chloe, Lynda’s daughter, continued to cry. head, both men yelling obscenities. Flapper
jumped around like a monkey, grabbing his head
# with both hands, screaming that he could no
longer hear the music. The buzz was gone. (Of
“They’re here, they’re here!” Flapper course, Gen knew Flapper hadn’t heard it before.
announced as he and Gen rejoined the others. The nans in the boy’s body were completely dead,
“What about the virus?” Lynda asked Gen. making it impossible for him to interface their
The ex-computer expert shook his head, his network.) Chloe screamed at the top of her baby
hand still punching commands into his small lungs, and Lynda wept, begging Tuck and Dixon
computer. He remembered when this stuff used to be quiet.
to be easy. That seemed like another lifetime. Humanity’s last children, Gen thought. The
“Oh, sure,” Dixon said, leaning against the wall. final non-trans, and perhaps the last pure vestiges
“You’re smart enough to help create the little of Earth’s greatest species.

They didn’t stand a chance. place. It was consistent with human behavior, Tuck
had said. When humans couldn’t have something,
#
they would rather destroy it than allow enemies
Besides storing food and supplies for the 300 to utilize that resource.
colonists, which only accounted for a few, rela- Whatever. Dixon thought the Commando
tively small rooms, the underground structure Extraordinaire just wanted to shoot something.
processed the water gathered from Columbus’ “Did you get the food?” Gen asked.
moon. Columbus itself was practically desert.
“What do you think?” Dixon replied, dropping
The snowy poles could provide them water, but
the bags on the floor.
the snow was so full of toxins that the energy to
purify it outweighed the expenditure needed to “Pick those up,” Tuck ordered. “We’re done
travel to the moon and back. here. Time to get deeper underground.”
Ice mining in a vacuum was dangerous, but A thud echoed from above. They all looked at
Dixon didn’t mind. This was freedom, even if the ceiling, hearts racing. Tuck cocked one of his
the elements threatened to kill you at any given L-20s, aimed it upward.
moment. He had been here for two years, and Silence.
while he couldn’t say he had made any true
“They couldn’t have landed already, could
friends, he had found peace.
they?” Lynda asked. Chloe, for the moment, had
Until now. fallen asleep in her arms. The little girl’s fingers
He finished packing the duffle bags with food gripped a lock of Lynda’s hair.
stuffs. Tempted to take the food and hide on his “Impossible,” Gen muttered. He pulled his
own just to spite Captain America for ordering computer from his pocket and switched on the
him around, Dixon grumbled as he rejoined the screen. Accessing the facility’s security systems,
group. This food would keep them full for at least he brought up a view from the roof cameras.
two months. With luck, NET wouldn’t be able
A metallic cylinder walked across the roof on
to locate them deep within the warehouse. NET
matching, polymer legs. It seemed to glide, its
would wait around for awhile, but after sixty days
round body swiveling from side to side. Gen rec-
of silence they’d classify Columbus as neutralized
ognized it, though the design had changed drasti-
and move on, leaving the desert world to burn in
cally over the last few years. It looked alive. And
its sun forever.
it looked hungry.
At least that’s what they hoped. He knew
“It’s a transponder,” Gen said. “They’re going
better. NET was relentless. Tuck knew better, as
to infect our system with nans.”
well, or he wouldn’t waste his time setting traps.
“Can’t they do that from space?” Lynda asked.
While Dixon cleaned out the food closet, Tuck,
Gen and Flapper had vandalized everything in “I made sure the firewall was up,” Gen said. “I
sight. All the spacecraft were gone, and while didn’t realize they could land these things on a
other colonists had fled for the dunes and caves, planet now. We only have a minute or two before
Tuck wanted to give the appearance that all of all the computers are out of our control.”
them had escaped. But not before wrecking the “Oh, well that’s just—” Dixon began.

Gen cut him off. “Luckily, none of the doors or ceptible to her mother’s emotions, and a fussy
lights down here are automated. It’s old fashioned baby was the last thing they needed.
as can be. We did that on purpose, just in case.” Two years had passed since Lynda fled Earth.
“Just in case?” Dixon sneered. Then his voice NET had nearly converted every nation on the
deepened into a growl. “You’ve known this day globe. She had heard rumors that doctors were
was coming all along.” injecting newborns at birth. Not even wiping
“I suspected,” Gen admitted. “But things have them off first. The nanotech engineered transhu-
changed so much, I’m not sure that any pre- man era had truly begun, and Lynda wanted no
cautions can help. If I can just get through their part of it.
firewall. . .” It was sin. It was evil. She wouldn’t allow those
“Come on,” Tuck said. “Let’s get moving. I think beasts to steal her baby’s soul.
our window is even shorter.” Finding a ship to take her away hadn’t been
Gen shut off the image and disconnected easy. Booking off-world passage required years of
his computer from the colony network. His unit sifting through yellow tape, acquiring insurance,
would continue to function uninfected. For now. submitting to dozens of medical exams. And what
did the doctors do in those exams?
As they jogged toward a staircase, he glanced
at Flapper and wondered if the boy would cause a “Not you, baby girl,” Lynda said, kissing Chloe
bigger problem then he was worth. He was acting on the head. Chloe smiled, still groggy.
much calmer than usual. A tear spilled down Lynda’s cheek at the sight.
Gen would keep an eye on him. They would never take her baby. They would
never destroy what made her so special. When
# the time came, Lynda knew what she had to do.
Lynda tripped as she scurried down the dimly #

lit passageway and nearly fell on her baby. She
managed to twist into the wall and keep her They finally rested at a cross-section of halls,
balance. Nobody else noticed. She was the last taking refuge in an abandoned storage room. The
in a fleeting procession venturing down dark water aqueducts spanned all above them. Several
passages as most of the lights were non-func- feet of concrete and millions of gallons of water
tional. The rest of her group was too focused on would make it very difficult to locate them with
their impending destruction to care if she couldn’t sensors.
keep up. Of course, Tuck thought, that also makes it a
An explosion had rocked the facility a few likely hiding place. If I were them, I’d look here
minutes ago. Tuck’s trap. NET was coming for first.
them. But that was fine with Tuck. He was tired of
Chloe stirred, awakened by the stumble. She running. He was tired of hearing how superior a
sighed and blinked tired eyes. man became with nans pumping his blood. Most
of all, he was tired of missing his wife.
“Hi, baby girl,” Lynda whispered. She tried to
keep her heart rate down. Chloe was quite sus- “Only takes one bullet to kill a NET. Doesn’t

sound so advanced to me.” terrorists caught him and tortured him for years.
“What?” Gen asked. Locked him up in a closet for weeks at time so
he was practically bathing in his own wastes. By
“Nothin.” the time he was released, most of the U.S. was
A single light bulb hung from the center of pro-nan. His wife had been injected and was an
the storage room, spilling dim light that didn’t important asset to NET. We all know what NET
reach the far corners. Storage crates made of programming does to a personality.”
mesh plastic were stacked near the north wall. “Yeah. Wipes it dry.”
Dust covered the floor. Grains of sand had slowly
filtered through a crack in the roof. Gen looked at his computer and continued to
punch in commands.
Tuck kicked at the dirt, enjoying the smell. It
made him feel alive. “Must be nice to have dirt on everyone,” Dixon
muttered.
He marched across the room to the door.
Activating the laser sight on the old L-20, he “That was my job. Know who’s coming, who’s
gazed down the narrow scope into the dark hall. going. Keep people safe.”
He could kill their troops from here. He had the Dixon just snorted.
advantage as long as he didn’t run out of bullets. “Nanotechnology isn’t the real problem,” Gen
But the bodies would pile very high before that said, trying to sound casual.
happened.
Dixon nearly growled. “Could have fooled
Very high, indeed. me.”
# “It’s the programming,” Gen insisted. “It’s NET,
the single most corrupt institution the planet has
“What’s his problem?” Dixon asked. He ever known, hiding behind a fake religion to justify
crouched next to Gen against the back wall. its actions.” Gen realized he was nearly yelling.
Flapper danced in a circle directly under the Dixon grabbed Gen by the collar and pulled
light bulb. He tapped his forehead with a knuckle him off the ground. The computer slipped from
and murmured under his breath. Gen’s grasp, rattled on the floor.
Lynda sang to Chloe somewhere in the “You should probably shut your mouth, old
darkness. man, and get back to work,” Dixon spit out
Gen looked at Flapper. “He used to be NET. between clenched teeth.
The nans caught some kind of virus and screwed Gen gasped, embarrassed at being manhan-
him up before they winked out. I’ve been. . . dled with such ease. “I’m not old!”
studying him, hoping to learn how his firewall
Dixon stopped, blinked. His eyes widened,
failed.”
and he seemed to really see Gen for the first time.
“Not him,” Dixon said. He pointed at Tuck. Very slowly, he set Gen down.
“Him. Marine Boy.”
“Just do your thing.” Dixon spun and stormed
“Oh.” Gen blushed. He was grateful for the out of the room. He bumped Tuck on the way,
darkness. “He was an American soldier. Some ignored the Captain’s protests.

“What was that all about?” Lynda asked. “What are you saying, Tuck?” she asked.
Gen shook his head. “Doesn’t anyone else find it interesting that
the moment we hear the troops coming, Dixon
#
reappears after being gone an hour?”
“Music, music, music, music.” Flapper rocked “Hold on a sec, Tuck,” Gen said. “Dixon hates
on the floor, knees tucked into his chest. NET as much as any of us. He—”
Gen watched, wishing he could help the young Tuck smiled. “Oh, I know he hates NET with
man. He still didn’t understand why Flapper had a passion. That’s the only reason I’ve let him
been warped so badly. It was more than nan- live. But you know what I think? I think there’s
failure, Gen was sure of that. But what? something he hates even worse than NET or nans
He turned back to his computer, studying the or being displaced on this rock.”
data. Flapper was a goner, just like the rest of Dixon fumed. His hands, balled into fists, pushed
them. into his thighs so hard his legs were going numb.
“Do you hear that?” Lynda asked. Chloe stirred “Alright,” Dixon yelled. “Let’s hear it!”
in her mother’s arms. “Keep your voice down!” Lynda said.
“No,” Gen said. “What?” “Why?” Dixon said. “If he’s right, they already
“Footsteps from above,” Tuck replied. He know where we are. Besides—ah, did you hear
stared down the hallway over the scope of his that? They’re getting closer. They’re right on top
gun, relaxed and still. “They’ll be here in a few of us! Any second now they’ll rush around that
minutes.” corner and fill our heads with little machines that
will make our brains shrivel up and shut off, and
Dixon suddenly rushed back into the room then you know what happens! You know what
from the hall, chest heaving. “NET! They’re here.” happens THEN?”
“We can hear them,” Tuck said. He rose, Tuck cocked the rifle, brought it up to his
casually turning the L-20 toward Dixon. “So, Dixs, shoulder. “Shut your mouth.”
where have you been?”
“Why should I?” Dixon said. “You don’t trust
Dixon paused in the middle of wiping sweat anyone. Either you kill me, or they do. Either way,
from his forehead. “What are you talking about? I’m dead.”
I’ve been sitting out there thinking about my
death, that’s where I’ve been.” “Tuck,” Gen started.
Tuck cocked his head. “Really, because I’ve “Shut up, Gen. Get back to work.”
been right by this door, just waiting for something “Yes, work on the music, the music,” Flapper
to shoot at. I didn’t see you in the hall.” said. “You are close to the music.”
“It was dark! What, are you Nocturnal Boy, They all paused, the tension in the room
too?” He paused, looked at the gun. “Why don’t coming to a sudden halt.
you put that down before you piss me off.” “I am?” Gen asked. “How can you. . .” his
Lynda stepped out of the darkness and joined voice trailed off. He held up his computer and
Flapper, who had gone still under the light bulb. pressed a command.

Conversion, by Shaun Farrell Pg. 10
Flapper’s back arched. His eyes rolled back joined through NET. They unleashed hell into
into his head. Then he shook it off and started the hallway. Dixon was chopped to pieces, but
rocking on the floor. he seemed to continue forward anyway, as if
“What was that?” Tuck asked. the sheer force of his hatred could hold his flesh
together. His gun fired again and again.
“The nans, the ones inside of him, must still be
alive somehow. They reacted to my transmission. Two men collapsed under the barrage of his
I think—” Gen turned away, hands typing rapidly. attack, but that was all Dixon could manage. He
fell, dead before he hit the floor.
“I think you can put the piece down now,
soldier boy,” Dixon said. #
“How about I keep it where it is, just for fun?” “Dixon!” Tuck’s throat was instantly dry, adren-
Synchronized footsteps filled the hallway. In aline zapping his mouth of moisture, replacing it
the midst of their argument, they hadn’t heard with salt. He screamed and took aim with his L-
the NET soldiers. Tuck and Dixon looked down 20. Barely able to control the gun with his shaky
the hall in unison, their eyes widening. arms, he leaned around the doorframe and fired.
A dozen soldiers stood out there, with more NET responded with typical effectiveness,
in the stairwell behind them, no doubt. aiming their fire at Tuck’s side of the door. With
“I knew it,” Tuck whispered, face twisting into nans guiding their eyes and fingers, the NET
a scowl. “You betrayed us!” soldiers demonstrated considerable skill. Tuck
continually turned back into the room, the metal
Tuck began to re-aim the L-20 at Dixon. Simul-
doorframe disintegrating around him. At one
taneously, Dixon jutted forward and reached for
point he dove across the entry to the other side.
Tuck’s leg. With his other hand he deflected the
Miraculously, only one enemy projectile grazed
rifle toward the ceiling.
his leg.
Tuck tried to sidestep, but Dixon was too
Once the shooting began, Gen, Flapper, and
fast. In that moment Tuck realized his feelings of
Lynda ran to the opposite side of the room.
control had been an illusion. Dixon could have
Debris and bullets rattled all over the place, but
done this whenever he wanted.
they found somewhat suitable shelter in the far
Before Tuck could regain his bearings, Dixon corner behind the empty storage crates.
had relieved the Captain of a pistol and darted
Flapper yelled and tried to run into the hall.
down the hallway.
He wanted to rejoin his brothers, and he slapped
“He’s joining NET!” Tuck yelled, scrambling for at Gen when the older man held him back.
the door.
“They don’t want you anymore,” Gen screamed,
Then gunshots echoed around him. And feeling the futility of the situation overtake him.
screams. Dixon’s screams. He was charging the He should let Flapper run into the sea of bullets.
enemy soldiers, gun spitting fire, lungs releasing He would die instantly, but at least he would die
the last breath of a man embracing his fate. believing NET had come for him.
“No,” Tuck whispered. “It can’t be.” “I know, I know,” Flapper returned, still strug-
The troops responded in unison, their minds gling.

A growl of agony slipped from Tuck’s lips. They Flapper kicked him.
could hear him clearly over the constant barrage. Chloe screamed, and Lynda hugged the child
He must be hit. Gen looked around the crates. so tight the baby couldn’t breathe.
Sure enough, Tuck huddled against the wall, tried
Tuck’s war-cry began again, his rifle spitting
to tie off a bleeding arm. His shooting arm.
death into the darkness.
Time was up.
Flapper handed the computer back to Gen.
Flapper saw it, too. “Here,” he said. Without His right hand seemed to shrivel, then shake, and
waiting for Gen’s approval, he snatched the he hid it against his side. Bending at the waist, his
computer from Gen’s grasp. knees began flexing.
Gen lunged for it like he would a lifeline at “Push initiate!” Flapper said.
sea. That interface was his last connection with
“What did you do?” Gen asked. He didn’t
humanity, his last reminder of what he once was,
recognize the code filling the screen.
and the only hope to have a life ever again.
“Push it!” Tears began streaming down
Flapper punched Gen in the face with surpris-
Flapper’s face. Mucus leaked from his nose.
ing strength. They stared into each other’s eyes,
the sound of violence around them deafening. Knowing he had no other option, Gen pushed
the button and transmitted Flapper’s program.
“We’re the only friends you have!” Gen yelled,
betrayal turning to anger. Yes, he had initially The world suddenly turned silent. Tuck fired
brought Flapper to Columbus because he wanted a few more rounds before he realized the enemy
to study him, but things had changed since then. was no longer firing back. Flapper went rigid as
They were the closest remnants of family either steel, his face placid. He fell backward into the
would ever know. Or so Gen had believed. mesh crates, spilled them across the floor.
“I know,” Flapper replied, his face still, his right “What the hell?” Tuck muttered.
arm steady, his eyes confident. Gen froze. He had Realization dawned in Gen’s mind, and he
never seen Flapper like this. He looked NET. His rushed to join the Captain at the door. The NET
eyes seemed to flicker silver, as if swarming with soldiers had collapsed just as Flapper had.
nans.
“What happened?” Tuck asked.
“I can hear the music, Gen. It sounds sick.”
Gen looked at his computer. Flapper had jacked
Gen shook his head. “That’s impossible. The the interface into NET’s network. He studied the
nans inside you are dead!” signals coming from the nans. He could still detect
Flapper turned to Lynda. “I’m sorry about your an energy signature, but it was faint.
baby.” “He reformatted them,” Gen whispered.
Without giving an explanation, he turned to “What?” Tuck asked, now on his feet. Sweat
the computer and began to type one handed. He and blood covered his body. He had been hit
moved with unnatural speed, as if he was inti- several times.
mately familiar with the interface.
“Flapper. He must have remembered some
“Hey!” Gen reached for the computer. kind of. . . access code, or something. He refor-

matted them. Amazing!” “His name is Flapper,” Gen protested.

“What does that mean?” Tuck asked. “Whatever,” Tuck said. “Come on, we’ll take
“I haven’t the faintest idea.” the landing shuttle to the ship, blow the rest of
them out an airlock, pick up the colonists in the
“No! NO!” desert, and get the hell out of here.” He limped
Then Gen realized how deep the silence in the for the door.
room had truly been. Chloe was no longer crying. “Where will we go?” Lynda asked, gently
He rushed back around the crates, Tuck stumbling scooping Chloe into her arms.
after him.
“Don’t ask me,” Tuck replied, vanishing out the
Lynda had placed Chloe on the ground. Her door.
hands hovered over the child, shaking.
Gen put the computer in his pants pocket.
“Lynda?” Gen asked. Flapper didn’t even weigh a hundred pounds,
“She’s dead. My baby girl is dead!” Sobs racked and Gen lifted him with fair ease.
her as she lay down next to her child. He wondered what the boy would be like
Gen knelt, put his hand on Chloe’s chest. when he woke. Would he be his old self or a NET
There was a gentle heartbeat there. Life still held agent? And what about Chloe? She must have
on. Flapper must have known. That was why he been infected in the womb, yet she acted like any
apologized. normal child.
It took several minutes for Gen to calm Lynda What was NET up to?
enough to talk with her. “She’s not dead,” he Dixon’s blood covered the floor in the hall,
finally said. “She was NET. The nans have reset.” his body in pieces. He had given himself for the
He wiped wetness from her face. group. Gen wished he had known the man better,
“How is that p-possible?” she finally asked. had tried to understand what had happened to
“She wasn’t b-born on Earth.” him. It was too late for that. It was too late for
a lot of things. But maybe they could start over
“I don’t know. But somehow NET infected
someplace else.
her.”
He walked past the sleeping soldiers. They
“I don’t mean to break up our moment of rest,”
seemed to stare at him, and he imagined that he
Tuck said, “but eventually they’ll wake up, right?
could see programs coming online through their
If they’re just reformatting—”
vacant eyes.
“Then once the basic programs initialize, they
Realizing he was getting behind, he rushed to
should wake, yes,” Gen said.
catch up with the others.
Tuck pointed at Gen’s computer. “What’s
the range on that thing? Did it reach their
spaceship?”
Gen considered it. “Probably.”
He swallowed, clearly in pain. “Alright, pick up
your kid. Gen, grab twitchy.”

Shaun Farrell
Shaun Farrell is a speculative fiction author
and the host of the Adventures in Scifi
Publishing podcast, a show that explores the
publishing industry by interviewing industry
experts, bestselling authors, and new writers.
To learn more about Shaun and his work, visit
www.shaunfarrell.com.

"The Second Ascension," by R. Cruz Pg. 14
M. Deirdra
by Richard S. Levine
“...’tis a noble and heroic thing, the wind! “The Newer Orleans area.”
Who ever conquered it? In every fight it has A heavily populated modern city wasn’t what
I wanted to hear.
the last and bitterest blow. Run tilting at it, A break in the clouds revealed a churning,
and you but run through it. Ha! A coward green gulf with clipped whitecaps and spray that
wind that strikes stark naked men, but will looked like shattered glass. The plane shook in
every direction.
not stand to receive a single blow. Even Ahab I said, “Toby, take over until we reach the eye.
is a braver thing—a nobler thing than that.” Get dad back on the comm.”
– Herman Melville, Moby Dick Soon I heard my dad’s deep voice. “Michelle,
you’re late.”
“We’re almost there.”
B elow me, huge gray clouds circled coun-

terclockwise and glowed as bolts of
lightning struck the Gulf of Mexico. Over the roar
The Massive shuddered. Sunlight and blue sky
filtered through the eye of the storm.
I shouted, “I see you!”
of my scowplane I heard, “Quad II here. Massive, Dad replied, “About time.”
where are you?” I could see dad’s plane and two others of our
I said, “On my way, Dad.” team near the middle of the eye. A towering white
“Hey, Captain Bahar to you. We’re in M. wall of clouds encircled us. I said, “Toby, give me
Deidra’s eye, and we’ve got to move this thing back the controls.”
somewhere safe. Get here quick. Quad II out.” As all four planes traveled in a circular path
The Massive was a fine scowplane, named in the center of M. Deidra’s eye, Toby ordered
to honor the M designation for hurricanes with our target guidance mirror into position. I saw
winds greater than 250 miles per hour. It had been the other planes tilt their mirrors in a kind of syn-
twenty years since the last category M storm. My chronized dance. We waited for the microwave
heart raced. transmissions from space.
The flight computer spoke. “Captain Bahar.
This area of the storm will be violent.” #
I replied, “Thank you, Toby. Call me Michelle.” Then, at dusk, light flashed all around us.
I took the Massive down into the clouds. Rain Toby reported first. “Masing has begun.”
smacked the windows. Thunder echoed off our Dad said, “Quad II here. Nice job. Stay in
hull. I could feel my heart pounding as I headed formation.”
towards Deidra’s eye. I asked, “Captain Bahar, where are we going
Toby reported, “Winds at 250 miles per hour.” to give M. Deidra her funeral?”
I asked, “Where’s Deidra headed?” “Our orders are to bury her to the northeast

M. Deirdra, by Richard S. Levine Pg. 15
of Ciudad Victoria. The U.S. pays Mexico a lot of Pensacola. She felt safe. She didn’t even evacuate
money to scuttle hurricanes there.” when I told her to.”
“Do you think we can turn an M hurricane?” I I could feel his guilt. “Dad, you couldn’t have
knew it was a sensitive question. known that you couldn’t turn a category M
The comm squawked as Toby changed to a storm.”
private frequency. “You’re wrong. I could have made it turn. I just
Dad replied, “You’re talking about M. Frances, need a much larger heat source.”
aren’t you? That was my mistake, not the Quad I. He sounded angry. I said, “Dad, you’re
We’ll turn M. Deidra.” His voice sounded grim. worrying me.”
“But what if we can’t?” “Damn it, Michelle. I mean to stop M. Deidra.
“That’s crap. Quad II out.” Quad II, out.”
The Massive’s windows were fogging. I looked I watched the Quad II and our other two
down at the colors where the maser fire blasted planes drop from formation. They disappeared
the Gulf waters into steam. into the steam from the Gulf.
A dropsonde from the Quad II parachuted I cried, “Toby!” He didn’t answer. I was locked
towards the Gulf. I didn’t see the changes in the out of the controls. As I heard the mirror above
weather data we were hoping for; M. Deidra had refocus the satellite beam, the Massive headed
not turned. on its own towards M. Deidra’s towering white
I put Toby back in control of the Massive, and wall.
I closed my eyes to nap. The Massive closed on the clouds. I felt
helpless. I remember entering the white wall just
#
before hearing the explosion. Then the clouds
A Mexican official spoke on the comm. My turned the color of fire.
father answered. The Massive was pushed forward and then
“Captain Bahar, is there any change?” downward. The wings glistened and flickered in
“We’ll know in a few minutes.” the light of the flames. Then the wind and rain
“Give us a call as soon as you know.” put out the fire.
“Will do. Quad II, out.” Toby’s lockout released. He said, “Our engines
Dad loved to fly and could turn hurricanes have shut down. Prepare for jettison.”
like herding cows in a cattle drive, but he wasn’t Everything happened so fast. I replied, “Toby,
comfortable dealing with people. Especially after thank you.”
Mom died. #
I heard, “Michelle, are you there?”
I replied, “Dad?” M. Deidra should have killed me that night. Yet,
“There’s been no change to M. Deidra’s path.” the next day I was sitting in the floating sealed
“Then Newer Orleans will have to evacuate.” compartment of the Massive’s inflatable.
“I can’t let that happen.” His tone was confident, The sounds of M. Deidra had moved on, and
but I’m sure he wasn’t. I opened the compartment to reveal a blue sky.
“What do you mean?” There was a radio in my emergency kit. I called for
“I was so…so sure of our technology. I told assistance.
your mother that M. Frances wasn’t coming to I smiled when they told me that M. Deidra

M. Deirdra, by Richard S. Levine Pg. 16
had turned and headed east-north-east of Ciudad

Victoria. I knew that over fifty years ago the area’s
coast had been cleared of people and buildings,
and M. Deidra would expire over empty beaches
and the Sierra Madre Mountains.
I thought of my father and our team. Tears
filled my eyes.
And me. What about me? I still turn hurri-
canes for a living. I guess I always will.
Richard S. Levine
Richard S. Levine began his working life as a
video game designer and developer. Several
of his science fiction short stories have
appeared in The Martian Wave and The
Fifth Di. With his wife Carrie, he lives happily
on the beach in Florida and writes. Now, if
only the hurricanes would go away. To learn
more about Mr. Levine’s writings and his
classic video game, Microsurgeon, please visit
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/rlevine6/.

Featured Artist: Euka Pg. 17
Featured Artist:
Bassem Hassan
Name:
Bassem Hassan
Age:
30
Hobbies:
Roller blading, cycling, swimming, fishing,
boating, and most of all designing!
Favorite Book / Author:

IT by Stephen King, and anything by Khalil
Jebron.
Favorite Artist:
I have three; the first being Greg Martin, the
second, Dylan Cole, and finally, my good friend
Chris,
http://dilekt.deviantart.com/
When did you start creating art?

I started creating art a little over four years ago.
What media do you work in?

I use many applications, but the ones that I use the most are Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Cinema
4D (my favorite), and Terragen.
Where your work has been featured?

Ive received a couple of Daily Deviations over at http://www.deviantart.com. Most of my works are
actually printed stuff and Illustrator stuff I do for work, which can be found at most David Jones Stores
all around Australia.
Where should someone go if they wanted to view / buy some of your works?
My work is mainly featured over at deviantART and my page can be found here:
http://dv81.deviantart.com/
How did you become an artist?

Funnily enough, whilst doodling around in Photoshop, I came across a couple of filters which assisted
me in manipulating an old family photo. I took off from there. Strangely enough, at that time I had
completed a degree in software engineering, and I’ve never looked back. I still do code, but my heart
is in art!
What were your early influences?

My early influence would have to be my twin brother who saw I had some hidden talent and insisted I
keep going , and here I am today doing what I love best!

Featured Artist: Bassem Hassan Pg. 18
What are your current influences?

My most influential person now would be Mum and how she inspires me to do better than last time!
And of course Greg Martin, and Dylan Cole, and above all my friend Chris!
What inspired the art for the cover?

A girl by the name of Eman (a disabled family friend of mine) someone as I once wrote “...is on the
path to paradise”. She is a very special person loved by many and frowned by none. Her heart and
courage to live in this world is unmatched, her
family... well I would need a book to describe
their love for her and their devotion to make
her stay on earth a pleasant and peaceful one.
Also, my friend Chris, his work can be found
at http://dilekt.deviantart.com, another great
inspiration of mine also helped collaborate on
this piece. You should check out his stuff—he is
truly an amazing artist and friend!
How would you describe your work?

I draw with passion and with love, so if I was
to name it I would call it “EMOTIONS.” Every
piece I do, there is always a story behind it as
some sort of catalyst which inspired me to do
it in the first place. My work is mainly built
around the cosmos, as I am infatuated with
space; nowadays I find myself doing more and
more 3D, but only to assist with my future space
scenes.
Where do you get your inspiration / what

inspires you?
The heavens and the earth, family, friends,
mother nature, movies, other artists; there is
so much to say and so little time to say it in. I
would have to say that anything is a potential
for inspiration, but what I draw is ONLY an
emotion, so that I leave people with something
to think about since I like to share something of
mine with them.
Have you had any notable failures, and how

has failure affected your work?
As I began to draw, I many times found myself
thumping my head on the desk questioning my
own abilities, but it’s those times I cherish the most! I would learn to pick myself up and try again or
even try harder! My own flaws were my best strengths in becoming a better artist, so I say to others
out there the belief in ones self is one of the most powerful weapons one can acquire; if you find
yourself stuck, or not performing like you imagine, indulge yourself in this moment. This is the point
of vulnerability and the part where you need to dig deep and find yourself again!

What have been your greatest successes? How has

success impacted you / your work?
My greatest success, well, would be just to become an
artist. Winning my daily deviations on deviantART was
great, but becoming an artist was greater, and helps my
way of life in how I see things in the real world. Even my
career is based around what I love most ! So that would
be the greatest success from all this!
What are your favorite tools / equipment for producing

your art?
The mouse.
What tool / equipment do you wish you had?

What else? Wacom Intuous 3. ; )
What do you hope to accomplish with your art?

A lot of smiling faces—if my art makes someone smile,
then that is more important to me than anything anyone
can ever give me: to see someone happy, well, you can’t
put a price on that!

The Price of Conquest

by Mik Wilkens
K ressa Bryant wandered aimlessly through

north San Francisco’s dark streets, the
pitifully small pack that contained everything she
mistaken for a boy. She wore her black hair short
and her clothing loose in an attempt to hide the
fact that she was a nineteen-year-old girl graced—
owned slung over one shoulder. or, in her opinion, cursed—with the genetically
Around her, the cool night air hummed with perfected looks of the United Galaxy’s elite.
the passage of ground, air, and space traffic to “Who’s there?” she called.
the south. Local bars throbbed with music and Another groan drifted from deep in the alley.
raucous conversation. The crumbling buildings The agonized sound tightened her gut.
shuddered as a starship landed at one of the
Something moved in the pile of discarded
nearby ports.
boxes and rubbish that clogged the narrow
Several meters behind Kressa, two men passage. She gripped her knife tighter and crept
shadowed her path. She frowned. Were they forward, eyes straining in the dark.
following her? Easy enough to determine.
Low clouds reflected the light from the ports
She turned left at the next corner and ducked and the brightly lit south city in a dim glow, faintly
into a narrow alley partway down the block. The illuminating the debris. A bloody arm and hand
reek of urine and rotting debris assaulted her; jutted from the trash. Kressa tightened her jaw
the alley’s high walls gathered the city sounds and continued forward, knife held close, ready to
and muffled them to a dull roar. use.
Kressa shut out the distant sounds and tuned A battered body sprawled on the rubbish,
her senses closer, back the way she’d come. The feverish eyes gazing up from a pallid face. The
quiet mumble of a conversation drifted over the hand groped for a clear spot on the alley floor and
background noise, accompanied by a pair of levered the body into a half-sitting position. The
unhurried footsteps. motion sent a sour odor drifting from the litter.
The men moved closer, paused, and crossed Kressa wrinkled her nose at the stench.
the intersection where she had turned the corner. “You...do me a favor?” the man asked.
Their footfalls receded, and she relaxed.
Kressa noted his once fine clothing, now
A rustle from behind whirled her around. She ruined by deep, bloody wounds; the bits of
dropped into a fighting stance and whipped her expensive jewelry that adorned ear, throat, and
knife from its boot-top sheath. wrist; the pain-clouded features of a face that
Something groaned, low and pain-filled, and had never been handsome and was now a pale
a weak male voice called, “Boy? Boy, can you...?” mask of approaching death.
The voice trailed off with a moan. “What’s in it for me?” she asked.
Kressa stared into the darkness, black eyes The man smiled, a grimace of lips pinched tight
wide to gather light. It did not surprise her to be

The Price of Conquest, by Mik Wilkens Pg. 21
in pain. He raised an unsteady hand and gestured body. He rolled onto his side, choking up blood,
at himself. “Take what you want. I...won’t be then lay still for a long time. At last, he spoke again.
needing it.” “Tell Connie she’s been a hell of a companion...”
“Yeah. All right.” She bent closer, cast a wary He remained quiet for so long Kressa thought he
look over her shoulder, and turned back to the was dead, but then his hand twitched, waving her
man. “Who did this to you?” closer.
“You—know the ports?” She knelt beside him. “Thorne?”
She nodded. “I grew up around here.” “Tell Teresa...my daughter. Tell her Daddy’ll be
home to take her to the—Carver Day parade.” His
He reached toward a pocket on the front of eyes rolled to focus blearily on Kressa. “Tell her?”
his jacket, and then abandoned the attempt with
a moan. He motioned toward it with his chin. “Yeah, sure,” she said, convinced Thorne was
completely delirious. “Sure, I’ll tell her.”
Cautious, Kressa removed a keycard from the
pocket. She made the promise to a dead man.
“My ship—the Conquest,” the man said, each #

word a struggle. “She’s at...Rostenport, hanger
three. Find a pilot. Take the ship to Varen, on Seated at the bar in a noisy north-city tavern,
Arecia...” He drew a ragged breath and pushed Kressa stared at the keycard Thorne had given
himself up straighter against the garbage. “Tell her.
them Cam...Cameron Thorne. My name. Tell Rostenport, hanger three.
them what happened.” Should she use the card to try to get a look at
“Tell who?” Kressa sensed how little time the the ship, or should she sell the card and the infor-
man had left, while another part of her chattered mation Thorne had given her to another pilot?
on about what he’d said. A ship? It must be a “Want something to drink, miss?”
one-man vessel, but what type? A small yacht? A
She looked up into the bright blue eyes of the
courier? Or—dare she hope—a freighter?
ruddy-faced bartender and set the keycard on
“Thorne, tell me what happened.” the moisture-ringed surface before her. “I’ll take
“Go to—Cartun-al Tavern, in Varen. Talk to... a C ‘n’ K.”
B’Okhaim.” The tender prepared her order and placed the
“Okay. What happened?” glass beside the card. She paid for it with Thorne’s
“Code,” Thorne said, his voice barely discern- money, took a sip, and gazed around the room.
ible over the echo of sounds in the alley. Three years ago, in this San Francisco tavern,
She leaned closer. “What code?” she had met Tempo, captain of the freighter
Darsan. Less than three hours ago, she had left
“To get in. Panel under scanner. Remember. him. On his request. Her thrice-damned looks
Six six nine oh three five...seven two.” had caused one too many conflicts among his all-
She repeated the number. male crew. Departing the Darsan had left her with
“Good. Now—” Harsh, wet coughs wracked his nowhere to go and nothing to do. She looked at

the card again. tors to obey, no gang prime to follow, no captain

Rostenport. Thorne’s ship. Mine now? to take orders from. Freedom.
She took a deep breath. The smells of sweat, She slammed down the rest of her drink,
alcohol, and the sweet-spicy smoke of liftsticks scooped up the card and her pack, and left the
filled the air. The strident blare of music and bar.
laughter, the squawk of voices, and the clink #
and rattle of glassware dinned in the crowded
room. From the far end of the bar, a lone woman Rostenport was a rundown private facility
watched her. Based on her heavily made-up looks, located several blocks north of the alley where
Kressa guessed the woman was nearing the end Cameron Thorne died, close to the narrow strip
of her prime; she did not need to guess her pro- of no-man’s-land that separated modern-day San
fession. The woman’s flashy, revealing costume, Francisco from the earthquake-shattered ruins
bright body paint and glo-tats, and provocative of the old city—the gang-ruled Territories where
stance advertised her availability to anyone who Kressa had grown up.
could afford her. She was what Tempo would call She reached the port’s small terminal building,
a “cold glove.” glanced through the open doorway, and froze.
Kressa looked away. Two white-uniformed United Galaxy Patrol
Was the glove a glimpse of her future? Would soldiers were moving toward the counter from
she end up as nothing more than a temporary bit the door to the landing pad and hangars. They
of amusement for whoever had the credits to pay scowled at the man behind the counter—which
for a few minutes of her time? wasn’t unusual for Pattys—but the way their
Never. hands rested not-so-casually on the pulse guns at
their sides suggested something was afoot. The
True, she had used her looks to catch Tempo’s tight-lipped frown on the man behind the counter
eye, and she’d spent most nights in his bed, but supported that conjecture.
that had been a means to an end, one they both
enjoyed. In her three years on board the Darsan Kressa backed away from the door and leaned
she had learned the life of a free trader, the tricks against the outer wall to listen.
of the business, how and where to pilot a freighter “Find what you were looking for, Commander?”
for the most profit. Plus she possessed a base of one of the men asked, presumably the civilian
the finest education available—attained through behind the counter.
her childhood at the local United Galaxy Patrol “Not yet, but we weren’t able to get much of a
Academy—and the skills and knowledge gained look at that crate in number three. It’s got some
during the years she lived on the streets after kind of defense system. Who does it belong to?”
running away from the Academy. She sighed. If
Kressa frowned. Number three? Why would
only she could find someone who could see past
the Pattys want to search Thorne’s ship? For that
her looks to her abilities.
matter, why were they searching all the ships, as
She gave the keycard a final long look. the commander’s words suggested?
Rostenport. My own ship. No Academy instruc- “That’s Captain Thorne’s vessel,” the civilian

said. “Whatever you’re looking for, it can’t have Two pairs of footsteps started for the
anything to do with Thorne. He’s—” entrance.
“We’ll be the judge of that,” the commander Kressa ducked around the corner of the
said. “Where’s Thorne now?” building and melted into the shadows under the
“Don’t know, sir. I haven’t seen him since... high port fence. The soldiers’ bootsteps clopped
yesterday, I think.” away.
“Is there cargo on board?” Kressa counted slowly to thirty, made her way
back to the terminal entrance, and peered inside,
“Could be. There was some activity near the studying the distance to the opening onto the
hangar last night. A few groundcars and such. I landing pad.
didn’t pay much attention.”
Confidence will get you anywhere.
“All right. Wait here.”
She took a deep breath, let it slide out, then
Several seconds passed during which the hiss drew herself up, slung her pack over her shoulder,
of a whispered conversation drifted from inside and strode through the doorway.
the building. Kressa assumed the Patrolmen had
left the counter to discuss their next move; she The man behind the counter glanced up. She
used the time to consider hers. tossed him a casual wave and kept walking, eyes
straight ahead.
Common sense suggested that if Pattys were
involved she should forget Cameron Thorne, Nearly there.
forget his ship, get the hell out of there, and The man released a bored grunt, the cool night
never look back. Yet, if she abandoned this now air hit her face, and she was through.
she feared she would spend the rest of her life Easy.
wondering what might have happened if she
She darted into the darkness at the edge of
stayed with it. She settled on a compromise. If
the pad and made her way along the port fence to
the Patrolmen left the port, she would make one
the hangar marked with a glowing numeral three,
attempt to get to the hangar. If successful, she
opened the service door with Thorne’s card, and
would take it from there. If not, she would sell
stepped inside. The door closed and the lights in
the hangar key and information.
the hangar came up, momentarily dazzling her
“Let me tell you what you’re going to do for night vision, then she grinned. The Conquest was
us, Foster,” the Patrol commander’s words drew a freighter. But her elation lasted only as long as
Kressa’s attention back to the terminal building. it took for her eyes to adjust to the light and get a
“We’ve got a couple more ports to search, then perspective on the ship.
we’ll stop back here. If Thorne gets back before
She had assumed Thorne’s ship would be a
we do, give us a call and keep him here. And
one-man vessel, otherwise his crew could take
remember, we’ve got enough on you to close
it to Arecia for him, but a ship the size of the
this place down a dozen times over, so no tricks,
Conquest required a crew of at least four. How
right?”
had Thorne expected a single pilot to fly a four-
“Yes, sir.” The man sounded as if he spoke on freighter? And where was his crew? Had the
through clenched teeth. same people who took down Thorne killed them

as well? After a moment the inner door opened and

Suddenly this was looking a lot more dangerous she looked into the ship.
than she originally thought. Yet, she was here The airlock formed one end of a dim-lit corridor.
now; at least she could have a look around. The hallway ran for about ten meters before
She walked toward the freighter, wary of any turning right, toward the rear of the vessel. Four
defensive equipment. Nothing happened. She closed doors were situated along the corridor:
approached the port side of the vessel, climbed one just beyond the lock to her right, two evenly
the boarding ramp to the closed airlock door, and spaced along the left wall, and one at the far end.
let her pack slide to the landing. What had Thorne She stepped into the hallway.
said about the code to get in? “Halt,” a female voice said.
Panel under scanner. Kressa froze. A recording?
There was a printlock to the right of the door. “Identify yourself,” the voice said.
The milky glass of its scanplate glowed dimly in Kressa scanned the corridor again, but saw no
the bright hangar, but Kressa saw nothing under one. The voice must be a message programmed
the plate except smooth, steel-gray hull. Maybe to play when someone entered the ship without
a door covered the panel. She bent for a closer taking a particular action; a minor thing Thorne
look. forgot to mention. She took another step
Nothing. Just unmarred hull. forward.
A finger-wide margin of dull silver material sur- “Halt. Where is Cameron Thorne?”
rounded the edge of the scanplate. She squatted An anti-personnel turret dropped from the
before it. A narrow groove separated the margin ceiling halfway down the corridor, the barrel
from the Conquest’s darker exterior. pointed directly at Kressa. She took a startled
Drawing her knife, she stuck the tip of the blade step backward. The gun followed her movement.
into the crack on the right side of the scanner, slid “Identify yourself,” the voice said.
it down the side and across the bottom. Halfway
“Kressa Bryant. Who are you?”
along the bottom edge, she met an obstruction.
She pressed the knife tip against the blockage. “Where is Thorne?”
The obstacle gave way and the bottom edge of Kressa eased to one side. The turret tracked
the scanplate popped outward. her.
She swung the plate up on hinges mounted “Move again and I will fire. Where is Thorne?”
along its top, revealing a numbered keypad.
“Dead.”
Smiling, she sheathed her knife, entered the code,
and clicked the scanplate back into place. A long silence followed. “Tell me what
happened.”
The airlock door hummed open.
Kressa related the story of her encounter with
Kressa retrieved her pack and stepped into
Thorne. She paused once when she realized she
the lock. The outer door sealed behind her. She
had no idea who she was speaking to, but the
sucked in a nervous breath and tried to ignore
voice bade her continue and the threat of the
the sudden sensation of being trapped.

overhead turret convinced her it would be in her Kressa scowled but obeyed. “Who the hell are
best interest to obey. you?”
“Thorne instructed you to travel to Arecia?” “I am a Thompson-Krell Mark Five ship’s
the voice asked after Kressa completed her story. computer. Registration number 20458KD83-38F.
“Yes.” She thought it best not to mention that ACC-AI revision 08935R installed on standard
she had no intention of taking the ship anywhere date SY 4533-09.06. Hol-OS modifications made
near Arecia until she found out what the Pattys SY 4533-12.02. Mol and quantum memory
wanted. modified SY 4534-02.05. Additional AI algorithms
installed...” There was another fifteen seconds of
Another long pause ensued. “Enter the door the same, little of which Kressa understood. At
to your right.” last the computer concluded, “You may refer to
The barrier slid aside and Kressa peered into me as Connie.”
a large, indirectly lit recreation room with several Kressa stifled a laugh. So this was the mysteri-
vid outlets, a bar, plush furnishings, and a small ous Connie whose company Thorne had enjoyed.
dining area. “Okay, Connie, so you’re a fancy computer. Is that
She whistled. From what she knew about how Thorne piloted a four-on without a crew?”
freighters like the Conquest, most of their interior “Correct.”
living space was dedicated to sleeping quarters
and a small galley. This single chamber must have “And you’ll obey me now?”
been converted from the majority of the quarters. “No.”
And Thorne had all but given her the ship. Kressa frowned. “What do you mean, no?”
She stepped into the room, grinning. Silence.
A turret centered on the ceiling took up the “Connie?” Kressa said.
duty of tracking her movements, and her grin
“Waiting.”
disappeared.
“Did you hear me?”
“Sit at the table,” the voice said.
“Yes,” the computer answered.
Kressa walked toward the dining area on
the far left side of the room, an uncomfortable Kressa stared at the barrel of the overhead
tension tightening her shoulders. She passed the turret. There must be some way to convince the
open door of the galley and glanced inside. computer—
Traders were not known for their discriminat- She rolled her eyes. One need not convince a
ing taste in food, most of them being content with computer of anything. Computers simply followed
whatever issued from the galley’s food processor, programmed orders. Clearly, Thorne had given
yet the Conquest’s galley held a complete kitchen, the Conquest’s computer orders to obey only him,
not just a simple processing unit. but he must have an override, some password
or phrase that told the computer to obey the
The Conquest was one hell of a ship. Her ship
person giving it. Yet, other than the airlock code,
now if not for that damned voice. And the guns.
nothing Thorne had said could be construed as
“Sit,” the voice said. a password. Unless... She thought hard. Unless

Thorne’s final ramblings hadn’t been as delirious “Thorne’s record contains several shipping
as she thought. What had he said? Something violations.”
about his daughter... “What kinds of violations?”
“Connie?” “Concealment to avoid tariffs, transportation
“Waiting.” of animals considered harmful to indigenous life
“Thorne had a daughter, right? Named forms, transportation of unapproved items.”
Teresa?” “That’s all?” She doubted any free trader alive
“Correct.” hadn’t broken at least one of those rules. “Was
anyone else after him, someone who might try
“He wanted to tell her— Uh...” She thought to kill him?”
back to the last moments of her encounter with
Cameron Thorne. “He wanted to tell her he’d be “Unknown.”
back to take Teresa to the Carver Day parade.” “So what do we do now?” she asked, and
“Command acknowledged. Voice pattern then started to laugh when she realized she had
imprint recognition program activated. Awaiting just asked a computer for an opinion. But she
input of additional operator identity.” swallowed the laugh when Connie answered.
Kressa smiled. “We should leave immediately.”

“Why not let the Pattys do their search? If
#
there’s nothing wrong with the cargo...?”
“Connie, we could be in trouble,” Kressa said “That is not advisable,” the computer said.
after supplying the information that made her “Why?”
the ship’s operator.
“The Patrol is not likely to allow you to pilot
The ship’s operator. She grinned at the thought, the ship by yourself.”
and forced herself back to business.
“Why not?” Kressa asked.
“There were two Patrolmen in the terminal
“Are you licensed?”
when I got here.”
“Well...no, but I know what I’m doing.”
“They wanted to search the ship,” Connie said.
“I warned them away.” “The Patrol will not allow you to pilot the ship
without a license and proper documentation.”
“What kind of cargo are you carrying?” Kressa
asked. “Yeah, I guess you’re right, but couldn’t we just
tell them the pilot will be back soon?”
“Assorted Terran spices and liquors, cloth,
gems, small electronic specialty items, trinkets. A “They will want to speak with him when he
cargo manifest is available if you—” returns.”
“No, that’s fine.” It sounded like Thorne Kressa sighed. This was the first time she’d
planned for a trip through the colony worlds. So been argued into a corner by a computer. Come
why did he want her to take the ship to Arecia, to think of it, this was the first time she’d carried
and why did the Patrol want to search it? “Was on a prolonged conversation with a computer.
Thorne in trouble with the Patrol?” As far as she knew, computers capable of intel-

ligent, meaningful discussions with humans “Many of the weapon emplacements have
hadn’t existed since the fall of the Alliance left internal storage compartments to prevent
the United Galaxy’s Patrol admirals in charge of damage when not in use.”
most of the known worlds. She’d always figured And to hide them from prying eyes.
the Pattys didn’t like machines that were smarter
“Preparing for liftoff,” the computer said.
than them.
“Please take a seat.”
“If we call for departure clearance,” she said,
Kressa settled into the pilot’s chair and
“the port controller is just going to make us wait
watched the half dozen screens above the control
for the Pattys to get back.”
boards.
“Then we must lift off without clearance.”
On the main screen, an expanding sliver of
Kressa’s eyes widened at the suggestion. dim clouds pinkly underlit by city lights appeared
“Have you done that sort of thing before?” as the overhead hangar doors opened. The ship
“Yes.” hovered just below them. A series of dull thuds
“You’re one hell of a computer.” reverberated through the freighter as the landing
gear retracted and locked into place. An instant
“Thank you.” later, the Conquest shot skyward. Swirling clouds
# momentarily obscured the screen, and then the
bright constellations of Terra’s night sky blazed
The Conquest’s bridge was a three-by-four- from the viewer.
meter chamber perched atop the vessel’s living “Unidentified freighter, this is San Francisco
area. Kressa stood at the top of the ramp that led control,” a harsh, authoritative voice said over
to the room and studied the separate stations, the comm. “You are not cleared for departure.
each with its own set of controls. Please respond.”
“Are you sure you and Thorne flew this ship Unidentified freighter? “Connie, did you turn
alone?” off the ID beacon?”
“I can handle approximately eighty percent of “Yes.”
the responsibilities of the missing crew,” Connie
said. “I will let you know when I need assistance. Kressa smirked. “That’s not going to do any
As you learn the ship’s systems, I will allow you to good. They’ll figure out who we are as soon as
do more.” they track back to where we lifted—”
“How benevolent of you.” Kressa stood still for The comm crackled on again. “Freighter
another moment, listening to the quiet hum of Wincarnis, you are to return immediately. Please
the ship’s drive coming on line, then she started respond.”
to prowl through the room, examining the various “You were registered at the port as Wincarnis?”
boards and controls. In addition to her internal Kressa asked
defense system, the Conquest possessed an “Correct.”
impressive array of offensive batteries.
The freighter did a sudden roll to starboard
“You know, Connie, I don’t remember seeing and lights streaked by on one of the screens.
this many guns on the ship’s exterior.”
“What in hell was that?”

“An incoming vessel,” Connie said. Kressa scowled and studied the weapons
“A little warning next time would be—” board again. Slowly the controls began to make
sense. They were not very different from the
“Freighter Wincarnis,” the voice on the comm Darsan’s, there were just a whole lot more of
said. “Come in, Wincarnis, or we will fire.” them. She activated the guns and experimented
“Damn!” Kressa dove for the weapons board. with the sensitivity of the controls and targeting
“Excellent response time,” the computer said. systems.
Kressa bit back an angry retort. Heart pounding, “Connie, give me a report.”
she scanned the controls, trying to make sense of “We are clearing the atmosphere. Setting
them. A light on the board started to blink. course perpendicular to the system plane.
“What’s that?” she asked. Pursuing vessels will be in firing range in one
minute, twenty-eight seconds. There is also a
“The pursuit indicator.”
chance the Patrol will have vessels within range
Pursuit...? She swallowed hard and looked to intercept us outside the atmosphere.”
at the screens, but saw only stars ahead and the
“How much of a chance?”
lighted spider-web clusters of cities falling away
beneath them. “Impossible to compute.”
“I don’t see any pursuit.” “Want to make a guess?” Kressa asked.
“With luck, you never will.” “No.”
Kressa returned her attention to the barely “Be sure to tell me if you detect any. And let
familiar array of controls before her. “What’s me know if I do anything wrong.”
following us?” “Of course.”
“Configurations indicate a light cruiser and a Kressa studied the screens in a vain attempt
destroyer.” to locate the pursuing ships before Terra’s swiftly
She glanced up again, limbs zinging with diminishing globe.
adrenaline. “Warships? Just because we didn’t “Pursuing vessels will be in firing range in thirty
ask for clearance, they’re coming after us with seconds,” Connie said.
warships?” Kressa licked dry lips and turned her attention
“The Patrol wanted to talk to Cameron Thorne,” to the sensor readouts, waiting for them to pick
the computer said, as if that explained every- up a target for her guns.
thing. “Fifteen seconds,” Connie said. “Computing
“I know that, but why?” jump to Arecian system.”
“Presumably to search the ship.” “No! Not Arecia. Try—” She thought fast. “Try
“Connie, what aren’t you telling me?” Maetar.”
“It would require years to impart to you all of The Patrol vessels began to fire.
the information to which I have access but have Following her instincts, her experience on
not told you.” board the Darsan, and an occasional suggestion

from Connie, Kressa held the Patrol vessels back After recuperating from the stomach-
far enough to prevent them from getting in a wrenching effects of a transpace jump too close to
damaging shot. The freighter picked up speed as a planet and ordering Connie to never do anything
she flew farther out of Terra’s gravity well. Soon, so stupid again, Kressa called up the Conquest’s
they’d pulled far ahead of the cruiser. course on the nav console and compared it to the
Damn, the Conquest was fast! The destroyer freighter’s starcharts.
was barely keeping up with her. Then Kressa “Connie, you figured our jump wrong. We’re
scored a solid hit on the vessel and it, too, fell not headed anywhere near Maetar.”
behind. A moment later sensors picked up two “We are going to Arecia.”
more destroyers and another cruiser, closing fast
“Not on these coordinates. And I thought I told
from three directions.
you I wanted to go to Maetar.”
“Connie...”
“You did.”
“Activating transdrive field generator.”
“Then why are we headed for deep space?”
The familiar gentle tingle of a transpace field Kressa asked.
shivered across Kressa’s skin, but then the field
“That is the course I set.”
began to shudder—no doubt from the proximity
of Terra’s gravity well—and Kressa’s stomach “Why?”
lurched uncomfortably. She swallowed hard and “To prevent the Patrol from determining our
waited, impatient, while the field strengthened. destination based on our initial jump.”
The three Patrol vessels converged on the “Oh. All right.” It was a common enough trick,
Conquest, drawing ever closer to effective firing but one that worked. “Did Thorne teach you
range—theirs and hers. that?”
“Field levels approaching nominal,” Connie “Yes.”
said.
“So what happens next?”
Kressa targeted the closest destroyer and
“In six hours, nine minutes we will emerge
glanced at the field-strength indicator. Almost
from transpace and set a course for Arecia.”
there. She looked at the Patrol vessels. Close
now. “No! We’re not going to Arecia.”
“Field strength in range.” The computer didn’t answer.
Kressa leaped to the pilot’s station and slapped “Connie?”
the transdrive controls without taking the time to “Waiting.”
consider their proximity to a planet and how it “I said we’re not going to Arecia.” Kressa forced
would affect their entrance into transpace. her voice to remain calm.
Once her stomach and head recovered enough Silence.
for her to consider anything, she was glad she
hadn’t eaten for several hours. “Dammit, you’re supposed to obey me. Why
aren’t we going to Maetar?”
#
“Previous orders request a course for Arecia.”

“What orders?” Kressa asked. jecture.”

“Orders from Cameron Thorne.” “But the Patrol is after us.”
Kressa fought to control her rising frustration. “The Patrol is after a vessel called Wincarnis,
“Thorne’s dead, Connie. You obey me now.” they do not know where we are headed, and
“Yes, I do.” Arecia is a Free World.”
“Then get us back into normal space and set a “A Free World? So what?”
course for Maetar.” “The United Galaxy Patrol does not have juris-
“No.” diction on Free Worlds.”
Kressa clenched her fists and counted slowly Kressa scoffed. “When has that ever stopped
to ten. Obviously she couldn’t win by arguing with them? Hell, the United Galaxy has enough
the computer, so why not try reasoning with it? firepower to take over most of the Free Worlds if
they really wanted to.”
“All right,” she said in a steady voice, “let me
get this straight. You have orders from Thorne to “It is not lack of desire that prevents the United
go to Arecia, but I am your operator, right?” Galaxy from taking over the Free Worlds.”
“Correct. Kressa Bryant is an authorized “You don’t think so?” Kressa asked, marveling
operator.” at the fact that she was discussing interplanetary
politics with a computer. “What is it then?”
“An operator? Who else is an operator?”
“The reasons are varied, but the primary
“Juric Azano and Cameron Thorne are autho- causes are the need for the United Galaxy to use
rized operators.” its Patrol forces to keep its own worlds in line,
Juric Azano? Who the hell was he? She’d the infighting among the ruling admirals, and the
worry about it later. “So you have three autho- opposition of the Free World Guard.”
rized operators, and you have to obey all three Kressa had heard stories about the Guard, a
of them.” quasi-military force that had begun to appear
“Correct.” on several of the Free Worlds a decade or so
“What if they give conflicting orders?” ago. Still... “I don’t know, Connie, you sound like
you’re just repeating something Thorne told you
“I will request clarification from the initiating
about his view of the way things are, or how he’d
operators.”
like them to be.”
“And if one of those operators isn’t available,
“On the contrary. My statements are backed
what then?” Kressa asked.
by historical fact and analysis of—”
“I will carry out all orders to the best of my
“Never mind. I’m sure you know what you’re
abilities, unless I determine doing so will cause
talking about, but what we were talking about is
damage to the ship.”
you taking the ship to Arecia. You’re going to do
“What if I told you that taking the Conquest to that no matter what I say, aren’t you?”
Arecia will cause damage?”
“Correct.”
“There is no evidence to support such a con-
Kressa sighed, knowing she was beat. For now.

“Do you have any idea what Thorne intended to into a control-system access hatch near the bay
do on Arecia?” entrance and gazed down the dark, dusty crawl
“Cameron Thorne intended to deliver cargo.” space. No one had been in there for some time.
“What cargo?” Kressa tried to think of anything “Connie, answer me,” she said after giving the
Connie had mentioned that would be a worth- computer more than enough time to formulate a
while trade item on Arecia. “Give me a manifest.” reply. “I know he had a place. All free traders do.”
A datacard popped from a slot at the pilot’s “There are two compartments in the cargo
station. Kressa took the card, located a handheld bay airlock just beyond the ramp to the control
reader, and headed for the bay. room.”
Right behind her.
#
She examined the airlock wall. “I don’t see
Kressa ran a hand through her hair, lips set anything. Can you open them?”
in a firm line. She had checked and rechecked The smooth wall façade rolled upward,
every shipping crate in the bay and compared revealing two meter-square hatches. The doors
their contents to the cargo manifest. Everything irised open with a quiet hiss, and Kressa peered
appeared in perfect order, except nothing would into the large compartments. Both were empty.
be profitable on Arecia.
“All right, Connie, close the doors.” She stifled
Maybe Thorne had other cargo stashed away, a yawn. “When will we re-enter normal space?”
illegal goods not listed on the manifest; goods
“Two hours, forty-two minutes.”
the Patrol might be interested in.
“You’re still determined to go to Arecia?”
She began to search the ship, starting with the
two doors that opened into the ship’s bow from “Yes.”
the entry corridor. Behind them were two small “All right. I’m going to try to get some sleep.
cargo areas designed for goods that required the Wake me up when we come out of transpace,
more stable heat, gravity, and pressure of the and try to find some reason why we shouldn’t go
freighter’s living area. One contained a sophisti- to Arecia.”
cated med-unit, and Kressa wondered if Thorne
The computer didn’t answer.
would have lived had he reached it.
Kressa returned to Thorne’s room—her room
The door at the corridor’s bend opened into
now, she thought with a smile—stripped, washed,
a large, cluttered bedroom that must have been
and climbed into the big comfortable bed. She
Thorne’s. Kressa made a brief examination of the
expected to fall asleep the instant her head
chamber and adjoining washroom, but found
touched the pillow, but there was too much on
little of interest except a small cabinet with an
her mind. She struggled to think it all through.
assortment of weapons and several datacards
that contained the shipping documents for this The Conquest had left Terra without the Patrol
and previous runs. knowing her real identity. They couldn’t track
her transpace jump, so they wouldn’t know to
“Connie, where did Thorne hide cargo he didn’t
look for her on Arecia. So maybe Kressa need not
want the inspectors to find?” She poked her head
worry about the Patrol, after all. Maybe Thorne

had simply crossed the wrong people or gotten She fussed with food for a few moments.
involved with the underground forces that were “Who is Juric Azano?”
beginning to emerge on United Galaxy worlds— “Juric Azano is an authorized operator.”
forces supposedly backed by the Free World
“Yeah, I know that. Tell me about him.”
Guard. Maybe that was why the Patrol wanted to
talk to him. A lot of maybes, but certainly not as “Juric Azano was a Sundaran native. He was
bad as things could have been. Besides, Connie the original owner of the Conquest.”
was going to take the ship to Arecia no matter “He made all the modifications to the ship?
what she said. That must have cost a fortune.”
Looked at that way, it should be safe enough to “The original estimate was twenty-five million
follow Thorne’s instructions and talk to B’Okhaim credits.”
in Varen. Perhaps he would be able to give her
Kressa choked on the bit of food she was
some idea of what Thorne had done to get the
test-tasting. “He spent twenty-five million on
Pattys after him. After that, she would be careful
a modified freighter? Why didn’t he just buy a
to avoid it.
yacht?”
“All right, Connie,” she said, “we’ll go to Arecia.
“Who looks twice at a freighter?” Connie said
Don’t bother waking me for the jump.”
in an unusually casual tone that made Kressa
“Acknowledged.” Did she detect a hint of suspect the computer was quoting something
triumph in the computer’s voice? “Sleep well.” it had once heard Azano say. It continued in its
# normal timbre, “The final cost of the completed
vessel was twenty-eight million, two hundred
Kressa woke up famished. She rolled out of forty-three thousand, thirty-nine credits.”
bed, called for the lights, and padded across the Kressa gazed around in wonder. She was
room to the closet. After a short search she found aboard a ship worth nearly thirty million credits!
a thin blue robe. She shrugged into it and headed
“Where did Azano get that much money?”
for the galley.
“Inheritance, and wise investing.” Again, the
Hidden amongst the modern appliances,
computer sounded as if it were quoting.
she discovered an old, extremely basic food
processor designed to output small, supposedly “He must have been an interesting fellow. Have
nutrient-rich cakes. She dialed for three of the you been with—that is, a part of the Conquest
hard, tasteless biscuits and used them to take the since the beginning?”
edge off her hunger while she prepared a proper “My hardware and basic operating systems
meal. were installed as part of the original plans.”
“Connie, what’s our ETA for Arecia?” “When was that? Approximately.”
“Sixty-six hours, seven minutes.” “Original power-up occurred twenty-five years
“How long did I sleep?” she asked, and then ago. Over the next fourteen years, Azano made
added, “Approximately.” considerable modifications to my behavior and
personality algorithms.”
“Seven hours.”

“Where did Azano get the original program? “Cameron Thorne was a native of Arkana.”
I’ve never heard of a system like yours.” “The farming colony?”
“The system was designed at the request of “Correct.”
Admiral Bertrom Gellig. It was based on research
“How did he get the Conquest?”
prototypes created near the end of the Alliance.
Gellig came into possession of the plans after the “Thorne was Juric Azano’s partner.”
Alliance War and ordered the development of a “Partner in what?” Kressa asked.
computer to supply opinions regarding specific
“Azano’s travels.”
inputs and scenarios, primarily historical and
political.” “What happened to Azano?”
“That’s pretty much what you do, right?” “He was killed during the Arkana rebellion.”
Kressa asked. Kressa set aside her drink and tried to recall
“Correct.” anything she had heard about an uprising on
Arkana. “When was that?”
“So, why aren’t there more computers like
you?” “Five years ago. Approximately.”
“Apparently Admiral Gellig did not like the She smiled. Clearly, Connie had started to
opinions offered by my predecessor and ordered adapt her behavior to her newest operator by—
the original designs destroyed. A copy of the Kressa’s brow furrowed. When had she begun
system specifications was retained illegally and to think of the computer as a her? No matter. She
Azano was able to buy them.” returned her attention to the conversation.
“What did your predecessor tell the admiral to “Five years ago, huh? That was when the
get him so upset?” Kressa asked. United Galaxy tried to take over some of the Free
“Based on the data and political trends of Worlds, right? I didn’t realize Arkana was a Free
the time, it must have informed Gellig of the World.”
eventual conquest of the United Galaxy by the “Arkana was not, but the Arkanans supported
Free Worlds.” them.”
Kressa started to laugh. “Why was Azano there? How did he die?”
# “Azano and Thorne went to Arkana for the
Carver Day celebration. Azano was killed attempt-
Two days into the transpace journey to Arecia, ing to help Thorne rescue his family during the
Kressa was lounging in the Conquest’s rec room, Patrol raid.”
working her way through a bottle of sweet wine “Then Thorne really does have a daughter,”
from Thorne’s well-stocked rec room bar, when a Kressa said.
realization struck. Here she was, eating Thorne’s
food, drinking his liquor, sleeping in his bed, and “Thorne had one daughter, Teresa, and two
she knew nothing about him. sons, Hal and Darris.”
“Connie, tell me about Thorne.” “What happened to them?”

“Cameron Thorne’s family was killed during

the Patrol attack.” The image on the main viewer switched to

show two men moving toward the Conquest at a
#
fast walk. They wore the uniforms of port officials,
Kressa had first visited Varen, Arecia’s famous and Kressa relaxed slightly. Probably just cargo
pleasure city, about a year earlier when she inspectors.
accompanied the crew of the Darsan on a brief “Connie, open the freight doors. I’ll meet them
recreation stop after a particularly profitable run. in the bay.”
Her memories of the city consisted of a jumble As Kressa entered the cargo area through the
of lights, sounds, and buildings, and the joyful internal lock, the two men climbed the ramp
abandon of people taking advantage of the myriad formed by the lowered freight doors.
entertainments Varen offered. She remembered
The man on the left, a chisel-featured, dark-
nothing at all about the spaceport.
complexioned fellow with the tawny eyes
Now the Conquest swept in over that port, common to many Arecians, looked at Kressa with
revealing a vast field laid out across the semi-arid a knitted brow and a hint of a frown.
landscape south of the city. Ships of every size
“Where’s your captain, miss?”
and type, from small yachts to huge passenger
liners, formed neat rows on the sunlit landing pad. Kressa stopped a few meters from the men
Buildings dotted the edge of the field: terminals, and leaned on one of the shipping crates. “He’s
tram stops, hangars, and warehouses. North of not available. How can I help you?”
the huge pad, the city of Varen sprawled in a “Registry says you’re carrying,” said the
colorful patchwork, crisscrossed by an orderly Arecian’s partner, a short, brawny man of mixed
network of roads and tramways. ancestry. “We have to check the cargo.”
“Conquest CXJ-14217, you are cleared for Kressa nodded and gave the men a charming
landing,” one of the port’s traffic controllers said smile. “I’ve got the docs right here.” She held out
over the comm. “Guidance beacon lock-on 367D. the datacard. “I’m sure you’ll find everything in
Welcome to Varen.” order.”
“Acknowledged, control.” Kressa directed the The Arecian took the card, inserted it into a
freighter’s approach from the pilot’s station on reader slung from his belt, and glanced through
the bridge. “Lock-on established. Starting descent. the files. After a moment he unclipped the reader
Conquest out. Connie, take us in.” She watched and passed it to his partner. “Check these for me,
the main screen as the Conquest followed the Tad.” He looked at Kressa as Tad moved off to
invisible beacon toward her assigned docking begin matching cargo to manifest. “You’ve come
site. Moments later, the ship touched down and from Terra?”
Connie directed Kressa through the freighter’s
“Yes, sir. San Francisco.”
shutdown and postflight procedures.
“And you picked up the cargo there?”
“There are two figures approaching the ship,”
Connie said as Kressa ran the last of the diagnos- “Yes, sir. It’s all on the card.”
tics. “Uh-huh.” He glanced to where Tad was con-
She pursed her lips. “Let me see them.” ducting a surprisingly superficial check of the

cargo, and then looked at Kressa again. “You’re and gestured to his comrade.
sure there’s no way we can see the captain?” The second Patrolman started forward, his
She shook her head. “Sorry.” gun trained on Kressa. “Wait right there.”
He dragged a hand across his chin. “Maybe Kressa froze, heart pounding, her limbs
we’ll stop by later.” He glanced at his partner. suddenly cold. She stared at the gun.
“How’s it looking, Tad?” “We’ve already inspected the vessel,” Lanar
“Everything checks out.” Tad returned the said to the Patrolman on the ramp. “Everything’s
datacard to Kressa and the reader to his partner. clear.”
“I’m ready to go.” “I’d like to inspect it again.”
“Is there something you wanted to see the Kressa tore her eyes from the gun.
captain about?” Kressa asked, hoping to get some
Lanar shook his head. “This is a free port; you
hint about what was going on.
have no jurisdiction here. I can’t authorize—”
“Just tell him Lanar came by,” the Arecian
“Maybe this will help with authorization.”
said.
A dozen armed men stepped onto the ramp.
The two men turned and started down the
They wore civilian clothing, but their weapons
ramp, but halted halfway to the pad.
and the way they interacted with one another
“Can I help you?” Lanar said to someone below identified them as Patrol soldiers.
him, a menacing edge darkening his voice.
Kressa swallowed hard. Was this what Connie
A flutter of alarm momentarily froze Kressa’s was referring to when she said there were too
breath, and she rushed forward. many?
Two men stood at the base of the ramp, Patrol- The Patrolman with Lanar gave him a gloating
issue pulse guns drawn and leveled at the inspec- smile and gestured to two of the newcomers.
tors. One of the newcomers pulled something “Escort the inspectors to my car. Hold them there
from a pocket and flashed it at Lanar. A Patty ID. until we’re finished.”
Kressa swallowed hard and backed toward the The two soldiers led the port officials away.
open door into the freighter’s living area.
The leader motioned for his men to follow
“Connie,” she whispered, “there are Pattys him, and climbed the ramp. He stopped in front
here. Why didn’t you tell me someone was of Kressa and looked her over with an appraising
coming?” eye. “You the crew’s glove?”
“I am not to reveal my existence or capabili- Her face burned. “No.”
ties in the presence of strangers.” The comput-
He gave her another long look. “Right.” He
er’s voice was quiet, barely discernible over the
snatched the datacard she held and passed it to
sounds from the port. “Those are standing orders
one of his men. “Check this, and get that sensing
from Juric Azano. Also, there are too many—”
equipment in here.” He beckoned to another
Connie’s voice cut off as the two plain-clothed
soldier. “Lieutenant, take your people inside and
Patrolmen stepped up the ramp.
round up the crew.”
One of the men snapped his gaze into the bay

“Aye, sir.” The lieutenant called three men to Kressa considered the consequences of dis-
him and started toward the closed door into the obeying. If she resisted, it would give the Patrol
ship. something to hold her on, then they would bring
Closed? Kressa looked again. The door had in equipment to overcome Connie’s defenses.
been open a moment earlier. Clearly, Connie had She preferred to keep her name off any Patty
taken it upon herself to close it. And now she took records and keep both computer and ship in one
it upon herself to defend it as well. piece. Besides, she had searched the freighter
thoroughly enough to know the soldiers would
The bay’s overhead turret swung to bear on find nothing incriminating on board. Once they
the four men. assured themselves of that, they would leave her
“Halt!” the computer said in a toneless alone and go on about their business. I hope.
mechanical voice that bore no resemblance to “Connie, let them in.”
the way she normally spoke.
The turret retracted and the door opened.
The soldiers froze.
“Perst, keep an eye on wonder-pilot here,” the
“Your friends trying to be funny?” the leader leader said. “I want to talk with her later.” He
asked Kressa. moved off to speak with a pair of soldiers man-
She shook her head and fought to control her handling a heavy piece of sensing equipment
racing heart. around the bay.
“They must not think too much of you. Think For several long minutes, Kressa stood under
they’ll put away the gun and open that door if I Perst’s alert gaze as the others swarmed through
turn Perst here loose on you?” He gestured to the the bay, opening shipping crates and prying into
man guarding her. corners.
Kressa shot an anxious look at Perst, caught “Captain! I’ve got something here.” The call
his eager grin, and returned her gaze to the Patrol came from one of the men operating the sensor
leader. “There’s no one on board.” machine. He pointed to the doors that formed
“Oh? We’ve been watching this ship since the boarding ramp. “The readings are coming
it landed. We didn’t see anyone leave. Are you from there, sir. Strong, too. I’m picking up several
saying the crew just vanished?” hundred energy signatures.”
Kressa bit her lip. They would find out soon “There must be a panel there,” the leader said,
enough on their own. “I am the crew.” his voice rising with anticipation. “Get it open.”
“You fly this big old ship all by yourself?” he Four men carrying magnetic releasers
asked with an overplayed look of amazement. and prying tools hurried forward and began
loosening the thick metal plates that covered the
She nodded.
inner surface of the bay doors. Kressa watched
His expression turned mean. “Then who’s in dubious wonder as the soldiers dragged the
playing the games with the gun?” heavy plates aside, revealing hidden compart-
“It’s an automatic defense system.” ments. Half of the compartments were empty,
but the others held dozens of narrow plasteel
“Yeah? Shut it off.”
shipping crates, each about a meter long.

Why hadn’t Connie told her about this? Didn’t the Conquest and driven her to this nondescript
the computer know of the compartments, or did building deep in the city. At times it seemed like
she have orders not to reveal their whereabouts? less than a day, yet at other moments she felt
The latter conclusion seemed infinitely more certain a week or more had passed.
probable, and Kressa damned Cameron Thorne She moved her eyes and tried to focus on
for getting her into this. the tiny window high up on the door of her cell.
“Let’s see what we’ve got here,” the leader She failed. Everything was a drug-shrouded blur.
said. Even her thoughts fuzzed in and out, fading from
Two soldiers brought one of the crates up sharp clarity to muzzled incoherence. She began
the ramp and set it on the bay floor. The others to prefer the painless lapses of...
gathered round. The leader gave Kressa a quick Incoherence.
glance and signaled for the removal of the lid. How long until her captors decided the new
Inside, nestled barrel-to-stock in protective drugs had taken effect? The thought rolled lazily
padding, lay two shiny new energy rifles. through her mind as another lucid moment
Kressa’s mouth fell open. came around to slam home the reality of her
situation. How long before they dragged her back
The leader looked at her with a triumphant to the Other Room and began pounding her with
grin. “So our pretty little pilot is a gunrunner.” He questions again? Maybe this time they would
gestured to Perst, his expression suddenly angry. realize she was telling the truth. Or maybe she
“Get her out of here!” should make up a more credible lie so they would
# leave her alone or put her out of her misery.
Maybe—
Kressa had never felt so alone, so hurt, or so Her thoughts went away again and she...
convinced she was going to die. If the drugs she’d dreamed? She hoped it was only a dream.
received during the last interrogation session
didn’t kill her, she knew the Patrol eventually She sat in the Other Room. Tight straps across
would. her wrists, ankles, and chest held her in the hard
metal chair. In front of her stood the stone-faced
They believed she was a gunrunner, and con- soldier who could do such agonizing things with
sidering the evidence they had, she couldn’t a touch, or a slap, or the cold sting of a drug pad.
blame them, which left her with only one Or was it simply the drugs heightening her sen-
option—escape. Unfortunately, simply remaining sitivity to such excruciating levels that the brush
conscious was becoming an all-encompassing of air against her naked skin made her want to
struggle as the newest round of drugs took hold scream? And why didn’t they believe her? She
of her mind and body. couldn’t lie to them even if she wanted to. The
She lay on the floor of a small, bare room drugs made sure of that. Yet they asked her the
where her captors had dumped her after their same questions, over and over, never satisfied.
last round of questioning. She tried to think back Who? Kressa Bryant.
beyond that, to figure out how much time had
passed since the Patrolmen had taken her from Where? Terra.

What? Guns... But I don’t know how. I don’t to keep her honest.”
know who. “Just so long as she lives long enough to answer
She didn’t have the answers they wanted. my questions,” the second voice said, closer now.
I don’t know. I don’t know... “No problem there, sir. She’s in fine shape con-
Then the bare room with its tiny window on sidering what she’s been through.”
a door that seemed a million blurring light years Kressa forced her eyes open.
away snapped into place around her and she hurt. She sat in a padded wooden chair, wrists
Everywhere, she hurt. bound behind her, a blanket tucked around her
I want to die. naked form. The dizzying effects of the interro-
“Not yet,” said a voice. gation drugs whirled through her head, like the
comfortable buzz of a good strong drink, but most
Dark figures moved before her. They emerged of the pain was gone.
from a door that should not be there. One figure
stood at the real door, the one with the window; The chamber she was in looked like the
two others waited by the smaller unreal one, and bedroom of a hotel suite, complete with a large
two hovered before her. bed, a desk, an armoire, and a small washroom.
A man squatted before her, tawny eyes studying
A hand reached toward her. her, a slight frown on his lips.
Please. Don’t touch me. For a moment she thought he might be the
It held something near her face. She smelled Arecian inspector from the port, but he was
pungent spice, chemicals. The hand touched her, lighter-skinned, with auburn hair and smooth,
inflicting pain, blackness, and she screamed in handsome features. She guessed he was in his
absolute silence. mid-thirties. A second, younger man stood beside
# him, drug pad in hand, a medkit open on the
nearby desk. A third man and a woman guarded
“I’ve neutralized most of the effects of the the door; another man stood behind her chair. All
sensory enhancers, Colonel.” five wore plain clothing.
The words drifted through Kressa’s conscious- She recalled her last memories from inside
ness, running and tumbling together while at the her cell. Had these people rescued her, or was
same time seeming to last an eternity between this some Patty trick, a ruse to get her to talk? If
syllables. She grasped for the meanings of the that were true, why was she tied?
sounds; finally made sense of each word except The man before her straightened. “What’s
the last. your name?”
Colonel? The Patrol didn’t use that rank. “Kressa Bryant. Who—?”
Who—? “Where’s Cameron Thorne?”
Someone else spoke from a short distance She searched his eyes. How did he know about
away, the words too quiet to make out. Thorne?
“It shouldn’t matter,” the first voice answered. He watched her for a moment, expressionless,
“There are plenty of other drugs left in her system

then reached past the younger man, removed a Kressa’s gaze snapped to the colonel. He knew
scalpel from the medkit, and brought the blade about Connie. That said a lot about the truth of
toward Kressa’s face. his words. Or maybe she’d told the Patrol about
She gasped and tried to draw away. The the computer and they were using the knowledge
sudden movement caused her head to spin, and against her.
she struggled to force away the gray that edged “Who are you, Bryant?” the colonel asked.
her vision. “What were you to Cam—to Captain Thorne?”
The Arecian gave her a long look, eyes “I...hardly knew him. I found him in an alley on
narrowed, the blade held steady before him. Terra. He was hurt bad. He said to get his ship to
“Where’s Cameron Thorne?” Arecia, to Varen. He—”
The answer formed unbidden in her head as A spasm wracked her body. Pain burst in her
the interrogation drugs overcame her will. belly, shot up her spine, and exploded just behind
“T—Terra.” She drew a deep breath and her eyes. She tried to speak, but managed only a
wrested control away from the drugs. “Who are gasp.
you?” Through a blur of pain-clouded vision, she saw
“A friend of Captain Thorne.” He lowered the the colonel pass the scalpel to the younger man
scalpel. and give him a worried glance.
Kressa met his eyes. Could he be telling the “It’s the drugs, sir.” The medic’s voice seemed
truth? to come from some great distance through the
ache in her head, and she struggled to concen-
“Where’s Thorne?” he asked again. trate on the words. “They’re beginning to wear
The drugs pushed Kressa to answer. She fought off. It’s not going to be easy on her.”
them, failed. “Thorne’s dead. I—” “Is there anything you can do to help?” the
The man behind her grabbed a handful of hair colonel asked.
and jerked her head back. “You murdering bitch! “I could give her a sedative, but there’s no
Why—?” telling what it might do. With all the chemicals
“Hold it, Trin,” the Arecian said. “Let her she’s got in her now, another tranq could as easily
finish.” kill her as knock her out.”
“But, Colonel, she killed Captain Thorne Kressa tried to speak, desperate to tell the
and—” young medic to risk a tranquilizer, but she could
The colonel’s eyes met Trin’s, one brow no longer control her tongue. Her vision blurred
arched. and she found herself in the Other Room, the
handsome Arecian colonel replaced by the stone-
He released his hold. “Colonel, I don’t
faced Patrolman.
think—”
He gazed deep into her eyes and reached a
“Trin, she came in the Conquest. Even if she did
hand toward her face.
manage to win her way into Cameron’s heart—or
even just his bed—and then took him out, how She tried to pull away, too aware of the pain
could she have gotten control of Connie?” in his touch. “Please. Don’t touch me.”

“It’s all right, Bryant. We won’t hurt you.” He that for us. He was good at it.”
knelt before her and looked up into her face. “I “Not good enough.”
won’t hurt you.” He glanced behind the chair.
He frowned. “Someone sold him out.”
“Untie her, Trin.”
“How did you know him?”
#
“Our fathers did business together when we
Kressa awoke expecting to hear the thrum of were boys. They brought us with them whenever
the Conquest’s systems and feel the skin-tickling they had a meeting. I suppose they hoped we’d
sensation of the transdrive field. She’d had a absorb some of their business sense, but we were
terrible nightmare about guns, Patrolmen, and always too busy getting into trouble.” He gave a
a mysterious colonel, and needed the reassuring reminiscent smile. “I lost touch with Cam after
sounds and sensations. But they weren’t there. my father and I had a—falling out. Then one day
Cam showed up with this crazy old guy and his
“Connie...?” She opened her eyes.
ship. Said he’d learned enough about business to
It wasn’t a nightmare after all. realize the only kind he wanted to be in was free
She lay in the hotel bed, the colonel seated in trade. Not that I think he and Juric did a hell of
a chair beside her. a lot of trading. They were having too much fun
He smiled as her eyes met his. “Good morning. traveling around, spreading Juric’s treasonous
How are you feeling?” message.”
She studied him for a long moment before “What do you mean by treasonous?”
concluding that not even the Patrol would resort The colonel smiled. “Oh, Juric had these
to a charade this elaborate to get information wonderful, wild ideas about a free galaxy. He
from her. came from a long line of highly successful busi-
“Alive,” she answered finally. A dull ache filled nessmen, but he didn’t like the way the profits
her body and limbs, but no other evidence of her went to only a small percentage of the people. He
ordeal remained. “Maybe even better than that.” wasn’t exactly a revolutionary—he didn’t travel
around fomenting rebellions or anything like that.
“Calin may be young,” the colonel said, “but He just happened to have different ideas than the
he’s a hell of a medic. I’ll thank him for you.” establishment, and the money to get those ideas
Kressa gave him a weak smile. “Why do your listened to.”
men call you Colonel? Are you in some kind of Kressa recalled what Connie had told her
army?” about Azano’s death. “It cost him his life, didn’t
He chuckled. “Yeah, some kind.” it?”
She continued to watch him, determined to The colonel’s brow creased. “What do you
get more of an answer. mean?”
“We’re with the Guard,” he said. “He was killed during the Patrol attack on
“Those guns the Pattys found on the Conquest Arkana. They wouldn’t have attacked if Arkana
were for you?” hadn’t been backing the Free Worlds. Don’t you
think Azano’s words had something to do with
“They were. Cameron ran a lot of things like

that?” you talking about?”

“How do you know so much about him?” The colonel continued his angry, low-voiced
“Records on board the Conquest.” tirade, seemingly oblivious to her state of undress.
“Don’t you realize what it takes to support the
The colonel’s expression relaxed. “Juric only billions of people on the United Galaxy’s worlds—
told people what they already knew. The discon- worlds too overcrowded to support themselves?
tent existed long before he came around. And Who do you think grows your food and makes
even if it was partially his fault, I think he believed your clothes and keeps you neck-deep in luxury
his life was a small price to pay for what he was items? Who—?”
working toward.”
“Don’t!” Kressa took a firm grip on her anger.
“Conquest of the United Galaxy?” She pur- “That’s not me you’re talking about, Colonel. I
posefully used Connie’s terminology. grew up on the streets, and I had to find my
The colonel studied her for a moment. own food and clothes.” She met his suddenly
“Something like that.” confounded gaze and held up her left hand, the
Kressa shifted position on the bed. Had inside of her wrist turned toward him to reveal
Cameron Thorne shared his partner’s opinion of the pattern of thin white scars burned there by
the value of his life, or his family’s? a cutting laser—the mark of the Wolfpack, the
gang she grew up in. “I pay my way.”
“Don’t you agree with what the Free Worlds
are trying to do?” the colonel asked. The colonel stared at her wrist, clearly unsure
what to make of the mark. He glanced away, ran a
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t like the
hand through his hair, and sat forward in his chair.
Patrol, that’s for sure, but what’d the Free Worlds
“I’m sorry.” His eyes searched hers. “I thought... I
ever do for me?”
mean, the way you look...” He shook his head. “I
He sneered and leaned back in his chair, arms guess I was wrong.”
crossed before him. “Living up to your heritage,
“Guess you were.” She took a deep breath
huh?”
and forced away the last of her anger. “So, what
“What do you mean?” Kressa asked, troubled happens now? Am I free to go?”
by his abrupt change of attitude.
“Go where?”
“You aristocrats never were much for looking
“Back to the Conquest. Off Arecia. As far as I
beyond the ends of your own noses,” he said, his
can get.”
voice filled with contempt. “As long as life’s good
for you, it must be good for the rest of the galaxy, “That may be a little difficult. The Patrol’s
right? And don’t ever stop to wonder where that watching the Conquest, and you’re supposed to
good life is coming from or who might be suffering be dead.”
to keep you comfortable and fed and surrounded She looked at him askance. “According to
by luxury.” who?”
“What?” Kressa sprang up in the bed, then “The local authorities, the media. The Patrol.
snatched the covers around herself when she We put the word out this morning that we found
realized she wasn’t wearing anything. “What are your body in the city. We’re hoping the Patrol will

think you escaped on your own and got yourself Patrol. Now, I have work to do. We can discuss
killed. That way they won’t be looking for you or what you want another time.” Turning on his heel,
thinking anyone knows where they are.” he swept from the room and slammed the door
“How did you know they had me?” behind him.
“The inspectors at the port. They sent someone #

to follow the Patrolmen and then called us. We
put together a team as quickly as possible to Kressa remained in the bed for several minutes
rescue you.” after the colonel left, seething. How dare he
accuse her of being a United Galaxy aristocrat, of
Kressa scowled. “You mean to find out what living off other people’s misery? He had no idea
happened to your friend.” who she was, and no appreciation for what she’d
The colonel frowned. “Look, Bryant, we did done for him and the Guard. She’d brought him
what we could with the information we had. We his guns, hadn’t she? And come damn close to
didn’t know who you were or what happened to being executed as a gunrunner for her trouble.
Cam. Once we’re done with our operation here, Sure, he’d rescued her from the Pattys, but he did
we’ll turn you loose.” that with no interest in her personal welfare. He
“What’s your operation here?” only wanted to know what happened to Thorne.
And just what did he think he could do with the
“I can’t tell you that.”
Conquest? He’d admitted the Guard had no extra
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. What about the money, yet it would cost hundreds of thousands
Conquest? I brought her here like Thorne asked.” of credits to refit the ship with systems anyone
“We haven’t got a lot of extra money floating could use.
around—Cam always did his runs for free—but Thinking of the Conquest without Connie
we can probably scrape together some kind of sent a chill down Kressa’s spine. She would order
finder’s fee for your troubles.” Connie to add one of the Guard soldiers to her list
“I don’t want money. I want the Conquest.” of authorized operators before she let anyone go
in and disconnect (kill?) her. But first she would
“That’s one hell of a request,” he said. “Do you
try to get the ship back for herself.
have any idea what a ship like that is worth?”
The muffled sound of one of the hotel suite’s
“Twenty-eight million credits.”
doors opening drew her attention. She pulled a
“That much?” he asked, clearly taken aback. blanket from the bed, wrapped it around herself,
Kressa nodded. “But she won’t do you any and crept to the bedroom door. Only an unintel-
good. I’m the only one alive who can fly her.” She ligible mumble of voices made it through the
met his eyes, her expression firm. “I want that barrier. She listened for several minutes, straining
ship.” to make sense of the conversation, but it was no
The colonel watched her for a moment, eyes use.
narrowed, before he rose to his feet and glared Probably just the Guard soldiers working out
down at her. “I’m not interested in what you want, the details of their “operation.”
Bryant. I appreciate what you did for Cam, but She began a careful inspection of the bed-
you should be happy we got you away from the

chamber and washroom, hoping to find a way out. Bryant.” He switched on a light and gave her a
Fifteen minutes later, she abandoned the search. professionally appraising look. “How do you
The room was an inner chamber with no windows feel?”
and only two doors—one to the washroom and She smiled enticingly. Calin’s role as a medic
one to the main room of the suite. She found no would have left her body no secret to him, but
vent, pipe, or delivery chute large enough for her there was a tremendous difference between
to crawl through. And even if she had located a seeing a young woman in bed as a patient and
way out, she would need to be truly desperate to seeing her up and moving, using her body for
use it, for she found no clothing either. Escaping what it was intended. She halted beside him and
into the streets of Varen dressed only in a blanket pulled the blanket around herself. Best not carry
did not sound appealing. Not until she ran out of it too far lest he suspect she was up to something.
other options, anyway. All she wanted to achieve was a little distraction;
She stifled a yawn and returned to the bed to she trusted she had done that already.
consider those options. “I’m all right.” She put a hint of weariness and
The sound of the bedroom door opening lingering pain in her voice. “But I have a headache.
awoke her sometime later. She kept her eyes Do you have something for it?”
closed and her breathing slow and regular as “Uh...yeah.” He crossed the room to where his
someone crept up beside the bed. Her visitor medkit sat on the floor.
remained for a moment, then turned and started
Kressa slipped his gun from its holster. Too
out of the room.
easy.
She cracked her eyelids. It was the young
“Besides the headache, how—?” Calin froze
medic, Calin. He switched off the lights and exited
for an instant when he saw his patient holding a
the room, leaving the door open a few centime-
gun on him, then he grabbed something from the
ters. It showed only a narrow strip of dim gray,
medkit, rolled to the side, came up on one knee,
and Kressa realized it must be night.
and fired the needler he now held.
Wrapping the blanket around herself, she
Kressa whipped the blanket from around her
tiptoed to the door and peered through the
body and flung it forward to intercept the needler
opening.
dart, then she swung the gun she held and pulled
At first she thought there was no one in the the trigger.
dark room, but by leaning hard against the wall
The needler exploded in Calin’s grasp. He
and craning her neck she could just see Calin
jerked his hand up to examine his burnt fingers,
seated at a window. The lights of the city illumi-
then looked at Kressa standing stark naked
nated his features as he studied the scene beyond.
across the room, the gun pointed down at him.
A gun belt hung from the back of his chair, a pulse
His expression held a mixture of outrage and
gun resting in the holster.
cautious respect.
Kressa smiled and stepped out of the bedroom,
“Take off your clothes,” Kressa said.
letting the blanket she wore over her shoulders
fall open. He stared at her, his mouth working silently.
Calin glanced back, his eyes widening. “B— “Do it!” She thrust the gun at him. “Or this

time I’ll burn more than your fingers.” nimble without them. Slipping the gun into her
He hesitated an instant longer and then, still makeshift shoulder holster, she located a short
on his knees, he began to remove his shirt. leather jacket in a closet and put it on to hide the
weapon.
“Where’s the colonel and the rest of your
friends?” Kressa asked as he laid aside the shirt A long, empty hallway stretched beyond the
and sat down to take off his boots. suite’s front door. She peered down it and stepped
through the doorway to freedom.
He gestured toward the window behind
Kressa. “Taking back our guns.” #
She resisted the urge to follow his gesture. Kressa left the hotel through a side door. Once
“When will they be back?” away from the building, she traversed several
“Anytime now.” He stood to unfasten his alleys and merged with one of Varen’s omnipres-
pants. ent streams of pedestrian traffic. Among the
“Liar,” Kressa said, hoping he was. “They just dozens of styles of offworld dress, no one gave
left,” she guessed. her dark, ill-fitting clothing and bare feet a second
glance.
He shrugged, giving her no clue how good her
guess was. She weaved through the crowds, relieving
passersby of a credit here, a credit there, until she
“Why are you here?” she asked.
had enough to pay for tram fare to the spaceport.
He frowned. “To keep an eye on you.” She debarked at the terminal closest to where
She knew that wasn’t a lie. “Well, you can tell she’d docked the Conquest and hurried out onto
the colonel you gave it a hell of an effort.” the landing pad.
He glared and stepped out of his pants. Following a circuitous route intended to
conceal her final destination from watching
“That’s enough,” she said. “Sit down there.”
eyes, she reached a point close enough to the
She gestured to an overstuffed chair across the
rear of the Conquest to determine that a nearby
room, and went to the medkit. Keeping the gun
groundcar held two watchful men, presumably
trained on Calin, she examined the kit’s contents,
the Patrolmen the colonel had mentioned. Pulling
removed a sedative drug pad, and tossed it to
back from the landing gear of the small passenger
him. “Use it.”
liner behind which she hid, she mapped out a
He checked the label on the package and route that would bring her in near the front of
peeled away the protective covering. With a the Conquest while hopefully keeping her hidden
despondent glance in her direction he pressed from the Pattys in the car. She concealed her
the pad to the inside of his elbow. In seconds he approach using the patterns of dark shadow and
lost consciousness. bright light created by the spaceport beacons.
Kressa gave him another dose of the sedative After several minutes, she reached the starboard
from a second pad, donned his discarded shirt set of the Conquest’s forward landing gear.
and pants, and draped his gun belt bandoleer- She clung to the heavy structure, willing her
style across her chest. She considered putting on heart to slow its nervous pounding, and started
his boots as well, but she would be much more

to climb. Working by touch, she located foot and “Yes.”

hand holds among the complex series of struts Kressa took several minutes to complete the
and bars. In less than a minute she sat tucked preflight tests, and took a seat in the pilot’s chair.
up inside the total darkness of the gear housing, “Let’s get out of here. Think you can blast us out
the odors of grease, ship exhaust, and scorched like you did on Terra?”
metal filling her nose and mouth.
“Yes. However, without the cover of a hangar
She took a deep breath, barely able to believe the port officials will detect the engines coming
she’d made it this far. on line and may question our failure to call for
“Connie,” she called, “it’s Kressa.” She kept clearance.”
her voice low. “I’m in the starboard nose-gear “That’s a chance we’ll have to take. At least
housing. Open the maintenance hatch.” there aren’t any Patty warships around to get
A dull clump shook the air above her. She after us. Power up.”
reached into the darkness over her head, found The throb of the freighter’s engines began to
the hatch, and pushed. The door moved and she pulse through the ship.
followed it up into the body of the freighter. She
“Freighter Conquest, this is Varen control,” a
sealed the hatch, made her way through the
friendly voice said over the comm. “Come in,
dusty, dim-lit maintenance crawlway, and headed
please.”
straight for the galley, eager for something to
eat. Kressa ignored the call and switched on the
main viewscreen to see how the two Patrolmen
“Connie, how are you?”
would react when the supposedly unmanned
“I am completely operational.” ship started to lift off.
“What did the Patrolmen do while they were in “Freighter CXJ-14217, Conquest, come in,
here?” She grabbed three biscuits from the food please,” the voice said again, less friendly this
processor and hurried toward the control room. time and tinged with concern. “This is Varen
“They searched for crew members. I recorded control. Please reply, Conquest.”
their conversations and movement. Shall I play The Patrolmen leaped from their car, bran-
the recording?” dishing their pulse guns as if they could use them
“Not right now.” Kressa munched on one of to prevent the freighter from taking off. Kressa
the biscuits as she entered the bridge and began chuckled at their antics.
to preflight the ship. “Why didn’t you tell me “Conquest, this is Varen control!” The voice
about the storage areas in the bay doors? And held a threatening edge. “We have orders to keep
the guns?” you on the ground.”
“Previous orders requested censorship of all Orders? From whom? The Patrol? No, it must
information pertaining to additional cargo and be the Guard. She scoffed. Fine, Colonel, let’s see
location.” you try to stop me.
“Thorne’s orders?” she asked around a The ship began to lift off.
mouthful of dry protein and other nutrients.
“Conquest, set down immediately or we will

fire,” the voice on the comm said. “This is your What was the penalty for stealing a starship
only warning.” anyway?
“We have been targeted,” Connie said. Yet had she actually stolen the Conquest?
Kressa’s brow furrowed in bewilderment. Maybe Thorne hadn’t come right out and said
“Targeted? By what? The port doesn’t have any she could keep the vessel, but he had given her
weapons, does it?” what she needed to control it. That must be
worth something. But what court would listen
“No, but a nearby commercial freighter has all to a nineteen-year-old girl trying to lay claim to a
available batteries trained on us.” ship as magnificent as the Conquest? Maybe she
Kressa fought to control rising desperation. A could contact Tempo and have him testify on her
commercial freighter? How—? She scanned the behalf, to let her accusers know she could operate
viewers and located the ship. It bore the insignia and maintain the vessel. Maybe then they would
of an Arecian shipping company. Clearly, the listen to her. Except the colonel would never allow
colonel had anticipated she might try something her to appear in any court to plead her case.
and arranged for a way to stop her. “There is a single figure approaching the ship,”
She snarled. “Set us back down, Connie. Connie said.
Engines off.” Kressa looked up slowly.
# The colonel was moving toward the Conquest,
keeping to a bright splash of light cast by one of
For a long time after the sound of the Con- the port beacons. He wore a gun belt, but the
quest’s engines faded, Kressa sat in the pilot’s holster was empty. In his right hand he carried a
chair, thinking, planning, turning ideas and squarish piece of equipment about the size of a
scenarios over in her head as she struggled to small carry-all.
come up with some way out of her predicament.
“Connie, what’s that he’s got?”
Finally she gave up. Short of abandoning the
freighter, she could think of nothing that would “The object appears to be a high-energy laser
get her out of this mess. By now she probably cutter.”
wouldn’t even be allowed to leave. She had Did he intend to cut through the hull to gain
watched on the freighter’s viewscreens as a access to the ship?
half dozen port security men led the two Patrol She thought fast. Spaceport control had
soldiers away. Doubtless others were waiting out warned her against use of any of the ship’s
there to take her into custody if she left the ship. weapons, yet she couldn’t just let the colonel
Connie would be able to verify that suspicion if walk up and cut his way into the ship.
she asked, but she didn’t ask.
“Connie, do you have external speakers?”
She could always just hole up in the Conquest,
“Yes.”
at least until someone arrived with something
to get past Connie’s defenses. That didn’t sound “Turn them on.” She switched on the comm.
very appealing, however, and she feared it would “Colonel, stop where you are.”
only make her final punishment that much worse. He glanced at the freighter and kept walking.

“Open the airlock.” killer, Bryant. And I still want to talk.”

“Go to hell.” She stared at him, her thoughts rolling around
“Look, Bryant, I don’t want to cut up Cam’s in a confused tumble. She held the gun at arm’s
ship, but I will if you don’t let me in.” length, level with his chest.
Kressa seethed. There had to be some way to She thought about backing away, but did not.
stop him. She thought hard. She thought about pulling the trigger, but
“Connie, open the main airlock and extend the could not.
ramp.” She dashed out of the control room. You’re no killer.
She was waiting in the entrance corridor, one “You’ve got a chance here,” the colonel said.
shoulder resting against the wall inside the inner “Don’t throw it away.”
airlock door, when the colonel arrived. “What chance?” She tried to put emotion
He set the laser cutter on the floor. “I thought behind her words, but they came out flat,
I said we’d talk about this later.” desperate.
“It’s later,” Kressa said, “and the only thing I “Connie may not be willing to shoot me,” he
have to say to you is get off my ship. Go back to said, “but she won’t obey me either. You, on the
your friends and tell them to let the Conquest other hand...” He searched her eyes. “The Guard
leave.” She gave him a menacing look. “Or the needs the ship, you control it. Maybe we can
Guard is going to be minus one colonel.” make a deal.”
“Don’t be a fool.” He grabbed for her. A deal? Maybe she could keep the Conquest
Kressa danced back a step. “Connie, stop after all. But what price would he demand? And
him!” what price was she willing to pay?
“Negative.” She continued to watch him, silent, the gun
held before her, her finger tight on the trigger.
“What?” She ducked as the colonel lunged for
her again, a hint of a smile on his lips. “You told me you pay your way, Bryant. Are
you willing to do that now?”
“Voice and visual imprints identify Colonel
Halav Kamick. Designation: ally. Previous orders The gun wavered in her grasp, and she forced
request—” her hand to hold steady. “How?”
“Shut up!” Kressa whipped out the gun she’d He laughed. “Besides your ability to control
taken from Calin and turned it on the colonel. the Conquest, there’s the fact you were resource-
ful enough to get away from us, and get past the
He stopped in mid-lunge, his smile fading. He
Patrol and onto the ship. That’s a hell of a recom-
raised his eyes to look deep into hers.
mendation as far as I’m concerned. The Guard
She swallowed hard, shocked by the emotion
needs people like you.”
in his gaze. No one had ever looked at her with
so much—understanding? But her aim did not Kressa said nothing, trying to absorb the
waver. meaning of his words. He had every ability—and
“You didn’t shoot Calin,” he said. “You’re no probably every right—to take the ship by force,

yet he was offering her a place in his organization Mik participates in Renaissance
instead. And he wanted her for her abilities, not Faires throughout the southwest United
her looks. States, promoting adoption of retired
“Look, Bryant, all I’m asking is that you give me racing Greyhounds with Greyhounds of
and my people a chance to show you what we’re Fairhaven, a non-profit organization she
doing. You just might find it’s what you’ve been founded several years ago. She also enjoys
fighting for all along.” mastering fantasy role-playing games,
She started to tell him she’d never fought for a dangerous habit she picked up when
anything, but then she realized she had been Dungeon and Dragons was first released
fighting all of her life. Fighting for the freedom in 1976. Mik lives in Scottsdale, Arizona,
to live and do as she wanted. It was why she with her husband, five retired racing Grey-
ran away from the Academy, why she left the hounds, and a three-legged demon in a
Wolfpack and hooked up with Tempo. It was why cat suit.
she wanted the Conquest.
The Guard fought for freedom, too, only on a
much grander scale. Maybe working with them
wouldn’t be so bad. At least she could give it a
try; that was all the colonel was asking. And she’d
get to keep the Conquest.
That didn’t sound like too high of a price to
pay.
Mik Wilkens
Mik Wilkens has done many things in

her life—all of them creative. She’s been
an illustrator, trophy designer, graphic
artist, programmer, multimedia developer,
and webmaster. She is a huge fan of space
opera but can never get enough to read,
so decided to try writing some of her own.
To date, she has written several novels
and novellas (SF and fantasy), and even a
couple of short stories.

Pg. 49
Deuces Wild
“In the Lap of the Gods” - Part One
by L. S. King
“Didn’t mean I liked it.” Slap peered at the

Caution: chrono and scowled. “It ain’t morning either.”
some colorful language “It is planetside. We need to get moving.”
“Sadist,” mumbled the cowboy.
Two chimes and no answer. Tristan weighed

Slap’s privacy against his last memory of
Slap not answering. If the cowboy’d had another
#
Slap glanced up at the tall, grey buildings

nightmare of his family being killed in front of his looming menacingly over them. He shivered. This
eyes, what might he do? Surely he wouldn’t do planet, what little he’d been on it anyway, had
something stupidly fatal? frosty, metallic-tang air, and little greenery. A
Tristan stared at the door, licking his lips. Dusty planet, and a cold one at that. He hunched
inside the just-bought jacket, hands stuffed in his
Surely not. pockets. His nose felt icy and began to run. He
He overrode the lock. sniffed.
A twisted shape lay before him, tangled in Tristan opened a door, and Slap stepped inside
a blanket. One bare arm and shoulder hung off behind him. He was never let out without a leash.
the bunk, and one leg. A mass of dark, tight curls A loyal dog following its master. “What am I even
nested on the pillow, and from under it came doing here?” Slap asked in a plaintive whisper. He
muffled snores. looked around the huge metal-walled warehouse.
Tristan sighed quietly in relief. He took a deep One of many in this part of the port city. It wasn’t
breath and loudly called, “Slap!” much warmer inside.
The snoring shifted tone, into a soft buzz. Tristan didn’t answer. With a sigh, Slap trailed
his friend as he headed for a small office to one
He called again.
side.
“Snrt?” The head lifted, eyes still shut. “Wht?”
An older man with a slight stoop to his
The body began to move, and Slap flopped onto
shoulders looked up from his desk. Curiosity lit
the deck with a loud whuff! He groaned and
his round face. “May I help you?”
scratched his head, one eye blearily opening.
“What is’t?” “I hope so,” Tristan said. “Name’s Philips.”
“Morning.” The man held out his hand. “Howard Kane.”
“Mornings,” Slap said through a yawn, “come Tristan shook his hand. “I need some equipment
too early in the day.” for my ship. A Bussard collector, for starters.”
Tristan suppressed a smile. “This from a Ah, Slap thought, then he’s going to keep ol’
rancher who had to rise at dawn every day?” Bertha for awhile. He said he’d install a hydrogen

Serial: Deuces Wild, "In the Lap of the Gods," Part One, by L. S. King Pg. 50
scoop if he were going to keep her. Did that mean out to the surface. He blinked. “Is three days all
he was truly going to keep Slap around too? He right?”
realized he still tensed up when they landed on Tristan shook his head. “I’ve already made
a planet or stopped at a station, wondering if he arrangements for cargo. But that’s not all I
was going to be left behind. wanted, so if you can’t do the Bussard on a tighter
“Hm,” Kane said, “we can help you out with timetable, I doubt you could handle a particle
that. What sort of ship?” beam installation.”
“Canary class freighter with a custom refit.” Kane’s expression grew intense. “You want to
Kane’s eyebrows rose. “An old Canary? Well, add to the armament?”
I’d need the specs on her.” You betcha, Slap wanted to add, but stayed
Tristan handed him a data crystal. “Take a silent. Tristan shrugged.
look.” Kane scratched his head and smoothed his
The man pulled up the specs on his desk thinning dark hair. “We could do it—all of it, but
screen and his eyes widened. He whistled through the time...” He squinted at Tristan. “I could have
his teeth as he read, muttering to himself. “Two crews on overtime, but it would add to your bill.”
Type II assault turrets with twin plasma cannons... “How much?”
twin capacitor jump drive...Mark I matter/anti “Twenty percent over total cost.”
reaction assembly and 906 terajoule power grid?”
Slap inhaled sharply, but Tristan barely
He gazed at Tristan and, with a very dry look, said,
hesitated. “That’s acceptable. Can you have the
“This isn’t a Canary. She might look like a Canary...
ship ready in four days?”
but I don’t know that I’d even call this a refit. This
ship has the armor, power, and weaponry to rip Kane hissed through his teeth. “Let me talk to
apart a Light Patrol with a few salvoes or shred a Carter. He’s supervisor of all weaponry installa-
wing of fighters within seconds.” tion. He’ll want to see the ship first.” He rose with
a smile and left the office.
If only you knew. Slap kept his face straight,
but the image of the turrets demolishing the “He seemed awfully curious about things,”
launch bay of the freebooters’ Quick Strike Frigate Slap whispered.
burned joyously in his mind. “Later.” Tristan fingered the edge of the desk
Kane shook his head. “Why didn’t you have absently.
the Bussard installed when you refitted her?” Slap ambled to the wall and looked over the
“I didn’t. I recently inherited her.” hanging blueprints, trying not to yawn. The day
might be half over planetside, but by ship’s time
Slap didn’t even blink at the smooth lie. Well,
he should just be waking up.
was it a lie? Could you call it stealing when the
owner was a gangster and dead to boot? Kane soon returned. “He says he can be at
your ship by fifteen hundred.”
“I see.” Kane’s face seemed thoughtful. Too
thoughtful, Slap mused, and shook himself “Good. We’re dock pad NE fifty-three.”
mentally. He was getting paranoid, hanging The two men nodded at each other, and Slap
around Tristan. followed Tristan out, pulling up the collar of the
“Well, I have Bussards in stock. My crews are jacket.
a bit overworked, however. We can’t start until...” “Well,” Slap asked as they walked along the
He looked at his screen, and scrolled a new read-
street, “think you can trust him?” traveled all over, tried lots of things. Learned lots
“I picked him for his reputation. Any fallout of skills. Rolling stone, that’s what I am.” He tipped
from his ‘curiosity’ would happen after the job’s his head. “You a Separatist? Three Systems?”
done, and we won’t be staying around.” Slap nodded. How did he know?
“That’s good. Where next? To the ship? Any Carter snapped his fingers with a laugh. “I can
chance you’ll let me look around a bit on my call ‘em.”
own?” He knew the answer, but had to ask. Tristan cleared his throat. “Back to the Mark III.
“We’re still too close to the Confeds. It’s too You really think this ship should have that rather
risky.” than the Mark II?”
Slap sighed in defeat. “Oh, yes, sir! See, it has its own built-in spec-
An apologetic look crossed Tristan’s face. trograph scanner and battle computer and does
He added, “I thought we’d stop and eat before the frequency control automatically without the
returning to Giselle.” ship’s MBC and spectrograph being involved. The
smaller ones more often require a tie in, and you
Slap perked up. “Sounds good!” don’t want that.”
# Slap had been with Tristan long enough to
know the subtle changes on his face. He was
“Oh yeah, I can have you hooked up in no time, playing this guy to see if he was on the level. His
Captain” Carter said, wiping his hands on a rag as voice maintained a neutral, almost questioning,
he sauntered across the cargo bay to Tristan. A tone. “I don’t?”
gangly blond with a prominent Adam’s apple, his
weathered face wore a constant grin. Carter shook his head, his eyes narrowing
knowingly. “No, sir. It’d mean letting outsiders—
Slap leaned against the wall, arms crossed, meaning me—diddle in your computers. With all
playing—what? Bodyguard? Not that Tristan you have here, you don’t want that.”
needed one, but with their sizes, it made a rea-
sonable assumption, especially since he usually “And what do I have here?” Tristan asked, his
had Slap follow him around and never introduced voice lower and sharper than usual.
him. Slap winced.
“Which system do you suggest?” Tristan Carter’s smile took on an edge and he seemed
asked. less buffoon-ish. “I don’t know exactly, but I wish I
“That’s a piece of pie. The TLACorp Mark III.” did.” His voice was quieter, less manic. “This gal’s
rough exterior hides an inner beauty. And I bet
Tristan’s eyebrows rose. “That’s a bit on the your cargo runs aren’t run-of-the-mill. Boring can
heavy side.” be good, but sometimes a guy likes to see things
Carter nodded. “I’d agree, but this baby”—his stirred up.” He frowned down at the deck for a
hand slapped against a bulkhead affectionately— moment, but when he raised his head, the grin
“can handle it with the antimatter reactor.” His was back. “Anyway, I’ll get to work on this. And
grin widened. “She’s sweet! If I wanted to ship bust the boys along on the collector too. Boss
out, I’d ask if you were looking for crew.” said you had a tight timetable.” He nodded, his
“You weren’t born here,” Slap said. It wasn’t a Adam’s apple bobbing, and almost skipped to the
question. cargo hatch.
Carter shook his head, still smiling. “Nope. I’ve Slap scratched his cheek, waiting until the

engineer had left. “Whaddaya make of him?” local commodities available, with, of course, the
Tristan shook his head. “I’m not sure.” customary dockside prices.
Tristan wove through the market, peering
#
inside and behind the stalls as well as over them.
Slap shrugged on his jacket and checked One of the vendors scowled at him while blowing
for Tristan; his friend was immersed checking on his hands to keep them warm. Tristan kept
something or other on the bridge. One more day going, pushing past people. If only the galoot had
and they’d be gone. This might his last chance. replaced his hat as well his knife. But the curly,
He grinned and strode down the cargo hatch. almost kinky, mass of dark hair rising almost a
Squinting and holding a hand up against the sun, head above all others wasn’t easy to miss either.
Slap peered up at the crew on the hull. Carter Yet he didn’t see it anywhere. No Slap. His guts
waved a spanner in greeting, and bent back over churned as he continued searching. Damnation,
his equipment. why did the boy have to disobey? He knew
dangerous people were after them. How could
“Hey, Carter,” Slap called. “Can you let Tristan he take such a chance?
know I went out for supplies? I shouldn’t be gone
long.” After a time, he slowed, thinking. Adrena-
line was a great ally at times, but not when one
“Sure thing.” needed to step back and use the brain.
Slap walked off, chuckling to himself. Finally, To find Slap, he needed to know who had him.
he was alone. Not feeling like a kid needing super- Was it someone after Slap, or trying to get to
vision. He’d shown he could take care of himself Tristan through him? The answer could give him
in a fight. Now he’d show Tristan he could do direction.
something as simple as shop for groceries.
Could the Mordas have come after Slap
# already? Or were the Eridani the culprits?
Tristan checked all the cabins and the galley. Or was it someone after Tristan? The Eridani
No Slap. He descended to the hold. The collector and the Mordas were also hunting him, not to
crew worked diligently, finalizing the installation, mention the Confeds dogging his heels, but it
but no Slap. He descended the ramp and glanced might be any of several of Tristan’s old enemies,
up at Carter and his men. The engineer, grinning even—heaven forbid—Dray.
as always, called down, “Captain? Your buddy To ask for help galled him, but he needed back
said to tell you he was going for supplies.” up, to watch the ships, for movement in the city...
Tristan’s insides froze, and his brain buzzed But he took a chance. The very men he would
into overtime. “When did he leave?” hire might be working for those who took Slap.
He didn’t have much hope, but he’d pull together
Carter squinted in thought and scratched his whatever resources he could.
head. “Oh, about half hour or so ago. I guess.
Maybe longer.” He pressed through to the city.
Tristan nodded and strode toward the gate, #

cursing silently.
“A bigger reward if he’s returned to you alive?”
Like most port cities, this one had an open asked one of the men by the wall, his eyes alight.
air market just past the gate. Spacers would pay
premium prices for fresh foods. Many also had Tristan let his gaze burn into the man. He

hunched his shoulders and looked away. He Tristan considered his money situation. Upping
glanced around the large, well-lit room, making the ante would likely work, but he was stretch-
sure he had the attention of every one of the ing his finances already. He sighed. This was like
men present, as well as their employer, seated tap dancing on a tight rope. “I don’t know who
comfortably behind a large desk. Truss controlled has him. If I knew, I might have an idea where to
quite a few legitimate concerns. And a few ille- look. And this is wasting time. A ship might have
gitimate ones besides. already taken off with him aboard, or he might be
“No. No attempts. He could be harmed. dumped in a river or trash pile by now.”
Retrieval is my concern. Just the location.” “For what reason? Who is after him? And
“And if we find nothing?” asked Truss. you?”
Tristan shook his head and walked to the door.
“No results, no reward.” It slid open and he turned. “The offer stands, if
Truss tapped the smooth top of his desk. “Who any of your associates wishes to show personal
is he to you to post such a...generous amount for initiative.”
him?” He left quickly. Walking through the streets,
“Curiosity is a consideration?” something felt wrong. He doubled back, checking
“Knowing who I’m dealing with is always a to see if he were being followed. Nothing. The
consideration.” back of his neck prickled, the Not Right feeling
increasing. A drizzle started as dusk fell and the
“I would think,” Tristan said, letting his eyes
dank, oily odor of this ‘Dusty’ city increased. Slap
bore into the man, “that considering your...pro-
and his people had a point. Regardless of plans
fession, you would understand the importance
to create an aesthetic display, industrialization
anonymity would play in some of your more
unchecked inevitably provided a polluted view
delicate business transactions.”
and environment.
Truss leaned forward, lip curled. “In your case,
Tristan had seen planets that moderated
I think knowing is an important consideration.”
industrialization, and kept themselves from
Gah! He hated having to play this game. Some sliding into an abysmal defilement of their world,
of his enemies would make any local underworld but the moment the corporations got a toehold,
organization quake with fear, and close doors to the cause was lost.
him. Or worse, make them think of bounty hunter
He shook off his train of thought—no doubt
fees. Meeting Truss’s eyes, he said evenly, “Money
Slap’s influence—and concentrated on his sur-
usually speaks for itself.”
roundings. As he neared the port, the streets
Truss settled back in his chair with a contem- grew narrower and dingier. Detritus littered the
plative look. “But...you won’t say who has your street. Now he had to be extra alert. Silence grew,
friend. I don’t want to bring negative attention to except for the sound of light rain spattering.
myself or my associates.”
A shadow moved ahead, and Tristan readied
“I’m not asking for direct involvement. Only himself.
information. And you’re not the only ones who
The silhouette of a man stepped into the street,
will be given this opportunity.”
hands away from his sides. He stepped forward
Truss’s nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. “I and light fell across his face. Steel Eyes.
still think I need answers.”
Part of Tristan felt relieved. Chances were Slap

was safe. Merely being held to blackmail Tristan Stay tuned as Deuces Wild continues next
into helping the Confeds in whatever scheme they month with part two of:
kept hounding him about. But something was “In the Lap of the Gods”
wrong. Steel Eyes had been beaten. He sported a
black eye, his nose looked broken, his jaw swollen, To catch up on previous episodes
lips split, and blood stained his shirt.
of the adventures of Slap and Tristan, visit:
“We need your help.” http://loriendil.com/DW.php
“So you keep saying.” Tristan walked a few
steps closer. “But kidnapping Slap to try to force
me—”
“We don’t have him anymore.”
Tristan stopped, staring at Steel Eyes, fear L. S. King
rising from his stomach and threatening to choke
him. “Explain.” A science fiction fan since childhood, L.S. King
Steel Eyes licked his lips and winced. “We took has been writing stories since her youth. Now,
him, like you said, to get you to help us. But now, with all but one of her children grown, she is
the enemy has him. Our enemy. And yours. The writing full-time. She has developed a sword-
Eridani.” and-planet series tentatively called The An-
The fear rose, blinding Tristan with red rage. cients. The first book is finished, and she has
His hand shot out and seized Steel Eyes by the completed rough drafts of several more novels
throat. “You bastards! You—” He choked, words as well.
inadequate to describe them or his feelings. Steel
Eyes used a pressure point to release Tristan’s She serves on the editorial staff of The Sword
choke hold. Review, is also their Columns Editor, and
writes a column for that magazine entitled
Tristan struck twice swiftly, to the solar plexus
“Writer’s Cramps” as well. She is also one
then the throat.
of the Overlords, a founding editor, here at
Steel Eyes dropped to his knees and croaked, Ray Gun Revival.
“We’ll help you get him back, if you’ll help us.”
His mind whirling with plots, schemes, coun- She began martial arts training over thirty
terplots, Tristan spat, “I’ll make you pay tenfold years ago, and owned a karate school for a de-
for every injury inflicted on that kid. You’ll wish cade. When on the planet, she lives in Delaware
the Eridani had grabbed you rather than leave with her husband, Steve, and their youngest
you to me.” child. She enjoys gardening, soap making, and
reading. She also likes Looney Tunes, the color
purple, and is a Zorro aficionado, which might
explain her love for swords and cloaks.

Jolly RGR Pg. 55
The Jolly RGR

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Featured Artist
Serial: The Adventures of the Sky Pirate

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by Johne Cook
Cooper Flynn discovers a spy onboard the Venture. And it’s a ‘she.’ And they fight
some Sylvan raiders and stuff.
Serial: Memory Wipe

by Sean T. M. Stiennon
Chapter 7 of the increasingly amazing serial from Sean T. M. Stiennon.

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THRILLING TALES FROM BEYOND THE ETHER

The Price of Conquest

Overlords (Founders / Editors): L. S. King, Paul Christian Glenn, Johne Cook

Slushmasters (Submissions Editors): Scott M. Sandridge, John M. Whalen, David Wilhelms

Cover Art: “EMAN,” by Bassem Hassan

Special Thanks: Ray Gun Revival logo design by Hatchbox Creative

Visit us online at http://raygunrevival.com

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

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“T hey’re here, aren’t they? Aren’t they?

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

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Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

Lynda tripped as she scurried down the dimly #

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

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matted them. Amazing!” “His name is Flapper,” Gen protested.

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Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

B elow me, huge gray clouds circled coun-

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Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

had turned and headed east-north-east of Ciudad

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

Favorite Book / Author:

When did you start creating art?

What media do you work in?

Where your work has been featured?

How did you become an artist?

What were your early influences?

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

What are your current influences?

What inspired the art for the cover?

How would you describe your work?

Where do you get your inspiration / what

Have you had any notable failures, and how

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

What have been your greatest successes? How has

What are your favorite tools / equipment for producing

What tool / equipment do you wish you had?

What do you hope to accomplish with your art?

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

The Price of Conquest

K ressa Bryant wandered aimlessly through

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

“You—know the ports?” She knelt beside him. “Thorne?”

“My ship—the Conquest,” the man said, each #

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

the card again. tors to obey, no gang prime to follow, no captain

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

as well? After a moment the inner door opened and

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

Kressa smiled. “We should leave immediately.”

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007

“What orders?” Kressa asked. jecture.”

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 13, January 01, 2007