This was a place where sanity had been abandoned. Arun stood at the doorway of Guy's office with only the last of the evening's rays from the hallway window to guide him, but even in the gloaming it was obvious things were well out of hand. The room had no windows, and when he tried… Continue reading Chasing Madness
Tag: Intrigue
Money Is Not the Only Power
The heavy door lock clicks open, and in stumbles Raphael de Visviri, leading his consort by the buttocks. He tells her to make him a drink as he shoves her toward the liquor cabinet, and then he shuts the door and reengages the lock. He flicks on the light switch, but nothing happens. He flicks… Continue reading Money Is Not the Only Power
Revelations of Pilgrimage
Enev wasn't the least bit interested in the pseudo-religious Pilgrimage, but was even less enthused about making the journey with his parents. Going with his grandfather, Hershel, had been the compromise. Grandpa Hershel had nearly a century on Enev, and the two remained cordial but had little in common—they didn't even look alike. They spent… Continue reading Revelations of Pilgrimage
Down to Business
"Sit down." The badge on his shoulder armor said POLICE, but he was on the wrong side of the law—the way it's written, anyway. The smoky black visor of his helmet had a spiderweb crack on one side and fresh beads of splatter on the other. He spun his pistol in quick circles on the red… Continue reading Down to Business
Wired
There was a portrait on the wall, and for some reason Kilbourn couldn't take her eyes off it. It was black ink on canvas that had grown sickly yellow-green long ago. She couldn't decide if the face was a man's or a woman's. Every time she thought she'd made up her mind those eyes seemed… Continue reading Wired
Pipes
The copter drew slow, low-altitude arcs through the thick air around Akkarfor Arco on Rypfe. Heavy storms pummeled the hills to the north but hadn't yet reached here. The copter piloted itself autonomously with only occasional interruptions by Governor Dalen, who would nudge the stick this way or that to point out some mundane feature,… Continue reading Pipes
Spacejacked
The Phorcys 72-72 was unremarkable for a passenger spaceliner as far as most people could tell. However, a handful of engineers at Beryl Manufacturing could point out that it was the only commercial spaceliner with a cargo hold that had a dedicated pressurization system and seals. The design was a marketing tactic that failed to… Continue reading Spacejacked
Memory Games
There was a high droning hum. Ice water came down in buckets like razors licking at her cheeks and shoulders and thighs. Oh, she thought, it's me; I'm screaming. I thought I was dead. "Wake up, Violet. Wake up." Her body was a vague outline in her own head, a far away pain that she was tethered… Continue reading Memory Games
Old Friends
Seth sat on a stool, head down, eating the noodle equivalent of particle board steeped in salt water. The tiny discount eatery in the open market was as full of smoke that smelled like a chemical fire as it was crowded at this late hour. He could hardly shovel his meal into his mouth without… Continue reading Old Friends
Done Playing Nice
"If you had nothing to hide, why did you fire off all the escape pods and try to scuttle the ship?" The lanky captain looked like a wax manikin who'd spent a little time in an oven, his features drawn and sullen. His bottom lip quivered uncontrollably and his pink, swollen eyes sat atop gaunt,… Continue reading Done Playing Nice
Warmup Pages 