Ray Gun Revival magazine, Issue 03

8/15/2019 Ray Gun Revival magazine, Issue 03

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Ray Gun Revival August 1, 2006 Issue 03

Pg. THRILLING TALES FROM BEYOND THE ETHER

Fragment in Space, by Michel Merza August 1, 2006

Issue 03

Young Ones

by Selena Thomason

TO THE SHORES OF TRIPLE, LEE!by A.M. Sckel

Deuces Wild 02, Reluctant Allies, Part Two

by L. S. King

Jasper Squad 02, When In Wroumeby Paul Chrisan Glenn


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Overlords (Founders):L. S. King, Johne Cook, Paul Chrisan Glenn

Ray Gun Radio:Taylor Kent - founder, director, and producer, all things audioJohn JesusGeek Wilkerson - RGR Disinformaon Specialist

Venerable Staff:A.M. Sckel - Managing CopyeditorMike Loos - Proofreader, Technical Lead PocketRGR;Walter Rosenfeld - ProofreaderMahew McConley - ProofreaderPaul Chrisan Glenn - PR, sounding board, strong right hand, newshound

L. S. King - copyeditor, proofreader, beloved nag, muse, webmistressJohne Cook - art wrangler, desktop publishing, editorials, chief, cook, and bole washer

Slushmasters (Submissions Editors):Taylor Kent, Sco M. Sandridge, David Wilhelms

Serial Authors: Sean T. M. Sennon, Lee S. King, Paul Chrisan Glenn, Johne Cook

Cover Art:Fragments in Space, by Michel Merza

Without Whom...Bill Snodgrass, site host, Web-Net Soluons, admin, webmaster, database admin, mentor,condante, liaison Double-edged Publishing

Special Thanks:Ray Gun Revival logo design by Hatchbox Creative

Visit us online athttp://raygunrevival.com

All content copyright 2006 byDouble-edged Publishing,a Memphis, Tennessee-based non-prot publisher.

Rev: b20060802

Table of Contents

Overlords Lair......3Young Ones......4

TO THE SHORES OF TRIPLE, LEE!......14

Deuces Wild, Reluctant Allies: Part Two by L. S. King......19

Featured Artist, Michel Merza, aka DKF......25

Jasper Squad, Episode Two: When in Wroume, by Paul Christian Glenn......27

The Jolly RGR......33


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The Missing Sense of Wonder

We at Ray Gun Revival have been thinkinga lot lately about what it is about spaceopera that is different than regular fantasy or sci-fi. It seems to us that one of the big advantages isin the concept of the sense of wonder.

For my part, I think of all those great old workslike Doc Smiths Lensman series or the adven-tures of John Carter, Warlord of Mars, from EdgarRice Burroughs. It seemed like there were newwonders around every page, and that encour-aged me to dream big dreams.

But something happened along the way. Assci-fi matured, it also lost its sense of wondersomewhere along the way.

But what is this sense of wonder?I recently read that the term sense of wonder,

as it relates to fiction, was actually coined by HugoGernsback himself to describe science fiction (yes,thatHugo, the man after whom the most presti-gious science fiction award is named after).

Ironic, that.One modern definition for Sense of Wonder

goes like this:The Sense Of Wonder comes not from

brilliant writing, nor even from brilliantconceptualising; it comes from a suddenopening of a closed door in the readersmind. [...] Arguably, almost any Sense OfWonder-producing case embedded in anSF text, no matter how weak that textmay be elsewhere, could be analysed toshow a comparable forcing of Concep-tual Breakthrough. -- John Clute, in TheEncyclopaedia Of SF

Think of it as the Aha moment, the suddenglow from the metaphoric light bulb.

Ive read on one website that a Sense Of Wondercan be evoked in ones mind by all sorts of things,including:

Futuristic technologyDeep spaceAlien lifeChanges of scale or perspective

And while all that makes sense, as Overlords,we couldnt help but feel there was somethingmissing, something in addition to that definition.

You can get all those things in sci-fi, but spaceopera has a flair for the dramatic, going a littlelarge, pulling out all the stops, and having a grandtime while doing it.

It was that sense of emotional involvement intandem (or defiance!) of a mental awareness thathas been pestering us since we started thinkingabout these matters. And then, the answer cameup in conversation. When talking about what thedifference was between sci-fi and space operathe answer popped right out: Science fictionuses space, technology and other worlds to stimulate your mind. Space opera uses the same tools

to stimulate your heart.The dictionary provides a word that seems

to capture that burst of insight and inspirationEpiphany: A comprehension or perception ofreality by means of a sudden intuitive realization.Thats the kind of insight that can rock you fromyour toes to your ears.

Space opera is all about taking ideas thattraditional sci-fi wouldnt touch with a ten footsliderule and finding value therein, and adventure, and a rip-roaring good time. Thats howwe can accept light sabers and anti-grav speeders and semi-sentient droids without demanding

schematics and diagrams for the principles thatwould allow those things to work. If the characters and the situations ring true, we can acceptthe premise and be swept along for the rideThink of that as the sudden opening of a closeddoor in the readers heart, as well as his mind.

That may explain how a simple story withbasic plot holes and logical errors can resonate sofiercely, why we can accept the idea of a mythicpower like The Force but are repelled whensuch a concept is rationalized away down into aconcentration of Midichlorians.

What we bring you at Ray Gun Revival isfiction that captures the best of both worlds, theopening of closed doors in mind and heart.

So look sharp and enjoy the ridewere justgetting started.

The Ray Gun Revival Overlords

Overlords Lair

by the Ray Gun Revival Overlords


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Historians note: The events of Young Onestake place shortly after those of Verid.

Verid stared at the human reflectionin the mirror. She still wasnt used toit. But that was part of the ExperimentationPhase, trying on different forms and learningabout them. All in preparation for The Choos-ing. One thing seemed obvious; she wouldnt

chose human form permanently. Somethingabout it just annoyed her.

However, the humans themselves wereinteresting. After the incident with the Elani,Captain Merrimore had agreed to let her stayon board the Hawking so she could learnmore about humans, and so the captain couldlearn more about the Kedru. It was a mutu-ally beneficial relationship.

Her com beeped. Then she heard Merri-mores voice.

Verid, would you join us on the bridge?His voice sounded agitated. Or was it

worried? Verid was still new to humans andtheir vocal tones were proving difficult for herto read. Their facial expressions were easier,but Verid suspected that was because withthe proximity she also got a little bit of infor-mation telepathically. It wasnt anything asclear as what she sensed with other Kedru,and certainly not the sort of link she couldexpect with a permanent mate. But it wassomething, a sense of what they were feelingand thinking. And that made making sense oftheir facial expressions much easier.

Verid left her quarters and headed towardsthe bridge. Whats wrong?Ensign Brody didnt come back from the

expedition. He got separated from the otherswhile they were shopping for supplies on thepromenade. Mitchell and Baty saw him beingdragged away by a couple of aliens. They fol-lowed but lost him in the crowd.

Ill be right there.

Minutes later Verid stepped onto thebridge. One look at Merrimores face confirmed that he was worried, not agitated.

Lt. Craig was giving a status report from hiscommunications console. Sir, Shuttle Threeis heading back now. Im scanning the stationfor Brodys signal.

A slight shakiness in his voice betrayedhis place as the youngest, least experiencedperson on the bridge crew. Verid made note

of the vocal tic and its meaning for future reference.

She felt for Lt. Craig. He was in an awkwardspot. Even though he wasnt the lowestranking bridge officer, he was the one withthe least amount of flight experience. Thehelmsman, Ensign Santos, hadnt applied tothe Academy until after he had spent fiveyears flying commercial cargo runs. Lt. Craigoften wished he had done the same.

Let me know as soon as you find it, Merrimore said from his usual place at command.

Verid had an idea of what might have happened. The people who took him, what didthey look like?

Cdr. Michaelson offered the details fromher station. Mitchell said they had yellowand brown skin. Noting confusion on Merrimores face, she added, He said their skinwasnt a solid color, that it was mottled, yellowand brown swirled together.

Merrimore raised an eyebrow. Veridguessed that meant humans tended to haveskin that was a solid color. Looking at thehumans around her, that did seem to be

the case. Humans came in a wide variety ofcolors, but each persons skin was only onecolor overall. She was surprised she hadntnoticed that before.

Did they also have brown fur along thebottom sides of their faces and down theback of their necks? Verid asked.

Cdr. Michaelson didnt seem to know. Sheshrugged and waited for Lt. Cdr. Mitchell toreply through the com. Apparently, he was

Young Onesby Selena Thomason


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listening in from the shuttle. Yep, shortbrown fur on the face and neck, he replied.

And hands with three fingers plus an op-posable thumb?

I didnt get a good look at their hands, butI think so.

Verid turned to Merrimore. Its prob-ably Maridians, then. Unfortunately, thatstrouble.

Verid saw more anxiety leap into Merri-mores face and felt a sudden need to reas-sure him.

Well, they wont hurt him, she addedquickly. They will try to sell him off. Marid-ians are thieves mostly, but lately they havegotten into procuring fighters for the sportscorps. Verid saw confusion in their faces. Shecouldnt blame them. It didnt make senseto her either. She tried to explain it anyway.

One of the Maridians favorite pastimes iswatching people fight. Physical altercations,I mean.

Like boxing? Merrimore asked.I dont recognize that term. But each corp

chooses a fighter, then they place the twocombatants in a cage and let them brawl untilone of them is incapacitated.

Sure sounds like boxing, Michaelsoncommented wryly from her station.

So, Merrimore began, you think theytook Brody to be one of their fighters?

Yes. He is young and strong, likely to be agood fighter. Plus he is a species they haventseen before, which would make him evenmore valuable. Novelty sells, after all.

Lt. Craig turned from his console. Sir, Ithink Ive found him.

Merrimore tried the com. Ensign Brody,come in.

There was no response.Hes not answering, sir, but I located his

signal. Its on one of the lower levels, lookslike a landing bay. Wait, hes moving.

A small ship detached from the station

and sped away.Captain, hes on that ship.Follow them.Ensign Santos quickly sent the Hawking in

pursuit. But the Maridian ship continued topull away.

Stay with them, Ensign.Im trying, sir.

Michaelson pointed to something on thescreen. Anyone else see the problem in thisscenario?

The on-screen smudge quickly became aband of rocks.

Merrimore put the problem into words

An asteroid belt, while everyone else staredsilently at the obstacle in their path.We wont be able to follow them in there,

the first officer said finally.I know, Merrimore replied quietly as the

smaller Maridian ship disappeared into therubble. He exhaled in what seemed to be agesture of frustration.

Its okay. I know where they will go. Veridmoved to the helm and pointed at somethingon the panel. There, set a course for thatsystem. Thats where the sporting complex isSooner or later thats where Brody will be.

Sooner or later? Michaelson asked.Probably sooner. They will want to start

making money off Ensign Brody right awayIf you monitor their com channels, you canprobably even pick up when his first fight wilbe.

You mean they will advertise that theyhave him? Merrimore said. But wouldntthat lead us right to them?

It wont be as easy as you think. They areoverconfident perhaps, but it isnt withoutcause. The Maridians have a somewhat protected status in these parts. And abductingaliens to use as fighters is, well, commonplaceThe authorities wont help you get Brody backand there will be more trouble before you getthere. Let me know when we approach Bahirterritory.

How will we recognize it?Verid stared at Merrimore. It took her a

moment to remember that the humans hadnever heard of the Bahiri and would have noidea where their territory was, even thougheveryone else in this sector did.

Look for a red giant with five planets. Its

the first system in their territory. Ill keep aneye out also and return to the bridge whenwe approach the border. I recommend thatyou let me talk to them and not try to negotiate with them yourself.

Why?I just have more experience with them. In

fact, I have been Bahiri. It will be a little whilebefore we get to their territory, though. Sounless you need anything else

Young Ones, by Selena Thomason


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sions rocking the ship diminished significantly.Well, that could have gone better.

You should have let me talk to them first.All I did was say hello. I certainly didnt

expect that reaction.Im sure that I can smooth this over if you

will let me talk to them.They didnt seem interested in talking.Id like to try anyway. Captain, what you

couldnt possibly know is that the Bahiri con-sider themselves a superior life form and aredeeply offended by anyone who approachesthem as equals. Please, Captain, you wontwin this one by force. Let me speak withthem.

Very well. Lt. Craig, open a channel.Modulate your hail to 3.142, Verid

added.Merrimore raised an eyebrow at the

mention of pi. Verid took it as a good signthat he recognized the number.

The lieutenant hesitated and glanced atMerrimore, who nodded his agreement. TheLead Bahiri appeared again on screen. Veridmoved in front of the viewer and fell to herknees.

Most Exalted One, she said with her headbowed.

You may rise and speak, the Bahirireplied.

As Verid stood, she introduced herself. Iam Verid of the Kedru.

The Lead Bahiri signaled a cease fire andthe shooting quickly stopped.

You are a shifter.Verid nodded in reply.Is this the form you have chosen?No, I am still in Experimentation.Ah, a young one. The Bahiri actually

smiled then. When it is time for your Choos-ing, he said slowly, perhaps you will chooseBahiri form.

Verid knew it was a trap. No, I dont thinkI will choose Bahiri form. I do not feel worthy

of it.The Bahiri seemed to consider that thecorrect answer. Quite right. You are quiteright. He gestured towards her as if invit-ing her to speak. And what business do youbring before us today, shifter?

I want to beg forgiveness for myself andthese others.

You may proceed.Thank you. You are most gracious. I beg

forgiveness for myself because I am only apassenger on this vessel and was unaware

that we were approaching the sacred spaceof the Bahiri. If I had known, I would havecontacted you sooner.

Your error is understandable. You are forgiven.

Thank you. You are most gracious. I alsobeg forgiveness for these others. They arestrangers to this region. News of the honorable Bahiri has not yet reached their homeworld.

Their home must be quite far indeed.Yes, very far, I assure you. Also, they are

new to space travel. As such they have not

yet learned of the great Bahiri or of the propeprotocol for contacting you.

Well, we must be understanding of theyoung ones, mustnt we? We cant expectprimitive cultures to be as knowledgeable aswe are.

Verid thought he heard Merrimore harrumph at that. Michaelsons reaction was asoft snicker. Verid could almost picture whattheir faces looked like at this moment. Shewished she could turn and look, so she wouldknow for sure. But she knew that this wasntthe time.

You are quite right, Exalted One, Veridcontinued, returning her focus to the Bahiri

You are most gracious as always. Thesepeople would like to pass through the sacredspace of the Bahiri. If you allow them to traverse your territory, I will use the passage toexplain what a great honor has been grantedthem.

I will consider it, the Bahiri replied andbegan to turn away as if to end the transmission.

It was not the definitive answer Verid had

hoped for. They didnt have time to wait whilethe Bahiri considered their request. Thatcould take weeks. Ensign Brody couldnt waitthat long. As strong as Brody was, Verid waspretty sure he wouldnt last long in the ringShe could see plainly that Merrimore and hiscrew were concerned for the ensigns safety



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despite any bravado they might display abouthis capabilities, or theirs. Verid knew she hadto try something else, but it was risky.

Most Exalted One, if I may request oneadditional favor...

The Bahiri turned back to the viewscreen.

Annoyance was evident around his eyes onceagain. Verid hoped her gambit would notfail.

You are demanding today, shifter.I know. And I plead for your leniency. If

you would be gracious enough to allow me tomake one more request, I will trouble you nofurther.

Alright. I am feeling generous. You mayproceed.

Thank you, Your Excellency. You are mostgracious. Would you relay a message to Chan-cellor Drovin?

The Bahiri clearly recognized the name.What message would you wish to send to

our chancellor?Please tell him that the Kedru grieve for

his recent loss, but that we are confidenthe will continue the honorable tradition ofservice begun by his father, the former Chan-cellor Zelith of the Vorath province. Will yourelay this message to Chancellor Drovin?

He hesitated a moment. Verid realizedshe was holding her breath. I will relay yourmessage. You and your friends have my per-mission to traverse the sacred space of theBahiri.

Thank you. You are indeed most gra-cious.

Good travels to you, shifter.And to you as well.The channel was closed and the view again

showed starfield and ships. The Bahiri shipsmoved away, much to everyones relief.

Verid turned to Merrimore. They wontgive you any further trouble, Captain.

Thanks for your help.Its a small thing in return for your hos-

pitality. The Bahiri dont really mind peopletraveling through their space. They just wantyou to petition them for it so they can feel asif theyre bestowing a great honor. Its ridicu-lous, I know, but its their way.

Why didnt you ask them about Brody?Maybe they can help.

They could, but they wont. And wemustnt trouble the great Bahiri with our pettylittle problems. Verid rolled her eyes at thatan expression she had recently learned fromCdr. Michaelson. She didnt get it quite rightbut Merrimore seemed to understand her

meaning. Verid heard Michaelson chucklefrom her station. Do you remember whenI said that the Maridians had a protectedstatus?

Yes.Well, its the Bahiri who protect them

The Bahiri consider the Maridians their childrena younger, less experienced version ofthemselves. Both have evolved in this regionthey are very similar genetically. The Bahirare just ages ahead of the Maridians in theidevelopment. Actually, to hear the Bahiri telit, they are ages ahead of everybody.

Anyway, to make matters worse, the Maridians are in their adolescence at this point, sothe Bahiri have resolved to give them morefreedom, leave them alone as much as possible, not interfere. In my experience, adolescence is a difficult time in any species, butwhen a whole species is at that stagewelthats a dangerous time for everyone aroundthem. Especially if their parents are trying tostay out of it. Frankly, I think the Bahiri cuttheir children loose too soon for their owngood. Certainly its too soon for the welfareof everyone else in the sector.

So, the Bahiri wont help at all?No. And they wont listen to any criticism

of their children either. In the Bahiris eyesthe Maridians can do no wrong. Even theifaults are endearing. If you start complainingto them about the Maridians, youre likely tofind yourself escorted out of Bahiri territoryat gunpoint.

Great.Well get Brody back, Captain. Dont worry

Adolescents are trouble, but they also tendto not be very experienced. Between us, Im

sure we have more than enough knowledgeto outsmart them.Okay. Ill let you know when we approach

the sporting complex.Thanks.

#Verid was in the dining hallwatching as

usual, instead of dining. She didnt need to



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eat food, but the process was important toall monoforms, so was always worth study.Today she was taking special notice of thesocial aspects of the meal ritual, especiallywho sat with whom and what was discussed.She had become particularly interested in

two people who sat in a corner by themselves.They did something she hadnt seen before;they shared their food, ate from each othersplates, sometimes even fed each other. Veridwondered what it meant.

Merrimore came in, but just nodded to heras he passed. Verid watched as he went overto where two women were sitting. One hadher head hanging down towards the table.Her shoulders were shaking a little. Merri-more placed a hand on her shoulder.

Dont worry, Callie, he said. Were goingto get him back. As Callie looked up at him,

Verid caught a glimpse of her face.Verid had seen the woman before, but

wouldnt have known her name. There wasanother woman sitting next to Callie; she hadan arm curled protectively around Calliesshoulders. Verid couldnt make out her wordsbut she seemed to be murmuring reassuranceto her friend.

Merrimore leaned down towards Callieand said again, We are going to get him backCallie, I promise.

She nodded a little. The shaking in hershoulders seemed to lessen. Thank you,Captain, she said.

Ill keep you posted, okay?Sure. Thanks.Merrimore exchanged a look with the

other woman, but Verid couldnt discern itsmeaning. Then he patted Callies shoulderone more time, walked back towards Veridand sat across the table from her.

Before Verid could ask about the scenewith Callie, Merrimore said, Theres no signof Ensign Brody yet, but well find him. Heglanced in Callies direction. We have those

sub-dermal transponders implanted for areason.It does seem a sensible precaution. How

close do we have to be?Within the same system at least. But Mac

is working on extending that.

Merrimore fell into silence. He seemeddistracted. He looked again towards CallieThen he seemed to settle in. Or maybe, Veridthought, he just felt the need to changefocus, because suddenly he looked up at herand said, The Bahiri seemed very surprised

when you mentioned this Drovin.He was. The Bahiri dont give their namesto outsiders. In their dealings with other cultures they prefer to be known by their titlesThey consider names to be very personal. Itsunusual for anyone outside of the Bahiri Confederacy to know the name of an individuaBahiri.

So, did you know this Drovin?No. But I knew his father, Chancello

Zelith. When I was on Bahiri Prime, I spent agood bit of time in his administration. I got toknow him pretty well. He was a good leader

His death is a great loss.Well, dropping names really did the trick.I wasnt sure that it would. There is some

dispute about whether Drovin should beallowed to take his fathers place as chancellor. By law, his elder sister Torval is next in lineBut Torval has shunned public life since shewas a child. When Zelith died, she refused tosucceed him. It was quite the scandal. Drovinagreed to take his fathers place, but many ofthe Bahiri consider him too young and inexperienced to lead the government.

Is he?Verid was silent for a few moments. He

is young. And inexperienced. But he has agood soul and he values the needs of theBahiri people above his own. So, I think heldo fine.

Merrimores com beeped. It was Lt. CraigSir, were approaching the coordinates.

Were on our way.#

The sporting complex was huge. It loomedon the screen even though they were still agood bit away. Six ships could be seen eithe

docking or leaving the station. More werepresumably on the other side.Report, Merrimore said as he sat down.Craig spoke up. As soon as we entered

the system, we began picking up commerciatransmissions. We just got one that mentionsBrody.



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Lets see it.A yellow and brown face appeared on the

viewscreen. Valon Corp brings you the firstfight of its kind. Join us at the Markim Arenaon Halk 5 for a conflict like no other, featuringa fighter like no other. An alien, completely

unknown in this sector, unlike anything youhave seen before. A picture of Ensign Brodyappeared alongside the announcer.

Humans, they are called, the announcercontinued. The date and time of the fightappeared at the bottom of the screen, alongwith Buy your tickets now and a string ofnumbers. This fighters alien, hes new, andhes definitely more lethal than he looks.Be the first to see this new breed of fighter.Markim Arena. Halk 5. Be there.

The commercial ended and the screenagain showed the sporting complex.

Halk 5 is only a couple days away, Veridsaid. We have to move quickly.

More lethal than he looks? Merrimoregrumbled, then in a softer tone added, Atleast he looks okay.

I told you they wouldnt hurt him, Veridnearly whispered. As for the commercial,Akil is a fight promoter, not a poet. The goodnews is that he heads one of the bigger corps.They have the resources to take good care ofBrody.

Merrimore walked to Lt. Craigs stationand hovered over him. Have you found himyet?

The young lieutenant seemed to be quail-ing under the constant pressure of trying tolocate Brody. His hands shook slightly on theconsole. He looked like if he had to say, No,not yet one more time, he might crack.

Merrimore seemed to notice it too andstepped back a bit.

Um, no sir, Craig stammered. Not yet.The station is pretty big. It may take a whileto get an exact location, even after we startpicking up his signal.

Okay, lieutenant. Just keep looking andlet me know as soon as you find anything.Will do, sir.

#Less than an hour later, Craig finally re-

ceived a hit from Brodys transponder.

Hes in the Maridian ship presently dockingwith the station, Craig told them. Veridcouldnt help but notice that the lieutenantshands had stopped shaking.

Merrimores face brightened. Verid realized that the waiting had been getting to him

Great, he said, lets get this rescue missionunder way!Theyre moving him, Lt. Craig called from

his station, a slight note of panic returning tohis voice.

They wont leave the station, Verid inter jected. They are probably just moving himinto lodgings. Its standard procedure. Theyhouse all the fighters in a central dormitory.

Keep track of him, Lieutenant. Merrimore turned to Verid. How do you know somuch about the Maridians and this sportingcomplex?

Verid shrugged. Captain, Ive been Maridian. And Ive visited this station several timesIts a good place for people-watching.

Are there any species in this sector thatyou havent been?

None that I know of.Merrimore laughed and turned to his first

officer. Cdr. Michaelson, I want you to beginmapping the station and download it to anHC. I want to have a route planned betweenour entry point and wherever Brody ends upPlus, I want some alternate escape routes justin case.

Im on it, Michaelson replied.#

Verid knew that getting onto the stationwould be the easy part. People were alwayscoming and going, and security was justfor show. Anyone who had currency waswelcome; she had learned that on her firstvisit.

She was also not concerned about determining where Brody was being held. Betweenhis sub-dermal transponder and her prior experience with the complex, that part wouldnt

be much of a challenge.What would be difficult was getting intothe dormitory where the fighters were housedor, more accurately, imprisoned. That wouldtake a little bit of ingenuity since the lodgingswere heavily guarded. After all, the Marid



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ians valued their fighters. Fortunately, shehad a plan.

As she and Merrimore prepared to leavethe Hawking, Verid reached into her pack andpulled out a pair of handcuffs. Turn around,she instructed Merrimore.

What else have you got in there? hereplied, leaning in as if to take a look.Nothing exciting, I assure you, she said,

gently turning him away. Just a couple religcloaks. Theyll help you and Brody blend inon our way out of here.

Whats a relig? Merrimore asked Veridas she cuffed his hands behind his back.

It means a person who belongs to a reli-gious order. There are always a few of themaround the complex, trying to turn peoplefrom their wicked ways. There. The cuffs feelokay?

Theyre fine. Are you sure about this?Its the easiest way. Her fighter thus

secured, she morphed into Maridian form.At the dorms entrance, a Maridian guard

stopped them, but it was out of curiosity, notsecurity.

Hey, I thought there was only one of thosenew fighters, he said as he stood and movedto block their path.

Thats old news, my friend. I foundanother. See? Verid pushed Merrimore infront of her as if to display her merchandise.

And my fighter is bigger and stronger thanthat rookie Akil and his buddies have beenadvertising.

Whens his first fight?Still scheduling it. Probably later in the

week, after Akils fighter has had his debut.Then well show them what this new speciescan really do.

What are they called again?Humans.Humans. The guard wrinkled his nose

and shook his head. Thats a terrible name.I know. Im thinking Ill come up with

something different, something with a littlemore flash. For now, I just have to get himsecured in a room so I can start making plans.Get the fight set, you know?

Of course. Ill be looking for your match.Good luck. The guard stepped aside.

Hey, dont tell Akil, okay? I want it to be asurprise. A devilish smile passed the guardslips as Verid handed him a few coins. A littlesomething for you, so you can bet on thefight. Just choose the right fighter. My guyyou know?

Definitely, he replied. This one lookslike a winner.When they were out of earshot, Merri

more said, Not bad.Verid removed his cuffs.It worked, didnt it? Now, where does that

hand computer of yours say Brody is?Down two levels, on the left.When they got to the door, Merrimore

pulled off the lock panel and started fiddlingwith the wiring.

Verid couldnt fathom the intent of hisactions. What are you doing?

Trying to get the door open.Is he alone in there?Merrimore stopped and pointed the HC at

the door. Looks like it. Im only showing oneheat signature. Merrimore tapped his com

Brody, you there?Brodys voice sounded over the com

Captain. Yeah, Im here. Where are you?Just outside the door. Can you let us in?No, Im chained to the far wall.You alone in there?Yes.Okay, hang on. Were going to figure a

way in.Merrimore went back to working on the

lock panel. Verid placed a hand on his arm tostop him. Captain, there is no need. You arethinking like a monoform. Allow me.

Verids Maridian form dissolved into agaseous cloud and oozed under the door.

Once inside, Verid could see Brodys frightened form at the other end of the room. Shequickly changed back to Maridian form. Itsme, Verid. Some of the fear drained fromBrodys face.

Dont worry, Ensign. Were going to getyou out of here.She opened the door and Merrimore came

in.Nice work, he said to her as he made

his way towards Brody. He knelt beside theensign and started looking at the mechanism



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that chained him to the wall. How you doing,Ensign?

Okay. Sure am glad youre here, though.Merrimore found the bolt that connected

Brody to the wall, and unhooked it. His handswere still tied behind his back, but at least he

was no longer attached to the wall.Turn around, Merrimore said. Let mesee.

Brodys hands and feet were bound bysome kind of magnetic cuffs, but after a fewmoments Merrimore was able to find therelease and remove them.

Verid pulled the cloaks out of her bag.Here, put these on. Verid went to the doorto make sure no one was in the hall. Whichway does your map say we should go?

Merrimore glanced at the hand comp.Left, further down the hallway. Theres a

door that leads to the arena. The securitystight getting in from the audience, but thereisnt any coming from this direction.

Alright, lets go.They hurried down the hallway towards

the arena. Suddenly, they heard a shoutbehind them.

Hey! You there! What are you doing backhere?

Verid turned to see Akil and two otherMaridians coming their way.

Merrimore reached for his sidearm, butVerid quickly stopped him. No, she ex-claimed, If we fire on them, the Bahiri willhave a fit. Well never get out of the sectoralive. She nodded further ahead to the set ofdoors. We just have to get through there.

Alright then, I guess we make a run for it.He pushed Brody ahead of him and all threeof them broke into a dead run towards theexit.

The Maridians were only a handful ofstrides away when they got to the doubledoors. Once they were on the other side ofthe entry, Merrimore turned to Verid. Hand-

cuffs. Hurry!Verid didnt catch his plan at first buthanded them over anyway. Merrimore quicklyhooked the cuffs through the door handles.He got them locked just as the Maridianspounded on the doors. He jumped back, butthe cuffs held the doors closed.

Get moving! he yelled when he turnedto see Verid and Brody standing there, staringat him. What? You think thats gonna last?Run!

The three of them sprinted through theempty arena and didnt even turn to look

when it sounded like the Mardians had finallybroken through the door. Moments later theyexited onto the crowded promenade and disappeared gratefully into the mass of peopleThey moved quickly through the throng, onlyoccasionally catching glimpses of their pursuers. Before long, it seemed that the Maridians had lost track of them, but Merrimorewouldnt let his team slow down until theyreached the Hawking.

Cdr. Michaelson commed Merrimore justas they stepped through the docking hatch

All aboard? she asked.

All aboard. Break away from the stationand leave the system as fast as you can. Imsure it wont be long before someone reportsour unauthorized transport of that hot, newfighter everyones talking about. He slappedBrody on the shoulder. Brody returned aslightly embarrassed smile.

Aye, aye, Captain. Were disengagingfrom the station now. And heading out of thesystem, best speed. And then some.

Verid thought she could almost hear thetwinkle in Michaelsons eyes when she saidthat last bit. Maybe Verid was getting betteat reading their voices after all.

#Back onboard, the doctor examined Ensign

Brody and pronounced him a little shook upbut otherwise fine. Merrimore brought thenews to Verid as she sat in the dining hallwatching the humans eat. One person hadsmall, burning sticks in her food.

Verid pointed at the odd sight. What doesthat mean? She asked.

Merrimore looked where she was pointing. Oh, its Callies birthday. The ritual is

that the person makes a wish then blows outthe candles. If she blows all of the candlesout in one try, supposedly her wish will cometrue.

Does it work?Never has for me.What do you think she wished for?



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Merrimore laughed. Probably for EnsignBrody not to ever get captured again.

Verid finally noticed the person sitting nextto Callie was Ensign Brody. Verid could seehis face as he turned and placed his mouthbriefly on Callies cheek. Callie then laid her

head on his shoulder.There was something there, Verid realized.Something she hadnt noticed before. ThenCallie cut off a piece of the cake with her forkand fed it to Ensign Brody. There it is again,she thought, but what does it mean?

Merrimore tapped Verid on the shoulder.Im going over to say hello. Do you wantto?

Verid shook her head. She preferred towatch the scene from afar.

Humans are so strange, she thought as shewatched Merrimore join the party.

Selena ThomasonSelena Thomason writes mostly science con, butsomemes feels called to other forms and genres.

Although she holds a B.A. in Drama, wring connuesto be her rst love. Selena is Managing Editor at

Dragons, Knights, and Angels magazine.



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Pg.

TO THE SHORES OF TRIPLE, LEE!

by A.M. Stickel

Aw-right, Defectives, fall in! Welcome toCamp Alpha. Im Sergeant Lee Thats Sir tothe likes o you greenies.

Sir, yes Sir! we sang out, hating Leealready with all that was in us.

Still groggy from our passage through thelight gate, we raw recruits looked around,entranced by the stark wilderness. Triple wasa planet aptly named, being only marginallylarger than the furthest of its double-moonsister bodies. Both visible by day, they hung inthe blue above almost close enough to crushus. Unofficially dubbed by us Cue and Eight,

our scientists had named them Primus andSecundus in a language older than the gameof pool.

After Lee finished putting us throughpointless drills to check what he called ourcellular reintegration, we got the At ease,Troopers.

The red-and-brown striated rock wherewed made camp looked to me like salt watertaffy frozen in mid-pull. My buddy, Reston,said it reminded him of old chewing gumgone mad. But our relaxation was brief.

HorUSS! Guard duty. I yessird Lee andquickly took up my position opposite PrivateSolbergs on the high rocks above the camp,becoming part of Triples sculpted landscapein my red-brown camo.

Reston was assigned to dome-setup. Aftersaluting Lee, he slouched off halfheartedlywith the others and a mumbled, See yalater, Horse.

We did meet again a few Terran hourslater in the chow line, where I intended to doright by my nickname. Private Wolfe, acrossthe table from me, dug into her share and

honored her own handle, ignoring Restonand I as we elbowed each other and winked.Finally, we just gave up and carried our traysoutside into the warm sunshine.

When do you think the Dryl and the E-Lurwill join the party, Horse?

With the Dryl, you can count on theirshamans making a big ceremonial hoo-ha first.The E-Lurians always consult their comput-ers to make sure they have everything exact

down to the last nano-dot. Both races worrymore about losing face than we Terrans doNope, well always stake first claim becausewe dont wait for permission from the GreatInvisible, or from some inanimate hunk ofbio-metal either.

Reston chuckled and added, N we dontgive a half-chort for face!

Suddenly, we were in cool shadow. flinched, expecting Lee to be there. But, whenI looked up, Wolfie stood over us wiping thegravy off her chin. Horus, Reston, mind if

join you?

Without waiting for a reply, she plunkedher pretty behind on a nearby rock. Ouch!Her tail scorched, Wolfie was up again in aninstant.

We were going to warn you about that,but you were too fast for us, I said. Theserocksd make this place too hot for E-Luriancomfort, and the Dryl are too superstitiousto deal with two moons hanging around soclose.

I still think therell be a fight, said Wolfie,crossing her arms. Well, theyd better showup for the showdown before I get tired of thesynth-grub.

Reston gave his wheezy laugh, and agreedin his own way. Theyre going to try to saveface, just like they always do. Then, weregoing to wipe some more of it off when theytry.

Wolfie fanned herself, mopped her browand took a swig from her canteen. With awhole galaxy as our genetic swimming pool,we end up on the rim of the pool with twoother humanoid races! What are the odds ofthat? Maybe there really is a Great Invisible.

I looked around, and lowered my voiceDont let Lee hear you joking about it; Solbergtold me Lees grandma was Dryl. I think thatshow he comes by calling us pureblood TerransDefectives like the Dryl do.

Reston held his sides and hee-hawed,How about thata Dryl Sergeant!

And so, Restons big mouth got the threeof us stuck on permanent latrine duty. Why?Because the next shadow over us was Lee.


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#The three of us made a great team.

Between us, we worked out a way to rig ourblasters in tandem so that they dug the la-trines faster than our laser shovels had. We

figured we might never see action, so whynot make use of our weapons in a practicalway.

Lee was proud of our ingenuity, meaninghe was not as mad at us for wasting blasterpower as wed thought hed be. Hed watch ussweating out our shift, showing up when weleast expected, solemnly saluting and asking,Hows the Dryl-Team doing today?

Sir, fine Sir! We never said anything toour comrades, too ashamed to admit to ourprivate joke. And Lee honored our silencewith his.

As day after day passed, under those mis-matched moons, we saw no sign of our rivalsin the humanoid race for territory. SergeantLee, though, took their absence as a purelytemporary oversight. Its not like youve seenin holo practice, Troops, hed say. Whenit happens, it really happens. War is blood,stinking guts and frying flesh. The Dryl willfreeze-ray you with cold ceremony and the E-Lur will vaporize you with hot frag. After itsover, and theyve found face, theyll parlayand exchange hostages. With them, the orderis always: (1) shoot to kill, (2) talk it over, and(3) kiss and make up.

The day they came, latrine dutyandLeesaved our lives. Many in the troop werecaught in the open. Lee was with us. Get intothe hole, NOW! He didnt have to repeat theorder. The E-Lur and the Dryl, while they werestrafing each other, just couldnt pass up thechance to catch us with our shields down.When the shields went up, we four foundourselves on the wrong side, and, literally, indeep doo-doo, but alive. The real fun of thefight for first rights to the world of Triple had

begun. #Our refuge, fortunately, was one wed

blasted out that day and had only used our-selves. Wide enough for the larger two ofusLee and Ito stand on the bottom, thelatrine hole was deep enough for Wolfe andReston to stand on our shoulders withouthead exposure. Surrounding blaster-hard-

ened walls helped brace us, as artillery shocksrocked our world.

Trooper indoctrination had included thedetails of our rivals torture methods. Drygrilling called for chemical drugging; the E-Lurinjected captives with nanites. Then theyd

simply wait.We Terrans reversed the strategy by lettingthe enemy waste their firepower against ourimpregnable shields. Said enemy tried hardnot to damage property they were after soas not to alienate their taxpaying, procreatingpublic. Since they did a lousy job of protect-ing the landscape for the proletariat, theirgovernments were forced to call in Terransto repair the damage and public sentimentThe fanatic Dryl and the ascetic E-Lur dislikedcleaning up their own messes.

BRAK-AK-AK-AK-AK! POW! The sky glowed

crimson.After that close one, Reston was first to

break our unspoken no-talk pact. I think Idrather be Dryl-drugged than stay down heremuch longer. Horse, I dont know how youguys can stand it where you are.

Wolfe and Reston had their arms aroundeach other with her head on his chest. Andhere he had the gall to complain! I waited fora pause in the blast noise before I growled atReston, Sarge is meditating.

Go ahead and climb out, Reston, if yourenot anxious to celebrate your nineteenthbirthday or see your buddies enjoy theirs.Lee always did look on the bright side for hissolutions. I abetted him by gripping Reston onthe shin above his right boot top and squeez-ing hard.

Okay, okay, you guys. Im sorry I said any-thing, Reston whined.

I think Im gonna barf, admitted Wolfe,shifting.

You wouldnt want to do that to us,Wolfie, I said, reaching up and giving her lega gentler squeeze than I had Restons, adding,

Reston, give her one or two of them fizzychews you always carry.Pretty soon I heard crunching sounds and

ungraciously blamed Wolfe. With a closerlook, though, I realized that the crunchingwas marching feet. Too soon, the feet werepoised on the brink of our prison. What I saw,before a bright light blinded me, made mewonder why Id ever left my nannies in thecrche to become a soldier. It also convinced

TO THE SHORES OF TRIPLE, LEE! by A.M. Stickel


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Pg.

me how absurd the rumor was about Leesgrandma being Dryl.

While the rest of us stood gaping, wettingour pants and trying to shrink into them, Leesblaster was out and fired. A terrible howl anda thud told me Id heard my first Dryl join the

Great Invisiblenot any too soon for me.The next thing I heard was my belovedsarge saving our lives for the third time: Out!On the double! Head for the shield and dontlook back.

Wed almost reached Camp Alphas shieldwhen Lee yelled, Duck and roll, Troops! Iheard the shrill blast of a whistle, and recog-nized it as the one Lee used to single out oneof us for discipline. Only, this time, there wasan answering echo from the shield, whichforced us to cover our ears as we rolled underthe wall.

Mama Hen Shield had just lifted her feath-ers for her chicks. We felt the electrical itchof the energy field brush across our bodies,and then heard the satisfying splat of thosepursuers who had been a little too hot on ourheels.

Catching our collective breaths, Reston,Wolfe and I finally found enough air for ques-tions. Lee answered us patiently, one byone, in order. The troopers not monitoringthe shield, or otherwise occupied, gatheredaround to hear what their sergeant had tosay.

Reston, the enemy troops couldnt followus because they have the wrong biosigna-tures. A signal-addressed shield only recog-nizes Terrans.

No, Wolfe, our Dryl discoverer, withnothing on but boots and a freeze blaster,wasnt the usual breed of warrior. The see-through skin signifies the suicidal warrior-priest caste. Yeah, the sight of internal organswas yucky, but the stink when they came outwas worse, wasnt it?

Right, Horus, they were looking to take

prisoners. They keep hoping to discoverenough about our technology to even up thescore with the E-Lur, and then breed enoughTerrans for a homegrown slave population, sothey dont have to pay for our clean-up workanymore.

Solbergs reedy voice piped up from therear, Why didnt you guys run for the shieldin the first place?

Lee narrowed his eyes and shook his headat the stupid question. We had to wait untithe strafing from above was over, and theyhad their own troops on the ground. Yougreenies still have a lot to learn.

I chimed in, Would it make sense for

them to risk hitting their holiest warriors withfriendly fire, guys?What about the E-Lur, then, Horse?

Solberg retorted, smirking. I could see hethought hed put both Lee and I on the spot.

Lee winked at me and motioned for thegroup to follow him into the dome wherethe shield monitors were hard at work withtheir equipment. We were treated to a raresight on the big overhead screen coveringa huge section of our central dome. Theresat the shiny, heavily-armored E-Lur groundtroops, lounging among the rocks, watching

and waiting for the Dryl to finish wearingtheir warriors out, before taking the offensivethemselves.

Besides hating the heat, E-Lurians wereused to much lower gravity. Despite their bestefforts, they hadnt been able to design ef-fective armor that protected them from bothunusual heat and uncomfortable G-forceOur screen also showed the Dryl, unbotheredby the heat, wasting most of their time ges-ticulating skyward in warding motions theythought protected them from the evil of Cueand Eight. Every now and then the sluggishE-Lur would rouse enough to vaporize a Drywho came within range.

The dome show went on. After check-ing the bodies of those fallen in the initiaonslaught, the Dryl freeze-rayed the deadTerrans, as if disappointed about not gettingto us live ones, or to the safely armored E-Lur.

With a Shows over! Lee called everyoneto order and assigned new tasks all around,saying, From now on, for at least awhile,your biggest enemy is going to be boredom

unless you keep busy.#The Dryl and E-Lur had moved their fight

to Terran Camp Beta, a short distance fromus on open, sandy ground. Having learnedour lesson, Alpha kept her guard up while ourshield techs worked on shifting the field tocover the new latrine wed dug. It also gavethem a chance to vent the area under theshield, preventing toxic buildup.



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Pg.

Horus, I want you and Reston to helpthe botanist expand our camps greenhouse.That way we wont have to shift the shield sooften. The well were over seems like it cansupport some pretty decent hydroponics.

Sir, yes Sir! I saluted and went to work

immediately. I knew Wolfe had been reas-signed to the nanite-detection squad, andtrusted in her ability to prove that our arearemained relatively uncontaminated.

Arriving at the greenhouse dome, I en-countered Reston, who took me aside. CampBetas in trouble. They got careless, and somemean nanites crept into their fresh foodsupply; they had to vaporize the greenhouse,slag some latrines, and go back on synth-grub.Still, a whole bunch of them had to be light-gated to emergency quarantine facilities.

Looks like one or more of us will be

making some fresh-food runs to Beta. Whodo you think Sarge will pick, Reston?

Reston shifted uneasily, You dont hearme volunteering, especially after I peed inmy pants out there under the boots of a see-through warrior.

I put my hand on his shoulder. We all did,good buddy. Lets put our bad scene behindus, and tackle the hydroponics maze, okay?

We set to work, both of us quiet and pre-occupied. I hoped the E-Lur would realizethat contaminating Triple for us Terrans andtheir Dryl rivals meant they were only makingmore messes for their colonistsif theywonwhich the colonists would probably payus to clean up, as usual. I wasnt as worriedabout the present hexes and future taboosthe Dryl would inflict. They only affected theDryl faithful, not infidels like us.

The hydroponics worked almost too well,and we produced a bumper crop. Lee decidedto let two of us pair off. Only eight were com-mitted enough. I wanted to continue missionsout in the galaxy, as did most of the troops.Four couples put their names in the helmet,

two to a card. Wolfe and Reston won. Thenext drawing was for two fresh-food runners.Lee and I won that one.

Although everyone else was surprisedLeed put his name in, I wasnt. I was also re-lieved not to be making the run with a chortlike Solberg.

Thanks to the nearby moons, night onTriple was almost as bright as day, but Leeand I did have good camo, and shared a min-

iature stealth generator. Although not imper-vious like a shield, the generators field woulddampen our heat signature, scent and noise.

The night of Restons and Wolfes paircommitment ceremony, Lee and I set out forBeta Camp leading an anti-grav sledge loaded

with delectable garden goodies. Instead of ahoneymoon, the newlyweds were posted atthe shield-interrupt site to guard our exit.

All was going according to plan as we leftwith our cheeks burning from Wolfies kissesI manhandled the sledge down-slope ontothe sand. Lee kept an eye on both the multi-viewer and the nanite-detector. When hesaid, Hot spot: veer! and pointed, I jumpedto it. I didnt want to end up in quarantine.

Theres an old Terran war rhyme abouta soldier returning home to his sweetheart,ending with: Lips that touched nanites wil

never touch mine. I didnt want to find outthe full implications of the old verse, but sus-pected it had a lot to do with almost all SpaceCorps offspring being brought up in crches.Corps couples rarely lived long enough to re-produce, let alone spend any time with theirkids. I hoped Reston and Wolfe could beatthe odds.

We were relieved to find everythingcalm outside Betas shield. They knew wewere coming, but neither the E-Lur nor theDryl did. A low dune hid the Dryl transport,although the call to prayer was being broad-cast loudly from it. The faithful wanted to findfavor with the Great Invisible. Between the E-Lur encampment and Camp Beta, a sacrificehad been staked out to appease the moondemons. E-Lur braves, not busy rechargingtheir armor like the rest, were having funturning the sand around the Dryl female toglass. Some were making obscene gestures(We had learned about those before beinglight-gated.) From the sound of her, shewasnt going to go down easy.

Shes screaming, Curse you, unbelievers!

and other things not meant to be translatedfor tender ears like yours, said Lee. I couldsee Lee twiddle the control on the viewerand heard him grunt in dismay. Weve got aproblem.

Sir, I already know you have to whistle usunder Mama Shield Beta.

Weve got more than one mama here,Trooper.



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Pg.

Let me have a look. Sure enough, theviewer was focused on the naked sacrificesglassy belly, and it showed movement of atiny body within.

Thats barbaric. Why would they sacrificeher? I gasped.

Well find out after we rescue her.Just how are we supposed to accomplishsuch a rescue?

Greenie, leave that to me. Then he blewthe whistle. When the shield went up highenough, we dumped everything out of thesledge, and he called to the surprised faceswithin, Sorry we cant stay to chat. Enjoy thechow. We gotta run along now. The shieldslammed down.

The next thing I knew we were in the centerof the makeshift sacrificial grounds ready toload up the struggling Dryl lovely and thereby

convince unbelievers of her Great Invisiblesomnipotence.

Lee proved remarkably fluent in Dryl-speak, and finally succeeded in calming downthe would-be sacrifice. Finally realizing wewouldnt turn her over to the nonexistentmercy of her own kind, she agreed to comealong peacefully, sworn on both her honorand by her Divine Protector to behave.

Arriving back at Camp Alpha, Lee whistledup the wall and went in alone, leaving mewith the transparent lady. I tried not to stare,but she eyed me boldly as if she could seemy insides. Shame for the prejudices mostrecently acquired from my time in the holemade me blush. Compared to me, she wasbrave, even if for the wrong reason.

Finally, Mama Alpha blanked her shieldsfor our prisoner long enough for me to hustleher inside. She seemed to enjoy riding onthe sledge. We brought out a translation unitso that the Dryl-speak could be turned intoTerran for the curious troops. She answeredour questions as patiently as had Lee.

Youve asked who I am. I was a warrior

princess of the Dryl until I was given to anE-Lur prince as an experiment in peacemak-ing. No, our names are not important. Moreimportant is that, despite our differences, wefound love. The child I carry is our child. Drylscience made him possible. Most E-Lurians,however, still refuse to be one with the Dryl.Those Dryl who feel the same killed my childsfather. I heard the call of the Great Invisibleto join my prince. Even though this night

I escaped, I have lost the will to live. If youchoose to save my child by providing a hostmother, then you might yet accomplish whathis father and I have failed to do. Have you acandidate?

Wolfie came forward and put her hand on

the princesss shoulder. She didnt need to sayanything. They just looked at each other andnodded. Reston followed his bride, for oncenot twitching nervously, but standing taland proud. Lee motioned to one of severaanxious medics.

Medic, prepare three for light gating,ordered Lee.

Sir, yes Sir. said the medic, helping theDryl princess from the sledge.

She gazed at us, one by one, as she was ledaway, saving me for last. I felt a ripple of un-derstanding sweep through me that needed

no translation.Later, when I asked Lee about his famil-

iarity with the Dryl language, he winked andanswered, Why not ask my grandma someday?

I stood at attention and saluted him,singing the song he most loved to hear, Sir,yes Sir!

And that, Your Majesty, is how you cameto be raised in the crche like me, and whyI was chosen to take you to visit your othertwo home worlds, since now youre of age.Seems like only yesterday I was eighteen,myself. Inside I still feel eighteen. I think HighCommander Lee does too.

A.M. StickelThis ~3550-word story was previously

published in DEEP MAGIC in 2 parts (in Sept.& Oct. of 2005) as a winner of their coverart writing challenge contest. Among other

publishing ventures, Anne is the managingcopyeditor for RAY GUN REVIVAL , Assistan

Editor (and contributing artist and author) ofBLACK PETALS, and a nonfiction contributor toSURREAL.



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When we le our heroes, they had blown up a fac-tory along with the Lyssel, the leader of the local mob,the Mordas. Now they are making their escape in avehicle borrowed from the dead gangster.

Tristan banked the rover, and Slap couldsee the spaceports lights glowing againstthe night sky. They neared the entrance to theprivate pads on the south side. Slap blinkedand wiped his face on his sleeve again. Areyou really going to steal Lyssels yacht?

Of course.

I dont know how I feel about stealingTristan glanced back for a moment. Its

not stealing to steal from a thiefespeciallya dead one.

That seemed to make sense. Slap remainedquiet, fingering the knife Tristan had returnedto him. As the vehicle approached the pad, heasked, What are you going to do?

Tristan landed the rover without even abump. Just play along.

How can I, if I dont know what youredoing?

The dark man closed his eyes for a second,

then glared at Slap. Youre my bodyguard, allright? So just act the part and be a yes man.You can do that, cant you?

Yes. Slap grinned and sheathed the knife.Tristan jumped out of the rover, hailing

the guards, who brought their weapons up.Slap clambered out and came up behind him,hoping he looked tough.

Lyssel asked me to check on the ship.Tristan nodded toward the vessel.

He didnt say anything to us, one guardsaid. And we dont know you.

Would I be using his rover if he didnt sendme? Tristan flashed a grina friendly, char-ismatic grinand Slap found himself almostbelieving him. Bragos Bands, who was thisguy, anyway?

Hes hired me to take care of some of hisoff-world business. Hell be along in a bit. Hehad a foul-up at the old Tellum factory, so toldme to come ahead and check the ship.

The guard shook his head. He can checkall he wants, but nothings changed. The partshavent come in yet so the engineer hasntbeen able to finish repairs. Itll be a week.The guard gave them a hard look. Why wouldthe boss send you when he already knows althis?

Tristan scratched his head and smootheddown his hair, looking confused. Why, I dontknow. Does he have more than one ship?

Only the cargo ship.Tristan snapped his fingers with a grin. Ah

thats it. Makes more sense, too. Dont know

why Iwell, I guess it was because he saidthe rover had the coordinates, and I just Heshrugged, his grin widening. Guess I shouldhave asked for clarification. With a wink headded in a stage whisper, You wont tell onme, will you?

The guards snickered. The one who hadbeen talking lifted his rifle a bit with a nod

The freighter is on the northeast end, at thecargo docks.

Tristan gave a jaunty salute and hoppedback in the rover. Slap climbed in behindhim, unable to believe his companion couldso smoothly ease in and out of what shouldhave been trouble.

A voice cracked over the guards commsystem and in the rover as well. Rory, Galeeveryone! Lyssel is dead! We found him atthe factory, and the rover is missing. Be onthe lookout

The guards shouted, and Tristan mutteredin a foreign language, jamming the throttleforward. Slap grabbed the seat as the roverose, screaming. Pings hit the underside androcked it as they flew off.

Slap whistled through his teeth. That wasclose!I cant believe they found Lyssel so quickly

He grumbled quietlymost likely cursing inhis native language. We need a place to hideand regroup.

Slap chewed his nail for a second. The Zendians wouldnt be happy at his bringing anoutsider, but Tristan had saved his life and

Deuces Wild

Reluctant Allies: Part Two by L. S. King


20/33


Pg. 0

according to their ways, that made him abrother. I know a place.

Where?The Zendi Mountains.Tristan twisted to look full at him. Arent

the Zendi one of the native races on this

planet?Yeah, they only live in that one mountainrange.

Ive heard they can be unpleasant anddont like dealing with humans.

Not usually. But theyll let us stay there.Slap met Tristans gaze and saw the distrust,then added, For a little while anyway.

Which direction?Only way is to walk. You cant bring any

vehicles or equipment near the Zendians.Walk? How far is it? We dont have any

supplies.

Couple a days. Slap patted his pack. Ev-erything we need is in here, or I can get moreas we go along.

Youre telling me anything we need to getsafely to the aliens mountains you have inthat pack?

Yep.Forget it. Its crazy.Look, I know the landAnd I dont. Tristan veered the craft and

flew it lower. Hold on. We have to ditch therover. I dont know if they can track it or over-ride the controls.

Tristan set the vehicle down at the back ofa warehouse in an industrial area at the edgeof the city. Smart move. No one would be herethis time of nightor rather, early morning.Dawn couldnt be more than an hour or twooff.

They hopped out, and Tristan whispered,Follow me.

Wherere we going?Away from this area. Just in case.Slap followed him in the dark, almost

bumping into him, and once stepping on his

heel as they wound around buildings andthrough alleys, sometimes backtracking. AfterTristan hissed at him for stumbling into himfor the umpteenth time, Slap grumbled back,Maybe you got eyes that can see in the darklike a cat, but I dont!

Then put a hand on my back, and by Orionsbelt, try to be more quiet!

Slap sighed as they continued on, headingwho knew where.

#

Tristan didnt want to worry his companionbut twice they had nearly fallen into confrontation. Lyssels men seemed everywhere. Wherecould they hide? He couldnt see going into

the mountains, especially on foot. Too easy totrack and find while on the way. Thatif hetrusted his companion. He supposed he didto the limited extent he ever trusted anyonebut walking across unknown terrain to findsome strange aliens? With no supplies?

However, Tristan was running out of optionsThey would be recognized by the Mordas anywhere they went. The answer struck him like ashock prod. He stopped short, and the cowboyknocked into him again, nearly sending himsprawling. He steadied himself with a handagainst the side of a building, flaring his nos

trils in irritation.Whats the matter? Slap asked.Quiet for a moment, while I think.Oh great, his tall burden muttered.Tristan didnt deign to reply. He stared into

the dark, trying to recall gossip and where hehad heard it. What was the womans name?Betts? Could she be trusted? Her story recalledanother one, from long ago. That woman hadbeen trustworthy. Tough call, but his choiceswere limited. He glanced over his shoulderLets go. I think I know how to keep us safeand get us off-planet.

Good, cuz Im tired of wandering aroundand wondering if youve got us lost.

#Slap grunted as consciousness seeped

through his exhausted body and he foughtto stay in the blissful, dreamy cloud. A sharpsmack on his backside made him roll over

Hey! He sat up, blinking and scowling atTristan.

The woman, Betts, stood by the doorhe clutched the silk sheets up to his waist

Dontcha know how to knock?

Tristan tossed garments on the bed. Getup. Heres your clothes. Were going to slip outof here after dark, disguised as a young scionand his servant. Well take a sedan to the portand once inside, we can commandeer one ofthe idle richs yachts.

You gotta be kidding! Slap looked at thegold embroidery on the deep blue vest, andthe jabot that would ruffle down the front. But

Deuces Wild by L. S. King


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it was the tights that made him shudder. Thehandsome woman walked up to stand next toTristan and grinned. This had to be a joke!

Betts, with too much make-up and notenough clothing by Slaps standards, had cau-tiously taken them in. By the time they had

eaten, news had hit the street that Lyssel wasdead and she readily agreed to help them.The vicious gleam in her eyes at the mobstersname Slap could understand. He didnt knowwhat had been done to her, but Lyssel hadbeen greedy and heartless.

Slap scratched his curly hair with a scowl,one eye on those tights. The nap hadnt beenenough, plus he was hungry again. Bothtended to make him grumpy.

Can you do it, Betts? Tristan asked.She crossed her arms across her ample bust

with a wry frown. Im no Henry Higgins.

He isnt Eliza Doolittle, either.The woman sniffed and brushed a wisp of

blonde hair off her brow, then wrinkled hernose. First step is a bath. She pointed to thetub in the corner of the bedroom.

Slap narrowed his eyes. Now wait aminute

If you can promise to wash thoroughly, Iwont stay and scrub you. Although you mightenjoy it.

Betts voice was both humorous and con-descending. Slap couldnt decide if she wasserious. But his face flushed hot. I certainlyaint getting in a tub with you in the room,maam.

The corner of her mouth twitched, andshe turned to Tristan. Ill be back in awhile.Have fun.

When the door shut, Slap crossed hisarms. You aint serious about this plan, areyou? And how do you know we can trust her?I mean, I know she hated Lyssel but that dontmean shes not going to turn us over to theMordas.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I

think I can trust herjust as I think I can trustyou.Think you can trust me? Thanks a lot,

pal.How much trust should I give to a person

Ive known for one day? We have a commongoal, but what more when this is over?

Slap shrugged, conceding the point.Tristan nodded to the tub. Get in.

Now wait. I aint said Id go along with thiscrazy scheme.

Do you have a better idea?Well no, but I wont be party to stealing a

ship. I dont care if it is some rich dandy whocan afford the loss.

Tristan muttered in that foreign languageagain. Then we wont steal a ship. Hepaused and shrugged. Not exactly anywayNow wash. And use the scented soap.

#Slap stood, glowering, curly hair slicked

down, as Betts adjusted the jabot.Tristan straightened his own new clothes

Or lack thereof. Slaves of the high class woreonly a loinwrap, sandals, and armbands, plustheir House tattoo. Betts had stained his skindark to pass as sun-bronzed and provided anink that would last through water and sweat

for the tattoo.Now, Betts said, brushing lint from the

tall cowboys embroidered vest. Who areyou?

They had been reviewing this all afternoonSlap sighed loudly and intoned, Im a visiting nephew of Amilie, late wife of old LordBarthews second son, Philip.

You must remember to use a clear, strongvoice when you speak.

Slap scowled, pulling at his neckline. Yeahyeah.

Betts snatched at the jabot. Stop ithad it straight. And dont say yeah. Say, yes.And if you can sneer as you talk, thats evenbetter.

Betts stepped back, finger to her chin asshe looked him over. Tip your head up andlook down your nose. Be condescending.

Slap did as ordered, his frown turning supercilious. Betts grinned. Perfect! And youdo look cute in tights.

Slaps face turned bright red.Betts chortled. Now, if you can remembe

to enunciate and use proper language instead

of slang, youll be fine. And if you do run intoanyone unexpected, you have never visitedZenos before, so dont know all the customshere. That will buy you leeway. Cash shouldtake care of the rest.

Thats no problem, Tristan said. Speaking of which, are you certain I cant pay you?

Betts face hardened. We discussed thisalready. You took out Lyssel. I know someoneelse will take his place; thats the way of things



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But my way is clear now. She stuck out herhand. Im glad to have done business withsomeone after my own heart.

I have no heart.Precisely.Tristan had no doubt she spoke the truth.

He shook her hand, his eyes meeting hers.She smiled. I hope we meet againsomeday.

Tristan didnt. For now they were allies, buthe wouldnt bet on which side of the sheetthis womans loyalties lay from day to day.

#One did not expect to see the high classes

on this side of the city, but Betts establish-ment was one of the few exceptions. Tristanwondered at the delicate balance betweenthe rich and the Mordas that held Bettscaptive by Lyssel on one hand, yet relatively

safe from his reprisals on the other.In any event, the sedan driver saw nothing

amiss that a young, rich scion would exit sucha place late in the evening. Betts stepped upto the driver and pressed a gold piece intohis hand. Milord wishes to be driven to theprivate yacht gate.

Not the best solution, but it got Tristan andSlap to the space port itself, if not inside ornear the shipyard. Betts leaned into the back,her endowments displayed to full advantage.In a stage whisper sure to be overheard bythe driver, she said, Come back next timeyoure on-planet, milord, and Ill show yousome exotic ways used by the Saurans.

The young man slouched, blushing, andTristan, kneeling on the floor by his feet,clouted his ankle. Slap straightened, clearedhis throat and replied, IllIll do that.

Betts grinned and winked, then nodded tothe driver. She backed away, and the sedanrose slowly. The city fled under them andthe spaceport lights glowed ahead, illumi-nating the sky. They neared the private gate,and Slap leaned back with an audible exhale.

Tristan looked up, frowning, and gave a slightshake of his head. He never relaxed until heknew it was safe.

Which yacht, milord? the driver asked asthey approached the gate. I need clearanceto fly to it, or else Ill have to land you at thegate.

Land at the gate. My uncle expects me tobe waiting for him.

Tristan winced. Arrogant, rich, young mendid not offer explanations. But the drivemerely nodded an affirmative.

The sedan landed within the lights flooding the entrance to the private pads.

Tristan jumped out, unfolding the step and

bowing, eyes darting about, keeping alertBut the driver didnt move, and the guardsat the gate stayed at their posts. All seemednormal.

Slap descended with a mincing step, headhigh, looking around as if the place reekedGood. Tristan grabbed the bags and followedhis master. The sedan flew off.

Slap approached the gate with a prim strutstopped, and put his hands on his hips. Openup.

The guards exchanged glances.We havent authorization, young sir, said

one.Insolent lizard! If you dont know who I am

you should at least know how to use milord.I demand to know your names! I will see thatLord Barthew learns about your disrespect!

Tristan kept his face impassive but couldnot believe this ignorant cowboy was pullingit off! The guards stammered as Slap railedshifting weight hip to hip as the fops oftendid. Finally he slowed his barrage and tookout a handkerchief. He patted his face thenfanned himself, huffing all the while. Tristanrarely had the urge to laugh out loud, but, inthis case, he had to restrain himself.

We meant no offense, milord. PleaseEnter! The one guard keyed the switch andthe gate swung open. Lord Barthews yachtis on the northeast side

Now, wait, Joe! The second guard threwout his arm. We cant just let him go inwithout authorization. I dont care who heis.

But Lord BarthewCall him. The union will back us up even

against someone with his influence.

I have authorization. Slap reached intothe fancy vest and pulled out a pouch. Hetossed it to the second guard.

The man stared at it for a moment, buttossed it down. A bribe! He brought up hisgun, but the tall local lived up to his name: heslapped the weapon out of the guards handswith a growl. He picked him up by throat andcrotch and tossed him across the yard. Theman hit hard, rolled, and lay still.



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The first guard, Joe, stared with roundeyes. With a blink, he lifted his sidearm, butSlap wrenched it out of his hands and threwit away.

Tristan didnt wait to see Joes fate. Hegrabbed both weapons. A pitiful cry made

him look up. Joe lay against the guardhouse,whimpering. From the angle, his leg lookedbroken.

That galoot was a one-man army!Slap snatched up the pouch and tossed it

at Joe. For your trouble.Tristan lobbed one of the guns at Slap,

leading the way as they ran into the dark.They had to avoid illuminated areas while theyheaded toward their destination. Sirens soonblared, and lights flooded the port, leavingfew shadows to hide in.

Now what? Slap asked, ripping off the

jabot as they hid on the dark side of a build-ing. He wiped his face with the ruffled mate-rial, then dropped it.

Tristan eyed it for a moment. We haveto get rid of these clothes. He peered in awindow and saw lockers. Was his luck actu-ally changing? About time. He couldnt waitto be quit of this planet!

Glad to do it. But if we put on our regularclothes are we safe?

I wouldnt count on it. Wait one minute.#

As Tristan melted into the dark, Slapstripped off the dandy clothesthose tightshad to go! He scratched his legs and tenderareas, wondering how the rich wore thatstuff. His buddy returned a minute later andshoved clothes into his hands.

Whats this?Were maintenance workers now. Hurry

up.Bragos Bands! You never are short of

ideas, are you?Just get dressed.Slap sighed and pulled on the overalls. They

gathered at the waist, and had a vest-styletop with open sides, a plus in this climate.Tristan opened the bags and gave Slap his

pack. Slap tucked the one guards gun insidethe waistband of the overalls with the fleet-ing thought that he was glad it had a safety.Especially considering where the muzzle waspointed.

His partner shed his slave get-up andquickly donned his new guise. He tossed his

black vest over one shoulder and arm, hidingthe tattoo and the gun. He carried his bag onhis other arm. With a jerk of his head, he indicated they should start walking again.

Two maintenance workers shouldnt benoticed. Slap hoped anyway. They walked

through the gate to the shipyards withoutanyone batting an eye. Tristan even waved tomerchantmen loading cargo.

Which ship is it? Slap asked, glancing atthe dock-pad numbers. Betts did get thatinfo, right?

Yes. Its just ahead now.Two men stood in front of the ship. It was

small, a private cargo vessel rather than thetypical huge freighter Slap had imaginedAn older model, tooperhaps Canary classprobably one hundred years old, refitted atleast once. It didnt look very space-worthy.

They walked toward the ship, Slap waitingfor Tristans nod. Just outside the circle of lightfrom the dock pad, they pulled the guns andfired. Slap couldnt feel sorry about two moredead Mordas.

They ran up the ramp to the door and listened for a moment. Tristan nodded, thenducked inside. Was he taking a chance ocould he hear well enough to know no onelurked nearby? Not waiting, Slap entered andclosed the hatch behind him. As a precaution, he closed the inner lock too. Tristan hadfound an access console nearby.

Ive locked out the cargo hatches, Tristanhissed over his shoulder. No one can enterfrom outside now. Make your way aft on thisdeck, then around and fore to the bridgeCheck all the rooms, the crews quartersgalley, heads, everything. And dont get skittish and shoot before looking. It might beme.

Slap rolled his eyes. He turned and headedto the back of the ship, his heart poundingas he expected to find a Mordas henchmanat every turn or inside each room. He sighed

with relief when he finally got to the bridge.Tristan lounged in one of the chairs, nowwearing his black pants and vest. Glad youfinally arrived.

Ive been searching the ship, and youvebeen sitting here?

I checked the lower deckcargo baysengine roomending up here. Theres stila chance that someone is hiding aboardbut were safe in here for the moment. I can



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change the registry after we lift offLysselloaded a program that allows it. Makes sensein his line of work. Anyway, it frees us to go.Hook your pack and strap in.

Slap secured his pack, and the gun, thensat in the chair indicated, pulling the strapstight.

Tristan called for clearance, and when thetower questioned him, he reminded themwhose ship it was, and that although Lysselwas dead, his business wasnt.

After a pause, the reply came. Cleared fordeparture.

Slap swallowed, gripping the arm rests asthe ship lifted off. He couldnt decide whatbothered him moreleaving the only planethe had known, despite the sorrows it con-tained, or the unknown in front of him.

Tristan looked over at him, a glint of amuse-ment in his eyes. You know, you looked quite

natural mincing about in those tights.Slap scowled. They were binding.

From the final part of Reluctant Alliescoming in Issue 05:

Occupants of the freighter Manta, thisis spaceport security. You have pirated thatship. Return to the spaceport. This is youronly warning.

Slap gripped the armrests even tighter,his eyes widening. Bragos Bands! Whatnow? Freighters dont have weaponry.

A red light on the panel drew Slapsattention. Incoming! The ship rocked andshuddered, flinging him sideways. He grabbedthe sides of the chair.

Stay tuned as Deuces Wild continues nextmonth!

To catch up on previous episodes of the adventures ofSlap and Tristan, visit:

http://loriendil.com/DW.htm

L. S. King

A science con fan since childhood reading Hein-lein, Asimov, Clarke, Dick, Bradley, Pohl, Vonnegut,

Anthony and many others L.S. King has been wringstories since her youth. Now, with all but one of herchildren grown, she is wring full-me. For the last

four years, she has worked on developing a sword-and-planet series tentavely calledThe Ancients. Therst book is nished, and she has completed a roughdra of several more novels as well.

She serves on the editorial sta ofThe Sword Review,is also their Columns Editor, and writes a column forthat magazine entled Writers Cramps as well. Sheis also one of the Overlords, a founder and managingeditor, here atRay Gun Revival.

She began maral arts training over thirty years ago,and owned a karate school for a decade. A mother

and grandmother who lives in Delaware with herhusband, Steve, and their youngest child, she alsoenjoys gardening, soap making, and reading. She hashomeschooled her children for over een years, andmaintains two homeschooling websites. She also likesLooney Tunes, the color purple, and is a Zorro acio-nado, which might explain her love of swords andcloaks.



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Name: Michel Merza

Age: 25

Hobbies: Fishing, darts, computers, making photos.

Favorite Artist: Albert Bierstadt

When did you start creating art: Basically, I started making art when I was very young. I loved to draw and always tried toredraw any nice picture Id see. Drawing has always been my avourite thing in school, any school.

What media do you work in: I use Photoshop or the biggest part o my work. It is a antastic program that lets you do basicallyanything you can think o. I also used a little 3ds Max in some o my work. It can give you some very nice pictures but it is pretty hard to

handle.

Featured Artist

Michel Merza, aka DKF

Where your work has been featured: Mostlyon deviantART. I started o on customize.org with some

abstract work, but I soon got bored with the community

there. Just didnt like the way one admin said your work isnt

that good, and everyone else just agreed, and the other way

around as well. It didnt get me anywhere, but deviantART is

totally dierent. The users say exactly what they think, and

although it was hard to get noticed in the beginning, I soon

improved my work and got more involved. It is just one big

living community with countless users and groups to join and

learn rom.

Where should someone go if they wantedto view / buy some of your works: deviantARTwould be the place to go. I once had a site o my own but I

just didnt have the time to keep it updated all the time.deviantART is a very good site and a great system to keep a user page and gallery. I encourage everyone that has some art or wants to improve

his/her art to go there. Check my art on the ollowing link: http://dkf.deviantart.com

How did you become an artist: I dont know; when does one become an artist? Being an artist can be dened in so many ways.I think it started when I started drawing everything I liked to see. You try to improve drawing ater drawing and you try to see every small

detail. You have to have an eye or detail in my opinion. That is one o the things that makes you an artist, at least in the part o art that I am in.

Composition is a big issue as well. I you have ever ything right but it doesnt fow, it makes a piece unattractive to look at. You need an eye or

that as well. Those are some things that can make you an artist, and the sooner you start developing those skills the better you get. And then

there is imaginationvery important as well. So how did I become an artist? I dont know, maybe it is in you and maybe you learn it in your

childhood. Its just going beyond your dreams, trying to create something that visualises your imagination. When you start doing that, you

become an artist.

What were your early influences: My dad, or one. He liked to draw and he helped me a lot with composition, showing me what

to look or. We were encouraged to draw a lot in school as well. We did all our class work rom Monday through Wednesday, and then had twoull days to draw, always trying to draw something more beautiul than the kid next to you. A little competition encourages you to develop

your skills. That is about all that infuenced me till I was about 13 or so, when a drawing teacher rom another school infuenced me even more.

What were your current influences: Everything that happens around me. Your emotional status aects your art a lot. But alsoother peoples art and pictures. Pictures orm the Hubble telescope are just amazing to look at, and they give you so much inspiration. Also, the

things people say about your work can inspire you to rene some things or try some new things. Getting in touch with other artists is a must.

That is one o the biggest sources o inspiration or me in a genre where most things have been attempted already. Doing something original is

a hard thing, but once again, that is where your imagination alls into place and takes you beyond what you have seen.


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What inspired the art for the cover: The use o 3ds Max, I think. Making some very basicthings like those asteroids proved to be a big challenge or me, and when that worked out as good as it

did, I just had to put a lot o eort into the rest as well.

How would you describe your work: Original, that is what I really want rom my work. Nosaying Oh, just another planet and a fare and a landscape, but something new every time.

What have been your greatest successes: Accomplishing a dd on deviantART on thecover piece is one o them. To be recognised and honoured or something you have put so much work

into is a great eeling. I still think you make art or yoursel, but when you realise that you inspire so many

others, then you have accomplished something great.

Have you had any notable failures, and how has that affected your work:Sure, everybody has them. But that is a good thing rom which you learn. Once you get some criticism,

you should consider why people say that. I have seen so many people that go straight into deensive

mode when someone makes a good point about their art. But that is not the right attitude in my opinion

You cant make something perect; no one can. You can think your work is perect today, and then look at

it a year later and think its only hal as good as you used to think. And that is a good thing. You must stay

sharp and always try to improve on your work. And other peoples reactions are a great help to keep you

sharp and keep you developing your skills and art. I have become aware o that over the years,

Ray Gun Revival magazine, Issue 03

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Transcript of Ray Gun Revival magazine, Issue 03