Ray Gun Revival Magazine, Issue 17

THRILLING TALES FROM BEYOND THE ETHER
Flinteye and the Crystal Spear

by Sean T. M. Stiennon
The View Through the Shotglass Floor
by Michael Ehart
Carbonville, Part Two
A Jack Brand Story
by John M. Whalen
Serial: Deuces Wild
In the Lap of the Gods, Part Three
by L. S. King
Serial: JASPER SQUAD

Chapter 5
by Paul Christian Glenn
Issue 17
March 01, 2007
“Spec Ops,” by Alexander Raul Iglesias
Pg.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents 2
Overlord’s Lair 3
Flinteye and the Crystal Spear, by Sean T. M. Stiennon 4
The View from the Shotglass Floor, by Michael Ehart 19
A Jack Brand Story, by John M. Whalen 22
Featured Artist: Alexander Raul Iglesias 31
Serial: Deuces Wild, In the Lap of the Gods, Part Three
by L. S. King 33
Serial: JASPER SQUAD, Episode 5, The Wrong Side of the Law
by Paul Christian Glenn 43
The Jolly RGR 50
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: “Spec-Ops,” by Alexander Raul Iglesias
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: 20070301c
Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Pg.
Overlord’s Lair

H
ere in the Midwest, March has roared in like
a lion—a snowy, rainy, sloppy lion. Ok, bad
metaphor. But if there’s one thing that we all can
Brand drew the Beretta at the same time he dove for
the floor. The whirling flash of the blade went over
him as he squeezed the trigger...
agree on, it is that there is no better time to grab your Our Featured Artist this issue is Alexander
favorite space opera mag and get some reading in. Raul Iglesias, aka Flyingdebris, and he has a vivid
RGR Issue 17 is just what you need. style. Check out his deviantArt gallery online:
Up-and-coming author Sean T. M. Stiennon kicks http://flyingdebris.deviantart.com/gallery/
this off and spins a classic tale of adventure, greed, L. S. King continues to wind up the action and the
power, and battle in Flinteye and the Crystal Spear. tension in her exclusive serial episode, Deuces Wild,
Jalazar Flinteye and his ‘bot partner, Axten, are “In the Lap of the Gods,” Part Three.
hired to protect an ancient spear that serves as both When the roof collapses, who will survive?
a source of power and a bone of contention among Tristan. Where was he? Considering this place,
feuding warlords. Slap rather hoped he was dead. One man against all
Even good armor didn’t stop plasma. I threw the of Eridani? Not even Tristan could win this one. And
rifle away, drew my pistols, and leapt the rest of the the last thing he wanted was for his friend to end up
way down the steps to get level with them. I hit the in here trying to rescue him.
carpeted floor, let my legs collapse under the shock, NOTE: This episode of Deuces Wild is not for
and rolled with the momentum. I came up firing. children. It’s a rousing good story that doesn’t shirk
Violet orbs sprayed towards them. I clipped the corner from appropriate action and an inappropriate abuse
of one Yaoshin’s cloak, burning a chunk of the fabric of power. RGR is pleased to publish the story in its
off. He kept running. original, sometimes unsettling state. It is a powerful
The View Through the Shotglass Floor, by Michael story from an author who has a lot to say.
Ehart, goes down like a shot of your favorite adult And finally, RGR is ecstatic to present the fifth
beverage: short, fiery, and packs a wallop. episode of the JASPER SQUAD serial story by Paul
Everyone has at one time or another wanted Christian Glenn.
a “do over”. But what if your second chance makes Lieutenant Melendez fights for her life in the
things worse than they were already? Would you have present but can’t escape her past.
enough sense to leave bad enough alone? She allowed the Jasper to continue racing an
“Get that thing outta my face,” I slurred, and escape course, but she locked the cockpit down and
batted it aside. Or tried. Even impaired as I sat facing the fighters as they bore down. The two
was, I could see that I had missed it by a mile. foremost fighters fired at her, the bright blue cannon
“No, no, man, you don’ unnerstand.” He got all bolts exploding from beneath their cockpits, and
earnest, like he does when he is spinning some Melendez leaned on the control rod, idly dodging the
particularly inept lie. “This thing will fix it all.” blasts.
I snorted. “Melendez!” The captain’s voice roared over the
We follow that up with the second part of a story com. “What’s the status?”
begun in Issue 16, Carbonville, Part Two, by John M. “I think I can take them,” she replied.
Whalen Enjoy, and stay warm and dry. If you like what
Jack Brand struggles to survive among his allies, you read, please consider letting the authors know in
much less his enemies, in Carbonville. the RGR forums. They’d appreciate it more than you
The smile never left Galt’s eyes as his hand went know.
for the Min-Blade. The weapon came out of its sheath,
lit up, and started to fly all in one breathless motion.
Johne (Phy) Cook

"The Battle for Monday Morning," by Jordan Lapp Pg.
Flinteye and the Crystal Spear

T he spear rested on cushions of red flitter-silk

in a case of transparent awxite. It was two
meters long with a glow that flickered between
selves. You see...” he trailed off. “Have I told you
this before?”
I nodded. “Twice.”
bright red and deep orange. The spear was one The smile vanished. “Oh. My apologies. It is
of the most valuable objects on the planet—and just that...well, I cannot speak of it too much.
I had been hired to guard it. Such a beautiful thing.”
I looked at it from behind a railing ten feet I growled. “How many guards will there be,
back, with two rifle-carrying Yaoshin on either including Axten and I?”
side. Axten hung back a few steps, ion rifle cocked It took him several seconds to look up from
over one chromeel shoulder, red photoreceptors the spear and answer my question. “In this room?
staring intently. Lord Jinzi stood next to the spear, Three.”
one arm extended lovingly over it. The heat “Three? Day and night?”
sensors on the case were activated, so he didn’t “No, just the night. My Yaoshin warriors will
touch it, even though he looked like he sincerely keep watch during the day. But at night...well, I
wanted to. Jinzi was very similar to the standard preferred to have mercenaries. Trustworthy ones.
human, but his hair was a shade of blue that was You are trustworthy, aren’t you? Your Grid file
entirely natural for his race and his hands had seemed to say so.”
small black claws. “I wouldn’t tell you otherwise if I wasn’t, would
He looked up at me, eyes moving over my gold I?”
fur, black vest and pants, and head that combined “Hmm...well, I suppose not.”
leonine with canine while replacing the normal He irritated me already. “Alright. There’s Axten
eyes with black orbs. and I. Who’s the third?”
“You see it, Flinteye. Amoshi’s Spear. The heart “I’ve forgotten his name...but I’m sure he’s
of my power.” good. In fact, he seemed to know you, Flinteye.”
I nodded. “Ten thousand SEUs is a lot to I just hoped it wasn’t Dash Prigs. He had tried
spend on a pair of guards for a month. Even for to put a knife through my ribs when he was drunk
that thing.” last time I had seen him. Good thing he can’t fight
Jinzi smiled faintly, more at the spear than at drunk.
me. “You don’t understand. When my new con- I nodded. “Where is he?”
tainment facility is complete, only a few organic “He was on his way. Ah, here he is now.”
guards will be necessary—the rest will be on I turned to see the tall double doors at the
the shoulders of security ‘bots and automated far end of the room open slowly, bending back
systems. But, until that time, I cannot allow the towards the columned walls. Behind them stood
spear’s safety to be jeopardized. I have...enemies, a wiry figure covered entirely in black. A hood
ones who want the spear’s prestige for them- covered his face, and a black cloak hung to his

Flinteye and the Crystal Spear, by Sean T. M. Stiennon Pg.
knees. guards with a red seal—like these ones—on their

He advanced with a white-armored Yaoshin shoulder pad are also allowed. They will speak
guard on either side. I recognized him, halfway the code word ‘Karokai,’ which means ‘fire-crystal’
across the room, when he raised the hood to in Yaoshiv. That’s what the spear is made of. So...
show a black mask with raised bubbles over the sleeping rolls, food, and latrines will be brought.
eyes and a small grill over the mouth. I stepped During the night hours, you may do whatever you
down from the spear’s dais to meet him. His like among yourselves as long as you guard the
body was wrapped in black, with a leather girdle spear attentively. My guards will be outside the
covering his torso. He was a little shorter than I doors, but...they don’t like being near the spear
was, about Axten’s height. “Chass. I didn’t expect at night. There’s a superstition that it’s dangerous
to see you here.” at night.”
He nodded and said, “Jalazar Flinteye.” His His expression became desperate, and his face
voice was so flat it could have belonged to a glowed warmer in my infrared vision. “Please.
maintenance ‘bot. “What have you been doing? You must protect it. There are lords...Lord Mutofi
Gamerl didn’t want you to watch his daughter especially...who want it desperately, and know
again, did he?” they will not be able to get it after my new facility
“Fortunately not.” is built. He might try...well, that’s why I hired
The first time I had seen Chass, he’d been with you.”
me as a bodyguard for a young Alliance lady who I grimaced. I had a feeling this job wasn’t going
had tried to elope with a crime lord on Nalkress, to be pleasant. Even if there was no attempt at
one of the worst gang holes in the galaxy. Chass theft, he’d stop by us every hour, shaking from
had earned my respect on that job—he was one worry and demanding detailed reports.
of the best marksmen and knife fighters I knew. #
“Ah, yes, Chass, that was your name,” said Jinzi
as we walked up the dais steps together. “Well, I Our first shift began shortly after he left. He
was just explaining your duties to Flinteye...” had talked for almost an hour, mostly worrying
Chass bowed low—just like I had seen all the about various ways thieves could break in. I
Yaoshin do, with hands clasped at the throat. listened to them all, but counted on Axten to
Jinzi returned the gesture nervously. The guards remember them. Each one had seemed more
frowned. They were an austere bunch. impossible than the last.
Axten came up and grabbed one of Chass’ He finally left, and after some servants installed
hands, the shook it vigorously and said. “If you’ve a portable latrine and set up a food cooler and
got a spare moment, Chass, I’d like to see if you three sleeping rolls, we were left alone.
can outshoot me. That chandelier—do you think “Three rolls,” said Axten. “You need two,
that you can hit those bulbs?” Jalazar?”
Jinzi cut in before Chass could answer. “So...as I ignored him. Axten shut himself down
I was saying...you’ll keep watch during the night. either standing or hunched against a wall. “Right.
It’s...let me see...ten standard hours long during What’ve you got, Chass?” I said.
this season. Daylight is about twelve. During that “The same as I had last time. Two Ramshell
time, you will prevent any beings—except for pistols, fifteen chambers each, with ammunition,
me—from approaching the spear. Of course... and my daggers.”

“I’ve got a repeater rifle, heavy plasma pistols, who have been here for about two hundred years.
dagger, Ima-han sword, and grenades.” Before that, it was an industrial world controlled
Axten said, “Ion rifle—a very good one—slug by the Yaoshin—a warlike people who did not
pistol, two blades in my wrists, and a slug gun in accept Alliance rulers readily. The turning-point
the index finger of my right hand. I didn’t bring my in subjugating them was the capture of the most
sword. Jalazar’s more anachronistic than I am.” precious Yaoshin artifact—that spear, the largest
“Right,” I said. “We’ll sleep during the day, chunk of fire crystal ever found.
and then all three stay up through the night. No “Yaoshin crystal is unique to this planet. It’s
objections?” an excellent conductor, and a cut from a crystal
Chass didn’t say anything. He simply sat down blade can cause numbness and even paralysis. But
on the top step of the dais and began to examine Yaoshin crystal is normally blue. Red fire crystal is
one of his pistols. I nodded and started being immensely valuable even in small quantities. Also,
bored. that weapon is said to have belonged to Amoshi,
the greatest hero of Yaoshin legend. With its psy-
#
chological power, the Alliance invaders quickly
I slept six hours—all I needed—when the night gained dominance, and two hundred years have
ended, and about a half-hour after I woke there cemented their rule. Since the conquest, it’s
was some excitement. “Lord Mutofi is coming!” been a custom of the lords that whoever holds
shrieked Jinzi, spraying me with spit. “Be on your the spear is the ‘first-among-equals,’ and holds
guard—he is a dangerous man. He wants to... the highest place in the Yaos Council.
steal it. I’m sure of it.” “Of course, it’s always been a tradition that the
“Then why let him in?” asked Axten. lords will try to steal the spear from each other,
“Because...because any Yaoshin lord has the under certain rules. They might have allowed Jinzi
right to request a viewing of the spear at any to keep the spear for a while, but now that he’s
time. He will be here in half an hour...so...well, building a specialized containment facility—well,
be ready. Twenty guards will be stationed in they don’t appreciate that, and some of the lords
this room during his visit, but I want you here as are on the verge of declaring outright war against
well.” him.”
Then he left, sweat staining the fabric of his “And he hired three guards for this?” said
silk robes. Chass.
“Why is this spear so crucial to his power?” I shrugged. “It’s hard to find good ones for a
asked Chass. He was moving his glassy daggers reasonable price. He could have gone to a crime
from hand to hand in an exercise I couldn’t begin hole and rounded up a hundred killers for fifty
to comprehend. SEUs each, but they’d probably have ended up
I sat down next to him. “You’re better at this getting drunk, chasing after any female they saw,
than I am, Axten. Tell him.” and killing each other.”
“I’ll make it shorter than Jinzi’s story, if you “So why are you here, Jalazar?”
don’t mind.” “It looked interesting. And Axten picked it.”
“Good.” Chass nodded with his masked head. “I saw
Axten remained standing while he spoke. your name on it. If this job turns out like the last
“Yaos is an Alliance territory, ruled by several lords one, I don’t think I’ll be bored.”

I shook my head. “Not all my jobs get me bullet He smiled. I really wanted to shoot him.
holes through my lungs.” “So this is where you keep the spear, Jinzi,”
The monolithic doors at the front of the room Mutofi said. “It seems more beautiful every time
crashed open. Jinzi and six Yaoshin guards came I see it. Your ownership doesn’t seem to have
in first with a tall man of Jinzi’s race right behind. done it any harm...”
He had a narrow beard and a flowing mustache I could see Chass gripping his pistols. As far as
which was braided into his sideburns. His blue hair I could tell, he kept his eyes on Mutofi’s warriors.
was braided into his beard, which was knotted Their knobbly yellow faces were shadowed by
into the lower reaches of the mustache. It was their hoods. I half-drew one of my plasma pistols,
one of the more absurd styles I had seen, and I silently. I noticed Axten cocking his finger gun.
had seen a lot. I struggled not to laugh. Mutofi reached toward the case. One of the
Chass stood next to the case while Axten and guards blocked him, and Jinzi said, “It’s...well, it’s
I took positions on either side of the steps. A equipped with heat sensors. Alarms will go off if
phalanx of Jinzi’s Yaoshin followed the lords into you touch the case.”
the room, taking up positions around the hall Mutofi’s smile broadened. “Ah. One of your
and the dais. Mutofi seemed to have only three modern defenses. I imagine that I’ll be immolated
guards—black-robed Yaoshin with sheathed as well.”
swords and slug rifles over their backs. They “No...just alarms.”
advanced slowly up the carpeted path. “Ah, yes. That’s what your guards are for. You,
“Those Yaoshin look different from Jinzi’s,” I Blackie. Why the mask? Afraid to show us what
said, quietly enough so that only Axten—and you look like? Or are you another of cat-boy’s
maybe Chass—could hear. ‘bots?”
“Jinzi’s guards are drawn from the natives who He turned when he heard the sound I made
have served the Alliances since the conquest. in the back of my throat. “You—what are you
Mutofi prefers rougher beings, recruited from going to do, shoot me? Is that what Jinzi hired
the native strongholds in the mountains.” you for?”
Before I could ask anything else, Mutofi called One of Jinzi’s Yaoshin spoke before anything
out, “So these are your mighty off-world guards, could happen. “Lord Mutofi, do not impugn Lord
Jinzi? A cat wearing clothes, a ‘bot, and...what is Jinzi’s honor.”
that thing? A leper?” Mutofi’s smile turned to a grin. “Far be it from
He was at the foot of the steps, a few meters me to do that. I was merely...ensuring my safety.”
away from me, but I could’ve taken his throat out He turned to Jinzi. “You are indeed fearful, my
in a few seconds if the Yaoshin didn’t interfere. Or lord. Perhaps one with a spine as weak as yours
I could’ve just shot him if they did. isn’t worthy to hold Amoshi’s blade.”
I thought Mutofi was going to spit on me as “It’s...mine, Mutofi,” said Jinzi. “You can view
he passed. “I’m no cat,” I growled in his ear, low it...but you can’t question my ownership.”
enough so that Jinzi couldn’t hear me. I made “Can’t I? Well, then, I’ll be gone.”
sure Mutofi saw my fangs. He turned and strode back towards the door.

His three guards and several of Jinzi’s followed. them stationed around the spear, at that hour.
Jinzi was almost frantic when he turned to us. We played two more hands. Then, I looked up to
“You see? You see? He’ll...he’ll try to take it from see them all dead and bleeding. The spear was
me! His tribal Yaoshin are...well...very skilled gone. Three beings in black cloaks were already
warriors. And thieves.” halfway across the hall. Two had blue crystal
Jinzi started to descend from the dais, but sabers and slug pistols in their hands. The third
before he reached the bottom, he said, “It’s had the spear.
daytime now...my Yaoshin will watch the spear. I roared, throwing down my cards, and unslung
Sleep, play games, eat...whatever you wish, until the repeater rifle from around my shoulders. We
night. Be alert...kill them, if anyone tries to take it. were halfway up the steps of the dais, several
Alarm buttons are located behind all the pillars... meters away from the thieves.
press them, and all my guards will come. Be It didn’t take my partners long to see what I
careful.” had roared at. Chass’ pistols came out and each
fired a shot before I could put my finger around
#
my rifle’s trigger. Chunks of carpet flew where
We slept. I got my six hours, Axten shut down his bullets hit, but he missed the thieves. They
for two, and Chass took eight. I didn’t know what scattered. The one with the spear broke for the
Axten did in the hours when I was asleep—when door, weaving back and forth, and the other
I asked him, he usually said something cryptic. two thieves spread out on either side of him. I
I broke out a pack of cards for the rest of the sprayed bullets at them and was sure that some
day, and Chass joined in. The images on them of my shots hit. The beings kept running. Either
could be modified to represent several of the they were phantoms or they had good armor.
numerous decks found in the galaxy. Chass knew Even good armor didn’t stop plasma. I threw
a few games, Axten knew almost all of them, and the rifle away, drew my pistols, and leapt the rest
I was somewhere in between. We played mostly of the way down the steps to get level with them.
six-card Sword-Edge, making petty bets with SEU I hit the carpeted floor, let my legs collapse under
coins. Chass played conservatively, but he often the shock, and rolled with the momentum. I came
won when he put his money in. I was glad to up firing. Violet orbs sprayed towards them. I
have the third player, though—it was never very clipped the corner of one Yaoshin’s cloak, burning
exciting when Axten and I played cards, because a chunk of the fabric off. He kept running.
it didn’t really matter who kept the money. “Chass, get the alarm! Axten, on me!”
We cycled through a few other games, talking I ran after them, still firing. One dropped
sometimes, and waited for night. I couldn’t quite with his back blown open, and Axten smashed
tell whether I wanted the spear stolen or not—it another’s head with an ion stream. Then the one
would certainly make this job less like sitting with the spear tossed it in a glowing arc to a group
around in space. of three more black-cloaked beings. One of them
Five minutes before our time came, I glanced caught it easily just as I shot the thrower. The
up to see the Yaoshin still at their posts—six of new group vanished through the door. I grabbed

a small plasma grenade in two fingers, primed it I fired once, but the shot went into the ceiling
with my teeth, and threw it at the doors, trying over his head. Then he lunged, slashing for my
to get it through before they closed entirely. I neck, and the most I could do was hurl myself
missed, but the grenade blasted a hole in the left against the wall. My arm slammed into the hard
door. I leapt through it and into the hallway a few wood and erupted with pain. I heard a loud
seconds later, scraping one shoulder against a clang and turned to see Chass with both curved
shard of wood. Axten followed a moment later. daggers out, blocking a downward sweep from
Alarms had sounded, loud and shrill, and beyond the scimitar. I couldn’t shoot—they were too
them I heard the pounding of Chass’ boots as he close together, and their black clothing looked
ran after us. similar—so I dropped one pistol, reached over
The corridor contrasted sharply with the spear my shoulder, and grabbed the hilt of my Ima-han
room—rich, dark wood covered the walls, but the sword. Ima-han was a sword-fighting discipline
carpet was simple and there were no carvings, that I practiced along with Axten which empha-
gold ornaments, or silk hangings. I looked in each sized bodily movement and used a meter-long,
direction. Black figures ran in both directions—I slightly curved slashing blade. I drew it and
couldn’t tell which group had the spear. charged at the Yaoshin’s back. Pale fluorescent
“Axten, go left. Keep your comm on. Chass, lamps lit the corridors at night, and the blade
on me,” I said, and ran to the right. No sign of flashed in their light. Chass knocked the scimitar
Jinzi’s guards, although four should have been away and whirled his daggers around for an
stationed outside the spear room. Had they been offensive swipe. At the same time, I swung my
killed too? I didn’t see any bodies. blade down at the Yaoshin’s head.
Chass was a better runner than I was, even The scimitar came up to block my sword while
though his legs were shorter. I had to strain to the Yaoshin ducked. Chass managed to stop his
keep up, and even then he pulled ahead. I shot a blades before they gouged my eyes out. The
few plasma bolts, but the Yaoshin were slippery scimitar jerked away from my sword, but I had
and far off. Chass conserved his shots until he relaxed pressure on my blade enough not to send
could hit them. it through Chass’ skull. I threw myself against the
The thieves dodged down a side corridor—the wall again to avoid another slash. Chass attacked,
first for twenty meters. The long, empty hallways leaping through the air.
were part of Jinzi’s security. The thieves wouldn’t He clipped the Yaoshin’s shoulder, drawing
have gotten in if the guards had been at their a splatter of red that stained the wall. The thief
stations—I’d have to beat some discipline into lunged again—right into the path of a plasma
them next time I saw them. ball from my pistol. It went through the left side
I skidded around the corner to find one of the of his chest, burning a hole as big as my fist. He
thieves facing me with a blue crystal scimitar held stumbled forward a couple steps, sword falling
across my path. It looked sharp enough to slice from his grip, and died without a sound. I picked
bone, and I knew that cuts from Yaoshin crystal up his scimitar. “You want it?” I asked Chass.
could induce paralysis. He shook his head. I looked at it a moment

Flinteye and the Crystal Spear, by Sean T. M. Stiennon Pg. 10
longer, than said, “I’ll pick it up on the way back. I stepped back far enough to see a few of the
Let’s move.” light panels in the cross-corridor, raised my pistol,
The other Yaoshin had vanished down a blank and shot them out. A hail of sparks and plastic fell
corridor that turned off ours at a right angle. to the floor. I jumped out into the hallway with my
There was a fork. pistol pointed straight ahead. I shot both Yaoshin
“Jalazar,” said Chass, “You have a map of the before they could target me in the darkness, using
mansion, correct?” their heat signatures to aim.
I did. And it would have stayed forgotten if he “Come on,” I said.
hadn’t mentioned it. I reached into my vest and I started to run forward. Chass reached up,
hit the power button on my computer. I had the clapped a hand on my shoulder, and said, “Wait.
map loaded onto the main screen. The one with the spear would have gone the other
I looked at it as we ran. “There should be way. The gunmen wanted us to go their way—a
two Yaoshin stationed at every intersection with deception, you see.”
a tripod weapon and grenades. There should I frowned for a moment, than decided that it
be remotely operated ceiling cannons activated was as good a choice as any. I followed him at a
when the alarm goes off. There should be a jog, looking at my computer.
horde of guards storming everywhere within two “One more intersection, and then we’re into
minutes of an alarm!” the mansion’s main wing. There’s a guard barracks
I searched for an appropriate curse and found just outside the spear sector, but I’m guessing
one in Blakrack. I almost thought I could see Chass we’ll find it empty.”
wince behind his mask. Chass nodded. “That path Axten took—where
We reached the intersection. “Do we split up?” does it lead?”
said Chass, glancing in both directions. I traced the route. “Same place. Hopefully,
He took a step forward and barely missed he’ll have the spear.”
having his mask shattered by a slug that went “Possibly,” said Chass. “Or one of the Yaoshin
a centimeter past his eye bubbles. I turned and might have destroyed him. I’m sure they watched
put three plasma bolts in the direction that it both paths.”
had come from, where I saw three warm blurs I snorted. “Not Axten. I don’t think guns like
in infrared. One of them went down in a flash of they’re using could get past his carapace.”
heat, and I dodged back behind the corner with “The blades could. Yaoshin crystal is one of the
Chass an instant behind. best cutting substances known the galaxy.”
“How many of these thieves are there?” I I didn’t like to think about that.
snarled. “And where are Jinzi’s guards?” There were no more surprises until we came
The two remaining thieves kept firing, pinning to the exit hall, a vast room hung with paintings
us down. and gilt ornaments. Pillars of red stone supported
“You have infrared in that mask?” I asked. its vast roof. The room should have been full of
“A little.” guards, but we just found another black-clad
“Good.” Yaoshin corpse—I recognized an ion wound from

Axten’s rifle in his chest. Ahead, I heard the crackle Axten wrapped his arms around Chass’ waist
of the same rifle. and lifted. “He’s light, Jalazar. We can do it.”
Chass put on a new burst of speed and outdis- I holstered my pistol and pocketed my
tanced me easily, careening towards the entrance computer. “Right. You take his legs.”
to the next room. He went through the door with I moved around to clutch Chass’ shoulders
a pistol in one hand and a black dagger in the and hooked my hands beneath the joints while
other. I followed, ready to shoot anything that Axten gripped his ankles and heaved him off the
wasn’t Axten or Chass. floor. Axten was right—he couldn’t weigh more
I made out the ‘bot’s silver gleam in a beam of than fifty kilos, probably less.
moonlight coming through one of the windows. “One!” Axten shouted.
His rifle was pointed up and firing into the I matched him. We counted to three swinging
shadowy rafters of the hall. I could see a blur of Chass between us, and then released after the
heat moving away from him. Something faintly third backswing. He went straight up, mask shim-
red rested in its hands. mering in the moonlight, and caught himself on
“Axten!” I shouted. one of the rafter beams. He was up in another
He didn’t look away as he aimed another second, slithering like water without gravity.
shot up at the hot form. It was almost out of He drew his daggers without a sound and
the room and into the next through an opening charged after the thief, moving like a hunting
that connected the two five meters off the floor. arachnid. He stepped so lightly that I couldn’t
I snapped off a pair of plasma bolts and heard hear his boots. I saw a flash of white eyes as the
Chass’ pistol fire, but we didn’t do more than fleeing Yaoshin glanced over his shoulder.
damage the woodwork. The Yaoshin thief fled I was glad Chass was my friend when I saw
into the next room. how fast he moved. The Yaoshin reached the
“Why did Jinzi feel a need to install catwalks opening to the next room, leaned down, and
as rafters?” sighed Axten as the three of us ran threw the spear into it. Then he turned, drawing
towards the next room. a crystal scimitar, and gripped it in both hands as
“I’ve already got a few things to say to him,” I he waited for Chass.
growled. I stopped watching at that point. I didn’t need
I rammed through the door, nearly wrenching to say anything for Axten to fall in at my side as
it off its hinges, and saw the Yaoshin thief almost I ran. We went over the carpet, dodged around
halfway across the room. I fired only to see him a couple display cases that blocked our path,
easily drift across a gap and onto the parallel and crashed through the door with the sound of
rafter. clashing blades in our ears.
“Jalazar. Throw me,” said Chass, suddenly. The next room was almost exactly the same as
It took me a moment to comprehend what he the previous one: a broad hall full of display cases.
had said, and I wasn’t sure I had heard him right. Jinzi kept a whole museum in his mansion—and
I turned around, frowning. the whole thing was supposed to be swarming
“You and Axten. Throw me up.” with guards. I looked around for the Yaoshin who

had caught the spear. spear.”

There wasn’t any. Amoshi’s Spear lay on the For the first time, I heard the Yaoshin speak. “I
floor. I ran up and grabbed it before another robed will not. I will die first.”
thief could get it and held it up to the moonlight. “Right. And I’ll kill you,” I snarled at him, then
It was just simple red glass—I had gotten a lot shifted my attention a few centimeters over to
of time to study the spear during my first watch, Axten. “We already know Mutofi sent them. We
and it hadn’t looked like this. can find his mansion easily.”
“A fake,” I snarled to Axten as he came up. I Axten shook his head. “It won’t be at his
struggled with the urge to shout all the worst mansion, and if it is, we won’t know where it is
curses I knew. within the building.”
I touched my finger to the edge of the fake “A hidden fortress, then. But you heard him—
blade. It was sharp enough to kill Chass’ opponent. he won’t tell us anything. Let’s wake Jinzi up,
I turned and went back and threw the door open tell him it’s been stolen, and then he’ll take his
with one hand. The other hand gripped the troops—that cohort of Stellar Navy marines—and
spear’s glass shaft. wring it out of Mutofi.”
The two still hammered their blades against “Two problems, Jalazar. First, there are certain
each other in the rafters. “Chass, bring him down traditions associated with the spear—stealing
here!” I roared. it and possessing it. If Jinzi attempted to take it
Chass’ daggers moved fast, but the Yaoshin back by sheer military force, every lord on the
had better reach and was managing to hold planet would combine to destroy him. Parties
him off. They moved back and forth fast enough of thieves—operating under certain rules—are
that I couldn’t afford to shoot or even throw the the only method by which the spear can change
spear—I didn’t want Chass dead. hands, by common agreement of the Yaoshin
Chass dropped onto his back and shot out a lords. There is killing, certainly, but never open
booted foot. It caught the Yaoshin on the flat of war.”
one heel—hard enough to unbalance him, but “I’ve never been much good at stealing,” I
not enough to knock him off. Chass slithered to growled. “What’s the other problem?”
his feet and brought both his daggers down at Axten answered me while Chass slid down to
the Yaoshin’s chest. He blocked, but the force of the floor on a pillar. “If we try to go after the spear
Chass’ blades knocked him off his feet. The thief ourselves, we can’t kill a Yaoshin lord without
fell to the floor with a thud. I leapt at him, holding starting something beyond the politics of the
the spear up to impale him. Axten arrived first. spear. If Jinzi’s hirees—that’s us—assassinated
He leapt onto the Yaoshin as he struggled to rise Mutofi, civil war would break out. And I doubt
and pinned his arms to the floor. “Wait, Jalazar!” we’d survive long once bounties were put out for
he snapped. us, probably by both sides.”
I stopped the spear two centimeters above “All right,” I said. “So we can’t go get the spear
the thief’s throat. “Why?” I growled. ourselves, because we don’t know where it is, we
“He’ll tell us where they’ve taken the real can’t grill Mutofi, and we can’t have Jinzi send his

marines. We won’t get paid, and we’ll probably anything is missing.”

make him fairly angry. I can have the Flint Shard “Maybe not. He might decide to check on us
airborne in a half hour. How about you, Chass?” in the middle of the night. And I don’t want to
“My ship is fueled and ready to launch. But it abandon a job.”
won’t be necessary.” Axten didn’t say anything.
“Why not?” The stronghold was invisible beneath the trees,
“Because Jinzi has modern tracking systems but an energy trace from Jinzi’s tracking systems
installed in his mansion. I believe the thieves led right to it. The trace was so faint that it might
arrived in a cloaked vehicle, coming over the have been mistaken for a hot gust of wind by
outer defenses of the mansion. If we access the another observer, but Axten had picked it out
records, guessing when the true spear left the and tracked it to its destination.
mansion, than we may be able to pick up traces We set the hovercar down a kilometer away
of the thieving vehicle. We’ll know where the and walked through the trees. It was a warm
spear is, and we can go get it, hopefully without night, but not hot enough for infrared to be much
harming Mutofi.” use. I was almost as crippled in the darkness as
I nodded. “The system would run without an average human. Chass wasn’t an average
guards. And the ground level shield is automated human—he found a path through the dark
at night, isn’t it? Only Jinzi has the password. foliage that I probably couldn’t have seen even
Vanished guards couldn’t stop that either. Axten, with floodlights scattered around. Axten and I
tie this one up and knock him out. Then let’s find followed, listening for guards. I drew one pistol
the scanner controls.” and kept my finger on the trigger.
The building itself was unadorned: concrete
#
with occasional windows of what looked like
An hour later, the three of us soared above reinforced glass. A pair of gun emplacements
the ridges beyond Jinzi’s mansion complex in a protruded from turrets on the roof, but neither
hovercar, following a map Chass had sketched out one was manned. A hovercar garage opened onto
of the path to a small stronghold Mutofi appar- a second-floor terrace.
ently kept nearby, hidden by trees in a cavernous The ground-level doors were steel, with a
valley. series of old-fashioned padlocks holding them
I slipped fresh charges into my pistols and shut. Axten and Chass spent a minute debating
asked, “How many soldiers do you think he has how to break them before I raised my pistol and
there? Too many for us to kill?” shot them all. “Effective,” said Axten, pushing the
“We won’t need to kill all of them,” said Axten. doors open.
“Just the ones between us and the spear.” Beyond was a dark corridor that trailed off
“What else would they be guarding besides into blackness. It was at least seven meters long,
the spear?” lit only by moonlight, with another steel door at
“If they’re too many, Jalazar, we can go back, the end. This one was unlocked. Axten pushed it
get our ships, and be in space before Jinzi notices open and went in while I followed with Chass just

behind. the power that comes from the spear.”

The lights went on suddenly, blinding me. He took out a glass and poured himself three
I snarled and threw my hands over my eyes, centimeters worth of deep gold liquid. He took a
including the one that held the pistol. That was sip, winced, and set the glass down with a clank.
a bad idea. The next thing I felt was powerful “Don’t make us watch you drink,” I said. “Just
hands tearing it from my grip and removing the kill us.”
other one from its holster before grabbing my He took another sip. “Ah, yes, I was consider-
arms and holding them tight against my sides. ing that. But then I decided it would create bad
They also took the ten-shot pistol I kept in my feeling. Oh, admittedly, you killed a few of my
vest and my grenades. I growled and tried to tear clansmen, but I removed a group of Jinzi’s troops
away, snapping at a dark shape with my fangs, in return. A most successful heist, wouldn’t you
as my captors slipped a pair of cuffs around my say, Shiro?”
hands. One of them punched me in the gut, hard, The Yaoshin holding the spear nodded.
and I went down on my chest. There was minimal “Indeed.”
carpeting to cushion my head as it hit the floor. I snorted. “There wasn’t much against you.
I snarled wordlessly and flopped over onto my Jinzi’s guards were all hiding somewhere. Probably
back, then felt someone put a heavy, booted foot drinking in the barracks. It was just the three of
on my chest. us and a few around the spear case.”
“So, these are Jinzi’s mighty off-worlders? That seemed to jolt Mutofi. His glass came
Titans to defend his prize from any attack?” down on his little table hard enough to send
The voice sounded familiar. Mutofi. I lifted my droplets of brandy flying. “What? Jinzi’s guards,
head, still blinking against the light, and tried to not at their posts? You must be lying. They might
see around the boot on my chest. He stood about have been superstitious about the spear, but I’ve
five meters in front of me, dressed in a loose rarely encountered a more disciplined body of
robe of red satin. A Yaoshin warrior stood at his men.”
side, holding the real spear, its shaft and blade “They were gone.”
pulsing with an inner glow. Two white-armored Mutofi’s frown deepened. “Is this true,
guards—both humans—pointed rifles at us, and Shiro?”
two Yaoshin were on top of each of us. The room Shiro didn’t answer—instead, as I watched, he
itself was a rich sitting chamber, with gilded lifted the spear and rammed it through the left
wooden chairs and flowing wall hangings. side of Mutofi’s chest. The crystal blade slid out,
I watched as Mutofi sauntered over to a and the lord dropped. His two gun-toting guards
lacquered drink cabinet, opened the doors, and went down to broad slashes of the orange crystal
selected a bottle. “This is Hikija brandy from before they could squeeze their triggers. Blood
the southern deserts of the Shithor continent. A sprayed.
rich liquor, and one of the strongest available in Then I heard another sound—that of a Yaoshin
this sector of the galaxy. Very expensive. But, of crashing to the carpeted floor a couple meters to
course, I shall be able to afford it more often with my left. I heard Chass’ daggers come hissing out

of their sheathes—apparently, his guards hadn’t but all but the most loyal—those Jinzi allowed
thought to remove them. In fact, my Ima-han to guard the spear itself—left their posts on the
sword was still sheathed on my back. night of the raid. They too want Yaos to be free.”
I swung my legs around and hit the guard who I reached up and gripped my sword’s hilt.
had his boot on my chest. He fell, and I jumped “We’ve been hired to keep the spear from being
up to my feet. A pistol almost deafened me by stolen.”
going off centimeters from my ear hole. I turned Shiro nodded. “I’m aware of that. I am sorry
and slammed my manacled hands into the other it’s necessary, but I must kill you.”
Yaoshin’s head. He dropped his pistol, going to his There was a torch burning in a pedestal a
knees. He held the pistol up to defend himself and few feet away from Mutofi’s corpse. It was gas
I smashed it aside with my manacles. A third blow, powered, but the flame flickered high. Shiro
and he dropped with his head gushing blood. stretched out the spear and slowly began to feed
I turned to see Axten removing his wrist blades it through the flames.
from the corpse of his second guard. His first was “Perhaps you have wondered why it is called
already dead. I guessed Chass had accomplished ‘fire crystal.’ The substance is rare, and there are
something similar. His daggers cut through the few who know its properties.”
manacles binding my hands. The spear caught fire as if it had been soaked
“Hmm. You are skilled warriors indeed,” said in oil—but the flame that covered it seemed
the one holding the spear—Shiro. “It is little amplified. It burned a hot white that hurt my
surprise to me that you were able to kill so many eyes. Shiro’s hands gripped it easily. I noticed that
of my warriors. But more will be here in an hour— he wore heavy gloves.
a full company of clansmen to take the spear to I drew my sword. The blade flashed in the
its place of safe-keeping.” firelight.
I looked down at Mutofi’s corpse, then up “Your guns have been taken. Now you must
at the Yaoshin. “Why did you kill him? He’s your fight me as true warriors. Now Amoshi’s Spear
master, isn’t he?” must lift in the cause of Yaos’ people,” said Shiro,
Shiro smiled. “No. I served him only to serve raising the burning weapon.
my people. For two hundred years, the men of Then he attacked, swinging the spear back
the stars have held dominion over us. But soon, and lunging straight at me. I held my sword up
that will end. The ancient clans of Yaos—and, to block as the spear moved in a flaming arc.
through them, the common people—will rise The impact almost broke my sword and my arm.
to overthrow the Alliance lords, fighting with Sparks scorched my fur with tiny spots of heat. I
their own weapons. Amoshi’s Spear will rally the leapt back, and he followed, charging again.
people. It was the symbol of Yaoshin freedom, Chass came in from my left, daggers whirling.
long ago, before it became a token of power Both of them clashed against the haft of the spear
among the greedy lords. Now it will lead them as Shiro blocked smoothly. Then he swung the
in revolution. Even Jinzi’s guards—traitors—had blade around at Chass’ neck. My friend dodged
divided loyalties. They would not help us openly, back, and I charged in, thrusting for Shiro’s neck.

He bent just out of my reach and drove a gloved spare the time to stomp them out—we’d have to
fist into my stomach. I staggered back. Axten and fight in the flames.
Chass attacked simultaneously from both sides, I moved back into the fight, adjusting my grip.
but Shiro blocked attacks from both of them My ankle flared with pain, twisted. Shiro and
and retreated. As he did, quick slashes from the Chass traded blows, sending up sparks where
flaming spear head destroyed the rifles once their weapons hit—but where was Axten? I saw
carried by Mutofi’s guards. No chance of using him on the ground with a scorching slash in his
those now. waist. It hadn’t hit anything critical, but it had
Then he brought the spear up to point above damaged his leg motors. “Kill him for me, Jalazar!”
his head, brushing the room’s ceiling, and brought he shouted, clashing his wrist blades together
it down quickly in an arc aimed at me. A ball of fiercely. Axten could be bloodthirsty.
flame detached itself from the head and flew at Then, before I could charge again, Chass took
me. I barely had time to dodge. It landed in the a slash on his left forearm. He didn’t make a
carpet and lit a fire there. sound—just held off Shiro’s spear with the dagger
Shiro came forward again, moving the spear in his right hand while somehow using his left
point in slow circles. I saw Chass and Axten on to tear the flaming piece of cloth from his arm.
either side of me—Axten had his wrist blades The wound had been cauterized, but red crystal
extended, hands folded back, and Chass held his seemed to have the same paralytic properties
glassy black daggers in a combat stance. as blue. Already, I could see Chass beginning to
“Think we can kill him?” I asked them. stiffen in his motions, although the wound didn’t
“Do it first. Then think about it,” said Axten. stop him from using his arm.
Suddenly, Shiro lunged forward and threw Several fires had erupted on the carpet, and
the spear out in a flying thrust, during which he flame was crawling up one of the wall hangings.
kept only one hand on the shaft. The spear point It was getting dangerous in here, and Shiro was a
almost skewered my throat, but I managed to better fighter than all three of us together. I could
slap it away with my sword. It went wide towards have turned and run out the way I had come—
Chass, and Axten lunged in while Shiro was maybe dragging Axten with me—but I would
open. The Yaoshin dropped to the floor, under never have had peace if I had left Chass behind. I
Axten’s wrist blades, and swept his spear along needed to help him, but if I did, I had a feeling I
the carpeting in a strike at Axten’s and my feet. would get that spear through my ribs.
I stumbled backward, but Axten leapt over the Then I noticed Mutofi’s brandy, still resting on
stroke and came at Shiro with both his wrist the little table with a wet drinking glass next to it.
blades thrust out to stab. Chass rushed in from The bottle was almost full.
the other side, but Shiro rolled, taking the spear I glanced up at the spear, wrapped in white
with him, and came to his feet two meters away. fire, then back down at the bottle. It didn’t take
The spear crashed down on a small table, missing me long to make the connection. I picked up the
Axten, and shattered it into flaming shards of bottle—it was open—and waited for the right
wood. Some of them hit the carpet. I couldn’t moment. It came when Shiro made a wide swing

at Chass, driving my friend back and leaving the I took off my vest. I could cover my hands with
Yaoshin open. it long enough to get the spear outside.
I threw the bottle, hard and fast. Dark glass I had started to move forward when I heard
glittered in the firelight. Shiro saw it in time to a crack overhead. A shower of masonry and
block, but it moved too fast for him to see what wood crashed down from the ceiling. I jumped
it was. It shattered against the shaft of his spear, back. Dust and smoke forced themselves into my
and the brandy caught fire as it emerged from throat, and I retched. A mound of flaming rubble
the broken bottle. Glass shards and gobbets of separated me from the spear, possibly burying it,
flaming liquor riddled Shiro’s torso, arms, and and the flames were growing with every second.
face. Now, for first time, he screamed. The spear I turned ran back through the flames, singeing
left his hands as he began slapping at himself, but my feet and fur on hot rubble. I got out, through
that only spread the flame and drove the glass the doors, and into the night beyond with Chass
deeper. Shiro dropped, howling, and started to dragging Axten at my side.
roll on the floor, but a sheet of alcohol fire had #
already spread over much of his clothing. I winced
at the sounds he made and looked away. It took From the safety of the hovercar, we watched
him a long time to die. Mutofi’s fortress burn with Amoshi’s Spear
When the screaming stopped, I looked back somewhere inside it. I didn’t think it would be
to see his corpse covered in flame and slowly damaged—it had been burning for quite a while
burning into ash. Then I heard Chass at my side. in Shiro’s hands, and Yaoshin crystal was notori-
“Flinteye, let’s go!” ously strong.
I nodded and said, “Axten.” “What now, Jalazar?” said Axten, sitting against
I sheathed my sword, put my arms under his the railing of the car.
shoulders, and hauled him up. Axten clamped I thought about it for a minute. “I think it would
an arm around my neck. “Good one, Jalazar. I be best if we got back to our ships and got out of
thought you would drink it instead.” the system, fast. Jinzi won’t be pleased that we
I ignored him and hauled him towards the let his spear leave the mansion, and I don’t think
door, having to go around patches of fire. Chass I want to stay around when Mutofi’s death is dis-
pushed the doors open and held them for Axten covered. We were in the area, and we’re the only
and I. I burnt my feet once on the way out, but ones who survived, so the lords would probably
then I was into the hallway. blame it on us.”
I dropped Axten there. “Take him,” I told Chass. Chass nodded. “As I said, my ship is ready to
“I’ve got to get the spear.” fly.”
I ran back into the room, jumping over a small “So is the Flint Shard. Let’s get moving, then—
column of flames. Heat roasted my fur. The spear, if the guards are still gone, there’ll be nothing
still burning, lay where it had fallen next to Shiro’s between us and the ships. Good to see you,
corpse. How was I going to pick that thing up? Chass—I hope our next job together is more suc-
“Jalazar! Get out here!” shouted Axten. cessful.”

“Then what should we do about the spear?”

asked Chass, sitting down at the hovercar
controls. Sean T. M. Stiennon
“Nothing. This job is over. And you remember
Sean is an author of fantasy and science fiction
who’s going to be coming here first? Shiro’s
novels and short stories with many publica-
Yaoshin natives. I almost wish we didn’t have to tions under his belt. His first short story collec-
kill him. He seemed like a good being.” tion, Six with Flinteye, was recently released
Chass nodded. “A fine warrior, at least. This from Silver Lake Publishing, and he won 2nd
world will come to war, I expect. The natives place in both the 2004 SFReader.com Short
will take the spear, and with it they will rally the Story Contest and the Storn Cook Razor-Edged
Yaoshin. The Stellar Navy will not intervene if Fiction Contest with his stories “Asp” and “The
enough of them rise against the lords.” Sultan’s Well,” respectively. “The Sultan’s Well”
“Maybe. But I’m just a mercenary. This is has been published in the anthology Sages and
beyond me now. I hate to abandon a job, but I did Swords. Sean’s short story “Flinteye’s Duel”
stop that particular set of thieves—that’s good was published in Ray Gun Revival, Issue 01.
enough for me.”
Axten said, “I agree, Jalazar, so let’s get moving. Sean’s work tends to contain lots of action and
I don’t like being lame. I’ve got parts aboard the adventure, but he often includes elements of
tragedy and loss alongside roaring battles. A
Shard, but I’ll need you to install them. I don’t
lot of his work centers around continuing char-
usually like to operate on myself.” acters, the most prominent of whom is Jalazar
Chass powered up the car and we flew off Flinteye (Six with Flinteye). He also writes tales
into the night, with the stars of Yaos glimmering of Shabak of Talon Point (“Death Marks,” in is-
overhead and the light of the burning fortress sue #9 of Amazing Journeys Magazine), Blade-
behind. master (“Asp,” 2nd place winner in the 2004
SFReader.com Contest), and others who have
yet to see publication.

Sean loves to read fantasy and science fic-
tion alongside some history, mysteries, and
historical novels. His favorites include Declare
by Tim Powers, the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn
trilogy by Tad Williams, Stephen Lawhead’s
Song of Albion trilogy, and King Solomon’s
Mines by H. Rider Haggard. He has reviewed
books for Deep Magic: The E-zine of High Fan-
tasy and Science Fiction, and currently reviews
books at SFReader.com.

The View from the Shotglass Floor

by Michael Ehart
all deliverables were complete and signed off on.
“Y ou see, I’ve got this thing, here, this Not that this was all that much of a contract.
gadget.” Andresen leaned over, almost WymTech had wanted a new way to calibrate their
fell, caught himself, all in the slow motion of the remote systems without using any form of trans-
practiced drunk. His breath was five-ninths alcohol, mission that could be tampered with. Andy had
strong enough to render drunk a roomful of nuns. come up with some sort of quantum time-piece
Fortunately, there were no nuns in the bar with that used Heisenberg’s Principle of Uncertainty
us, just the two of us and the Cyber-Tender 3000. to locate a precise moment in time independent
I was having trouble focusing. Andresen kept doing of the physical location of each system node. Or
that annoying thing he does when I am drunk, something like that. As I said, I’m the salesman,
making his face zoom in and out like a bad holo not the techno-mage.
screen. Making it even more difficult to focus was “Back to the dole,” I muttered. “No more high-
the object he kept waving in my face. It looked end booze, no more high-end nosh.”
like the remote control to an old-fashioned holo “No, no!” Andy insisted. “I can fix it. I can.”
projector, a melted-candy bar shape of silver and “Right.” I waved to the Cyber-Tender. It was
black plastic, with rows of buttons embedded in near midnight, and I wanted to get a couple more
its ergonomically dull surface. drinks before the bank shut me down. “Maker’s
“Get that thing outta my face,” I slurred, and Manhattan. Two of ‘em.”
batted it aside. Or tried. Even impaired as I “No, really,” Andy insisted. “All I gotta do is
was, I could see that I had missed it by a mile. push this button here…” He prodded unevenly
“No, no, man, you don’ unnerstand.” He got all at the device in front of him. It made random
earnest, like he does when he is spinning some beeps, and flashes, but other than changing the
particularly inept lie. “This thing will fix it all.” Cyber-Tender’s face holo from male to female,
I snorted. “The only thing that will fix everything and shutting off the sports channel projec-
is a brain transplant, a time machine, and another tion behind the bar, it seemed to do nothing.
drink. Face it, Andy ol’ son, you have well and “Andy, old pocket, all you have to do is poke
truly blew it. Blowed it. Bl… screwed things up.” a few buttons in your head, and see if you can
Our first contract in over three years, and Andy punch up someone a little less neanderthalish.”
had managed to offend the client so thoroughly that Even through the massive haze of high-quality
no amount of apology would fix it. The stupid thing whiskey hastily downed, I could see this hurt. His
was he wasn’t even supposed to talk to the client. face stiffened, and he slowly set the small device
He was the techno-wizard. I was the salesman. down on the bar, straightened his cravat to a less than
His genius, dubious as it was, most certainly did plumb angle, stood up, and walked out of the bar.
not extend to the so-called soft skills. He was a For a moment I considered letting him go. But
techno-troll, best locked in a basement lab until we have been best friends since junior high, and

The View from the Shotglass Floor, by Michael Ehart Pg. 20
graduated from college in the same class of 2009. knew it was still too loud, but I kept on, anyway.
And it really wasn’t his fault he had no social “I just need to tell you not to tell Goldperson that
skills. Some people are just made that way. Lita at she is stupid.” I smiled over his shoulder at her.
WymTech had been correct to be offended when Andy looked puzzled. “I didn’t say Goldperson
he had questioned her sexual orientation, but is stupid. Did I? I mean, you just did but I didn’t.”
poor Andy just seemed to be a product of another I waved the tips of my fingers at the now
century when it came to personal relations. Some glowering CEO. “No, no. You didn’t. I just wanted
century buried in the deep stone age. to keep you from telling her, that’s all.”
I started after him, but remembered the Goldperson sniffed the air, nodded, and
prototype he had been waving in my face. I scooped thumbed her facephone. “Security,” she
it up from where it rested in a pool of spilt beer snapped.
on the bar. It was damp, and a strange smell was #
starting to come from the joint between the top
and bottom halves of the device. I turned it over, Okay, I thought. Third time’s a charm. I’ll just
and attempted to brush the liquid from its surface try to pull him into an office, and explain there. I
with the sleeve of my tunic as I moved to the door. punched the buttons and the room spun counter
I never got there. drunk-ways. I came to an uneasy rest in the same
hallway. For a moment I suffered a moment of
#
panic, thinking I hadn’t gone back enough, but
The room spun back down into focus. Over then I heard the sound of Andy’s oversized boots
Andy’s shoulder I could see the rapidly approach- clunking down the hall. I turned, lunged, grabbed
ing form of WymTech’s CEO, Lita Goldperson. Was him by the lapels, and dragged him into the
this some kind of flashback from hell? In just about nearest office.
ten seconds, Andy was about to throw away the “Wha…” Andy grunted, and slapped my hands
only paying gig I had been able to hustle up for us away. “Jake, are you crazy?”
in almost three years, by implying that the reason “Andy, old banana, jus’ lissen up. In about ten
Ms. Goldperson didn’t understand what he was seconds, ol’ lady Goldperson’s about to stomp
telling her was that she was a woman, and if she down that hall…”
needed help, maybe her husband could explain. “Jake…”
And he would do it in all kindness and sincerity, “Shutup. You are gonna imply that she is
which would just infuriate her even more. too stupid to unnerstand your new doohickey
I reached for Andy’s shoulder, missed, tried again. because she is a woman, and suggest that she ask
“Andy!” I shouted, far too loud for the hallway we her husband explain it to her.”
were in. “But Jake, she doesn’t even have a husband.
He turned around, surprised. “Jake, are you I mean, who would want to marry that? She is
drunk?” Unusually perceptive of him, and as uglier than nine sows.”
always, poorly timed. “Damnit, Andy, Shuddup!”
“Never mind,” I whispered. Drunk as I was, I “Yes, Andy,” Goldperson said coldly from the

The View from the Shotglass Floor, by Michael Ehart Pg. 21
door behind me. “Do shut up.” I turned to watch Michael Ehart
as she thumbed her facephone. “Security,” she Michael Ehart has been writing for over 30
snapped. years and has been published over 300 times in
# newspapers, magazines and e-zines. His story
I punched more buttons. Nothing happened.
It’s a Living was selected for the Imaginary
The smell from the remote was stronger, and now Word Recommended List for December
was accompanied by wisps of dark smoke. Punch, 2005, and his story Voice of the Spoiler was
punch, punch. Nothing, nothing, nothing. I kept a Preditors and Editors Readers Poll Top Ten
punching as they escorted us out and flung our Finisher for best sf/fantasy short story of 2005.
equipment and papers into the street behind Its sequel The Servant of the Manthycore was
us. Andy kept looking at me like I had grown two a Top Ten Finisher for 2006.
extra heads. We gathered everything into a heap,
and called a cab.
“What now?” Andy was genuinely puzzled. He is married to one of the most beautiful
Always before it had been him who got us fired. women in the world and would offer “pistols for
I sighed, and looked down at the now still and two, coffee for one” to anyone who disagrees,
silent remote. “Now?” I tossed its lifeless plastic but pesky laws get in the way and so offers
corpse into the gutter. It made a nice snap-crunch instead to naysayers a referral to a good
sound under the tires of the arriving cab. optometrist.
“Old peach, there is only one thing for us now.
Now we get drunk.”
You can find out more about what he is up to at
http://mehart.blogspot.com

"The Second Ascension," by R. Cruz Pg. 22

A Jack Brand Story
by John M. Whalen
H e went back out on the street, wondering

if his long search for his sister and her
abductor were about to end. He’d covered a lot
“A matter of some back taxes,” Galt said. He
waved the sword over the kneeling man’s head.
“I suggest you hand over what you owe right now,
of places on Tulon looking for them. From desert if you want to live.”
to jungle, and so far, until now, he hadn’t even He grabbed the man by the hair and tore him
had a decent lead. He hoped Terry was still alive. away from Brand. The blubbering man flew down
At least he thought he hoped so. After seeing on his back looking up at the Tarnisian with tears
the evidence of Wilkerson’s brutality toward Sari, in his eyes.
perhaps he was better off thinking she was dead. “Hold on a minute,” Brand said.
He heard shouting ahead on his left. A man Galt held up his free hand. “Don’t interfere,”
came running out of the doorway of a tattoo he said. “This doesn’t concern you.” He moved
parlor. He was in such a mad panic he crashed the pulsating Ray-Blade to within an inch of the
headlong into Brand, nearly knocking him off his man’s face. “Are you going to pay?”
feet. Brand caught the man and tried to hold him “All right,” the man said. He reached inside
up, but the fellow went down on his knees, his his robe and pulled out a coin purse. He opened
hands folded together in supplication. it and took out some money. “Here,” he said,
“Please, help me,” the man said, pleading des- putting it in Galt’s hand. “And tell that pig Silo
perately. “He’s crazy. He’s going to kill me. Help Jarth I hope he rots in Gorogian Hell someday.”
me!” “Maybe you’d like to come with me and tell
The man looked back over his shoulder. Brand him yourself,” Galt said.
looked past him and, to his surprise, saw Galt The man’s eyes bulged, and he tried to slither
striding toward them. His shiny blue skin reflected on his back away from Galt.
the neon all around him. The Ray-Blade was in “I didn’t think so,” Galt said. He dropped the
hand. coins the man had given him into a pocket. “Go
“No! Stop him!” the kneeling man begged, as on. Get out of here.”
people on the street stopped to watch what was Galt deactivated his Ray-Blade, laughing at
going on. the fleeing tattoo artist, and sauntered over to
“So, it’s you,” the Tarnisian said when he saw Brand.
Brand. His face was split with a toothy grin. But “I heard you were looking for work,” Brand
the grin vanished when he looked down at the said. “But I never figured you for a tax collector.”
man from the tattoo parlor. “You’ve got to start somewhere.”
“Don’t bother my friend,” he said. “He won’t “You really working for Silo Jarth?” They started
help you.” walking along the sidewalk.
“Please, mister. Don’t let him kill me.” “That’s right. I found out the four men I killed
“What’s this all about?” Brand asked. last night saving your life worked for him. So I

Carbonville, Part Two, A Jack Brand story, by John M. Whalen Pg. 23
went over to his casino and told him he oughta “Don’t mention it,” Galt said, that ever-present
hire me, since he was suddenly short of hands.” grin on his blue face.
“Pretty bold move. Or just crazy.” They tossed the drinks down. Brand felt the
“He thought so too, and told one of his flunkies synthetic whiskey going down his throat and
to throw me out. I messed him up pretty good, waited for the familiar warmth to spread in his
right in front of him. Silo Jarth looked at me stomach. But there was nothing.
without saying anything for a minute, and then “They don’t even have real whiskey in this
he just started laughing. I laughed too, and he town,” he said.
said I was hired. He figured he needed a man like “Hard to get these days,” Galt said, wiping his
me. This was my first job for him. It’s only tax col- chin. “Mind if I ask a personal question?”
lecting, but I plan to move up in his organization.” “Go ahead.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Brand said. “I just met “I noticed you wearing that Beretta low on your
Jarth. He’s the kind of scum I wouldn’t scrape off leg last night,” the Tarnisian said. “The doctor told
my shoe.” me you were a Security Force cop. You any good
“He’s treating me okay. What business do you with that pistol?”
have with Jarth?” “A fair hand.”
“It’s a personal matter.” “You saw me take that Eluvian. You think you
“Oh,” the Tarnisian said, shrugging his could take me in a draw down?”
shoulders. “How are you feeling? I’m surprise to “I’d hate to try.”
see you up so soon.” “Me, too.”
“The marvels of modern medicine and DNA “Mind if I ask you a personal question?” Brand
technology,” Brand said. “I want to thank you for said. “How come you use that Ray-Blade. Even on
what you did last night. There aren’t many men Tarnis that kind of weaponry went out decades
who would step into a dark alley against those ago. No one uses them except—”
odds. If there’s any way I can repay you—if you “That’s right. The Kalus still use them, what’s
need money, I can—” left of them.”
“I told you, I’ve got a job,” Galt said. “But “You’re a Kalu?”
thanks anyway.” He stared at Brand with a wide, “Was. I found out there wasn’t much profit in
toothy grin on his face. belonging to a dying breed of spiritual warriors. I
“Well, how about at least letting me buy you only went through the training because my old
a drink?” man thought the discipline would help. I was
“Sure. I’d like that.” something of a problem child. I did bad things.
Messed up a kid at school. Set a couple fires.
#
Killed my old man’s pet lemsa. My folks tried to
The bar was nearly empty. Only a few early straighten me out, but it was no use. The harder
afternoon drinkers sat at the tables, ignoring the they tried, the worse I got. They didn’t under-
bored-looking Gorog female dancing naked in the stand. So they sent me to the Kalu monastery.”
cage hanging from the ceiling. Brand and Galt sat “What happened?”
at the bar. Brand lifted his glass of Synth-whiskey Brand saw a strange, weird light shining in the
and clinked it against the one in Galt’s hand. Tarnisian’s eyes.
“Thanks, again,” Brand said. “I went there when I was twelve. I learned how

use the Blade quick. Came natural. But the head Maybe I can do you a favor some day.”
master said he didn’t think I was any good at all. Galt held out his hand.
Said I had skill, but there was something in me “Let’s shake on it,” he said, still grinning.
that made me unfit to carry a blade. He wanted #
me to leave the monastery. He was a smart old There were at least two hundred people on
man. He saw what my parents never could see: the crowded dance floor of The Frosted Monkey.
I’m just plain rotten inside. I was fifteen. When Young bodies, alien and human, gyrated in the
he said that something snapped. I told him I was strobe light to the rhythm of a live synthesizer
better with the blade than he was. I showed him. band performing on a bandstand elevated some
I killed him. That was ten years ago. I’ve been on ten feet above the floor. Three-dimensional neon
the move, from planet to planet, ever since. I’ve holograms—geometrical shapes and designs in
left quite a few dead men along the trail.” vivid colors—flashed along the black walls and
“The way you tell it,” Brand said, “you sound ceiling in unison with the steady, pulsating beat.
like a pretty bad guy.” The deep notes of the electronic bass vibrated
“I am,” Galt said. “Believe it.” Brand’s solar plexus as he made his way around
“Then why did you come to the aid of a the periphery of the crowd. The club was the
defenseless man last night? Isn’t that a little out kind of place he generally avoided. The smell of
of character?” dozens of perfumes, mixed with sweat and the
“Is it? Maybe I just smelled blood. Maybe I just sickly sweet odor of hemp and Synth-booze made
wanted to kill somebody.” his nostrils flare. Tables and booths lined the side
“That’s a hell of a reason.” walls. He swept them for Sari. He saw no sign of
Galt stared at his empty glass on the bar. her, then a hand grabbed his arm.
“You ever hear the story of the cricket-fly and “Did you bring it?” the girl asked, pulling him
the Scorpio-pede? You know, the one where the toward the dance floor. When they were near the
dumb cricket trusts the ‘pede when he says he middle of the floor, she put her arms around his
won’t sting him while he carries him on his back waist and looked up at him with soft brown eyes.
across the river? And the ‘pede stings him and Her dark hair fell softly on bare shoulders, and
when the fly asks why, he says, ‘Its just my nature. the black dress she wore, revealed every curve of
I can’t help it.’” her body.
Galt got up from the stool and grinned. “I’ve got it,” Brand said, putting his arms on
“That’s me,” he said. “Your friendly neighbor- her hips.
hood Scorpio-pede. It’s my nature. I just can’t “Let’s see it.”
help it.” Brand pulled a leather pouch out of his pants
Brand studied the strange grinning expression pocket.
on Galt’s face. “Open it.”
“You’re a mighty peculiar talker, Galt. Maybe “Here?”
you are what you say you are. I don’t know. I do “They’re all stoned,” she said. “They won’t
know that running with somebody like Jarth is notice.”
only going to lead to a bad end. You better recon- Brand opened it and shook out a couple of
sider. At any rate, whatever you are, whatever the coins.
your reasons were for helping me, I’m obliged. “Good,” she said, and he slipped the money

back into the sack and tied it up again. “There’s a dance club. The triple moons of Tulon shone
pocket on my left hip. Drop it in there.” down on Carbonville through the glass and steel
“Tell me where Wilkerson is first.” dome covering the town. The street was empty,
“The money first.” and for a moment, he thought he’d lost his prey.
He lowered his right hand along her hip, felt A shadow moved, and he saw the man running.
the edge of the pocket, and dropped the sack in He took off after him.
it. The dark figure turned at an alley, and Brand
“All right,” she said. “I don’t know why you followed. He skidded to a stop at the entrance. It
want him, but when you find that son of a bitch, was dark, and he couldn’t see anyone. He moved
promise me you’ll hurt him. You’ll hurt him bad. I into the interior of the alley slowly, his senses
want him to pay for what he did to me.” alert for the slightest sight or sound that might
“Just tell me where he is.” indicate someone’s presence. A heavy weight
“He’s—” The girl sighed and suddenly went dropped suddenly on his shoulders, pushing him
limp in his arms. Something sticky covered his down on the alley floor. Brand rolled as he fell
fingers as they felt the handle of a knife protruding and saw the wide brim of a black hat above him.
from her back. He held her up and looked around. He grabbed the head under the hat and, rolling,
A dark figure wearing a black hat moved away in forced his attacker over on his side. The man got
the pulsating strobe light, pushing dancers aside. to his feet and started to run. Brand ran a few
Brand lowered the girl to the floor, and a woman steps and made a leaping tackle, his arms locked
nearby let out a gasp. A man asked, “What’s going around the man’s waist. They fell to the ground.
on?” Brand climbed on top of him, hit him square on
Brand pushed his way through the dancers the jaw, and tore the hat off.
in pursuit of the retreating assassin. The killer “Galt!” Brand dropped the hat on the alley
shoved away dancers near the edge of the dance floor. “You learn how to climb walls in that Kalu
floor and ran through the tables for the exit. monastery?”
Brand ran in his wake, the crowd parting to make “That and a few other things.” Brand could
way for him. People sitting at a table jumped up, see the perpetual grin on the Tarnisian’s face, his
startled, as the killer grabbed the end of the table teeth gleaming in the moonlight.
and pushed it in Brand’s way. Brand’s long legs “Get up,” Brand said. “That girl was about to
crashed into the table and he fell on the floor. He tell me something I needed to hear. I oughta—”
looked up and saw the killer running out the exit. “Maybe you should. You’ll never get a better
“Stop him,” someone on the dance floor chance.”
shouted. He pointed at Brand. “Stop that man. “You could have killed me easy when I came
He’s killed a girl.” into this alley. Why didn’t you?”
The crowd gawked at him as he got to his feet, “Seemed like a shame to kill you after going to
and some of the people at the tables stood up the trouble of saving your life last night. Besides,
and tried to block his way. Brand ran toward them, I like you, Brand. You’re kind of an outsider, like
stiff-arming one of the men, who fell on the floor. me. We’re two of a kind. Jarth wanted me to kill
He ran around a railing that rimmed the seating you too. I was going to tell him you got away from
area and bolted out the exit. The processed air me.”
outside was cool after the musky heat of the “He wouldn’t have liked that.”

“Maybe not,” Galt shrugged. “Forget going to the Force for help,” Brand
“If you’re smart, you’ll quit Jarth. Now that the said. “They know what’s going on here, but since
girl’s dead, I’m going after him. He’s going down, it doesn’t have impact on Tulon’s oil business they
and anyone who stands with him goes down too. couldn’t care less. We’ll have to go it alone. Are
I should take you in for murder. But Jarth would you sure your people can take the power plant?”
probably have you out of jail in five minutes. After “Positive. There aren’t many guards there.
tonight, I’ll consider my debt to you paid in full. If Jarth would never think somebody would do
you try to stand between me and Jarth, I’ll have something that desperate. My men will shut the
to kill you.” power down at two a.m. Without electricity, this
The smile disappeared from Galt’s face. “I’d place comes to a dead stop. Nothing works, not
hate to see you try,” he said. even the sky-doors in the dome. The temperature
“If you want to do me one last favor,” Brand outside the dome even at night is about a hundred
said. “If you go back, tell Jarth you got both of us. degrees. It won’t take long for Carbonville to start
Let him think I’m dead.” feeling the heat. There’s a lot of carbon dioxide in
“That won’t work. He’d know by tomorrow I this city. The air will go bad fast. There’ll be panic
was lying.” within an hour after the shutdown. That’ll give us
“All I need is tonight.” the diversion we need. Jarth will send men to the
Galt frowned. power plant, leaving his penthouse fortress less
“Don’t try it, Brand,” the Tarnisian said. “I like protected than normal. There’ll be a fight, but it’s
you, but I got a good thing going here. And when it the best chance we’ll ever have.”
comes down to looking out for my own interests, “What about all the other people in Carbon-
I wouldn’t hesitate to kill you either.” ville?”
“I’d hate to see you try.” “If we act fast, nobody in the city’ll be hurt.
Some will panic, but in an hour or two we should
#
either have Jarth, or we’ll all be dead. We’ll turn
“Jarth must know where the man I’m after is the power back on when it’s over.”
hiding,” Brand said. He looked across the hotel “All right,” Brand said. “Call your men.”
room at Raymond Targo. Jana Reynolds sat on Targo pulled a mini-phone out of his pocket
the loveseat next to him. Targo was a stocky, man and punched a number.
with dark curly hair, a prominent brow, and a “Zero hour at two a.m.,” was all he said.
deadly serious expression on his face. “The girl #
Sari didn’t think so. But I think she was wrong.
He’s trying to protect Wilkerson. Otherwise, he Carbonville went dark as planned at two a.m.
wouldn’t have sent someone to kill her.” The street lights winked out first, and the traffic
“So you’ll help us?” Targo said. lights. The few cars on the street sat for a while,
“Your plan might work,” Brand said. “But if it the drivers wondering what was happening. The
doesn’t a lot of innocent people will die.” casinos and hotels were next. The lights, the music,
“It’s the only way,” Targo said. “We’ve been the holographic gambling machines all went out.
working on it for months. Is there anyway you The emergency lights came on, and the casino
can use your contacts on the Tulon Security Force security men helped people to the exits. Paper
to get us some unofficial backup?” receipts were given for winnings that were owed

but couldn’t be paid until the computers came The vigilantes took cover behind the tables.
back on. Homes and apartments blacked out. A blistering hail of laser fire poured down on
Some people woke up in their beds wondering them. Emboldened by the vigilantes’ sudden halt,
what had happened. Others slept through the the guards, about a half dozen of them, crept-
night and never knew history was changing in toward them, shouting and firing steadily. Targo,
Carbonville. on Brand’s right, stood up and lobbed a shock
By two fifteen a.m., the temperature all over grenade. It landed in the midst of the charging
the city already hit the mid-nineties. Standing in guards. Bright tendrils of electricity surrounded
the alley next to The Green Dragon, Brand felt his the men, and they stood, suddenly paralyzed,
clothing sticking to him. It was eerily quiet. He’d their guns useless. Their feet bolted to the floor,
noticed when the power went off how still every- their bodies shook and trembled as they were
thing seemed. When the air filtration system had electrocuted. The energy in the grenade dissi-
been working there had been a low background pated and the lightning went out. Six men fell to
hum from the powerful generators controlling the floor dead.
the air system of the city. It was noticeable now “Let’s go,” Targo shouted.
by its absence. Brand followed him as they ran for the slot
Raymond Targo stood behind him in the machines. More fire came from behind the slots.
shadow of the alley. Jana Reynolds stood next The vigilantes gave no quarter. They ran straight
to him. She, Brand, Targo, and the fifteen men for the casino guards, firing their weapons, and
behind him were dressed in black with black screaming like banshees. Arms were severed,
ski masks. They stood ready, armed with laser heads exploded, and legs shattered on both sides
blasters, electron guns, plasma rifles, and shock as the battle raged. Brand saw Jana Reynolds
grenades. Brand had his plasma rifle in his hands, firing her laser pistol with cool precision and saw a
and the Beretta Electro-Pistol strapped to his guard fly back onto the carpet, his chest smoking.
thigh. When the battle was over, no more guards were
“Remember,” Brand whispered to Targo. “I left on the first floor. Targo knelt down next to
want Jarth alive.” one of the dead ones and searched his pockets.
“We’ll do our best to see he isn’t among the “We’ll need this,” he said, waving an elevator
dead,” Targo said. key card.
Brand raised his hand and gave the signal. The The others ran to join him. Brand saw that
band of armed vigilantes poured out of the alley, now there were only ten men. Five had been left
snaked around the corner of the building, and on the killing floor.
charged the glass doors of the casino. Brand fired “The elevator to Jarth’s penthouse is the
the rifle, and the doors shattered. As they ran only one still operating,” Targo said. “He’s got a
into the first floor gambling room, dark figures separate portable generator that cuts on in power
ran toward them from behind the gambling outages.”
tables and slot machines. Laser fire tore through “If we all go up in one car we’ll be sitting ducks,”
the semi-darkness. Brand fired back, and one of Brand said. “Where’s the stairway?”
the guards fell across a roulette wheel. A vigilante “End of the corridor.”
on Brand’s left fell, crashing into a mirrored pillar “Give me two men and ten minutes to get
that shattered as he went to the floor. up there. We’ll get their attention and then you

come up.” He eased the door open. They were at the back
Targo called two names, and the men stepped of Silo Jarth’s jungle. It was dark and strange and
forward. Brand and Targo checked their watches. eerily quiet. All of the jungle birds and monkeys
It was 2:25 a.m. were mute. In a low crouch, Brand crept toward a
“Two thirty five, we move in,” Targo said. Lotus-palm a few feet away. The psuedo-rainfor-
Brand ran down the corridor with two men est lay darkly ahead, and then something flashed.
armed with laser guns on his heels. He stopped The man behind Brand yelled and fell. Brand dove
at the door to the stairway and listened for a behind the palm tree, firing back at the flash. A
second. It was quiet. He pushed the door open laser beam flew over him, a Kazuli groaned, and
with the butt of his plasma rifle and stepped into Brand heard him fall. Firing began from behind
the grey-painted stairwell. The others followed several palm trees about twenty feet into the
closely. Their running footsteps echoed loudly in jungle.
the hollow stairwell as they ran up the first seven Brand returned fire. The enemy fire was so
flights without encountering resistance. Brand intense, the best he could do was remain behind
put his foot on the first step of the eighth flight, cover and fire to keep their attention until rein-
and a laser beam cracked the concrete next to his forcements arrived. A veritable hail storm of
shoe. He dove onto the stairs, twisting his body so plasma and laser fire came down on him. Where
he landed on his back. He looked up at the green was Targo?
head of the Kazuli guard glaring down over the “Let’s go,” Brand heard one of the Kazuli say.
railing two floors above. Brand’s rifle barked out He heard the sound of men advancing toward
two shots. The guard screamed and pitched over them. Brand peered around the tree trunk and
the railing, landing with a thump on the concrete fired, knocking one of the Kazuli down. The firing
of the ninth floor landing. grew even more intense, and Brand saw the sil-
Brand jumped to his feet. One of the men with houettes of at least ten lizard men moving toward
him ran past him, taking the lead. Brand followed him.
in second place. They got to the fifteenth floor There was an explosion behind them, and
and started up to the sixteenth when the door to bright light flashed behind the black trees. The
the outside corridor opened behind them. Two Kazulis turned and dove for cover. Brand heard
Kazulis jumped in blasting. The man below Brand rifle and pistol fire coming from the direction of
fell, a burning hole torn through his abdomen the elevator. Targo shouted orders. The Kazulis
and back. Brand fired the plasma rifle and the began firing nonstop at the reinforcements. Targo
first Kazuli dropped. The second stood behind and his men returned the fire, tossing an occa-
firing up at them. Laser beams cracked loudly in sional shock grenade at the penthouse defenders.
the stairwell and Brand smelled burning concrete. Brand moved in closer and fired at the backs of
The man above Brand on the stairs shot the Kazuli the Kazulis, keeping them pinned down.
in the knee. The lizard man went down, and Brand Satisfied that the battle was going well, Brand
blasted him in the chest. moved through the jungle and found the path he
“Come on,” he shouted, running ahead of the had taken earlier that day. He pushed through the
other man. palm leaves, and elephant ear plants. Now the
They got to the penthouse door and Brand frightened screeches of birds and monkeys rose
halted, listening. He glanced at his watch. 2:34. shrilly above the sound of gunfire. Brand looked

up and saw jungle birds flying madly around held that curious, blank, child-like stare.
the roof of the penthouse. He stepped over the Brand threw the Plasma rifle away. He kept
body of a dead vigilante lying at the edge of the focused on Galt’s eyes, yet his peripheral vision
pool where Jarth had bathed with Sari and the took in every twitch of Galt’s fingers. He knew
blonde. how fast Galt was. Damn! he thought. He was
The path wound past the pool, through more going to have to kill a man who had saved his life
trees to a steel door surrounded by plaster and a little over twenty-four hours ago. If he could.
stucco made to look like the walls of a cave. Galt The Tarnesian was fast. Very fast.
stood in front of the door. He was dressed as he The flashing of laser fire from the jungle behind
had been earlier, in black, but without the hat. Brand reflected off the alien’s blue reptilian skin,
The Ray-Blade buzzed in his hand. Brand pulled off as he stood there, his lips parted in that perpetual,
his ski mask, and the two men faced off, looking wide, toothy grin. He stood relaxed, his arms low,
almost like reflections of each other. his fingers twitching.
“I thought I told you to get out of here,” Brand The smile never left Galt’s eyes as his hand
said. went for the Min-Blade. The weapon came out
Galt shrugged. “Now why would I do that?” of its sheath, lit up, and started to fly all in one
he said. breathless motion. Brand drew the Beretta at
“Where’s Jarth?” the same time he dove for the floor. The whirling
“Up on the roof. He’s got a Strato-Sled ready to flash of the blade went over him as he squeezed
take him out of here.” the trigger, and the blue beam of light from his
Brand started to move. gun hit Galt in the solar plexus. The Tarnesian
“Hold it,” Galt said. “Can’t let you go up there. flew backwards, his legs making a V in the air. He
Man gave me a ton of money to stop you.” landed on the floor and didn’t move.
“You can’t spend it if you’re dead.” Brand ran to him. The former Kalu acolyte
“If I’m dead, it won’t matter. Besides, I’m not stared up at him glassy-eyed and the grin came
doing it for the money.” back to his face.
“Why then?” “Slick move,” he said. “I didn’t figure you for
He grinned, shut the Ray-Blade off, and tossed that.”
it aside. His hand dropped next to the Min-Blade “You should have left when I told you,” Brand
sheathed on his leg. said, kneeling down beside him. “Why’d you have
“I’ve been wondering ever since last night in to draw on me?”
the alley,” Galt said. “Who’s faster? Me with the “Like I said. Just your plain old neighborhood
Min-blade, or you with that Beretta?” Scorpio-Pede. It’s my nature. I can’t help—”
“I don’t want to kill you, Galt,” Brand said. His body went limp and his head rolled to the
“Don’t make me do it.” side.
“Looks like you’ll have to try. There’s no other Brand knelt there for a moment looking down
way.” at him. “That’s a hell of a reason.”
Brand saw that look in Galt’s eyes. The same He stood up. The sounds of the battle were
look he had last night in the alley just before he dying down. Raymond Targo seemed to be getting
drew on the Hansor with the plasma automatic. things under control. Except for one thing. Brand
His head was cocked to one side, and his eyes ran for the steel door Galt had guarded. He fired a

shot at the lock, and it swung open. He climbed a hole in the shattered sky dome.
flight of stairs, where he heard the muffled sound “That can be repaired,” she said.
of a Strato-Sled preparing for take-off. He got to “If I were you, I’d take the whole thing down,”
the top step and found a glass door. Through the Brand said. “Let Carbonville breathe some fresh
glass he saw the winking lights of the Sled as it air.”
began to lift off.
He opened the door and ran out on the roof.
He fired a shot, but a gunman in the door of the
Sled fired back at him with a plasma rifle. The
shot tore a hole in the roof at his feet. By then
John M. Whalen
the Sled was out of pistol range. John M. Whalen’s stories have appeared in the
Brand watched the receding lights of the air
Flashing Swords E-zine, pulpanddagger.com,
ship that carried away the only man who might
have helped him find Terry. The Sled, smoke and Universe Pathways magazine. Contact
trailing out of its exhausts, rose higher and the author here.
higher until it seemed nearly to touch the dome
covering the city. Since the city had no power, the
mechanisms to open the skyway doors were not
working. Brand watched as twin lasers fired out of
the sled’s nose. Glass shattered, and steel burnt
and bent. The entire dome quivered for a few
seconds, and Brand wondered if it would hold. A
few more panels of glass fell from their titanium
encasements and crashed into the streets and on
some of the roofs. But the dome stopped shaking.
Brand watched as the Strato-Sled shot through
the gaping hole it had blasted in the dome.
The stairway door opened and Jana Reynolds
walked up to him, looking up at the sky.
“I wonder where he’ll go.”
“I don’t know,” Brand said. “But I don’t think
you’ve seen the last of him.”
Jana said, “But for now, at least, Carbonville
can live in peace.”
Brand watched as, down below, the lights of
the city started to come back on under the first
faint grey light of dawn. In a few hours, the streets
would be filled with people. The shops and stores
would open. The casinos and hotels would pick
up business as usual, and the people of Carbon-
ville would go back to the aimless distractions
that made up their lives. He looked up at the big

Featured Artist: Euka Pg. 31
Featured Artist:
Alexander Raul Iglesias
Name: Alexander Raul Iglesias
Age: 22
Hobbies: Gaming, Art, Exercise, Technology.
Favorite Book / Author: Glimmer Rats, Dan Abnett.
Favorite Artist: Mark Harrison.
When did you start creating art? 4

years old.
What media do you work in?

Digital.
Where has your work has been

featured? deviantArt.com.
Where should someone go if

they wanted to view / buy some
of your works? Email me at
Flyingdebrisguy@yahoo.com
How did you become an artist? I

suck at everything else. ;)
What were your early influences? Battletech, D&D, and Interstate 76.
What are your current influences? Military tech, Keith Thompson, and computer
games.
What inspired the art for the cover? Halo, Battlefield 2, and Battletech.

Featured Artist: Alexander Raul Iglesias Pg. 32
How would you describe

your work?
Grounded in reality.
Where do you get your

inspiration / what
inspires you?
The Internet.
Have you had any

notable failures, and
how has failure affected
your work?
None that I can think of
just yet.
What have been your greatest successes? How has success impacted you / your
work? Nothing either.
What are your favorite tools / equipment for producing your art? Wacom tablet
and Photoshop.
What tool / equipment do you wish you had? A bigger tablet.
What do you hope to accomplish with your art? Fill a certain niche within sci-fi.

Featured Artist: Alexander Raul Iglesias Pg. 33
Deuces Wild Caution: Some adventure

In the Lap of the Gods, Part Three violence
by L. S. King WARNING: One scene of

strong implied personal
violence.
When we last left our heroes, Slap had been Tristan blew out a sharp exhale, almost a laugh,
captured by the Eridani. Tristan refused to and ran his hands through his hair. “You’re right.
cooperate with the Confederation attack in return After we dock to refuel, I’ll try to take a nap.”
for their help in retrieving the cowboy. He took off #
to rescue Slap himself, along with the engineer
Carter. Slap’s legs shook as he set one foot in front
of the other. If he fell, they might drag him again.
T ristan paced the hall between the bridge Lack of food, and water, had weakened him, and
and the galley. Fifteen minutes until with this planet’s hell-hot heat, he felt ready to
the capacitor charged for another jump. He’d pass out.
discussed their entry to the planet with Carter, Blood ran down his arms, chest, and back,
memorized the floor plans of the emperor’s from the tight-fitting stone stock encompassing
palace, and studied the topography of the area his wrists and neck. The inside of the enclosures
they were going to land in until he knew it blind. had been deliberately chiseled to grind and gnaw
Nothing left to do. into flesh. To take the pressure off his raw neck,
Except wait. he had to lift the heavy stock-bar with his arms,
He’d chafed on their fuel stops, and they’d have scouring the skin off his wrists.
to make one more before arriving at Eridani. The heat of the bare ground had blistered
Carter came up the ladder and watched him his feet as he was led through the city to the
for a moment. “Captain, you really need to sleep. palace. His pain, and dread of what was to come,
You can’t pilot this gal through that last jump into overshadowed any embarrassment at being
the atmosphere like you are.” paraded naked through the streets. The natives
Tristan bit back a snarl. He knew the engineer pointed at him and chattered in their tongue, or
was right, but sleep did not come easily. hissed. Some spat on him. A few threw stones.
“Three more jumps, Sir, and we stop for anti “Barbarian!” several shouted.
again. Refueling will take hours. It would be a The outer guard walls of the palace loomed.
perfect time for you to rest.” Should he want to get to end of this trip? The
“I have to oversee that. It’s a touchy business.” little Tristan had told him made him fear the end
“Sir, that’s one thing I can do and know I do it as much as the journey.
right. I know it’s hard for you to delegate, but you The palace looked like an old castle: outer walls
need to be in top form, to get us to the surface with towers, a fortified gatehouse, a courtyard,
alive. I admit I don’t think you care if I make it, or even crenellations on the tops of the walls, but
even if you make it, but your buddy’s only chance the doors opened by modern magic. The air con-
of rescue is you, so think of him.” ditioning struck him, and he shivered as he was

Serial: Deuces Wild, In the Lap of the Gods, Part Three, by L. S. King Pg. 34
shoved and prodded through hallways. At least allowing in-planet defenses to target them. The
the place had lifts. He could not have managed resulting ion storm should help block them from
stairs. orbitals. He hoped.
Finally guards shoved him into a dim, dank With only five minutes, they were going to
chamber, filled with overpowering organic jump in near the capital, where Tristan bet, hoped,
smells. He retched, but not having eaten since... prayed Slap was being kept. Cavern systems
whenever he’d been captured, and being given pocked the desert planet, and many of the inhab-
little water, he had nothing to disgorge. Still his itants lived in them. However, one not too distant
stomach heaved violently as they hauled him to a from the city was considered taboo. From all the
wall, and chained his feet to the floor. information Tristan could find, the superstitious
The door slammed. Slap fell against the rough natives avoided it, claiming it was home to their
stone, not caring that the rock sliced his back as dead ancestors and gods.
he slid to the floor. He could not lie down; the Perfect.
stock would not let him. But at least he could Getting from their jumping-in point to the
lean back a bit and rest, after a fashion. cavern—that was going to be sticky. They would
Slowly, he became aware of his surroundings. need almost a vertical descent. He took a breath
The shadows that hid most of the chamber in and rubbed his palms on his thighs. Now or
darkness became sharper. Small sections of wall never. “Ready for the final jump. Engaging first
divided the room into cell areas. He heard raspy capacitor.”
breathing but because of the partitions could “Wormhole forming,” Carter replied in a shaky
see no others. A gurgling wail rose, then fell into voice.
weeping, followed by silence. “Engines idling down,” Tristan murmured.
Tristan. Where was he? Considering this place, “Now entering wormhole.”
Slap rather hoped he was dead. One man against Disorientation flowed over Tristan; tingling
all of Eridani? Not even Tristan could win this one. flowed through him, his skin feeling inside out. He
And the last thing he wanted was for his friend to cleared his throat. “Engaging second capacitor.”
end up in here trying to rescue him. Carter’s distorted voice floated to him. “The
negative energy field is steady, keeping the
#
wormhole from collapsing on us, but it’s over-
Tristan was a good pilot; he had learned under heating the core faster than I expected.”
intensive tutelage and gotten his master rating— Tristan growled invectives and gripped the
albeit under a name he hadn’t used in years. But controls to pitch the ship as they emerged. They
was he good enough? They’d soon find out. First were low in the ionosphere—not good. Their
test: get them through the wormhole fast enough speed was above Mach six. Almost too slow for
that it didn’t collapse on them, and slow enough the wormhole but way too much speed for this
that they didn’t disintegrate upon slamming into old freighter at this altitude. So much for my
the atmosphere once through. piloting skills.
From the time they jumped in, which would Several warning klaxons blatted, bombarding
inadvertently create an electromagnetic pulse, Tristan’s ears.
they’d have about five minutes to hide the ship “Slow the ship!” Carter shouted. “The field is
before the power grid would come back online, dissipating quicker than I—”

“Shut those damned alarms off.” Tristan’s lips tion should cover us from the orbitals and any
peeled back and his knuckles whitened as he ships trying to track us.”
banked the shuddering ship left. Giselle creaked “I have to fly this barge through ‘all this atmo-
and groaned around him as they began a con- spheric disruption’ to find that cavern, you know.
trolled—semi-controlled—spiral. Assuming she doesn’t tear apart first.” And that
“What are you doing?” Carter called, his voice was still likely. This wasn’t flying, more like hurtling
breaking. through the air and not hitting the ground. Yet.
“Trying to burn off speed and not overshoot Terra was getting firma fast. Too fast. “Tempera-
our landing zone.” ture?”
Tristan slammed forward against the restraints; “Below melting point.”
the last of the field was gone. Giselle’s groaning Just in time, Tristan pulled out of the spiral;
rose to a scream, and the controls barely Carter wheezed an audible sigh.
responded. Like flying a brick! The vessel felt like “Sir, you’re sure that cavern is a safe place to
she was ripping apart. hide the ship?”
“We’re still too hot!” “No. But it’s a better bet than anywhere else
“Speed brakes.” near the city. These people—” Tristan stopped to
“We might burn them off.” concentrate on plowing the ship through heavy
“Use them!” Amid the cacophony of what turbulence. As they dropped through the tropo-
seemed like the ship nearly self-destructing, sphere, he watched his heading, ground track,
Tristan could feel and hear—barely—the rhythmic altitude, and airspeed closely. If this old freighter
thunking of the wings automatically extending. did survive, she’d need major work. Concentrate
“With this pitch, will we lose the wings?” on the immediate. He zeroed in on the coordi-
“Don’t know. Get her below Mach three and nates for the cavern. How could he slow and
we shouldn’t melt the hull.” hope to navigate her into the tight cleft in the
By all means, let’s not melt the hull. “Do you rocks without any visual reference cues and with
have a death wish?” Tristan growled through the wind shear?
gritted teeth. This was impossible. Why had he even consid-
Carter laughed, manic and shrill. ered it? To break pattern. Istvan had to know his
Not reassuring. usual style, and this front door battering wasn’t
Carter’s voice pierced the air in staccato his way.
tremor, in synch with the freighter’s quaking. “I’m He decelerated Giselle, trying to hold her
showing we caused an EMP just like I thought we steady as he closed in on his target. She lumbered,
would—didn’t affect us because we were inside not as responsive as usual.
the field at the time, and the ionosphere cascade is “What’s that ahead?” Carter asked, squinting
beautiful. And—sand! There’s a sandstorm below. at the read-outs.
But the wings could shear off in this turbulence! “Our destination. Hold on.”
I can override atmospheric wing control—retract “Are you sure you can fly this ship into that
them.” small opening?”
“Don’t you dare! I need them.” Tristan barked a laugh despite himself. “After
Carter quieted a moment then chuckled all this, now you’re worried?”
nervously. “At least all this atmospheric disrup- Carter didn’t answer.

The sand still whirled around the ship, calves into some sort of upright, manacled braces
obscuring everything. His eyes riveted on the in the floor. He would be unable to sit.
instrumentation. The cavern’s aperture seemed A bright light, held by an unseen person,
too small. flashed in his face, making him squint.
Tightening his grip, Tristan slowed even more. “So this is our bait, is it?” a sneering voice
asked. The light, closer now, blinded him as the
#
voice whispered. “You work well, Bait. Your friend
Slap roused slightly from the dazed state he has arrived on the planet, if the disruption to our
supposed could be called dozing when he heard power is any indication. But he shall find he is
a scraping sound from the door. A boy, skinny, overmatched this time. We are ready.”
dressed only with wrappings around his loins, Tristan? Here? No! Slap wanted to cry, but no
padded to him, bearing what looked for all the tears formed.
world like a water bottle with a straw in it. “We shall keep him here,” the voice said in an
Keeping his distance as much as possible, the authoritative tone. “He might amuse Us.”
boy stretched his arms so the straw could reach A faint hum began and the air moved—circula-
Slap’s lips. Thirst overcame any suspicions,and tion. Lights started to glow. Whatever Tristan had
Slap took a several deep gulps. The water was cool done to their power, it was back on already. Slap
flowing through his mouth and down his throat. was reminded of the time that frigate attacked, its
His stomach knotted in rocks as the water hit, and fighters sending an EM pulse to disable ol’ Bertha.
his body jerked in an uncontrollable spasm. The The power had been restored in a similar way.
boy pulled the bottle away and stood, staring at The lights brightened, and Slap could see a
him with a mixture of curiosity and revulsion. slender man with dark features, large, square
“Th-thanks,” Slap murmured. jaw, and silk robes standing before him. His grin
The boy’s lip curled, but he held the bottle out was so predatory and gloating that Slap shivered.
once more. Without hesitation, Slap drank. Tristan, he shouted in his mind, wishing telepathy
After a few more gulps, the boy stepped back. worked. Stay away. Stay away!
Slap muttered his thanks again, but the boy only #
hissed, “Barbarian,” and ran out.
Some time later, the dim lights—wherever “Partially retract the wings, or we won’t make
they were hidden, recessed somewhere in the it.”
ceiling—blinked out. The complete darkness Carter complied silently, and Tristan clenched
stilled all noise in the chamber until one thin his teeth as the ship maneuvered on thrusters
voice began its piteous wail again. through the narrow confines of the tunnel. The
The door slammed open, and guards entered, passage widened into a large cavern, just as
guns in one hand, hand lamps in the other. the maps posited. And it appeared uninhabited.
Without a word, they unshackled Slap’s legs and Perfect.
hauled him to his feet. A confused walk in the He deployed the struts, and let the freighter
dark, and being hauled painfully up stairs, took down as softly as he could. Barely a bump. The
Slap at last to a wide archway. He was dragged least he could do for the old girl who got them
inside to some sort of large chamber. Incense through alive.
hung heavy in the air. Hands roughly encased his Carter heaved a sigh of relief and almost

clawed out of the restraints. Tristan followed him Slap’s body trembled with pain and fatigue.
to the lower deck, flicked on the external lights, The leg braces kept him upright, yet he was to
and let down the starboard cargo hatch. Carter the point of crumbling beneath the weight of the
ran out, fell to the ground, and began to sob stone stock still around his arms and neck. He
quietly. would soon topple over, and when that happened,
Tristan wasn’t going to ask if he had that he knew his legs would break.
reaction in general to flying or only to Tristan’s The emperor sat upon his throne, eating
piloting. He descended the ramp, glad to see dainties off a tray held by a servant, not even
that at least some of the lights still worked, and glancing at the “bait” he wanted to keep here for
turned to see what he had done to his ship. The amusement. Strange music that sounded rather
radiator heat sinks glowed orange, and waves of like cats killing flutes played softly, and despite
heat rose from the engines. The hull had patches the ventilation, so much incense burned that the
and streaks of charring, and the speed brakes air was slightly hazy.
were burned nubs. The plinking and thunking of “Ahh, Vasso,” a feminine voice called. Slap
cooling metal proclaimed the freighter’s quiet didn’t even look up at whoever had come in. The
disapproval of what she had endured. He rubbed marbled floor had his full attention—as in not
his forehead. fallen onto it and snapping his legs in half.
“It worked!” “Oh, this is not acceptable,” the woman went
Tristan spun to see Carter capering and cackling. on. “He’s mine, and you said you wouldn’t harm
“It worked! It worked! It worked! It worked! Yes!” him.”
A shriek of stressed metal made Tristan pivot “I said I would not kill or inflict permanent
in time to see the aft starboard landing strut damage on your toy. But until I have his friend,
slowly collapsing. Giselle groaned as she tilted he is mine.”
and settled into a sullen, temperamental pose. “That’s not fair.”
Sorry. Sorry, old girl. Slap blinked, glancing up at the dark, slender
Carter walked up next to Tristan, blinking. woman. It was the princess, Nadi, the one he‘d
“Mostly.” rescued. He dropped his chin to rest on the stock;
“I take it you’ll be fixing things while I’m trying his muscles ached too much to even hold his head
to find Slap.” up. The two continued arguing.
“Well, I won’t be fixing that strut. That’s for “Release him to me!”
sure.” Carter scratched his head. “No way to lift “You watch your place, sister.”
the ship.” “You promised! And I want him!”
“Think of Archimedes.” “Do you want him in pieces?” the emperor
“Too bad he isn’t here,” Carter said with an growled.
edgy laugh. “It seems that’s what you have in mind
“Well,” Tristan paused and shook his head at already. At least don’t break him. I want him for
the damage, “since I can’t leave until the storm a bodyguard. Imagine such a tall barbarian for a
lets up, we might as well see what repairs we can bodyguard!”
do.” “You think you can tame him?”
“Like a wild stallion.”
#
Like hell, thought Slap.

Emperor Istvan laughed, long and low. “This I walls. Faux torches lit the room.
would like to see.” Guards, dressed in silk vests and pantaloons
A silence fell. A pair of guards came over and tied around the waist with wide sashes, stood on
began to fiddle with the stock. After they removed either side of the dais, and the archway as well.
it, he leaned forward, resting his hands on his They wore scimitars, but also carried a shock
knees, taking gasping breaths. A guard pushed his baton, and a needlegun. Particle beam rifles were
shoulders back. He flailed his arms, trying to keep slung over their shoulders.
from falling, but in vain. He expected a sick crack A groove running through the frame of the
of pain in his lower legs but landed on a stool. He archway and the threshold told of a hidden door
shuddered in relief and stared with detachment that could slide out to seal the room. The wall
at his bloody wrists. between the archway and the dais sported a
Nadi swished over in her long robes. She took computer console. Braces and manacles spouted
his chin in her hand and lifted his head. Her smile from the floor near Slap, and another beam hung
reminded Slap of a feral cat. “Tend him,” she from the ceiling next to his.
called over her shoulder and pranced away, like a What did it say about the ruler of this planet
child happily anticipating promised candy. that he had devices for restraint, even torture, in
A man, a servant, he supposed by his plain an audience chamber? What had Tristan once
clothes, came over and began to wash Slap’s said? The best thing that could happen to Eridani
wounds. Not gently, but not overly rough. Slap would be for the royal palace to be blown up with
tried not to wince. After his injuries were cared the emperor and his whole family inside. Slap
for and he was given broth, guards manacled his now understood.
wrists to a wide wooden beam connected by a Nadi re-entered the chamber, her dark eyes
cable to a pulley system. When that was done, gloating. As Slap was forced to lie on his back, he
his legs were removed from the leg braces, and felt somehow the princess was more threat to
the stool taken away. He could be lifted off the him than her brother could ever be.
ground to dangle helplessly, forced to stand, or He was right.
allowed to lie down. For the moment, he sat, I only love Shallah. I only love my wife. Slap
trying to ignore the metal already cutting into repeated the thought over and over, humilia-
his flayed flesh, and the cold of the marble floor tion and loathing filling him not only at what
against his bare skin. was done to him, but in the emperor’s audience
Despite his pain and exhaustion, Slap looked chamber, in front of all present. He tried staring
around. Huge cushions littered the floor near the at the eyehook attaching the pulley to the ceiling
dais, and gold gleamed from the pillars along the as a focus, but the princess leaned over him with
walls and the cornices. Statues sat on pedestals a predatory smile, blocking his view. He squeezed
at the edges of the room with smoke rising from his eyes shut, but tears still ran down his cheeks
the incense burner set before each one. Stands of and into his hair.
graduated shelves held candles. Wooden panels Finally, Nadi rose. And Slap continued to sob,
like brightly painted picture boards lined the his soul shattered.

# shirt into strips. He donned the loose tunic again,

and was now a lowly drudge, carrying cleaning
Tristan glanced up at the pale engineer and cloths. The card hung inside his pants and the
the forlorn-looking ship, nodded, and charged for baton under the rags. He found a bucket and
the exit of the cavern. Two days, two foul days spigot to fill it with water. Now he was in business.
they had been delayed, for the sandstorms to He descended the nearby stairs to the dungeons
subside. Their arrival had caused the initial storm, without passing a soul. The guards didn’t bat an
but he didn’t know if the progression of them was eye as he bowed, showing his cleaning supplies,
something natural or an aftereffect. He almost and he passed on.
foamed at the mouth at the wait, and Carter had
slunk around, avoiding Tristan for almost the #
whole last day. A scuffle as two guards dragged in a victim
A soft blush across the dark sky announced didn’t interest Slap except that it would take
dawn. The trek to the nearest road wasn’t too attention off him for the first time in the forever
distant, and the capital not far beyond that. He he had been here. Nadi left him on the cold stone.
should arrive in the city by midday. At the edge of his vision he could see her settle
# onto a cushion with a cat-that-ate-the-canary
look on her face. He stared at the cracks radiating
The thrill of challenge surged in Tristan’s heart from the eyehook in the ceiling, numbly wishing
as he slid easily past the guards with the others he hadn’t tried to help her. He should have let
bringing wares into the palace courtyard. The those thugs beat, perhaps kill, her. He wished he
inspection was thorough, but Tristan was just were dead. If only he’d died with his family.
what he seemed, a poor laborer in rough-woven The man shouted vehemently, and although
clothes delivering baskets of ripe fruit for his Slap didn’t understand the native Eridani
merchant master, smuggling nothing, conceal- language, he knew the poor slob was cussing
ing nothing. He straightened after depositing out the emperor. Probably get his tongue cut out
his offering in the kitchen, and began to follow for his trouble. Slap wondered what the guy had
the other menials out. In the press, he bumped done.
against a guard and bowed low with murmured Istvan laughed. He walked over to Slap and
apologies. The guard would soon find he was bent over, leering down. “Our guest cannot under-
without both the shock baton and the master key stand you, Kebba. Speak so he can know your
that should be hanging from his side. plight.” Stepping back to the wall, the emperor
The guards were less attentive of leaving lifted a lever, and the manacle beam began to
laborers than of arriving ones. With an easy grace rise.
he slipped from shadow to shadow until he found The pain in his bloody wrists kept Slap from
a side door in an alcove. The master key did its letting himself be hauled upright. He scrambled
job and he was inside, in an empty antechamber. to get his feet under him. The beam stopped at
Perfect. shoulder height.
He took off his upper clothing and ripped the

He and Kebba stared at each other. The man’s forward in futile fury, cursing Istvan with every
face had been disfigured some time ago, his nose foul word he knew. He couldn’t reach the
and ears gone, but the wounds had healed. Like madman, but he couldn’t stop trying either—his
Slap, he’d been stripped of any clothes; old whip soul wouldn’t let him.
scars marred his body. His hands were cuffed Istvan stayed just beyond Slap’s reach, laughing
together in front of him. quietly. Taunting him. With a growl, Slap lunged
“Go on. Tell this barbarian.” again and—something broke loose. Istvan’s eyes
“I care nothing for barbarians,” Kebba said in a widened; he gasped, leaping backwards. They
thick accent. “Only for killing you. You are no god. both looked up. The eyehook hung askew. A snarl
You are murderer. You took my wife. Made me escaped Slap, and he dove again at his prey. A
watch while you tortured and killed her. Then did cascade of rubble fell as the pulley broke free.
this to me. And you think I will be a good slave, go Slap landed on top of the emperor and cursed
away, and be frightened into silence about what I that his hands weren’t free to choke the life out
know? I have told others what you are. And I will of the monster. He smashed his forehead into
kill you!” His voice rose and he screamed. “I will Istvan’s face. Royal blood spurted from his nose—
kill you!” red, like everyone else’s.
Slap’s insides curdled. In his mind he heard the “Don’t shoot!” Nadi screamed. “I want him
screams of his wife and cries of his baby trapped alive!”
in the burning house while he lay helpless on the Guards pulled him to his feet. Unholy joy
ground, battered, back broken, unable to stop coursed through Slap. He used the long wooden
the murderers. His agony rose, threatening to beam as a weapon, swinging it wildly, knocking
choke him. the guards about like rag dolls.
Istvan grinned into Slap’s face and waved his “Don’t shoot!” Nadi yelled again and called
fingers in the air. A guard gut-punched Kebba, something in her language.
doubling him over. The emperor waited until The emperor struggled to his feet, holding his
his victim straightened, his eyes gleaming with nose, and shouting in Eridani. The guards stood,
insane glee. In an almost bored voice, he ordered, frozen, uncertainty on their faces. Nadi ran for
“Debone him.” the archway.
Kebba screamed as the two guards began Slap would die in a few seconds when the
dragging him toward the archway. guards made up their minds who to listen to, but
Incomprehension gave way to sickening real- he was going to take out as many as he could. He
ization. The choking in Slap’s gullet boiled into dove at the ones who ran toward him from the
rage. He dove at Istvan, and actually managed to dais. He hit them like a battering ram, bowling
grab the shoulder of his robe, but the material them down.
slipped through his fingers. The fleeting expres- Every moment Slap expected to feel fiery pain
sion of fear as the emperor jumped back with a explode his back or head, but he kept on, deter-
cry tossed fuel on Slap’s burning heart. mined to fight to the end.
Feeling like a chained dog, Slap threw himself A PB rifle fired, and again. Wild laughter

echoed in the room along with agonized screams. heap. Slap stared at her crumpled, burned body
Slap twisted around to see Kebba shooting guards, for a moment, wanting to feel...relief, fulfilled
his face glowing with fierce delight. Brago’s Bands! revenge—something. But he only felt empty. Her
How did he get hold of a weapon? No time to ask. death didn’t restore the honor to his soul.
He turned to find another target for his beam and An earthquake-type rumble shook the room.
saw the source of the screams—Istvan convuls- Slap met Kebba’s eyes and saw his own despera-
ing on the floor, minus his legs. Huh. Good. His tion reflected.
mother would have chided him, telling him to #
have pity, and find forgiveness. So would Shallah.
But Slap couldn’t. He didn’t want to try. Let the Tristan dragged the unconscious guard into
murdering lizard get some payback. the room and locked the door. He sat at the
He spun to survey the room. The guards were computer station and, using the guard’s code card,
all down, the archway sealed. Nadi huddled near began trying to find Slap. He stared the display in
the door, eyes wide. disbelief.
Istvan continued to shriek as Slap’s and Kebba’s Nothing.
eyes met. The man grinned. “I said I would kill him,” Not possible.
he said over the dying wails of the emperor. A code word? Knight perhaps. He entered it.
Slap managed a shaky sigh. “So you did.” Again nothing.
“You—you were like a, a god.” He nodded at A red light blinked at the bottom of the display,
the ceiling. “You broke free.” and Tristan’s stomach tightened. Had he tripped
Slap swayed. Blood dripped freely down some alarm in the system? His hands flew over
his arms. Hoping he didn’t pass out, he walked the console. No, something was wrong with the
toward the dais. The cushions looked so soft. He entire computer system of the palace. What in
sat with a moan. the name of Dallor’s moons was going on?
“No man—” Istvan half-hissed, half-sobbed, A trembling rumble began, and he jumped up.
“is...is a god—but me.” He grabbed his wrist, his An explosion somewhere nearby shook the room
fingers fumbling at a small instrument there. He and a wall bulged. Tristan leaped to the door. It
spoke into it, in his native language, and laughed. took two swipes to get the door unlocked. He ran
The lights dimmed. into the hallway. About twenty feet to his right—
Nadi screamed and ran to her brother. She the way out—stones blocked the way. Another
grabbed his arm, and spoke into the device. Twice. boom sounded above and rubble fell, pelting his
She pounded on his chest, yelling something. The body. Tristan tried to protect his head with arms
emperor sneered and his face went blank. as he swung around, thinking and trying not to
Nadi shot up, eyes wild. “We will die! The panic. A third explosion knocked him off his feet.
palace. He has spoken destruction. To prove he Rock fell around him, battering him, pinning him.
is a god.”
“Then we die!” Kebba raised the rifle and fired.
Disbelief shone on Nadi’s face, and she fell in a

Stay tuned as Deuces Wild continues next month

with part four of:
“In the Lap of the Gods”
To catch up on previous episodes of the
adventures of Slap and Tristan, visit:
http://loriendil.com/DW.php
L. S. King
A science fiction fan since childhood, L.S. King
has been writing stories since her youth. Now,
with all but one of her children grown, she is
writing full-time. She has developed a sword-
and-planet series tentatively called The An-
cients. The first book is finished, and she has
completed rough drafts of several more novels
as well.
She serves on the editorial staff of The Sword

Review, is also their Columns Editor, and
writes a column for that magazine entitled
“Writer’s Cramps” as well. She is also one
of the Overlords, a founding editor, here at
Ray Gun Revival.
She began martial arts training over thirty

years ago, and owned a karate school for a de-
cade. When on the planet, she lives in Delaware
with her husband, Steve, and their youngest
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.

Pg. 43
JASPER SQUAD
Episode 5: The Wrong Side of the Law
by Paul Christian Glenn
W ith a swift click, Lieutenant Melendez in the dropspace over Kennecal City.”
flipped the release switch and heard
the hydraulic hiss of the latch. The Jasper’s
“They’ll be locked on to our signature by then,”
said Melendez.
cockpit swung free from its locked position and “No they won’t,” said Rand. “Watch this.” He
rotated around the perimeter of the ship’s upper dropped to the floor and wriggled beneath her
disc. She watched the stars flash past in a blur, chair, through her legs, and up under the control
and tempered her momentum as the pursuant console.
fighters came into view. “What the hell are you doing?” She looked
There were four GPF Raiders, single-pilot down to see him smiling up at her, that crooked,
assault ships tricked out with heavy cannons, mischievous grin that he got when he was up to
rapid-fire wing shooters, and modified thrusters. no good.
There was, she noted, no attending detainee “Nice view,” he said, winking. “Maybe I’ll ride
ship. down here from now on.”
Melendez felt certain that the Jasper’s She kicked him in his side, and he winced
prototype engine could outrun them, even with dramatically. “They’ll be in range any
the navsys on the blink, but Captain Spill was second,” she said. “What are you doing?”
apparently sick of running, and he wanted a “Crossin’ the nav output signal with our external
fight. com receivers, then—ow—” A tiny shower of blue
She allowed the Jasper to continue racing an sparks sprayed down into his eyes. “...then routing
escape course, but she locked the cockpit down it back through the sig generator.”
and sat facing the fighters as they bore down. “That’s gonna garble my nav, isn’t it?” she
The two foremost fighters fired at her, the bright sighed. The incoming Raiders were visual now,
blue cannon bolts exploding from beneath their little spots of dangerous light, growing brighter.
cockpits, and Melendez leaned on the control “Yep,” said Rand, sliding out from underneath
rod, idly dodging the blasts. her. “But it won’t be the first time you’ve brought
“Melendez!” The captain’s voice roared over us into port without a nav.” As he said it, the
the com. “What’s the status?” lights on the console flickered out, and she was
“I think I can take them,” she replied. flying by eyesight. Not such a big deal once they
hit atmo, but out here in the black, it was easy to
Rand leaned over her shoulder, his long jaw get disoriented without the nav.
jutted forward in a grim grin. “I don’t think you Rand stood up and put his hands on her
have to,” he replied. “We’re only a few leagues out shoulders, looking out at the approaching raiders.
from Tantrias IV. If you can keep us from gettin’ He leaned down and kissed her neck, then bit it
tagged for the next ten minutes, we can lose ‘em playfully. “I love this little ship with all my heart,”

Serial: JASPER SQUAD, Episode 5, The Wrong Side of the Law, by Paul Christian Glenn Pg. 44
he said. “Don’t let ‘er get blowed up.” With a toward them, and lightly pulled the control rods
squeeze, he ducked out of the cockpit to run down back and forth, up and down, neatly avoiding
and secure the cargo for landing. every intended missile.
One day, she thought, I’m going to get a real Within seconds she was upon them, and she
job, where I don’t have to fly by the ring of my feigned a drop. The raiders dipped their noses,
neck every day. and she pulled hard on the rods, cutting sharply
up and above them. As she swept overhead, she
Captain Spill was talking to her through the dropped four grav-bombs from the beneath the
com. “Lieutenant, we’re trying to fix the nav down ship, and seconds later she felt the impact of two
here and everything just went kablooey. Can you raiders exploding in the vacuum behind her. Her
see anything?” mind went dark as she shut out any thought of
She turned her head as a tiny shower of blue the two GPF officers who’d just disintegrated. She
sparks sprayed down toward her face, then quickly knocked the thrusters up to maximum speed and
finished the wiring and pulled herself out from dipped the nose of the ship. There, below her, was
under the console. She jumped up, switched the Tantrias IV, and even from this distance she could
piloting system over to manual, and grabbed the see the glow of Kennecal City.
control rods as they extended from the console. “I told you we didn’t need to engage,” said
She tapped the intercom. “I’m scrambling Rand, over the com.
the sig,” she said, landing back in the pilot’s seat. “Couldn’t evade four raiders all the way down,”
“We’re just a few minutes over Drinias Pel. Tell the she replied. “Too risky.”
cadets to secure the deck for landing.” “Four’s doable,” said Rand.
“Dammit, Lieutenant,” rasped Spill, “I said “Two’s better.”
we’re not running away! If the GPF isn’t willing “You’re going to Cruist when you die,” he said.
to talk...” “You know that, right?”
“I will not fire on friendly craft, Sir,” she said “Good thing,” she said with a smile. “You’ll need
quietly. someone to keep you company down there.”
“Friendly?” asked the Captain. “Was that a The explosions had bought her a few seconds
friendly cannon blast I heard fly past a minute of precious lead time. Without the navsys, she
ago?” couldn’t see behind her—this little bugship
“It was a warning shot,” she lied. “They’re not wasn’t fitted with a visual monitor system—but
going to blow us into black. We’re all jeepers she knew the two remaining fighters must have
here.” regrouped by now. They were faster than she was,
“Bring the cockpit around,” said Spill. “I’m but she would gain another few seconds of lead
coming up.” when they hit atmo, because the raiders’ armor
She reversed the thrusters and, after a sharp, wasn’t compatible with quick-entry heat shields.
gut-dropping loop, the ship sped forward, straight They would have to slow down, and by the time
toward the raiders. they regained their advantage, she would be well
lost within the busy dropspace above Kennecal.
They saw her coming in fast and all four ships Two more lives had bought her another day of
began to fire. With practiced precision, she antici- freedom. How many lives...she put it out of her
pated the impact point of each blast as it hurtled mind. No point in thinking about it. Some people

were lucky, some weren’t, that’s all. around the Jasper, and Melendez realized she
Captain Spill was raging. wouldn’t be able to defend herself from both
“I said bring the cockpit around, Lieutenant, sides at once. She dropped the Jasper hard and
and I wasn’t asking! You can’t evade four flickin’ low, trying to buy a second in which to think, but
raiders all the way down.” instead of following her, the raiders began to
She suspected he was right, but they were recede, as if she was suddenly outrunning them.
about to hit atmo, and if she could make it that It took her a second to realize why, and when she
far, the air would be filled with thousands of sigs did, she nearly panicked.
in which to get good and lost. The raiders were slowing for atmospheric
The com shuddered with sharp crashing entry, while she was flying blind and backwards—
sounds, and in her mind she could see Captain at maximum speed.
Spill on the other end, smashing his fist against Gritting her teeth and swearing under her
the speaker in frustration. She bit her lip to breath, she slammed the cockpit slider hard left
suppress a smile. and swung herself around to face the looming
Four bolts of cannon fire lit up the cockpit planet. Temp indicators began to flash, and for the
with blue fire as they passed overhead, and she third time in two days, the Jasper’s ear-piercing
realized the raiders were already closer than she alarms began to screech.
thought. “Lieutenant,” barked the Captain, “what
Time to see what this prototype ship can do, the—”
she thought. Leaving the thrusters at maximum She switched off the intercom and pulled
press, she hit the latch release. She didn’t need back on the thrusters. It was a dangerously fast
to use the slider—the Jasper’s forward motion deceleration, and the ship began to shudder, but
force sent the loose cockpit swinging in a sicken- she was able to pull up and ride along the outer
ingly fast arc around the perimeter of the ship; in edge of the atmosphere for a few seconds before
two seconds she was on the opposite side, facing finally dropping through.
the pursuing raiders. White fire lit up the cockpit, and she felt the
With the latch still loose she began to swing heat even through the protected glass, and the
the ship to and fro, hoping to frustrate the raiders’ ship shook violently. Just as it seemed they would
weapons locks. With each motion, the cockpit fly apart, the sound and fury vanished, and she
slid back and forth, and she fired the Jasper’s light was bathed in the soft light of a foggy green sky
cockpit cannons over the enemy’s cockpits, just over Drinias Pel.
enough deterrent to keep them from concentrat- The serenity was short-lived, however, as
ing on firing their own cannons. a massive freighter appeared suddenly in her
The gambit worked. Because she was firing peripheral vision, then pulled up sharply with a
from the cockpit instead of the main cannons thunderous roar, barely avoiding a midair collision.
mounted on the ship’s hood, her fire came from If the com hadn’t been switched off, she was
the opposite direction from which the ship was certain a string of obscenities would be rattling
swinging. The incongruence bought her nearly a through.
full minute as the raiders scrambled to reassess The fog cleared as she continued the descent,
their attack pattern and reform. and a hundred thousand buzzing crafts appeared
They realigned, creating a “U” formation below. Melendez had never been to Drinias Pel,

but it looked like an unregulated airspace, which of paranoia hovering once again. She had done it
meant flying without the navsys would be par- more times than she could count, but that was in
ticularly sticky. another life. In the last few years, she had grown
She had no idea where the raiders were at comfortable with the confidence that legitimacy
this point, but she knew they wouldn’t fire into brings. It felt good to know that she was on the
a crowded airspace, so without hesitation she right side of the law, that whatever danger lay
plunged down into the chaos. Bugships and in wait, she was one of the good guys. Now that
freighters and transport hurtled around them in confidence was gone, and the old, familiar jitters
all directions, and she felt comfortable in the pan- were creeping back. She realized she had her
demonium. After the quiet isolation of Wroume, hand on her shooter.
it was good to be back on a civilized planet.
Hovering above the city, she spotted the aerial “Look like you could use a drink,” croaked the
satellites of several spaceports, and turned in theancient barkeep, looking up at them from a pair
direction of the biggest one. More activity would of platform shoes that still didn’t lift him more
mean less people paying attention. With a sigh, than a head’s measure above the bar.
she switched the com back on and waited for her “We had a rough entry,” said Rand. “Two bouts
castigation from the captain. of sour and spice.”
“Use a generic undercover docking code,” he The little man pulled the bouts and handed
said simply. “And take us to a tuning bay. After them up to the bar. Melendez took the oversized
that entry, I want the ship analyzed.” mug in her hands and sipped. The burning
“Yes, Sir,” she replied. “I’m coming around.” spice felt good on her throat, and the sour, she
knew, would feel good on her mind within a few
#
minutes.
Within fifteen minutes, they had docked the “You know anybody called Stathora?” asked
Jasper, arranged for an integrity analysis and Rand casually. “We’re supposed to meet him
were standing in the crowded terminal. Captain here.”
Spill had not spoken a word to Melendez since The barkeep took a filthy wet rag in his little
she’d appeared on the ship’s deck, and she knew hands and began studiously wiping the bar.
he was waiting for a moment to get her alone. “Sounds familiar,” he said. “Think he might come
She would have felt better if he had chewed her in from time to time. You here on business?”
out immediately. When Spill was silent, it meant “That we are,” said Rand coolly. “Any idea how
he was trying to temper himself. Unfortunately, I might get in touch with him.”
she knew, he wasn’t very good at it. “I stay out of it,” said the little man. “I got a
“Let’s find a bar,” said Spill. “Stamp, stay business to run here, and I don’t need trouble.”
close, or I’ll drop you in front of the whole damn
spaceport.” “We’re not looking for trouble, I assure you,”
With that, he stalked off. Stamp, Jackaby, said Spill. “Just a place to flop for the night with
and Rey followed, and Melendez brought up no questions asked.”
the rear, keeping an eye open for anyone who The woman behind the bar smiled knowingly
might recognize the group. It felt strange to walk at Melendez, and winked at the captain. “No dis-
through a crowded spaceport with the spectre respect meant, Officer,” she said politely. “It’s just

that we get our share of ruffians here, being so “Yeah, and the GPF knows we’re here,
close to the port. If you have an official stamp, I somewhere. If you’d taken out those raiders,
can get you a discount for the night.” we’d be—”
The Captain leaned forward and lowered his Melendez interrupted with a fiery whisper.
voice. “That won’t be necessary. This is a quiet “With respect, Sir, you need to get something
operation, if you understand me. Just get me a straight. If we are still GPF officers, then we do
room key and tell me what time your shift ends.” not fire on our own. If we are not GPF officers,
The bartender didn’t blush, but turned her then we’re just a band of renegades with a stolen
mouth down to hide a flattered smile. She reached ship, and that means I don’t take orders from you.
under the bar and slid a keycard across the bar. You can’t have it both ways.”
“I’ll have a drink or two here before I leave,” she Spill narrowed his eyes. “Apparently you can.”
said. “Around ten.” “I’ve worked hard to get where I am,” said
Melendez watched the captain screw his eyes Melendez, “and I’m not going to give it up that
up in approximation of a wink, and she rolled her easily. I don’t know why the GPF wants us dead,
eyes. The most charming thing about Spill was his but I know that if we kill another officer, there’s
complete and utter lack of genuine charm. no coming back, no straightening it out. You may
The Captain turned around to survey the bar be a burned out old man, but I’ve got a little fire
and took a swig of his drink. Rey and Stamp sat left in my engine, and I plan to keep flying for a
at a small table nearby trying to look inconspicu- long time. Sir.”
ous, and Jackaby stood at a public com tapping Spill swigged his drink and breathed in through
speedily at the keys. gritted teeth to cool the burn. “I know where
“What the hell...” muttered Spill. “Jackaby!” you’ve been, Janet, and I know you don’t want to
Jackaby jumped, flipped the com off and go back, but you know as well as I do, you could
walked toward them. have gotten us killed out there. Maybe you don’t
“Who were you talking to?” demanded Spill. give a damn about a burned out old man like me,
“Uh, no one,” said Jackaby. “I was calling up a but we’re carrying two kids on that ship. Kids.
map of the city.” Think about that next time you decide to gamble
“Won’t need it,” interjected Stamp. “I know with everyone’s lives.”
people here.”
Spill handed the keycard to Jackaby. “Get “I’m don’t want to gamble,” she said. “We need
upstairs and keep to yourselves. We’ll be up in to play this one safe. If he reneges on the price,
a few minutes.” The two cadets led Stamp to a don’t argue. He doesn’t know the hardware’s hot,
narrow staircase on the other side of the bar and and the sooner we get it off our ship, the better.”
disappeared. “I’m cool as a calamweed, baby,” winked Rand.
Melendez turned to the Captain. “Don’t know He dropped his mug on the bar and slid toward
if I like leaving a couple cadets alone with that her. She felt the heat radiating from his skin as he
one,” she said. leaned close, and she shivered as he slid his arm
Spill ignored her comment and got straight to around her midsection. They had been running for
the point he had been avoiding. “You’re not to sit weeks, and it had been a long time since they’d
in that pilot’s seat again, Lieutenant.” had time for personal recreation. Rand put his
“I got us in safely,” she replied. lips to her ear and whispered, “After the exchange,

let’s get a room and stay for a few days. I’ll—” “Not interested,” said Melendez, placing her
“Everybody out!” called the barkeep as he hand on her shooter. “We work freelance.”
emerged from a dark room behind the bar. “And you’re not taking our ship,” added Rand.
Without a word of protest, the bar’s sparse popu- Stathora continued to smile his empty smile,
lation stood and ambled out through the only but his glare hardened. “I am, indeed, taking the
apparent exit. The barkeep adjusted his oversized ship. You can accept my generous offer, or you can
glasses and said, “He’s coming down. Keep it civil, scrap for yourselves on the streets here. It makes
and keep it quick. I got a business to run.” little difference to me.”
Melendez nodded, then turned to see Stathora “Listen, pal—”
emerge from a dark, narrow stairway at the far Melendez saw the instant that changed
end of the room. He was a tall, intimidating figure, her life before she heard it. The back of Rand’s
built like a freighter and bald as a moon. He head popped open and dark red blood shot out
smiled an empty smile and held open his empty of his mouth in a great, gushing fountain. The
hands as he walked toward them. Melendez had blast echoed through the empty bar, and she
never met the man in person, but she’d seen him screamed.
on com, and was shocked that he was even more His body seemed to fall in slow motion, and in
imposing in person. that instant she saw everything that brought him
“You come alone?” asked Rand, surprised. them here. Escaping the dirty streets of Punet,
“We have civil business,” replied Stathora. “I eloping at the age of 15, winning the money for
see no reason to bring goons.” their first freighter in a rigged card game on
“You’re my kind of businessman,” grinned Rand. Yoma, meeting the ugly old woman who gave
“The little man here wants us to keep it quick, so them their first job, laughing drunk after their
I’m gonna lay it out. We’ve got eight crates of 65- first dangerous scrape...she saw it all as his body
Es, sittin’ in the belly of our little ship, all tricked sailed forward. She finally heard the blast as his
out with launchers. No chargers, just the shooters. limp frame slammed against the concrete floor.
All unregistered, all clean.” She turned to see the aged little barkeep
“Very good news,” replied Stathora. “You are holding a shooter in his hand, a 65-E just like
in bay twelve, yes? The rough-looking bugship?” the ones she’d brought here. She reached for her
“She’s a freighter,” protested Rand, “Just not a shooter and then realized it was on the floor. She
very big one, that’s all.” had already dropped it.
“She’ll be useful,” said Stathora. “I haven’t the patience to argue,” sniffed
“Have you got a new job lined up?” asked Stathora. “What do you say, little lady?”
Melendez. Before she had breath to speak, the front
“Nothing specific,” replied Stathora, “but my door of the bar exploded and the room was full
men are claiming your ship from my friends at the of jeepers, armed to the teeth and screaming at
port right now. After we’ve unloaded the cargo, I them all to get on the floor. She stood, frozen, her
imagine I’ll tear her apart and sell the parts. I’ve eyes locked on the unnatural form of Rand’s con-
got a good trade in ‘used’ hardware.” vulsing body.
“What is this?” asked Rand. She felt the rough hands of the jeepers on her
“Change of plan,” relied Stathora. “Instead body, forcing her to the floor beside him. She saw
of paying you for the shooters, I’m taking your his eyes, wide with surprise, and she screamed
ship, keeping the money, and offering you both again.
positions in my organization.”

The bartender was screaming, shrinking in fear Paul Christian Glenn

behind the bar, and pathetically holding a mug
over her face for protection. Melendez looked Paul Christian Glenn is an Overlord
down at the terrified woman over the barrel of (Co-founder and Editor) of Ray Gun Revival
her shooter. magazine, and has been writing for as long
“Janet!” shouted Spill. “Put it down! What the as he can remember.
hell are you doing?”
In her mind, she saw the raiders flying straight It should be noted, however, that he has a
toward her. notoriously short memory.
The pilots.
The Academy.
The blood trickling from Rand’s nostrils.
She saw her Officer ID Number: 03317717.
The face of Kremm Stathora as she testified
against him.
Rand’s pupils, dilated wide.
“I love this little ship with all my heart...”
The images swam together and she felt dizzy.
She felt the captain’s rough hands on her arm
as he wrenched the shooter free from her hand.
She closed her eyes, and her mind went dark
as she blocked out the thoughts, the images, the
memories. When she opened them again, she saw
the captain apologizing to the shaken bartender.
Melendez walked toward the exit. She heard
Captain Spill calling her name, but she kept
walking.
“Janet!”
She walked through the exit and blinked in the
sunlight. The busy push of people on the street
knocked her back and forth as she stood, motion-
less. Seconds later, Captain Spill appeared in front
of her.
“What’s going on,” he demanded.
She ignored him and started walking toward
the spaceport.
“Where are you going?” called Spill.
“I’m going to turn myself in,” she said.

Jolly RGR Pg. 50
The Jolly RGR

Up next for Ray Gun Revival, Issue 18
Saving Beta
by Robert Mancebo
Faced with lying allies, friendly primitives, mass murder, impending planetary
destruction, and a very pretty girl, things are about to become very personal for the
Star-transport Cambridge’s security officer.
Eye of Nukulo
by S. T. Fortsner
When night falls and hunter becomes prey, who will come to the rescue? John Brenter
is soon to find out, as he faces the most challenging hunt of his life, surrounded by
half-understood aliens.
Serial: The Adventures of the Sky Pirate

Chapter 9, Finding Chain
by Johne Cook
Flynn and Mr. Pitt begin their first year at the Haddirron Naval Academy, discover the
merits of demerits, and set about finding Chain.
Featured Artist
Serial: Memory Wipe, Chapter 9

Orbit Over Nothing

Ray Gun Revival Magazine, Issue 17

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THRILLING TALES FROM BEYOND THE ETHER

Flinteye and the Crystal Spear

Serial: JASPER SQUAD

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

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

Cover Art: “Spec-Ops,” by Alexander Raul Iglesias

Special Thanks: Ray Gun Revival logo design by Hatchbox Creative

Visit us online at http://raygunrevival.com

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Flinteye and the Crystal Spear

T he spear rested on cushions of red flitter-silk

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

knees. guards with a red seal—like these ones—on their

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

had caught the spear. spear.”

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

marines. We won’t get paid, and we’ll probably anything is missing.”

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

behind. the power that comes from the spear.”

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

“Then what should we do about the spear?”

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

The View from the Shotglass Floor

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Carbonville, Part Two

H e went back out on the street, wondering

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Name: Alexander Raul Iglesias

Hobbies: Gaming, Art, Exercise, Technology.

Favorite Book / Author: Glimmer Rats, Dan Abnett.

Favorite Artist: Mark Harrison.

When did you start creating art? 4

What media do you work in?

Where has your work has been

Where should someone go if

How did you become an artist? I

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

How would you describe

Where do you get your

Have you had any

What tool / equipment do you wish you had? A bigger tablet.

Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 17, March 01, 2007

Deuces Wild Caution: Some adventure