Blood and Profit: Chapter 46

Eamon, Mew, and several Starseeds were at the edge of the forest to meet the official delegation from the colony capital. Kepi had worked  her into the group and as soon as she had exited the ship Eamon pulled her aside as the rest of the delegation speechified its way through 'first contact'.

"I'm glad you came" he started.

"I know I'm just your aid," She interrupted. "But I wasn't about to miss out on meeting aliens."

Eamon nodded "About that." He held out his tablet with the transfer contract he had written up. there was a place for her thumb print. "Sign this and you're no longer my aid." He smiled.

She looked worried for a second. 'You're seriously going to fire me just for not asking permission to be on the first contact committee?" She asked glancing over the document. Then her eyes went wide as she realized what the document said.

He shook his head. "The exact opposite actually. I've always been a problem solver Kepi and your problem is that you have an incredible skill set, one that requires a certain level of power for it to reach its full potential. So, as soon as you sign this, your problem is solved."

She looked up from the contract to his smiling face. "You're giving me your seat?" She asked in total shock.

He shook his head. "No, you are setting me free." He clarified as she read through the contract.

She looked up again. "You've left 'compensation for transfer' empty." She pointed out.

He nodded. "It's not really 'my' seat Kepi, and it's not your's either. That seat belongs to the people of the twenty second precinct. It's in their best intrest for you to be in that seat and me to be here." He gestured to the Starseed's forest. She signed the paperwork and pressed her thumb on the screen letting it scan properly.

She handed the tablet back with huge smile on her face. "I really appreciate you giving me a chance." She said before she gave him a hug.

He hugged her back as he replied. "I didn't give you anything, mostly because you almost always had already taken it for yourself." He said with a huge smile as they separated.

Kepi looked over at the continuing pomp and circumstance of 'first contact'. "What are they like?" She asked.

Eamon shrugged his shoulders. "They are interesting and weird. Brilliant and sad." He replied.

Kepi raised and eyebrow. "Brilliant and sad?" She asked for further clarification.

Eamon nodded. "Just wait until one of them asks what your name is." he said without further explanation, as they rejoined the rest of the group.

Lidarion Chapter 18

Trent and Lisa split had split off from Brooke and Alex having promised to meet up with them later in the afternoon for lunch. They made their way to the military district. It had been years since she and her late husband had packed their things into the storage unit. She knew she needed to at least get the keys for it and let the military liaison know she was in town but the closer they got to the storage halls the heavier her feet felt, the heavier her heart became. She stopped Trent half a block before the front gate of the storage quarter. She stopped walking and called out after Trent. “I can’t do this.” She said.

Trent stopped walking and they moved to the side of the street. “There’s nothing to be worried about Lisa. There is no shame in needing more time. I can’t say I’m going to be super available all the time but when I am back in town whenever you are ready I will gladly help you –“

She interrupted him. “Excuse me?” She said in shock. “Why are you talking about this Sigil quest like you are going it alone?” She asked.

Trent shook his head. “Because this isn’t your burden to bear Lisa.”

She shook her head. “I’m a full grown adult and last time I checked that means I got to choose what burdens I bore, for how long, and why.” She glared at him.

He threw his hands up in defeat. “I just don’t want everyone thinking they are bound to a promise I made. I want you to go live your new life.” He said.

She shook her head again. “And you need to understand that all this stuff that’s happening right now, this is my new life. That storage unit will still be there when we’ve saved the council members lives and gotten the sigils. Besides I know you, you’re going to need a healer on this trip.” She stated flatly leaving no room to argue.

Trent looked in the direction of the Storage quarter. “So are we leaving your stuff till later then?” He asked.

Lisa looked off in the same direction and sighed heavily and then nodded. “One thing at a time. You can’t help me process anything if you’re dead, so it’s up to me to keep you alive.” She turned to him with a sad smile.

He nodded. “Whatever you need Lisa.” He said as they turned around and headed for Alex’s place.

The XP: Chapter 18

The Stadium surrounding the tournament grounds was filled with screaming spectators. The scoreboard on the wall of the arena was divided into two halves. ‘The End of the World Club’ had five boxes on their half and ‘Not the Clan you’re looking for’ Had five on their half. In the overseers private box Volnado got up out of his chair and stepped forward to the edge of the balcony. “Welcome to the tenth match of round one!” His voice echoed throughout the stadium. “This fight is between The End Of The World Club and Not The Clan You’re Looking For!”

The stadium goes crazy cheering. Wainwright leans over to Shizaboom and whispers. “You can go about your business.” He joked.

Shizaboom laughed. “Move along, Move along.” Was his reply.

Volnado glances over his shoulder at them. “I hate you both.” He growled before turning back to the crowd as ‘Not The Clan You’re Looking For entered the arena from gate on their side. Volnado looked to the gate on the other side and saw no one there. He smiled. “The End Of The World Club is called to the arena.” His voice boomed out across the entire zone now. The spectators went silent, everyone was staring at the open, empty gate. “The End Of the World Club must present themselves in the arena or be disqualified!” His voice echoed again across the entire zone. A predatory smile on his face. “Five.” The audience was on the edge of their seats. “Four” Shizaboom leaned over the railing to get a better look at the gate entrance. “Three.” Volnado gripped the railing hard enough to turn his knuckles white. “Two”

The End of The World Club practically exploded into the arena they were running so fast. “We’re here!” Stygian shouted, his voice echoing throughout the arena.

Blackout looked at the countdown timer under their clan name. He pointed at the ‘2’. “And we made it a whole second earlier than we planned.” He said with a smile.

Bob shook her head. “That’s not possible! Everything always stops at one second! We screwed up guys!” She threw her hands in the air in mock frustration.

The Matriarch shrugged her shoulders. “We could always go out and come back in.”she said.

Bob shook her head. “Noooo, what’s done is done.”

“ENOUGH!” Volnado shouted. The spectators and both teams looked up at Volnado in his private box. “This is a simple death match.” He growled. His voice echoing through the stadium only now. Last team with a living member moves on to round two. When the bell rings, the match begins.” He finished his speech and dropped angrily into his chair.

The two clans face off. All five members of Not the Clan You’re Looking For are staring at The Matriarch in disbelief. The bell rings out through the arena. No one moves, The Matriarch is single handedly staring the other clan down in a standoff. She glares down the line keeping each player frozen in fear, None of them wanting to be the first to die to the legendary warrior. The stands are dead silent as well, no one wants to miss the first move. Which happens to be Trart Mowing down the other team from right to left in one sweeping motion.

He lets the trigger go and the smoke clears he sees the rest of his team looking at him. “What?” He asks.

The signs all over the arena flash “THE END OF THE WORLD CLUB WINS!!!” in big block letters with colorful backgrounds.

Stygian points at the line of dead opposing players. “What the hell Trart!?” He nearly shouts.

Trart shrugged. “Volnado said ‘when the bell rings’. The bell rang, what’s the problem?” He asked.

Stygian shook his head. “That wasn’t exactly fair.” He chastised. As the group walked out of the arena.

“Fair?” Trart asked in confusion. “I don’t remember anything about ‘fair’ in the rules. All I remember was ‘everyone tries to kill each other like civilized people after the ding noise. Bob laughed. “Did a bell make a ding noise? Did everyone except me stand around like a brain dead moron? Did I win the match?” Trart asked. The Matriarch coughed suggestively. “With assistance from the Matriarch of course.” He amended his statement.

“Hey it’s our first win and that’s all that matters to me.” Bob said as they reached the end of the tunnel.

The University of Console Heroics: Chapter 18

Sanders was slowly but surely hammering his way through an essay final for one of his other classes. He had headphones on and had fairly effectively shut out the rest of the world, so it was no surprise that he didn't hear the knock at the door. The knock came again, louder this time and he pulled his headphones off his head just in time to hear the third knock. He scrambled to his feet and opened the door to reveal his father, Sanders was nearly a carbon copy of his father, except that William was three decades older. Sanders moved out of the way, still in shock. "Dad! What are you doing here?" He asked.

William moved into the dorm room. "I came to see you, obviously. The last time we talked it sounded like you could use some parental guidance." He explained.

Sanders shook his head. "We haven't talked in almost two months Dad" he replied.

William sighed heavily and sat in one of the empty chairs. "Rodger Bannister called me." He admitted.

Sanders looked a little disappointed. "Professor Bannister called you?" He asked.

William nodded. "He was worried about you. Apparently you are having more trouble with the divorce than you admitted to your mother and I." William explained.

Sanders threw his hands up. "Of course I am Dad!" He snapped. "What were you expecting? Did you really think you could just let me know a relationship older than me was just 'over', I'd nod, smile, go 'ho-hum' and be on about my day?" He almost shouted.

William looked concerned. "Not at all. We told you so you could ask us any questions you had or say anything you felt like you needed to say. Apparently we needed to give you more time to process and that's our fault." He admitted.

Sanders shook his head. "No it's really not. Regardless of me being your kid, your relationship status is between the two of you. I'm grown and out of the house, I appreciate the courtesy and I'm sorry I acted like a child." Sanders apologized.

William shook his head. "No one is ever ready for something like their parents splitting up. It doesn't matter how old you are." He said.

Sanders nodded. "So there's no chance the two of you are going to get back together?" He asked.

William shook his head. "There are a number of reasons that won't be happening, the least of which is that your mother's boyfriend would be very disappointed." William said with a smile.

Sanders was stunned. "Mom's dating someone already?" He asked in shock.

William nodded. "Oh yes, she met him st work and they seem to have hit it off quite nicely. We've had dinner a few times, I think you'll like him." He explained.

Sanders shook his head. "I think it will take me a while to get used to the idea of mom having a boyfriend." He started. "While we're on the subject though, what about you and professor Bannister?" He asked.

William smiled sadly. "Both of us are far too old to go digging up feelings that have been buried for so long." He said.

Sanders rolled his eyes. "Well that's bullshit." He spat.

William looked shocked. "Language son." He chided.

Sanders shook his head. "I'm an adult now, get used to it." He decreed.

William nodded. "All right then why is it 'bullshit?" He asked.

Sanders smiled. "Loving someone liberates the lover as well as the beloved. And that kind of love comes with age." He quipped.

William smiled. "Excuse me?" He asked again.

Sanders shook his head. "You freed yourself, and in a roundabout weird way, freed the love of your life. We are so rarely free to be who we are, don't turn your back on that freedom over something stupid like the fact that you were young and attractive a really long time ago."

"Hey!" William snapped. "It wasn't that long ago." He protested.

Sanders smiled. "That's the idea." He said.

Shades of Justice: Chapter 22

Dante had gone home along with the others and tried to get some sleep, but now it was almost dawn and all he had done was stare at the ceiling of his room while the computer echoed in his head. "Neither Technarious or Lumarion are on earth." over and over again, stuck like the chorus of a pop song he couldn't forget. By first light he had dressed and teleported to the command center.

He found Sonya sitting in a chair, watching Blinding Light's recharge timer count down. She was fighting to stay awake and had been crying at some point in the night. "Hey you, we all promised to go home and get some sleep. Why are you still here?" He asked softly.

Sonya flinched and wiped her eyes and cheeks before she turned to face Dante. "Someone needed to stay in case of emergency." She said

Dante nodded. "Someone, or you?" He asked.

She looked back at the console. "I'm someone." She replied.

He nodded. "You are more than 'someone' Sonya." He paused she looked at him in surprise. "You're our leader." he continued "And we're going to need you rested." He smiled. "So go home, get some sleep. You've got the time." He nodded at the timer which showed thirty six hours until completion.

She looked from the timer to Dante. "You'll stay?" She asked. Gordon nodded and Sonya got out of her chair slowly. "Look I know things have gotten weird, actually for us I guess they got weird a while ago no -"

Gordon leaned on the teleport button that sent Sonya home in a flash of light. "Sorry, but you'll thank me later." He said to himself as he sat in her chair. "Computer?" he asked the empty command center.

"Online" the computer responded.

He took a deep breath. " you said Technarious and Lumarion were no longer on earth?" He asked.

"Correct" the computer confirmed.

Dante started to swivel in the chair. "what's the nearest extra terrestrial location? like a secret outpost or hidden colony or planet or what ever." He asked.

"There is a galactic trading post in the Kepler Belt." The computer confirmed.

Dante stood up. "Is it close enough to teleport to?" He asked.

"Barely" the computer confirmed.

Dante glanced at the Blinding Light timer. "without effecting the Blinding Light timetable?" He asked.

"Correct." The computer confirmed.

Dante put his shades on and his suit appeared in a small flash of light. "Do it." he commanded and then disappeared in a flash of light. Once the light dissipated everything in the command center shut down except Blinding Light's recharge timer.

Blood and Profit: Chapter 45

Eamon woke up to a revelation. He hated his job. He had always been a do'er, most comfortable with dirty hands actively finishing jobs. He liked to see the improvements in the lives of the people he helped. Somewhere along the way he had convinced himself that running for office would be the best and most efficient way to help as many people as possible. He quickly learned that he could not have been more wrong.

In the year and a half since he had won his seat he had spent sixteen months in meetings. He barely had time to speak with his staff, much less approach a problem to solve. Eighteen months of completely wasted time, which he had to admit was largely his own fault. He had no training in governmental management, no family history of leadership or power, no useful connections and thus no place in the upper echelons of representative government.

Kepi had everything he didn't. She had appeared one morning early on and practically took over his office. She introduced him to the economy of favors, taught him the languages of double speak and empty words. Over the last eighteen months he had learned to speak sentences and make promises that meant nothing but bought everything, and he hated every minute of it. With Kepi behind him he had accomplished more in eighteen months than he could have done in a life time without her. And this morning he had realized that he was holding her back. The only thing he had that she didn't was a seat at the table and it was well within his authority to give it to her.

Lost in his thoughts Eamon got out of bed and left the shuttle without waking Mew. He wandered into the forest as he considered where his life might take him next and found himself at the clearing where the Starseeds were growing their new ship.

There was a lone Starseed tending the tiny Tree growing in the center of the clearing. It waved at Eamon as he approached. Eamon waved back and then watched silently as the Starseed poked and prodded the new growth. "If you all just share one mind, what should I call you?" He asked awkwardly.

The Starseed continued his work as he replied. "What was your name before you were born?" It asked.

Eamon raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" he stuttered in confusion.

The Starseed pulled some fresh moss off the Bark of the tree. "You are Eamon now, with all your traits and quirks, that mind in that body, electrical impulses bound to specific pathways for a length of time yet to be determined. But everything that you are, from hair to toes and every thought in between, used to be something or someone else. The body is easy, but the mind begs the question, what was your name before 'you' were Eamon?" The Starseed looked at Eamon and flashed him a psychic smile. "You can call me Tremar." He said.

Eamon nodded and sat down to think about the idea he had just been presented with, Another part of his mind asked a question that had been bouncing around his skull. "I know you guys went out of your way to help us, but just out of curiosity, how are you going to get your mind matter, darkness stuff back safely across the barrier?" He asked.

Tremar finally stopped tending to the tree and shook his head. Sadness spread across his face. "We have never transitioned through space that way before. Transporting our conscious matter in physical space is a problem we have never had to solve. We are, worried that what has come through to this place will stay here and when the wave undoes this planet we will forget everything we have done here." Tremar sat next to Eamon. "Still it is a price worth paying to save your people." He finished.

Eamon looked at the morning sky through the gap in the tree canopy. It was getting brighter as the sun rose higher in the sky. "I will remember for you. If I have to write the books myself, your people will have a record of what you did here, of what you sacrificed, for us." He promised.

The pair sat in silence for a moment before Tremar asked. "What are books?" He said with intense curiosity.

Lidarion: Chapter 17

The group was dead silent until they had completely exited the castle. The guards left them at the front gate and returned inside. The day itself was sunny but not overly hot. It was turning into a mild summer which meant that on days like today no one was interested in staying inside and so the streets were crowded, making staying near the gates a decent place to decide what had to happen next.

Squints spun on Trent. “I’m sorry,” started.

“None of that was your fault.” Trent interrupted.

Squints exploded. “OH I KNOW THAT! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? That’s it isn’t it? Both of you have gone stark raving mad!” Squints paced with the little space they had as he ranted.

Trent shook his head. “I think you are over reacting.” He started.

Squints spun on him in mid pace. “YOU THINK I’M OVER REACTING?!” He shouted at the top of his lungs and then realized he was in public, so he lowered his voice. “You just got us involved in royal politics, the search for a fairy tale, and made us responsible for not only keeping ourselves alive but keeping the entirety of the only functional government this kingdom has had for the last hundred years alive! I personally think I’m dramatically under reacting you lead dense MORON!” Squints ranted and then went back to pacing.

Trent was still nothing but smiles. Lisa leaned over to whisper to Trent. “Why are you taking this so well?” She asked.

Trent shrugged. “His two best friends disappeared thirteen years ago, one went to war and the other went insane. Can’t bottle that kind of stuff up for that long and not snap at some point. He deserves to vent, let him vent.” He explained. “You feel better now buddy?” He asked Squints. Squints flipped him off while he continued pacing. “Does that mean you’re not going to help then?” He asked still smiling.

Squints stopped pacing “Of course I’m helping. I’m scared and I’m pissed off, but I’m not stupid. Without me none of you would have the first clue of where to go and what to do.” He said.

Trent shook his head in the negative. “Nah I know the first thing to do.” He said full of assurance.

Squints looked at him skeptically. “Hit me.” He said

Trent smiled. “Well first things first, we go to the library district and ask Squints for any books about the Sigils.” He got through the sentence before he started laughing.

Squints glared at him, spun around and made his way into the crowd, shouting. “I hate you.” Before he disappeared into the mob.