HVAD CHAPTER 11 I spent quite a bit of my time with Keptel. I began to speak Izumyrian with him, in private. He found my first clumsy attempts very entertaining. My understanding far outpaced my ability to speak. He was a good man. We were able to discuss many things, besides Izumyr, without feeling self-conscious. He was a prisoner, though. I can't say th...
1. Another God-damned War As soon as mankind stopped fighting itself, we met aliens who didn't like us. Lt. Jake Buck had finally graduated from the United Earth Marine flight school. He would soon be a first lieutenant and be issued his Scorpion 2 fighter. The Scorpion 2 was the latest marvel of Earth technology. It had two methods of propulsion, a fusion...
[ The heat shimmered over the desert sand, hot sunlight bending around it, forming pools of witchy water, melting away as he drew closer. His cloak steamed out behind him as he rode, urging his mount onward at top speed. Behind him, the roar of hoof-beats and war blended into a cacophony of great sound. Onward he surged, armour gleaming in the desert sun, s...
Note: I plan to end each of these fights all in one chapter after this, so don't groan too much. Terraces taken by Arazra's army: nine of eleven. "We're fighting a war on three two fronts now. In our front, we have to take the remaining terraces and slay the pretender before we're overwhelmed on our back, which is being assaulted by the Harpies and Ne...
My name is Dijan and I am a pilot of the air force of the Republic of Gorania. I was recruited at my university, and thanks to my progress in my engineering career, I was saved from being drafted as a foot soldier. The transition to the electronic systems of the combat airplanes was easy, but soon I was interested in flight itself. Also, if I learned to cont...
You were in your castle the day you learned the enemy had been defeated. Well, technically, you didn't learn it then. You'd known it would happen for several days beforehand. You'd had agents in the army that dealt the final blow, and your embedded spies had been sure to let you know long before the official announcement. As one of the princes of the realm,...
"I don't believe it!" I sat on the couch in my aunt Tywrella's house, staring into the startled face of my mother, Renisha. Auntie Ty stood behind her with Uncle Revis at her side, his mouth hanging open as well. I had just told them the most important news of my life. Being twenty-three and a new college graduate, I was excited about finding a job in my c...
She adamantly forced his wandering hand away and then wearily again after it returned but at the third attempt she conceded defeat as it gained the high ground, moving up under her halter-top conquering the supple hill. Two fingers crossed the aureole and then finding the protuberance, one circling it gently. She gasped from the strange new feeling of a man'...
Conna stood with Astra at the main door, each holding their rifles by their sides with the butts on the floor and gripping the barrels by the bayonet mount. In their new uniforms, they kept an eye out on the docks. They could hear the work crews on the other side of the ship getting to work repairing the damage. Inky was watching over them herself, with Laur...
USS Downley Sir? We are receiving Intel," a junior officer informs. "Good, patch it through," Admiral Pellington orders. The communications screen flashes on showing static for a brief moment before the intelligence officer appears. The woman dressed in a crisp Army uniform looks to be in her late twenties and Pellington finds her attractive. He brushes a...