“After Udan had shown to his legions the helmet of the elder ones, he commanded that a city be built there on the banks of the Mouy, to preserve the memory of the five holy women and to stand guard over the approaches to Mira-Thosh. He bade settle there eightscore hundred of his soldiers, the veterans of many a campaign in the east and in the west. And Udan commanded that a road be built from Ar-Sadrun’s city of Guth Arul to the new city on the Mouy, to bind the new lands together like beads on a cord.”
– From the Chronicle of Udan
Murud did not share his commander’s dislike of the folk of Thoss. It could not be denied that they smelled differently, that they were differently shaped, and that their morality (as far as he could see) rested on very different foundations; but there were many things about them which he thought admirable. Their keeping to themselves, which had been styled a vice, seemed laudable – there was much to be said in favour of a race that refused so steadfastly to meddle with the affairs of others. The restrained manner in which they conducted their occasional business with the outside world; the absence of quarrelling among them; the neat rows in which they planted their fruiting trees and laid out the bones of their dead; these were things that appealed to Murud, who valued order and the absence of discord. These were the chief values of his own people, and these were the values that they had imposed on their neighbours, and then on more distant lands, and more distant lands still. At the cost of many thousands of lives they had brought those virtues here, across a great ocean and many ranges of mountains, to find them already practised. Practised without any sign of the Thudun urge to force them on other people, it seemed; and this seemed to Murud both singular and praiseworthy.
A young Cirilman brought Absolom his fish on the terrace. The human nodded to show his thanks, taking the bowl. He smiled, and the Cirilman imitated him, opening his broad lipless mouth slightly to show a hundred needle-like teeth. Absolom could not read its monochrome eyes. “Thank you”, he added. “Cjir-jhai yimmikor.”
The Cirilman backed away slowly as he spoke, its mouth now closed, its head rocking from side to side with amusement. It bowed rapidly from the waist. “Dai yim’.”
Absolom sat cross legged near the edge of the terrace, his back to the other diners. Balancing the bowl between his ankles, he began breaking the fish into pieces and discarding the bones. The black skin of the fish was sticky, and his fingers were soon smeared with it , but the flesh beneath was white and firm. Before eating any, he smelt it with care, alert for the bitter tang of ehorot or hjan. He had told the victualler to cook his food, instead of adding the alkaloid spices customary among the Cirilmen, but did not trust his command of their language. It was better to be cautious this far from home.
REPUBLIC PLANETARY FACTSHEET:
Thrasybule Sector NJ21.4 “Kasthir”
(Kasthirian United High Elective Council’s Prescribed Settlement World #5)
Warnings: EXTREME SECURITY DANGER
EXTREME ENVIRONMENTAL DANGER
SEVERE HOSTILE BIOLOGICAL DANGER
Planetography: Solar Orbital Period 5.88 , Planetary Rotational Period 0.87 , Mass 1.12 , Gravity 1.08 , Metallicity 36 (%ile), Heavy Metal Toxicity 3 (%ile), Volcanism 16 (%ile), Hydrologic Capacity 97 (%ile), Atmospheric Pressure 0.59 at datum elevation. Approximately 80% of surface is dry sea-bed below datum elevation, with 20% rocky continents above datum elevation of overall fractal dimension 2.24. Highest point Republic Survey Marker NJ214-874, 24.6 N 57.8 E, +6718 m. Lowest point unnamed location 44.4 S 108.3 E, -3008 m. Most water sources are contaminated with toxic concentrations of heavy metals and there are many unmapped areas of unstable geothermal activity.
Atmosphere and Climate: Atmosphere approx. 85% N2, 15% O2, halogens present in amounts from irritating to fatal, especially at lower elevations. Approximate annual mean temperature range 300-320 K (polar), 320-330 K (equatorial datum elevation). Approximate daily mean temperature range ±10. Winds >100 kph are common in all continental zones and >150 kph in all sea-bed zones. Atmospheric halogen concentrations are in the fatal range at all elevations below approximately datum – 1000 m and may reach the fatal range at most locations on the planetary surface depending on weather conditions and localised geothermal events.
Biosphere: Infectious biota n/a (%ile). Indigenous life-forms are silicon based with a range of undescribed microbiological species present. Several deaths due to infection by unknown silicon-based organisms have been reported among travellers who recently visited THRNJ21.4. Macrobiological life is largely restricted to the dust seas. One report of destruction of a stock light freighter Forced to land in the dust sea by a hostile non-sentient biological has been received. The Kasthirian Death Annelid ‘Bone Sucking Worm’ is the most common macrobiological organism in the continental regions. It secretes hydrofluoric acid and amputation of any body part bitten by this organism is the recommended treatment. [See: Rep. Med. Ref. 21178-KJTY-M108.c] Numerous toxic and sometimes fatal reactions have been reported to other macrobiological organisms, including the Lemniscate Helminthoid ‘Brain Sucking Worm’, Azurite Helminthoid ‘Foot Eating Crystal’ and Yttrium Accumulating Xenoform ‘Toxic Bloat Bug’ [See: Rep. Med. Ref. 23424-RJKN-N022.a,b, and c]
Sentient Occupation: Estimated population 5E4.Main species: Duros, Human, Arconan. Licensed refueling depots: None. Licensed resupply depots: None. Administration: THR-NJ21.4 is nominally administered and policed from the Syndaar system, but there are no regular security patrols of the world. There is no recognised legal framework among the inhabitants of THR-NJ21.4 and criminal individuals and organisations maintaining weapons with capacity to destroy spacecraft operate on the planet. Documented settlements: (* indicates Class 7 unlicensed refueling and supply facilities reported) Northern Continental Mass 20-60 N 10-100 E Tarbsosk* 37.8 N 33.0 E, Shiny Fumarole 52.3 N 72,0 E, Granthos Valley 51.8 N 74.4 E Zygom’s Crypt 55.5 N 76.3 E, Black Knife Landing* 44.7 N 80.8 E, Krothos Landing 43.4 N 88.0 E Glory Hole 26.7 N 40.4 E (abandoned), New Cona Landing 48.7 N 81.8 E (abandoned), Xselcharvond 30.6 N 44.4 E (abandoned), Stuff This For a Joke 45.6 N 88.4 E (abandoned). There are believed to be numerous undocumented settlements on the Northern Continental Mass. Southwestern Continental Mass 0-40 S 110-170 W Xothrask 38.4 S 122.2 W, Mad Bastard(?) 23.2 S 150.5 W Breznor’s Landing* 26.1 S 150.8 W Old Gundark Mine 30.0 S 153.2 W (abandoned) New Gundark Mine 30.3 S 153.2 W (abandoned) Parallaxion 1.3 S 144.4 W(abandoned). Southeastern Continental Mass 10-50 S 20-60 E Joojantis Prime* 46.9 S 41.2 E Quagnor Landing* 49.6 S 44.8 E Phlebos Landing* 49.4 S 40.7 E Soliton Valley 49.3 S, 39.9 E Jackpot Valley 11.7 S 22.6 E, Crazyplex 33.5 S 26.7 E (abandoned), Xord 48.9 S 20.2 E. There are believed to be numerous undocumented settlements on the Southeastern Continental Mass. Equatorial Continental Mass 10 N-10 S 60-80 W No documented settlements recorded.
Economic Activity: Small deposits of exotic minerals are found in many locations on THRNJ21.4 Estimates based on sporadic interception of smugglers operating in the system suggest 2-10 GD of these materials are exported from the system annually.
Aronoke was very late to dinner that night. The cleaning droids were already bustling about, cleaning up after the diners, and only a few people were left, finishing off the remnants of their meals. He went up to get a plate and one of the droids stopped him.
“It’s very late, past the hour when dinner is traditionally served, Initiate,” said the droid. “Do you have an excuse for why you are so late?”
“I had to go and speak with Master Altus,” said Aronoke.
“Excuse accepted,” said the droid. “The refectory will be closing service very shortly, so please conclude your meal promptly.”
Aronoke was left to fill his plate, relieved that his excuse was good enough. Sat eating his food in peace. He noticed another kid came in, younger and even later than himself. The droid asked him for an excuse as well.
“I got distracted,” said the kid. “I didn’t notice what time it was.”
“Excuse denied,” said the droid. “Punctuality is an important and useful habit. Next time perhaps you will remember missing your meal and will be more punctual.”
“Aww,” whined the kid. “But I’m hungry! Look at him – he’s still eating.” He gestured at Aronoke.
“His excuse was acceptable,” said the droid. “He had a meeting with an important Jedi Master. Now please vacate the refectory.”
The kid complained a bit more, but the droid did not waver.
Sheesh, thought Aronoke. Fancy making such a fuss over missing just one meal – a meal that you hadn’t been hungry enough to attend in the first place. People on Coruscant were so obsessed with regular meals. It was different to worry about eating if there was never enough, but here it was like worrying about holding your breath for ten seconds. That you might miss out on some air.
The next day, he had to go for his rescheduled medical appointment. Continue reading
You have heard that it was said. Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:38-42)
This happened up near the Macintyre river two days walk southwest of Boggabilla. It is good country there with water and pasture in all but the worst years. There isn’t any good describing the scenery because either you know what it looks like there or you don’t. If you don’t there is no way to write it so you can see it as it really is so it will all be made-up in your head any way so you may as well make it up as you like. Writing scenery is a dull game. As dull as an axe that has been used to cut down a tree with ant-hill made under the bark like they have away up north on the other side of the Empire. The trouble is you don’t know where to stop. You can write that there was a creek about so wide flowing from this direction to that direction, and one tree of such a kind on the bank about so many paces from the man who speaks first, and another tree of a different kind so many paces away from him in another direction, and then another, and you can go on describing the scenery forever and never get to any point. Whatever. But if you have been there you will know what it looks like.
…And there’s the next one. Honestly I never meant them all to get finished around the same time. It just turned out that way.
So, finally “The Ghost Years” which has been competing for my attention with its publishing demands, alongside “Misfortune” and “Leaving Loris” has gone live on Amazon.
Our first novel! How nervous-making.
I expect the “Misfortune” kindle version will be finished within a week. The print versions are still in their final throes of formatting, but again, should not take long now.
“Leaving Loris” will be a little while yet, since I decided it needs one more final editing run after my last re-read.
Aronoke was not certain what language Master Insa-tolsa spoke, but he could not understand it at all. It was with a series of hand gestures and intonations that Aronoke was ushered over to the part of the testing facility where he was going to stay. The big alien loomed high over Aronoke, had a long curved neck with peculiar eyes on a strangely shaped bar-like head at the end. Later he learned that Master Insa-tolsa’s kind were called ithorians.
If Master Insa-tolsa hadn’t so obviously been trying to be kindly and welcoming, Aronoke would have been highly intimidated. Though Master Altus had said he could trust these people. Nevertheless, it was with some trepidation that he followed the two aliens, wondering what he had gotten himself into.
He was escorted to a human person whom the aliens spoke to in their sing-song voices. She seemed to understand them easily enough. Turning to Aronoke she said, “I’m Mizra. I’ll show you where your room is.” She was abrupt, but Aronoke was relieved she spoke the same tongue he did and followed her readily enough.
“Arrow-noke,” said Mizra, reading it off her datapad, pronouncing it like ‘joke’. She looked at Aronoke impatiently over the top.
“Aronoke,” said Aronoke.
“Oh. Aronoke,” corrected Mizra flatly. “You’re in number 412.” She showed him where the door was. Inside lay a small chamber with not much furniture, but Aronoke thought it must be like the one on the ship, with things that slid out of the walls. Mizra didn’t explain how any of the functions worked, but seemed to assume that Aronoke would know how to do that already. She seemed in a hurry to go away and do something else.
“The ablutions area is down at the end of this corridor,” Mizra said, waving her hand in one direction, “and the refectory is down that way.” She pointed the opposite way. “You can find out the meal schedule on your viewscreen and that’s where your messages will arrive too. Tomorrow you will most likely be sent down to the testing rooms to be evaluated, but I don’t expect you will have to do anything before then. You will probably want a bit of a rest.”
“Yes,” said Aronoke, feeling that was very true. He was wondering what an ablutions area was. And where the viewscreen was. Mizra hadn’t shown him that either.
“There’s some meditation chambers down that way,” said Mizra, pointing in a third direction. “And the exercise facilities are downstairs, but you probably don’t want to bother with all that. You’ll be doing it all soon enough, if you get through. Just let someone know if you can’t find something. They’ll be sure to tell you.” Continue reading
When the stars were brighter and the stones were blacker than they are today, when fire was more hot and water was more wet, there lived a little girl named Kaadh who was the swiftest and cleverest of her tribe, just as Kaadh is the swiftest and cleverest of all the stars and you are swiftest and cleverest among the I-Many, O my darling. Her hair was the colour of amber, and her eyes were as red as jasper. Her teeth were straight and strong, and so were her limbs, above and below, but there would be nothing to tell you about her if she had not once suffered a misfortune, and begun to have adventures.
One day, the amulet of Kaadh’s grandmother was stolen by an old witch-woman. And the cruel thing of it was that this witch-woman could change herself into any shape she chose, and to steal this amulet she had chosen to change herself into the shape of Kaadh.
‘O my grandmother,’ said the witch-woman, in the amber hair and jasper eyes of Kaadh. ‘May I borrow your amulet of red stone and keruganth bone until the dawn, for one of the stars of the sky is looking greedily at me, and I wish it to look at someone else.’
‘What star is it that looks at you greedily?’ said Kaadh’s grandmother. ‘O my grandmother,’ said the witch woman, ‘it is the bright yellow one which sits near to Raaght, eldest daughter of the mother of all the stars. Then the wise old woman said, ‘O my child, that star is named Hadar, and it is good that you have come to me, for its ways are crooked. Take my amulet of red stone and keruganth bone, but be sure to bring it back by dawn, for it holds all the magic of our people, and if it is too long away from me the magic will fade away, like colours fade in the sun.’ Then Kaadh’s grandmother handed her amulet to the witch woman in the shape of Kaadh, her magic amulet of red stone and keruganth bone. Continue reading
Once the hradar were no different from the Soulless Ones or the beasts, and had no souls. But the First-Souled One, who we call the father of the fathers of Rukhmar Hand, journeyed to the place of Tshuraq, keeper of the secrets of Tsai, and bargained with him the secret of making souls. And the tale of the First-Souled One is very long, but told briefly it is this:
The father of the fathers of Rukhmar Hand heard the wind blowing across the stones, and it seemed to him that he heard a voice, saying, ‘your life is as water pissed out onto the sand.’ And the father of the fathers of Rukhmar Hand was troubled, knowing then that each night lived was a lost forever, and that when the sum of nights had been counted there would be no more eating or drinking, loving or telling of tales; for the flesh goes back to Tsai, and the life goes where the flame goes when the fire is put out.
The father of the fathers of Rukhmar Hand went to the west, to the abode of Khashai amid the black mountains. He made sacrifices there, and told the goddess he sought a way to hold his life and the lives of his people, that they might not be as water pissed out on the sand. And Khashai smiled upon the father of the fathers of Rukhmar Hand with her great black eyes like dnari pearls, and when she spoke her voice was as ninehundred nines of rustling spears. ‘I will make this bargain with you, little hradar; bring to me a certain prince of the fish-men, who I will make known to you, and in return you may dwell in my palace forever, and busy yourself always in worship of me. I will make you imperishable, like the stone that is in the hearts of the mountains, so that you will never die.’ The father of the fathers of Rukhmar Hand thanked Khashai, and fled her presence, for he did not wish to be a flame held in a jar of glass, which may be broken at any moment by a wanton god.