Archive

Posts Tagged ‘Nook’

I’m A Fan Of Chapter Titles…

March 21, 2012 3 comments

Annotated table of contents. Page 1 by Boston ...

Annotated table of contents. Page 1 by Boston Public Library (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m a fan of chapter titles.

Sure, simple  numerically labeled chapters are serviceable, but rather spartan. Fine for nonfiction, yet too sparse for a fiction novel in my opinion.

Why chapter titles? To me a titled section of a book is a bit like an episode of a serialized TV show. When I click on the ToC button on my Nook and see the titles pop up, it helps provide me with a sense of what a book is going to be about. Plus, lets face it chapter titles allow authors to be clever.

I find myself even dividing short stories up into chapters, as I think it helps make it easier to consume. Now I do notice mainstream publishing, not so great at building tables of contents. They actually tend to suck at it. Mostly I think because they treat ebooks as if they are hard copy… throwing them together from existing files and barely reformatting a book to be transformed into an e-book.

Related articles
Categories: Books, Ebooks Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Fragment: “Moaning”

March 8, 2012 4 comments

Pushing her against the porch door of her house Sharr exhaled into her mouth enjoying her full lips and Nadia cooed, moaned, and lifted her leg.

“We’re gonna miss supper.” Nadia trilled.

He greedily kissed her.

Suddenly the porch door opened, standing backlit Turhan smiled at his daughter and her boyfriend rubbing his gray beard with brows furrowed.  “You two are planning to join us for dinner right?”  Nadia’s papa asked in mock frustration, an expressive grin made it clear he found the whole scene rather amusing.

“Dinner smells good.” Remarked Sharr as if he hadn’t just been feeling up Nadia before her father’s eyes.

Clapping the young man on the shoulder Turhan said: “Sautéed reindeer I think you’ll like it.” Despite himself Dr. Korelia grinned but added seriously.  “A word of advice, Ambika thinks herself a very progressive Hindu but it might be best for you both to save that stuff while not around her watchful eyes.”

“Oh don’t worry Papa.” Nadia kissed her father.  “I think Sharr’s scared of Maa.” She wryly smiled.

“Come on in.” Welcomed Turhan

Entering her house Nadia heard her mother speaking to someone.  “Papa is that –“

Turhan nodded.  “Shalimar, just in from New York she’s been waiting hours to see you Nadezhda.”

Grabbing Sharr, Nadia pulled him down the hall into the sitting room where she found her mother and best friend talking.

“Shali!” Nadia ran over, embraced her friend.

==================================================================================

Totally a random Romance scene I just wrote for no real reason. Maybe I thought I might use it in a flashback. As you might be able to tell, Sharr, and Nadia, they’re pretty into one another. 

Related articles
Categories: Books, Cut Scenes, Ebooks, Neo-human, Science Fiction, Writing Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Arrival At Genkon INC.

February 27, 2012 Leave a comment

On a warm June evening an ox-blood painted Humvee pulled up outside of Genetic Konnections Incorporated. The sky was rusty orange, tinted with a suggestion of the same sanguine shade as that of the military style car that had arrived before the huge reflective glass building.
Four figures concealed in angular shouldered black trench coats jumped out of the Hummer: Kenneth Pierson a muscular African-American with a shaved head and goatee, Kenneth glanced from side to side surveying the grounds of the empty parking lot noticing it was not totally abandoned. A purple Maserati 3200 GT was parked next to an old Volkswagen van. Also in the lot but off on its own a cream-colored BMW. Kenneth wondered whom the vehicles belonged to.
He stood with hands clenched behind his back beside the hulking form of Pierson. Roderik Visal waited, considering what was to come. The tips of his spiky red-brown hair were colored golden blond.
“It’s usually busier when I’m here.” Vance Turner said. “Thanks to Aria I come back and forth here enough!” the lanky man exclaimed. He straightened his glasses then adjusted his SWAT Cap.
Roderik only rolled his eyes, noticed that his friends were looked expectantly at him at mention of Aria’s name. “Any smart remarks Oswald?” He asked, mind still tingled at mention of Aria.
“Nope.” Oswald Knox replied the fourth of the group of Phoenix Project members from behind coke bottle glasses, which he wore more for their disarming effect then anything else. Who’d think a “nerd” a threat?
“Well, let’s be off.” Vance advanced.
Before they entered the building Roderik stopped to take a closer look at the hourglass shaped DNA emblem embedded in a sign that read: Genetic Konnections Incorporated – “… Rebuilding Mankind at the dawn of the genetic renaissance. Our eyes are forever look toward the Morningstar.”
“Hmm.” Roderik thought to himself as he stroked his goatee.
The three – Kenneth, Oswald, and Vance fell into “triangle formation” around Roderik. They’d done this since they were kids. It was the Falcanian way when acting as honor guard to the Shotar.
They entered the waiting room outside the lab, his three friends moved aside but Roderik halted dead in his tracks. The Shotar found himself looking upon something, someone he hadn’t expected to see this evening. A young woman dressed in a purple lengha-choli, and bedecked in a myriad amount of jewelry sat and read what looked to be a “Femina Magazine”, a woman’s publication that sponsored the Miss India pageant. Her dark brown hair was tied in a thick braid, which she absently twirled between two fingers. A yellow carnation affixed to the base of the braid as decoration.
Up from her she glance magazine, smiled at the newcomers. Large brilliant-blue almond eyes radiant with a deep intelligence which pulled you into them brightened even more at the sight of the four men. A tiny beauty mark adorned her chin and again at the tips of her kajal accented eyes: Three dots set in a triangle. She stood, smoothed the side of her lengha, the movement caused her bangles and assorted baubles to make a clanking sound. Offering the Indian greeting with her touching palms she said. “Nameste’ I’m Nadia Korelia, you must be the people my parents have been expecting.”
Roderik just waited, frozen in place, mesmerized by the girl’s eyes, he blinked a couple of times until Vance elbowed him. “Ah…” he stammered realized that he didn’t make the best impression but he couldn’t find his ability to talk. “…Yes we, ah we’re from the ‘Phoenix Project’.” He at last managed to get out and took a deep breath which he almost regretted. Inhaling deeply Roderik couldn’t miss Nadia’s spicy scent; a touch of jasmine reached his nostrils. He felt giddy. This girl had knocked him off-balance. Roderik wasn’t sure that he’d be able to get out the spiel he had planned for the Korelias – not with this striking girl here to sidetrack him.
Nadia continued to grin. To make it even more uncomfortable she got closer, smiled right in Roderik’s face. “Perhaps we should go into the lab?” she suggested. “My maa and Papa will want to see you – they’re intrigued by your ideas.” She pulled on Roderik’s hand. Looking over her shoulder she added. “And so am I.”
As she pulled him to the security door the exotic girl glanced over and smiled, tugged a bit more intently on his hand. There was a noticeable twinkle in her kajal-accentuated eyes at notice of the dumb struck look on Roderik’s face. A key card run through a slot Nadia punched in a code, in an instant her French manicured nails danced over the keys. The secure doors slid open.

Related articles
Categories: Books, Cut Scenes, Ebooks, Fiction, Neo-human, Science Fiction, Writing Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Falco Invictus: Demons That Do Not Rest

February 27, 2012 1 comment

Now in (FREE) EBOOK format: Smashwords…

Historians note: The account which is told here takes place three months following the Great Rashalon according to the date as given by Princess Sitara to the Lady Arshira when asked about her birth: “September ninth, twenty-eighteen… three months after the Great Rashalon.” Naturally Sitara must have referred to her hatching and not the date that her mother bore forth her eggs. It should be considered that at this juncture the Falcanian Khanate was in its infancy, much like our Shotar’s twin children. Also, the fall of the USA had been very recent and the Imperium yet to rise from out of its ashes. We must also consider that The Singularity, that is,“Techno Rapture” and its effects upon the Earth were still being processed. But then The Techno Rapture is another story…

 

 

[India, Kuras: September 20, 2018]

Sharr stood in his office, glanced over plans for Vorkrür Island. Three months ago he had been a man, a simple mortal and now he had become something more. Together he and his friends stepped into the Rashalon Engine and at last became that which they had long envisioned to be, a true biological Falcanian.

Moreover his wife and Queen T’Kara had just given birth to twins, two girls: Sitara and Ariel at the moment she nursed them in their chambers. Her mother Ambika certainly fussed over her new grandchildren.

Intently the Shotar listened as the foremen discussed progress on the Island which they constructed out in the Bay of Bengal. The Shotar swayed his plated tail and adjusted his black translucent wings and continued to pleasantly think about his wife whom he had not seen all day as well as his newly hatched daughters.

“Excuse me sir.” Atar Kran succinctly interrupted the meeting between the foreman and his Shotar.

“Yes Atar?” Sharr looked up at his Drakorian.

Kran gave the foreman a warning glance and the engineer excused himself.

“What is it?”

“You remember that little side project you entrusted me with after we left The States?” Atar watched his friend’s eyes widen and his whole body go ridged.

“Yes.” the Shotar remembered, jaw clenched.

“We found him.”

“Where is he?” Sharr spoke in a cold clipped voice.

“Montana, with a survivalist militia.” Atar gave Sharr a moment to think about that. “They’ve clashed with fragments of the old American government, that ‘Legion’ ruled by the Neo-Roman Marine who calls himself Romulus.”

“Get me a strike force!” commanded Sharr, he had heard enough.

“Sir – “

“Do it!” warned Sharr, he felt his heart thump; a fury began to burn in his blood.

“Sharr I realize you want to get – “

“You don’t understand Atar.” Sharr informed his Drakorian and turned to look out the window at the small Falcanian settlement and beneath the whitecaped Himalayas. “No one trusted me…” he put his hands behind his back.  “Nature bestowed upon me a warning and instead I ignored it. Not that my word meant anything, I was biased – even crazy…” being where he now stood Sharr appreciated the irony.  “Not even my friends believed me, perhaps with reason? I don’t know.”

“The Queen believed you.” Atar assured.

“Nadia has a unique vision.” Sharr responded coolly, a lethal edge to his voice. “Do you know Nadia had to be the one to tell me what happened to Aria? And then because of the war he got free, without punishment. I shall avenge her!”

“We all agreed to stay out of other countries affairs. It’s a war zone my Lord. We are still few.” Atar understood his friend’s impulse, but it was risky going into that wildness for one man. “At the moment the US isn’t a nation, more like a collection of animals fighting for power. Perhaps one mighty beast will take control soon and make something better?”

Brooding Sharr at last said. “I shall have vengeance Atar. With my own hand I will plunge my Kraris into his heart and then take it to burn as an offering in her memory.”

“I’ll gather some men.”

“Thank you Atar” Sharr Khan at last sounded pleased. “And I shall be going with them.”

 

 

Curtains parted around the cushioned nest when Sharr entered his chambers which he shared with Nadia in their Indian mansion, which  had grown to become a small palace. The Shotar wasn’t surprised to find that Nadia’s parents were in the room tending to their daughter’s every need. The birth of the twins had been hard. Multiple gestation had been unexpected; it wasn’t at all certain a Falcanian female could carry more than a single egg at once. Despite a possibility of complications Nadia had insisted she would keep both eggs until it came time for her to rear them forth.

“Sharr!” exclaimed the Maharani who rested in bed, her hatchlings in a nearby cradle, designed to meet the young Falcanians need for warmth.

Without speaking a word the Shotar kissed his mate.

“I told you that you would see him.” Ambika smiled.

“Perhaps we should leave Ambika?” Turhan Korelia looked up from over his grandchildren’s bassinet.

Ambika and Turhan quickly left the young couple to themselves.

“You’re very quiet my love.” Nadia observed taking Sharr’s hand into her own. She couldn’t read him; the pregnancy had affected her telepathic ability turning it inward.

“Nadia…” he looked into her brilliant-blue almond eyes. “There’s something I need to do. I’ll be leaving Kuras for a few days.”

“Where are you going?” she asked her voice betrayed her worry. The world had fallen into chaos – at least the little chunk of it they built for themselves remained relatively safe.

He didn’t want to lie to her, most of the time he wouldn’t even consider it since she’d only learn of it with her telepathic abilities. Sharr had no wish to burden Nadia however with what he was about to do in Montana. Not now, not with the children. His desire for vengeance couldn’t spill over into their lives.

“I have to return to North America.”

“No!”

“It’s important.”

“No!” Nadia repeated firmly. “It’s not safe! There are factions fighting for ground to rule, the radiation and poisoning have scarred the land. The danger is too great –“

“I’m going to go there and kill him.” There he laid it out plain as day. The look on her face told him she knew what he meant.

“You know where he went?”

“Atar has kept an eye out for me.”

She nodded, brushed back a strand of brown hair to reveal newly oval pointed ear. “Our people are effective, I trust Atar’s Drakorian. Do Kvaltar and Shuriken know what you are planning?”

“You know what they would tell me, I don’t want them to know, not yet.”

“I understand.” She touched his face. “Would you like any Valküri?”

“No the Imperial Guard will be enough.”

“I understand, Roder… Sharr.” Nadia forced a smile. “I hope this heals that wound in your heart.” Nadia wished she had avoided using the word “hope” the minute that she said it and so she changed the subject. “Kalpana Aranskrai is pregnant, Dr. Makross just told Me.”

The abrupt topic shift took him off guard, Sharr blinked, exhaled deeply and said. “That’s good to hear, more of our kind to populate the world.”

 

 

[Montana. Formerly Part Of The American Republic]

Functionally closer to a Colonial settlement, certainly that would be the tech level things were at, it was nothing but a shantytown located out in the hills. The electromagnetic pulse had rendered most microchip-based technology inert. Had one to measure the human species by this town alone, one would never guess that The Singularity had struck the planet Earth. The survivalists colorfully called it Resurrection City. With a population of little more than one hundred souls, many sick from ambient radiation and lack of resources the name had been meant to inspire trust.

A council of men were Resurrection’s city leaders, the core militia that had established the base after the American Republic’s fall. These were hardy enough men after all, they had waited decades for the day to come when the “End Times” would herald in a new kingdom For God. None of the armed men of Resurrection however were ready for the death about to rain down from the sky on what was, all things considered a rather pleasant evening.

Falcanian F-1 Razor-Claw gunship choppers hovered over the shantytown. The gunships loosed suppression fire, took out guard towers along the perimeter. Soon after the Falcanians began landing troops into the small settlement, and effectively occupied it. All completed in a matter of hours with hardly a defensive shot fired at the Falcanian troopers.

The gunship which ferried Sharr Khan soon settled into the town’s center. A raven-like armored figure disembarked from the black helicopter. Hidden in a cowl and in his right hand he brandished a shinning single-edged long-knife, while in the other a newly purchased Grenadier Firearms EM-3 coilgun hummed charged and ready to fire. The Shotar hovered forward, powered by the jets of his Garuda “wing-pack”. Behind him his plated tail snapped. Tri-claw boots sparked on the broken stone.

Wielding a makeshift crossbow a lone figure sprung at the Shotar, discharged a bolt that bounced off the dense technologically superior fibers of the Falcanian jodtok which Sharr Khan wore not even leaving a faint scratch. Drakorian started to intercede yet the Shotar waved them aside. He had been more stunned that the man had only a crossbow with which to defend himself. So primitive. Sharr could not know that the Militia counsel had forbidden most of its citizen’s heavier weapons.

Titanium blade lifted the Falcanian ruler waited for the man to make another pass. Predictably he did, of course to his own peril. Firing his EM-3 the Shotar hit the man in the shoulder and brought him to his knees. Sharr rotated on his jets, casually lopped off the arm which held the makeshift bolt thrower. Blood gushed out of the wound and the attacker fell to his knees. Thrusting past the wounded man and with a swift arc of his Claw-blade Sharr put him out of his misery. A gasp could be heard from the gathered settlers as their comrade’s head fell to the ground. Coldly Sharr continued forward, his Drakorian formed a tighter knot around him. They’d no wish to endure a scolding from the Queen should Sharr be harmed. “Find him!” Sharr commanded. His Ox-blood armored men jumped to obey his order and swooped over the gathered crowd.

“We are looking for this man.” Atar Kran produced a picture of a pudgy blond man. “We know that he is among you.” The Drakorian growled in a deep voice.

Now it’s not everyday one sees winged beings descend upon you. To the people of Resurrection Falcanians looked alien, or in the very least demonic with their mammalian wings and armored tails. Above the gathered folk sounds of wing beats pushed on the air. None among the residents were genetically or otherwise enhanced and generally such people were frowned on in the town, as it was believed the technologically augmented were blame for what had become of Earth.

Sharr peered out from beneath his cowl, and his harsh glare fell upon a man. A shot rang out from the darkness, and struck Sharr Khan right in his chest causing him to reel backward until he stabilized his hover. off Sharr’s dense armor the low caliber bullet dinged onto the ground. Drakorian ripped the man from the crowd, forced him to kneel before the unhurt Shotar. He allowed himself to laugh, a laugh filled with coldness and loathing. Actually Sharr Khan had been more than a bit amused by what had just happened. Nadia wouldn’t have seen it at all that way, yet Sharr couldn’t miss a Shakespearean irony. “I was the one who came here to kill you.” Sharr spoke in a low voice so only those close could make out what he said. He descended closer to the man, spoke in a deadly whisper: “I thank you for presenting yourself to me.”

Forcing the pudgy man upward two Drakorian held fast to his arms. Lack of a good diet had taken some of the meat off his stout frame, his face had gone gaunt. Suddenly a woman forced her way to the protective line established by the Drakorian and demanded. “Let my husband go!”

“Husband?” wondered Sharr.

“Angelica, my wife.” Explained the pudgy troll of man still not certain about the situation.

Studying the dark-haired woman the Shotar nodded, under other circumstances he might even have found Angelica attractive. “Brad, is she anything like Aria?” Sharr spoke the name with such venom that his hate became a steadily freezing river. The very tone chilled his prey. Before him Sharr watched the pudgy man go pale. Brad hadn’t thought to hear Aria’s name ever again.

“You’ve no idea who I am, do you?” spat Sharr in disdain. And in that moment Sharr knew himself confirmed to be the superior, he raised his Kraris, placed it over Brad’s neck to shear a line of blood, and glared down upon the mere human. He had but to rip the Claw-Blade across Brad’s throat to finally end this.

Angelica began to scream, Drakorian held her back.

“This is about Aria?” asked Brad.

“Yes.” the Shotar growled.

Brad looked under the concealing cowl, where a goateed face hid behind a form fitted bird-helmet glowered back at him with eyes which reflected a green-light like that of an animal. “Roderik?” wondered the pudgy man. There was something suddenly familiar in the tone. “It can’t be!”

“It is.” Sharr’s tone became more dangerous.

“You have to know I didn’t kill her?” a nervous sound came out of Brad’s mouth. “Besides… “

“What I know is that you ran when the police questioned you.” Sharr accused. “I also know that you were aware she started her affair once more with Saul.” To Saul Berkowits credit it had taken much effort on Aria’s part to re-ignite things with him. “You were nothing but a replacement for Saul and became enraged with her… killed her for it.” Sharr had begun to find this discussion tedious aside from his self-awareness of superiority over this man, he had no intention to allow it to go further, he brought his blade up for the killing strike.

And then Brad said: “Did you ever think you’re as me guilty? You obsessed over her.”

The blade rattled to the ground with a metallic clunk. Sharr turned away and heavily exhaled. “Bring him in chains!” Sharr ordered. “Find a dark cell and leave him there to rot for all life, never to see the light of day.”

In that moment Sharr’s own guilt overcame him. Whatever the facts of the case, it would always remain true, that yes, he had been, and was obsessed with Aria. She invoked in him demons that could not rest. It was also true that he knew what he knew, and because of his lack of perspective Aria DeFalco had died for his inability to act to protect her.

 

 

At rest in the small room that served as his throne room, barely larger than the mobile home’s room he had once resided in back in the United States not all that long ago, Sharr contemplated his growing settlement. He had chosen a sturdy chair to act as his royal seat, a simple black wood, cushioned with heavy pads colored the ox-blood red of his Drakorian Guard. A canopy hung over the throne and camouflaged him from anyone who might enter. The Shotar sat with his head heavily in his hand lost in his thoughts.

“Hey there!” Nadia strode into the room, placed herself onto her mate’s lap. Possessively she curled her tail around his body.

He hugged her closely. “You weren’t here when I returned.” Sharr Khan remarked.

“Maa, I and Shalimar took the children to temple.” Nadia explained. “I witnessed something interesting there.”

“Really what?” asked Sharr genuinely curious. A slight hint of a smile touched his lips. Seldom did his expression waver from a neutral one, something that he had worked long and hard to cultivate. It had been noted Sharr rarely looked “enthused”, this was by design.

Nadia stroked Sharr’s hair, which had begun to grow long, Sikh like, just as she preferred it. “I watched a Hindu Priest welcome one of your Tahru Jahs as a brother, together they blessed our children. Your religion is taking root my Lord.”

“That is good to know.” Sharr indeed was most pleased.

“Is it done?” Nadia asked referring to Brad.

“The matter is taken care of.” Had Nadia actually learned what had become of Brad she would not be happy. Better it would have been to kill him outright she would have told him. Sharr and his battalion of Drakorian had deposited the man in an out-of-the-way place before returning to the Subcontinent. The Shotar would be able to get amusement out of his eternal detainment locked off from the world – Brad would die decrepit and alone in darkness.

“Ahem,” The sound of a man clearing his throat interrupted the couples’ moment. “My Shotar, Maharani.”

“Shreik!” acknowledged Sharr his majordomo Shreik Hro Trakan. “What may I help you with?”

“I wanted to inform you my Lord that his Excellency Naresh Singh shall be arriving to dine with you this evening.”

“Oh yes,” Nadia said. “Maa says the vote for our recognition of sovereignty is almost assured to go in our favor.”

“Good.” exhaled Sharr pleased by the news.

Sharr was convinced that Ambika Sen had somehow managed to stack the Indian Parliament in their favor. The Shotar had never exactly been certain what tools his mother-in-law had at her disposal to bend people to her will.

“And a diplomatic package has arrived from the Shogunate, Japan wants to open relations with us as well and negotiate a technological exchange. It seems our genetic modifications have impressed them.” the Majordomo informed.

“Indeed Shreik very promising.” Sharr leaned back in his chair while Nadia nuzzled close.

CONTINUED IN: 

Falco Invictus: On the Forge of War at Smashwords & Amazon Kindle

Related articles
Categories: Books, Cut Scenes, Ebooks, Fiction, Neo-human, Science Fiction, Short Story, Writing Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cut Scene: Hindu Temple

February 23, 2012 Leave a comment
Munneswaram Ganesha shrine

I considered restoring this scene to Falco Invitus: On the Forge of War, it’s a good little scene, and I enjoy the feel of it, the way it shows Falcanian and humans getting along by way of a bridge of faith, but in the end I figured it slowed the story down just right when things are about to reach critical mass.

================================================================================

Before the nuptials, the Shotar and his Queen had been asked to make a pilgrimage to a local temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh. Of course the Imperial couple readily agreed to this, it would not do to offend the local citizens and Nadia was of the mind that perhaps a blessing from the god of happiness might prove advantageous on the eve of their daughter’s marriage.

When they entered the old temple the Falcanians were greeted by the administrating guru, a small white bearded man by the name of Trilok. Bowing Trilok made the Namaste gesture.

In utter devotion Nadia returned the gurus gesture, her mate offered the Falcanian claw on fist salute. Both salutations seemed reflections of each other.

“Mighty Maharajah, most holy blessings upon you!” Trilok commenced, and placed a holy saffron-orange shawl around the Shotar and his lady.

“My thanks Trilok.” the Shotar welcomed.

A curious crowd had begun to gather outside the temple.

Out of respect for such a holy place Sharr Khan had insisted that his Drakorian remain at a respectful distance, those who had accompanied him and Nadia to the temple did so unarmed and in casual attire. The Drakorian as always were less than pleased by such an arrangement. With the throng of onlookers, both Falcanian and humans now gaining in numbers the Drakorian became very tense.

They moved to the altar, a small fire had been lit before the huge idol of Ganesha. Nadia bowed before the idol and began to pray she had been raised as a Hindu. Sharr joined his mate and closed his eyes in reflection. Trilok began to conduct a ritual for the Imperial couple. He blessed them with red powder and offered prayers on their behalf.

The harmony of this episode underscored the fact that the temple was attended to by both human devotees and Falcanians, though certainly the Falcanians were more than likely practitioners of the Falcanian philosophical road it said much that Hinduism and D’Har Tarik coexisted in peace.

D’Har Tarik readily incorporated parts of Hindu ideas, even left devotion open to the vast pantheon of Vedic gods. The converse happened to be true as well. Sharr had seen many a Hindu give an offering to Kieva at his shrine on Vanguard Island and he had once heard a priest utter a prayer in Arntiraas’s name. 

========================================================================

Find the story, and figure out how this fits into the puzzle by reading Falco Invitus: On the Forge of War book 1# of The Falcanian Legacy Series at either Amazon.com, or Smashwords.

Related articles
Categories: Books, Cut Scenes, Ebooks, Fiction, Neo-human, Science Fiction, Writing Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

An Art Deco Landscape…

February 19, 2012 2 comments

Hundreds upon hundreds of tents radiated outward, and formed a ring on the green fertile plain of Chithra, beneath the digital-blue, artificial sky. They bordered a great spark set into a black metalliferous foundation fed by neon-orange conduits of power which were embedded within the technological synthetic Art Deco landscape of Char. The hub, and the essence of the Falcanian people churned in a contained whirlwind of recombined DataStreams, which were destined to become brand-new Falcanian souls.

This was Zoris, a city of many roomed yurts.

Banners of each Falcanian aerie waved in the breeze brought up by the Mountain Of Flame that lay far off in the Far East of Char, well away from the tent homes of the departed. Here in Zoris the dead waited, here the living made pilgrimages to meet their ancestors, and here every Falcanian eventually took up residence.

Sharr Khan watched tharrins gather, looked on while families, as programs feasted upon electronic equivalents of food. Here all his people were reunited with those that had gone beyond, but only those alive could cross back over from this cybernetic place. Always a piece of a Falcanian, a flashcopy existed in here, where they partook of Char’s collective stored knowledge.

A portal on the outskirts of Zoris, not far from the Blue Guardian’s tower allowed those from the physical realm to come into Char. Those few who were chosen could be brought by other means, but the average Falcanian needed to cross the portal and pass by the Eye Of Ishbol before they entered or left this place inside the machine.

The over-soul flamed, churned out new DataStreams, recycled bits and bites, the essence of those who had departed a flesh life, in this manner nothing would be lost. Falcanians were rebooted into each successive generation. The Shotar could feel the throb of life so close to the core and rejoiced in the living spark. Only the Shotar could walk this place unnoticed, though at the moment all Sharr Khan needed to disguise himself from those who strolled or flew on the wing, or airship above this world was a mere hood, for those here were interested in communion with fallen friends and family rather than their ruler. This place served to be the beginning, and end of line for these digital souls.

On the verdant Chithra plain rested a fountainhead, a pool of inner reflection. Sharr Khan stopped at the fount and glanced down, an aged white-beard and drooped mustache peered back at him, a thing that he would never become. The reflection morphed into the youthful face he truly wore in the material world.

The water rippled, and became a recollection. “I must go!” exclaimed the busty Bengali girl, tears dropped from her pretty black almond eyes. In the reflection Sharr stood with his arms crossed, while he frowned at the woman.

“You’re not even going to stop me?” cried the girl.

“Perhaps we need to be apart?”

She began to weep. “You are so cold! He was our son…”

Once more the water rippled to become the dusky, happy face of his Kajra Re Shalimar. Impulse caused the Shotar to touch the image which made the surface oscillate in a silver ripple.

Nadia’s presence in the over-soul remained ever close to him. Sharr turned and saw she peered with him into the memory fount.

“What happened to Krada, you couldn’t prevent.”

“I know, my T’Kara,” he replied angrily.

Nadia leaned against her mate. “Give her time. Shalimar will come home to us.”

He glanced over at Char’Kal which burned off in the distance. There in Sharilhar fortress, the Telchar resided, not in judgment but in challenge. It served as a beacon for his people in this virtual heaven.

Long before it appeared, he had felt it. The Shotar could sense every life that existed in the great over-soul. He could touch them and learn about them, yet the presence he sensed at this moment was unlike any he had encountered before. It radiated a power with a tremendous vibration which echoed through all of creation. It swooped past, and sung in a voice grander than even Nadia’s own fine melodies. It contained beauty and pain all at once. Its song recalled triumph and sadness. The form of the creature crackled with golden flames. Above Zoris’s enormous encampment a Golden Falcanian circled as if on a hunt to seek out a soul.

Nadia touched her mate and spoke softly in his pointed ear. “What is it?”

“I have never seen it here. It’s not a Telchar.” He focused his vision, attempted to make out details of the Golden being. “I must go to it.”

Nadia nodded and kissed him.

Into the sky the Shotar launched so he could follow after the Golden Falcanian…

A scented mixture of honey, jasmine, and spicy orange greeted him as he slowly awoke. Sharr recalled the image of the Golden Falcanian which he had just chased above the skies of Char. He did not catch up to it, for it soared at such a tremendous speed, and had vanished from sight like a ship going into spacefold before he could even get close.

What had it been?

He glanced down, his mate and two of his concubines,Tanusri and Kitana, lay beside him as well. They adjusted to his movement and fell into each others embrace, sighing at remembered pleasures. Sharr got out of bed, pulled on a burgundy robe, and turned to look at the soft female forms tangled together in the malleable burnt rust colored cushions of his nest. He permitted himself a moment of masculine pride that he had made love to three very beautiful women this night.

“Where are you going?” groggily asked one of the females.

“For a walk, Kitana,” Sharr murmured and touched her chin.

Kitana nodded sleepily, to then return to her place near Nadia, drowsily watching her Shotar leave the lair to walk his palace.

=========================================================================

The rest can be found at these e-book retailers.

Amazon.com

Smashwords

Related articles
Categories: Books, Ebooks, Fiction, Neo-human, Science Fiction, Writing Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,