Author: Derin

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Glossary] .......... Next> It still hurts to breathe, of course. I try to ignore that. But the only other thing to focus on is the inherent helplessness of being inside a spacecraft performing such a critical manoeuvre, and not being wired in. It’s been a long, long time since … Continue reading 21: Fair Trade

First ---- Previous ---- Glossary ---- Archive ---- Next Getting a caravan across the Redstone River is no easy feat. Even here, at one of the best crossing places, the river is wide and the waters near the middle are rapid and unreliable. Tyk will happily swim about near the shore, but crossing the river … Continue reading 29: Crossing the River

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Glossary] .......... Next> I’d never been inside a spaceship that was actually in good condition before. It was a novel experience. Admittedly the random corpses, splintered machinery and shreds of ketestri tentacle were a bit of a vibe killer, especially since some of the evidence of carnage suggested tentacle … Continue reading 20: In Motion

First ---- Previous ---- Glossary ---- Archive ---- Next Bette and her children spend their first night in the Green Hills Hive inside the hive itself, in one of the spare residential burrows, but the rest of the group decide to stay in the trader burrow, with their goods. Smon is reluctant to leave her … Continue reading 28: A Map of a Prayer

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Glossary] .......... Next> “A trained engineer would be able to give a better assessment,” Kit explained, “but the Captain and some atil looked over the ship and it’s in remarkably good condition. It’s a – ” he gave some aljik word, some complicated series of clicks and whistles that … Continue reading 19: Pilot Program

First ---- Previous ---- Glossary ---- Archive ---- Next The Green Hills hiveheart is made up of ten people, and as Tyk, Smon and Toi walk into the room, it’s immediately obvious that a slim, delicate-shelled woman named Hahn and the man who’d summoned them, who turns out to be called Kegalt, are the two … Continue reading 27: Rayjo Tau

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Glossary] .......... Next> The thing about humans is that they need to sleep a lot. That made it very easy to wait until Charlie was asleep and then, very carefully and quietly, head off to my mission. There wasn’t really all that much need for secrecy – anybody who … Continue reading 18: Investigation

First ---- Previous ---- Glossary ---- Archive ---- Next The next morning, the caravan wakes to the approach of some Green Hills women, who take their carts to the trader burrow so that the Redstone River visitors can rush on ahead and meet with the hive. Smon is reluctant to leave her farm in the … Continue reading 26: The Green Hills Hive

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Glossary] .......... Next> I needed immediate medical attention. Our darling captain needed it more. But neither of us would be getting it right now, because first I had to convince everyone not to kill her, including herself. This would be the hardest story I’d ever told in the Game … Continue reading 17: A Game of Truth

First ---- Previous ---- Glossary ---- Archive ---- Next Three days after Smon starts riding in the cart, Bette’s old legs begin to fail her, and she caves to her childrens’ fussing and gets in a cart herself. Having two of their group riding slows them down significantly; not only is the weight significant and … Continue reading 25: Red Water Rush