Time to Orbit: Unknown

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Glossary] .......... Next> “Kerlin, you’re not going to fucking believe this.” Kerlin squinted at Yinna. Things had been quiet in the brief period since the aljik had left. She’d finally shed her last skin and started thinking about a place to lay her own core seed when the time … Continue reading 6: Repeat Offenders

First ---- Previous ---- Glossary ---- Archive ---- Next The caution is probably unnecessary, but they wait until it’s well and truly dark before moving. The pair carefully forage what they think they can get away with, reinflate the farm’s balloons and fill it up, and continue on their way. Usually, their pace is somewhat … Continue reading 35: The Price of Metal

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Glossary] .......... Next> Sil froze in panic as the emergency alerts blared, but it didn’t matter; his crew knew what to do. By the time he’d gotten his bearings verified that being thrown into the wall by the impact hadn’t broken any limbs, all of the tahl on the … Continue reading 5: A big enough arrow

First ---- Previous ---- Glossary ---- Archive ---- Next It’s nearing morning on their second day of travel when they see the boat crossing in the distance, which leaves the pair with a difficult travel choice to make. Neither wants to hide out and fall asleep so close to the bridge, but attempting to race … Continue reading 34: Chained and Unchained

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Glossary] .......... Next> The ship, fortunately, mostly ran itself. The nest… well, it was holding together for the moment, even with an incompetent Queen like myself. It was a job I still had no idea how to do, and the dohls’ explanations didn’t help at all. But it seemed … Continue reading 4: Yet more qu… look, there’s a lot going on.

First ---- Previous ---- Glossary ---- Archive ---- Next Tyk looks about for somewhere to hide, even though it’s far too late, but before she can do anything, he’s close enough for her to hear his very familiar wing hum. “Kesan!” she calls out in relief, and beside her, Smon relaxes. Kesan drops onto Tyk’s … Continue reading 33: Dead Girl Walking

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Glossary] .......... Next> Queen Tatik glared down at her sister, arms raised threateningly. The rogue Princess had clearly been through a lot, and the scuffs and scars on her body were unsettling. Several of her old gems were missing, one of her legs had a large knot where some … Continue reading 3: Even More Questions

First ---- Previous ---- Glossary ---- Archive ---- Next “We have that on pretty good record,” Tyk says, puzzled. “There were fourteen survivors, and if Myn and Haidn are dead…” But Smon is shaking her head. “Fourteen of us were contacted by hives in this area. That does not mean fourteen survivors. In fact, those … Continue reading 32: The Value of Life

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Glossary] .......... Next> I gathered the War Council. Although without the captain, and with the fact that we probably weren’t at war for the moment since Tatik had what she wanted and had no reason to expect aggression from us, it probably didn’t count as a War Council any … Continue reading 2: More Questions

First ---- Previous ---- Glossary ---- Archive ---- Next Tyk doesn’t think. She just jumps into the water. This is a mistake. She’s significantly lighter than the object she’s looking for, and the current drags at her body, pulling her against the long sharp fronds growing up from the riverbed (pulling with the current, of … Continue reading 31: River Run