Time to Orbit: Unknown

<<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

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Glossary] .......... Next> Hello, Void. My garden is so small now! I guess this is what happens when you don’t take care of them. I cannot fit inside their vessel this time; there wasn’t one big enough to give them. But that’s alright. I can observe from outside, and … Continue reading 1: Questions

First ---- Previous ---- Glossary ---- Archive ---- Next As soon as the puller yells the warning, the lurch stops. The boat still wavers a little on the rapid river water, but doesn’t tip or wash away – it seems that the tethers are holding. For a moment, everyone just sort of stands there, confused. … Continue reading 30: Frayed Trust

<<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