Sunnydale

by on October 4, 2017 at 12:01 am
Posted In: The Essential Galactic Atlas

Scorchdale is another prize in Sunnydale’s cap when it comes to providing living space for rugged and individualistic men to live on. Which is another way of saying that it pretty much ranks a zero on the habitability scale. It’s a rotten little piece of rock so close to the local sun that it’s literally tide-locked. The sun holds it so firmly in its gravity that one face of the miserable little rock always faces the sun. It doesn’t even have an atmosphere measurable by anything short of scientific instruments. It’s evaporated on the near-side and frozen on the dark-side. Even the thin line where light and dark meet is basically worthless as living space. I have been there. It is not a fun place to visit. You could not pay Mrs. Hart’s little boy enough money to make me want to live there.

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I’m Tired, Boss

by on October 3, 2017 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

“I’m tired, boss…I’m tired of people being ugly to each other. I’m tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world every day. There’s too much of it. It’s like pieces of glass in my head, all the time…can you understand?” – The Green Mile

This is how I feel today. I’m just tired. I’m sad. One man does what he does and the whole world goes mad around him. People saying that those who died deserved it because of who they voted for. People hoping that those who voted for the other side are the only ones who died. People joking about the dead. People being ugly to each other.

I’m tired.

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Angel Strike

by on October 2, 2017 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

The Wang Chung Five lifted above the ridge and Natalie and Jasmine opened up, sending autocannon rounds, streams of machinegun fire, laser beams, and missiles streaking between the combatants. Stray rounds ricocheted off the tank’s armor, flying off into the sky or burning into the dirt.

The tank’s nose crossed the ridge, came down as the whole tank oriented to fire down the ridge, and the guns began to return fire. Machineguns and lasers streaked back at the cybers and the drainage ditch’s rim exploded. Dust and explosions filled the air and obscured vision. Even Jack’s armor had trouble seeing into the manmade hell of that firestorm and Jack squinted, hoping to see something the Hellhound’s sensors missed.

Then Natalie’s body flew backwards and fell into the ditch. Smoke rose from a dozen holes in her arms and torso. Her head was just gone and sparks emanated from the shattered body. Jasmine’s Cerberus followed a second later and her landing shook the ground around them. Both her arms were gone now and several holes went straight through the armored chest. Jack swallowed and nodded towards Jesse. It was just about time.

“Gentleman,” Jack said with a nod towards Jesse as the tank’s gravplating maneuvered it towards the drainage ditch. “Ladies.” He smiled towards Katy and the cybernetic holoforms flickering around them. “It has been an honor and a pleasure.”

“Roger that, Boss,” Katy returned.

“I’ve got your back, Boss,” Jesse added.

Wind whipped the dust away and sensors picked up the tank again as it moved forward with effortless grace.

Angel Strike is available in ebook format from the following retailers:

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The Hyades Cluster

by on October 1, 2017 at 12:01 am
Posted In: The Essential Galactic Atlas

The secret of the Chinese defense of the Hyades Cluster was that it was a defense in depth. First, they kept an eye on every star system within a hundred lightyears of the Hyades. That was mostly passive sensors to track our movement, but there were some ships or permanent bases in the mix. We spent years giving them good tracking information on our raids. The second layer of their defense was the constant occupation and monitoring of all stars within fifty lightyears of the Hyades core. We raided them often, destroying whatever monitoring platforms we could find. The third layer was composed of their nodal fleet bases. Their reaction times to our incursions were measured in hours once we reached the Hyades central core. We hit them from time to time to keep them on their toes. The fourth layer included the deep fleet anchorages inside the Hyades core. That is where Chinese or Shang ships went to rest, relax, and repair. They were the key to holding the Hyades. They were also the key to taking the Hyades. That is why we never attacked them during the Pre-Invasion buildup.

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Sunnydale

by on September 30, 2017 at 12:01 am
Posted In: The Essential Galactic Atlas

One of the primary reasons people live on Frostydale at all is “because it’s there.” Being totally honest. “Because it’s there” is one of the most common reasons for why someone has gone anywhere on old Earth or in the galaxy at large. Human curiosity is almost as infinite as human stupidity, and the willingness of many to go to impressive lengths to get away from others is in the same league. That is the reason most people move to Frosty. The other reason is that Frosty is one of the richest worlds out there when it comes to rare earth minerals. It is very solidly in the top ten percent in the known worlds. The only reason Frosty isn’t more heavily inhabited than it is, is because Scorch, Sunny, and Torch are nearly as rich, which tends to split up the various colonization programs to the system. Most of the people who chose Frosty come from the Scandinavian Nations. There’s also a surprising number of Russian ex-patriots who love going on about how good winters breed strong men and loving women. I have to admit that I rather like both the place and the people, though I come from Northern Minnesota. So your mileage may vary.

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