Jack of Harts Commentaries

by on August 27, 2019 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

Large States like Old California and Old Texas became the cores of new Republics during the Second Great Depression. The much smaller Eastern States came together to form alliances that roughly matched many of the geopolitical lines of the era. The New England Federation and the Confederation of Dixie were the largest of them, and their formation helped influence the future of America all the way into Jack’s time. While the breakups of California and Texas were obvious ploys to gain more Federal representatives, New England and Dixie were a consolidation of like-minded States into political alliances that could stand toe to toe with each other. Much like in previous centuries, the two alliances generally stand on opposite sides of any major issue, and a long cold war rages between them. They each consider themselves the future of America, while those who live outside their borders often just wish the two would stop fighting each other and get on with life.

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Wolfenheim Emergent

by on August 26, 2019 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

Malcolm’s Blackhawk starfighter shuddered as decoys and jammers shot out to confuse the enemy missiles. His laser cannons pulsed as the fighter squadrons around him laid down their own line in space and countermissiles shot out to kill the missiles that fought through the electronic warfare. Normandy added her own fire to the defense, along with every surviving ship in the fleet. Lasers, missiles, and energy shields destroyed them by the scores, but the fleet’s point defenses had been too badly damaged to stop everything the Shang sent their way.

Malcolm held his hands on the controls as the surviving missiles came in for the kill. His left hand rested on the throttle controlling movement in every direction, his right hand holding the stick directing orientation. It was deceptively simple and complex at the same time, especially for someone who’d not played many fighter sims in his life. But training turned it into instinct. He no longer thought about moving.

Malcolm felt danger coming, and it was time to be elsewhere. He moved the throttle to the left without taking time to think about it. Slowing down to think about it could get a man killed, after all. The Blackhawk’s thrusters flared and the better part of a dozen fighters accelerated with him as the missiles entered their final attack run.

Several fighters moved between him and the missiles in the last instant, even as their final point defenses continued to fire fast enough he could see the heat radiating from them. One lost an engine and fell out of formation to a near miss that was still too close. Another came apart and her engines exploded out in every direction to a different missile. And a third fighter fired an entire stream of countermissiles at one missile before simply disappearing as it rammed another aimed directly at him.

The missiles kept coming.

****

Wolfenheim Emergent is currently available for preorder and will be released through the following retailers on September 1

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Apple Books

Kobo

Smashwords

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Jack of Harts Commentaries

by on August 25, 2019 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

Jefferson shares much more in common with other Northern States like Minnesota and New York than with the various Old Californian States south of her. They are classically liberal but with a largely rural infrastructure. Most of their closest neighbors are trees, not other people, and most citizens see more wildlife each day than other humans. Even those cities that exist see deer or wolves walking through their streets while looking for something to eat. Small rodents, like squirrels, and birds are common sights, and various farms and ranches dot their mountain valleys and hills. The most excitement they generally get is hosting vacationers from the big cities. That brings in some needed money, as well as some new blood each year as various city folk try their hand at living in the country. Most of them go back to the cities within days or months, but those who adapt to life in Jefferson tend to be accepted real quick. Jefferson’s always looking for new blood.

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Jack of Harts Commentaries

by on August 24, 2019 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

The Jeffersonian Federation is not some kind of utopian dream come true. They have their problems. Coastal and inland citizens still don’t much like each other. But they keep their problems in house. They don’t air their laundry in public. And honestly. Their coasties or country folk are better than other people’s coasties or country folk. In the end, they have a great big tradition of not caring what other people do as long as they leave other people out of it. No drama. No problem. Live and let live. That’s probably one of the most defining parts of Jeffersonian culture in the end. They have mastered the art of other people’s lives being “not my business” in a way that few other cultures have anywhere. Other people see that as them being easygoing, but that’s not really the case. They are immensely hard working when “on the clock,” but they take their time away from work seriously. There isn’t any job or people who can’t be quit if they are annoying enough. And if the quitting isn’t accepted, they are not shy about escalating their level of quitting until everybody knows a quitting just happened.

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Jack of Harts Commentaries

by on August 23, 2019 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Diaries

The Jeffersonian Federation’s secession from California was about as quiet as it could be. And their joining the Republic of California was equally quiet, sealed with the ink of a pen and a few shrugs of interest from her people. But when it came time to rebuild places like Los Angeles, San Diego, and Tijuana, Jeffersonian citizens were always there and willing to help. They showed up with blankets and building materials. Beer and guns. They setup shelters with a quick efficiency that governmental relief organizations boggled at. They sat back and shared beers with the locals while talking about sports and weather. And they found the people who could be trusted with firearms, and took them out to the ranges to train them. They usually had to build the ranges first, but the locals helped with that once they had a stable place to sleep in again. The Jeffersonians left quiet efficiency in their wakes and moved on to help other areas recover.

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