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I sit on the opposite side of the small, smokeless fire and set my weapons aside. From my pocket, I take a flask and drink deeply.
“We'll start by building a house out here.” My guard frowns, “So close to the road?” I nod, “This is a dangerous steading. Who would want to risk being too far from aid?” The words earn me a skeptical look and a shake of the head. “The bane of the dragons is worried about being far from aid?” I laugh. “One step at a time. I'm no foppish lordling to live beyond my means.” “No foppish lordling would accept this steading,” My guard chuckles, “So it's to be a house and close to the road? Why not a lodge for weary travelers?” I take some time to consider the idea before nodding, “The Earl granted me permission to hire whatever staff I deem necessary. Not that I have the coin at the moment,” A thought occurs to me, “You said we need a metal worker?” “Aye.” “Do you know of one who would be willing to risk coming out here?” “Aye,” A trace of a flush steals across his features, “A journeyman, mind... and a woman...” I study him with a raised eyebrow, “You seek my permission to marry already?” He flushes crimson, “I guess I do.” I chuckle, “Then you have it. Just be quick about it. I want this lodge to have a solid roof before snow season.” “Aye. Ye'll have that.” His eyes study me briefly, “The Earl will want to see ye married, ye know.” I shake my head, “The Earl would rather see me conveniently killed by a bear.” “Mayhap,” My guard adds a log to the fire, “But he needs to cement an alliance with Earl Haiver, who has a far too vocal younger son.” I sigh, suppressing a groan. If I had wanted to be married to some empty headed little lordling, I would have stayed home and allowed my father to marry me off. “Ye'll see.” My guard settles back onto the log he is using as a seat. I change the subject, “Hot supper or cold?” “I'm all for hot.” I pick up my bow and quiver, “I'll be back with something to roast.” My guard nods.
Ashma is the fourth planet of a solar system similar to our own. It has one moon with a lunar cycle of forty days. There are three continents, one sub-continent, and many islands in Ashma's oceans. Five distinct races share the world, although not well. The Three Drops of Raoy Trilogy focuses largely on one of the most human-like of the races of Ashma. Whether future novels will feature more characters of the other races, I don't know yet.
The recital is in the afternoon, but I'm up early, too nervous to sleep in. I spend the morning helping my mom around the house. She fixes lunch, but I have trouble eating anything. Then I walk over to the performing arts centre to meet up with my teacher and class for warm ups.
As we get dressed in our costumes, everyone is nervous. This is one of the three biggest events of the year and we've heard some directors of major dance companies will be present. The dressing room is buzzing with different names, some of which I recognize and some I don't. I try to focus on preparing for my solo. Waiting around backstage for our turn is slow torture. Our class has the second oldest students in our studio, which means we're old enough we'll be watched carefully. Our teacher is here, reminding us to breathe and that we'll be fine. I wish I believed her, but I have a knot in my stomach which just won't go away. It's a relief to finally be called onto the stage and I take deep breaths as I take my place. Then the curtain rises and I'm into my solo performance. Through every movement, I'm trying to focus on the steps and a perfect performance. Except there's just something so compelling about the music, something I hadn't noticed before and I get caught up in it. I completely lose track of the technical performance and get lost in the music and movement the way I've been warned not to over and over again. When I'm finished and go to make my curtsey before leaving the stage, there's no applause. I glance up at the audience to see expressions of horror and fear. Straightening up, there's something strange in my balance. I reach a hand over my shoulder and encounter a bony protrusion which shouldn't be there. Recalling the wings I had seen briefly in the mirror after my performance for the director on Monday, I flee the stage. Running blindly for the exit, I ignore the noises of fear and protest all around me until someone catches me up in their arms. I struggle, frantic to escape, but the person is far larger and stronger than I am. “Kedri!” The voice is familiar somehow and sharp enough to penetrate my panic, “Kedri!” Looking up, I see the dance studio director. There is no fear in his expression, only concern. I allow myself to fall limp and he sets me on my feet. “Kedri, I need you to come with me,” The director's face is completely serious, “I need you to trust me.” “But the men...” “The grey van is on its way,” The director keeps his voice soft, “You don't want them to take you, do you?” I shake my head, trying hard to suppress my panic. “Then you need to trust me.” He slips off his jacket, “Here.” He reaches around me, gently rearranging what are evidently fairly large wings, and wraps the jacket over top. Then he guides me out a small side door. We walk over to the dance studio, somehow barely noticed by the all the people out and about on their usual Saturday errands. Inside the studio, he lets me into his office. “Wait here. I'll be back in a few minutes.” I pull his jacket more tightly around me as I sit in the chair facing his desk. While I wait, I study the walls, which are covered in bookcases and framed pictures and certificates. Nothing in the office seems at all out of the ordinary. When the director returns, he is accompanied by a woman who causes me to do a double take. She is maybe my mom's age, but dressed in a crazy patchwork of colours and fabrics which dazzle the eye and make it hard to tell anything about her body. Her face is made up almost garishly. But what really catches my attention is her hair. It hangs nearly to her waist in hundreds of tiny braids, each one a different, brilliant colour. Each of her long, curved fingernails is also a different bright colour. “Kedri,” The studio director recalls my attention, “I'd like you to meet Marta. She owns a dance company in Seaside.” “Okay...” I swallow hard. “You dance beautifully,” Marta smiles warmly, “I saw your recital performance and I would love to have you join my company.” I nod slowly, “But what...” She cuts me off with a chuckle. “Do you know why dance is tolerated by the Corporation, when dancers are among the most likely to vanish from society?” I shake my head. “All I know is I've always been warned to be careful. To not get lost in the music.” “It's a passion,” Marta explains, “Some are just born to dance and to quash it completely causes more chaos than these carefully controlled and monitored dance studios.” I nod. The Corporation, the company which owns almost everything in the world, seems to be very careful in what it does and doesn't allow to happen. The men in the grey van work for them. “But some, like you, just don't belong in the grey and boring,” Marta chuckles again, “The Corporation might cut you off from your parents now, from your education, from everything you've known your whole life. I'm offering you a new life, in a place where you can do what you love without having to fear them. Unless you want to find out what the corporation does to those who get lost in their passions.” I shiver, huddling down in the borrowed jacket. “I don't really have a choice. I can't give up dancing.” “No, and you shouldn't have to,” Marta holds out a hand, “We should go before they think to look for you here.” I take her hand, accepting the help to my feet. Slipping off the jacket, I turn to the director, “Sir... thank you.” He accepts his jacket back. “You're welcome, Kedri. Take care of yourself.” I nod. Then I follow Marta down to the back door of the studio where a black van is waiting in the alley. We get into the back and take seats. As the van starts moving, Marta tells me, “Once we get there, you'll have to stay close to me for a bit. I'll show you where you'll be staying, where you'll be rehearsing and where you'll be performing. I'll also help you get anything you need right away.” “Okay.” I nod. “It's a bit of a drive,” Marta warns me, “You might want to get some sleep, if you can.” I'm not sure if I'll be able to sleep, but I curl up on the seat and close my eyes. The NeoTerra colony is unique among the human colony worlds. At some point during exploration, as new worlds were being identified, a corporation on Earth purchased a world to terraform and use for a large scale social experiment. The idea being to recreate life as it existed on Earth during the 1990's, but in a more ecologically sustainable manner. What the Corporation, as they are known on NeoTerra, didn't count on was some force of the planet altering the colonists to give them strange features and abilities.
Overall, NeoTerra closely resembles Earth in that it is the third planet of a star very much like Earth's sun. It has one moon and a similar lunar cycle. Geographically, it has six continents, two sub-continents, and four oceans. The original Corporation built cities span all six continents, but the later settlements span the entire world. The NeoTerra colony was first introduced in the Camp Nanowrimo winning novel, Kedri Dancer. It is also the setting of the short story, Dance with Me. Two more novels are in the works, one slated for publication in November 2022. Current or tentative covers can be seen below. Two things for today: Starting tomorrow, I will be once again attempting Camp Nanowrimo. I can be found on their site as aacheshire, if you want to see what I'm up to over there. This Camp session, I am working on the sequel to the novel being released in August 2021. Also... trying to write anything during record setting high temperatures is hard. I'm melting here in a place where AC is deemed 'unnecessary'. If you have cooler weather (better yet, rain) please send it to the Pacific Northwest. I have a new Cemen Colony novel coming out August 2, 2021. The ebook is currently available to pre-order via Smashwords and should be coming soon to your preferred ebook retailer. To pre-order a paperback, contact Howling Wolf Books. This is the first book in a new set of Cemen Colony novels, which take place towards the end of and after Experiment Redemption. The second book in this set is slated to be my Camp Nanowrimo project this coming July, so it could be a while before that is ready for publication. President Donovan Gayre achieved a major political victory when Angelita, Crown Princess of Estorika, handed over her birthright and acknowledged his government. But the new Republic of Arawn remains a devastated land, barely able to support its citizens. There is hope for the land itself in the work of one young scientist and Donovan Gayre has been planning big changes behind the scenes for years. Provided the newly recognized government can maintain the ground they've gained thus far. Brevon, 14-09-48-06-04sm
The sky outside the classroom window is clear blue. No clouds to be seen and a brightly shining sun. Inside the classroom, a girl in her early teens with short blonde braids and eyes as blue as the sky stares out. "Rain!" The girl makes a sour face as she drags her gaze from the window. "Finish your work. This is class time." Rain scowls at the workbook open on the desk. Absently, her fingers toy with her pencil. Her eyes remain on her book only as long as she can feel the teacher's eyes on her. Then her gaze returns to the sky out the window. Twice more, the teacher attempts to recall the girl's attention to her work before finally dismissing the whole class. Rain is slow to replace her books and supplies in the drawer which she then carries to a cabinet in a corner of the classroom. The others have already put their drawers away and left. The teacher watches with a mixture of frustration and impatience as Rain slowly slides the drawer into place and closes the cabinet doors. Then the girl slips from the room and encounters her mother in the hall outside. "Rain," The woman looks both reproving and resigned as she reaches out to brush a stray strand of hair from her daughter's face, "There's something I want you to see." "Okay." The girl trails her mother out of the building and along the street. When they reach the building known as town hall, Rain finds herself ushered into a large conference room crowded to standing room only. The girl quickly works her way into a corner where she can only just see the projection on one end wall. For the moment, it's nothing more than a rectangle of light. Then a woman in a lab coat whom Rain absently identifies as Doctor Rosalia Aurick, who is in charge of Brevon, steps into the light. "This recording was made earlier today and sent out to all corners of the world. We want to share it with you because it means changes to the way we've been operating as well as affecting your options once you're finished here. Once you have seen this, I will do my best to address any questions you may have." Doctor Aurick steps out of the way as images begin to appear on the wall. What appears to be an open air auditorium is crowded with people wearing a nearly equal mixture of business suits and uniforms of various kinds. The camera pans across the assembly before zooming in on the platform where various dignitaries are talking to each other and taking seats. Among them is a young orange and white striped winter tiger, which settles at the feet of one man once he is seated. Rain studies the tiger curiously until the camera moves away from it. And then the camera settles on a man in a suit standing at the podium and audio finally kicks in. "Good morning and welcome to everyone here," The sound system squeaks and crackles, "Donovan Gayre, president of our provisional government has an announcement to make." The man at the podium steps back so the man accompanied by the winter tiger can take his place. He surveys the crowd for a moment before speaking, "Yesterday I was invited to attend a meeting of great importance to this country's future. A meeting requested by Angelita, the last crown princess of the monarchy of Estorika. In the presence of witnesses representing the other monarchies and the Pleasure Society, Angelita granted me this," He holds up an old gold locket on a chain, "The birthright locket of the monarchs of Estorika..." The crowd erupts. Some are cheering. Others look angry. Many are calling out questions. Aides on the platform indicate for everyone to settle down and allow President Gayre to finish. "In doing so," He tucks the locket away, "I am granted the power to declare this government no longer provisional, but permanent. The other powers of this world must now treat with this government as an equal. We will eventually be able to open our borders to trade and travel. We are now the Republic of Arawn." There are far more cheers from the crowd at this. "In the coming days," President Gayre continues, "Many things will begin to change. As these changes take place, they will be announced to you. One thing I want to make plain now: There is not, nor will be, any attempt made to reestablish a monarchy in this country. There is no need for continued anti-monarchy activity now." Evidently not everyone in the crowd agrees, but the aides on the platform are quick to signal for silence again as President Gayre bows his head and returns to his seat. Now another man steps up to the podium. This one has a much more regal bearing. "I am Malcolm Burren, official heir to the Pleasure Society Chancellor, speaking on behalf of the current Chancellor." The crowd doesn't appear to know what to make of this. "A representative of the Pleasure Society Chancellor was present as witness at a meeting between Angelita Regina of Estorika and Donovan Gayre, president of the provisional government. At that meeting, the birthright of the monarchs of Estorika was handed over and the monarchy of Estorika declared to be history. We of the Pleasure Society look forward to many years of mutually beneficial dealings with representatives and citizens of the Republic of Arawn." Malcolm Burren returns to his seat as the camera cuts out and the screen returns to being a rectangle of light. "A representative of?" Someone in the crowded conference room sounds puzzled. "Natalia Burren," Doctor Aurick steps in front of the screen again, "Along with Monarch Reginald of Norsecount. There is no question as to the legitimacy of this announcement." "So Experiment Redemption?" Someone else queries. "Quite likely will be phased out as current participants complete the program and graduate. But nothing has been announced for certain on that score." "They're certain it was really Angelita?" Yet another person sounds skeptical. "Angelita's presence as a participant in Experiment Redemption was confirmed two years ago," Doctor Aurick looks bemused, "But kept under wraps for her safety. Even now, I cannot tell you which group or location... beyond not here at Brevon." Others have questions, but Rain slips around the edge of the room and out into the hall. From there, she walks over to the staff quarters, to the suite she shares with her mother. Knowing her mother had remained in the conference room, Rain goes into her bedroom and picks up the novel from the night stand. Opening it, she curls up on her bed to get lost in the story.
See the first Credit Where Credit is Due post for an overview of what I'm doing here.
So, back when I first wrote Experiment Redemption, the setting of that story was a blackened wasteland left over from centuries of civil war, beginning of story to end. And I didn't know how the characters of future stories were ever going to manage to turn that around. I had half an idea which I knew wasn't going to work, effectively or believably. I hate when I write myself into corners. But... I was working on a roleplaying system for the universe in which the majority of my writing is set. And I had friends test playing campaigns I'd created which were set in various parts of that universe, including the setting of Experiment Redemption around the time of the novel. Enter a fictional young scientist named Fate, created by a friend and fan who was playing that specific campaign. His work resolved my issue of how the country could be cleaned up and made livable again. I do wish I had thought to somehow record some of those sessions because there's so much that happened that I just can't remember now. The character Fate, when used in my work, is credited to his original creator. He is mentioned in The Keys and the Naph, first seen in the short tale Hunter (Experiment Redemption Revisited), and has a larger role in the upcoming Arawn's New Order, which is due out August 2021. Fate's creator is a gamer who can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Rrcdso9Pmd4R7v3q2XdEA |
AuthorAlexandra A. 'Lexa' Cheshire is the author of numerous novels and short stories published through Howling Wolf Books. Lexa is a wife, mother, cat owner, and music lover. Archives
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