Category Archives: Book 04: Alien Machines & Evil Beatniks

Space Date: Part 7

“WILL HITCHHIKE. REJOIN TRIBE/CLAN/CIVILIZATION. WE ARE NOMADS.”

So I digested that for a little while, wondering if it was true, or if it skipped a few steps. For example, the step where it turned us over to the civilizations of genetically modified humans who fanatically worshipped the Abominators, and might possibly hold a grudge against us for the way our grandfathers destroyed the last of their masters.

After which, it would go out and be nomadic. Continue reading Space Date: Part 7

Space Date: Part 5

The League jet had cameras all around the body, allowing me to check out almost the entire hull without leaving the cockpit. I’d always thought that was cool, but as of that moment I could guess at the practical reason why Grandpa had installed them.

A long, black shell clung three quarters of the way down the hull. The fact that it had attached itself said a lot about it.

A depressingly large amount. Continue reading Space Date: Part 5

Space Date: Part 3

Deciding not to think about the Xiniti’s stranglehold on space, I concentrated on getting us to the gate. And anyway, according to Grandpa, it wasn’t their fault.

Arguably, we owed them.

The blackness of space stretched out ahead of us. Amid the stars, one of the spots of light had to be the gate and the Xiniti warship guarding it. Even at the speeds the League jet could reach outside the atmosphere, L4 wasn’t close. It was the same distance as the distance from the Earth to the sun. Continue reading Space Date: Part 3

Space Date: Part 2

Half an hour later I’d gone through the League jet’s flight checklist, moved through the passageway into Grand Lake, floated to the surface, and took flight.

I flew it over Lake Michigan, and then started to ascend. After we hit 30,000 feet, I started pouring on the speed, knowing that we’d have to be moving extremely quickly to get into space.

I learned later that the ship could be seen on both sides of the lake (Wisconsin and Michigan) because of the trail of flame behind it. Continue reading Space Date: Part 2