Category Archives: Arc 9.0.0: Space

Space: Part 8

After passing through three more star systems, I was almost certain we were free of well, whichever of Lee’s people was watching the place.

I glanced over at Lee. “Do you know who it was?”

Lee shook his head. “I lost track of where everybody was long ago. That place was never part of the galactic main. It happened to be strategically useful to the Live faction at that time. I only ever came back because it was important to me—not because it was important.”

He frowned. “Whatever else may be true, we can be sure that they sensed something when Nick drew the sword even if they didn’t get the location. They think I’m out and about. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been watching there.” Continue reading Space: Part 8

Space: Part 7

Then he turned back to the group of us. “Nick might remember that when we talked about my people, I told him that I wouldn’t notice them, but that he would. That’s because I was assuming that they’d be hiding the same way I’m hiding. He’s not. He’s broadcasting his position so that anyone who can sense us can hear.”

I glanced over at him. “Would flipping into near space help? It wouldn’t with a starship, so I’m guessing it won’t…”

Lee shook his head. “It won’t help. Shifting into blink space might work, but depending on who it is, well, that still might not do it. Stay in normal space. Don’t speed up. Don’t slow down. Pretend you don’t feel anything.” Continue reading Space: Part 7

Space: Part 6

Lee watched as we flew over a piece of what probably had been a planet. Maybe it had only been a moon, but it was round on the outside, jagged on the inside and big.

“They tried to hide there at the end of it,” he said. “They didn’t know it was the end yet, but I’d gotten my forces out of the area. Once they were safe, I used a new weapon we’d devised to fight them. It destroyed their shields, broke apart magical bindings and protections, and shattered the system’s planets. It damaged the star.”

I looked out toward where the computer said the white dwarf had to be. I’d wondered about that. Continue reading Space: Part 6

Space: Part 5

“That’s not quite accurate. I doubt that very many ships can do this, but the main reason ships have near space drives is so they can hitchhike on larger spaceships. If you’ve got a near space drive, you can get close to a larger ship and get pulled into jump space with them.

“After that, you can stick with them or go off on your own. You can do the same thing with a jump gate—stick with the registered destination or choose one. So we won’t stick out that much. Continue reading Space: Part 5

Space: Part 3

“That’s not all it is,” I told her. “I grabbed soundtracks from a few different science fiction movies—Star Wars, Alien, Star Trek, Iron Man—more than one from some series. Plus I downloaded TV show soundtracks too—Firefly is the obvious one, but a few other shows too. Plus, all my regular music.”

I felt like I could hear her eyebrow raise as she said, “So, SF movie soundtracks plus music that’s mostly appeared in Guitar Hero or Rockband, right?”

I thought about it and admitted, “That’s about right.” Continue reading Space: Part 3

Space: Part 2

The Heroes’ League “Jet”

We were in space and flying toward Lagrange point four, specifically to the Xiniti space station that guards the jump gate.

I was flying the jet—which wasn’t really a jet, but was actually a spaceship that we referred to as a jet and mostly used as a jet.

Imagine a dashboard full of glowing readouts and a window above it that showed glowing pinpricks of light that were mostly stars except that I knew some of them were galaxies. Off the top of my head, I couldn’t say which was which, but the spaceship’s AI could if I wanted.

I didn’t at that moment. Continue reading Space: Part 2

Space: Part 1

Xiniti Space Station Batukti: Edge of Interdicted Space/The Human Quarantine

Nikataktuk of the Xiniti Jump Gate Command stood alone in his office. He’d rather be with the rest of his clan, but there were some things that were easier thought through alone—many things in his position.

He thought at the far wall and it changed. No longer a landscape of the jungles of his homeworld, it mirrored the stars outside the space station. He turned toward the wall to the right, calling up a map of known space complete with jump gates, military installations, and major trade routes. Continue reading Space: Part 1