For the first time ever, the Empress’ second husband gets a speaking role. I don’t – yet – get into his background or why Faustina picked him, but I’m sure I’ll find out. Also, from Regent (now with a 5-star review), Eloise meets Aurie’s husband, too. Like El, he’s recently of Canada.
So, we have something of a meet-and-greet right now. I’m curious to see how all this develops.
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Continue reading “Book 17. Part Three. 2”Starting part three with the focus on Eloise Patel. We pick up the story just where Bob literally vanishes out of her arms. While Aurelia is in this scene, most of this part will involve humans, both in the imperium and in Canada. I know that sort of flies in the face of the whole “Machine Civilization” theme, but I like to mix things up now and again.
There’s not exactly tension in the plot as we already know Faustina and Edward are back safe, albeit six months from now. And we know that Eloise gets herself into trouble back home. Now we just need to find out what happened.
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Continue reading “Book 17. Part Three. 1”Another person was foolish enough to talk to me. For an hour. What happened to folk’s “fight or flight” instinct?
This is the end of Part Two. I’ve mentioned Part Three, currently underway, will be from Lt. Eloise Patel’s POV as she has been arrested by a faction of the Canadian government.
They, the Canadians, are realizing that things have turned against them. Riding high from occupying the former US Midwest ten years ago, they thought their problems of access to resources and – more importantly – a place to move as the ice and snow of the Maunder Minimum continues to come south, were over and it seemed to be champaign and roses. For a few years.
Then Yukon and British Columbia fell to the Russian Empire. A couple of meeting engagements around Winnipeg. Then Winnipeg under the ice; Edmonton under the ice and road and rail lines to their western provinces cut just as a Russian brigade shows up to claim it all. At the same time, with Canadians on the Ohio River, Empress Faustina incorporates Kentucky into a new imperial province. A few months later, she sends her niece, Aurelia, at the head of an army to bring the Northern Federation of Maine, New Hampshire, and surrounding communities into Friend & Ally status; Aurie goes even further, prompting the Archbishop of Montreal to reopen the matter of Quebec’s independence.
All of this, plus the imperium and the Russians have reactionless motors and fusion weapons. Factions of the Canadian government are now scared and scared governments do stupid things. How stupid? We’ll find out in Part Three.
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Continue reading “Book 17. Part Two. 13 (end p2)”Back home. Aurie has a surprise and Bob chastises his older brother regarding his wife. We get only a tiny look at what’s been going on for six months. More tomorrow, when Aurie starts talking, I’m sure.
Tomorrow will mark the end of Part Two. I’m making progress on Part Three but may wait to get ahead a bit more, in case I hit a block.
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Continue reading “Bool 17. Part Two. 12”Could I have them wander around some more? Eat a last meal in Paradise-on-Mars? Yes, but as my regular readers know, I am all about dialog and personal interaction, no matter what the person is. So, having set the scene, as it were (“this place is perfect!”), I can now get to the problem: while Ed is having fun, he does miss his new wife. Fussy, it appears, is ready to walk away from it all until provoked by her two sons. Notice how Kalí stays quiet? This is not her fight so she stays out of it.
And then it comes out that there is a discrepancy in time. And no, what I know of the little klutz, I cannot imagine Livia not waiting for her husband. After all, her mother waited years… dang; I still need to wrap that part of the story up. Maybe in the summer.
About 1100 words because if this world is that corruptive to demi-humans, I don’t want any of my readers lost in some dream state; I value y’all too much.
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Continue reading “Book 17. Part Two. 11”Well, here I go. There is this entry then one more, covering Bob’s rescue attempt. But as we’ll see, is it really a rescue?
I’m about 3,000 words ahead, just at the close of Part Two. Notes are ready for Part Three. It’s been a long time since I have had first-person-female-normie. This should be interesting.
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Continue reading “Book 17. Part Two. 10”Another abbreviated entry as the last line is the transition where Bob falls down the rabbit hole. Or, to be more precise, where Kalí drags him down it.
Eloise now understands that the things she apprehends with her eyes, reactionless motorcraft, nukes, are nothing compared to demi-humans and Thinking Machines. A knife kills as thoroughly as an a-bomb; it’s the mind behind it which matters.
The next few entries were difficult for me to understand and write. I’ve mentioned my distaste for time travel stories and that is what the next chapter is, to rescue Faustina and Edward. Much like “Crosses & Doublecrosses,” I get in and out just as quickly as I can. My notes for Part Three are shaping up nicely. Looks as if South Park finally gets their war.
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Continue reading “Book 17. Part Two. 9”Had another interview this weekend. Once it’s edited I’ll post a link. We were supposed to talk about AIs; current development and what’s in my books. We wandered a bit.
Speaking of, pictures being worth what they are, Bob shows El a glimpse into a Machine’s construct. This is a shorter segment but her reaction to it, tomorrow, is telling.
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Continue reading “Book 17. Part Two. 8”Interesting to learn that the imperium has factions in it, as well. Makes sense: any politics leads to factions. However, without any electoral system, would that scale up into parties or remain dissident cells?
Also, I think for the first time ever, there is a mention of India in my future history. I know Europe and China, and Mexico has annexed Southern California, southern Arizona, and western New Mexico, but India and South America are a blank to me. Perhaps Eloise can tell us more in Part Three.
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Continue reading “Book 17. Part Two. 7”
machciv 