I thought of posting this as an 1100-word bloc, but it breaks nicely with the two women seeing Filk Jansen off before they take a stroll in the wood. That will be the last segment before Aurie is back to the Governing Council for a little hardball.
It’s interesting that when Aurie taunts humans it’s primarily out of fun. Faustina did it because, as one of her relatives later said, “being a jerk is who she is.”
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Continue reading “Exit Nephew of Colour”Apologies for yesterday. I try to stay about 1500 word ahead on these but I do not know if I was exhausted or just had some summer cold. Fortunately off from DayJob, I slept most of the day. I made a steak dinner but was too tired to eat and even didn’t drink any alcohol. Yeah: anyone who knows the slightest bit about me should re-read that: I turned down steak and alcohol.
Back to DayJob for just a little today as I also had to make a doctor’s visit about this ganglion cyst on the underside of my left wrist. Been putting up with it for two months but it started to hurt all the time. Looks like minor surgery in mid-September to excise it.
More importantly, it seems Aurie gets both playful and frisky in the early mornings. Can you imaging her doing this with a legion of 5200 men? Or her current army, four times that size? I bet all those men are in love with her and scared to death of her. Which is a good place to be for General Hartmann.
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Continue reading “Colour of Morning”I’m going to try to accelerate this story and turn it into a book. My cover designer and her children in Germany are reduced to sneaking into the woods at night to glean firewood for the coming winter. A so-called first world country. F*cking Progs. If I can turn this into a book that’s another $300 for her and her fam.
With Filk’s arrival, Aurie turns the teasing up to “11.” A little exposition. And then a demonstration of raw power.
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Continue reading “Changing Colour”This is a cheap and dirty way of exposition for an author to tell his readers something: Q&A between characters. Those of y’all who have been following MacCiv for years know all of this but if I turn this into a novella or novel, it is my responsibility to make sure the future reader knows what is going on.
There have been elective monarchies in human history. They tended to fail quickly. Elective within a family is an idea Dr. Jerry Pournelle mooted in his CoDominium future history. Empress Faustina allows many local forms of government, including democracies and republics, but tolerates none of that at a national level. When she is good and ready, she’ll designate an heir.
What if she is hit by lightning or a truck? I do not know. I don’t think there would be a civil war (and if there was, it would be between Laszlo and Aurie; the rest of the family just doesn’t care or want the awful responsibility of running an empire) but I cannot say for certain.
I’m going to write a little more this evening. Three whiskies in hot-head Filk vs. perfectly sober demi-human Aurelia? This will be a hoot. I hope Colour can keep the peace under her roof. See everyone on Monday!
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Continue reading “Questions of Colour”Aurie is welcomed into her new friend’s home and learns a little more about her family. That will be reversed in the next installment when Aurelia invites Colour to get to know her better.
Where in the hell did Filk go? He was told to come to his aunt’s place and it just isn’t that far. I’ll look into that.
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Continue reading “Coloured Photos”We get the titular character’s nephew sorted out but it appears he’ll be back shortly. The pace of this story once again slows down with two new friends content to simply be with one another.
And, yes, Aurie’s line below was cribbed from “Blade Runner.” Authors steal from each other all the time; it’s the nature of the calling.
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Continue reading “The Colour of Darkness”Given how Empress Faustina is an asshole and her niece is following in her footsteps, that fact they attract people such as that to them is no surprise. So, here’s a new tertiary (I think?) character.
And for those of you who asked: yes, the titular character makes her reappearance in the next installment. I must have a lot of softies reading my works as I seem to get more “likes” when it’s cute girls doing cute things rather than politics. Maybe I’ll start a small war to see how that’s appreciated?
In the mean time, we have learned that Aurie can be a charming person if she likes you. Cross her “specialness?” Well…
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Continue reading “A Colourful Relation”Aurie begins talks with those who govern the Northern Federation. She knows that they know that she could stomp on them like a bug, if she so desired. Coming from that position of strength, Aurelia instead tries to be nice.
From a diplomatic standpoint, there are two items on the table. The first is addressed here and I’m writing the other for tomorrow’s installment. After that, we’ll get the two friends back together.
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Continue reading “Diplomatic Colours”Research over. Back to the story.
It is a little surprising to me that coming from such a close, loving family, Aurelia is a hard person. From being a part of the imperial family? That didn’t seem to affect her parents or younger brother (who in Obligations of Rank left the imperium just to get away from the politics). Perhaps serving in the legions since she was seventeen and having to make hard, life-or-death decisions (such as helping use a fusion weapon on civilians in St Louis) did it? I’m finding out more about her just as y’all are.
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Continue reading “Colour-less”This brings up to about 4000 words. I an realize that I said yesterday is correct: I do not know the government nor politics of the Northern Federation. It’s core is Maine and New Hampshire, with affiliated territories from Vermont and central and western Massachusetts, making it about the smallest of the entities to survive the Change (which, I saw, is still called the Breakup by them). Until I understand their situation this far along, I cannot see Aurelia’s reaxion.
Saying all that to say this: unless I have a sudden revelation, which has happened, I’m taking the weekend off to study the problem. Aside: I do think, because of the time and the meeting, that Aurie will spend the night in their territory. Possibly at the house of one of Colour’s brothers.
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Continue reading “Different Coloured Hats”
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