Category: New Russia

Book 17. Part Two. 9

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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Book 17. Part Two. 8

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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Book 17. Part Two. 7

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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Book 17. Part Two. 6

Filling in some details about who is who and where they are. While I’m a “pantser” not a “plotter,” I do like to know where the pieces are on the board before all the action breaks out.

The line, “Did you just make that up right now?” is precious. And, yes, I run with it. Full credit goes to my wife; when I was musing about where take the story, she said: “they stumbled into a stargate. Happens all the time.”

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Book 17. Part Two. 5

A new day brings new surprises. Aurie literally drills down into Eloise’s head to get better intel on where the two missing persons are. Hopefully Kalí was listening.

Otherwise, I do wrap up one hanging thread from the end of “Regent,” formalization of Aurie’s and Jimmy’s relationship.

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Book 17. Part Two. 4

Bit of a longer section but I wanted to get the Canadian stuff over so I can return to the Mars/Missing Family conundrum.

Bob really does not seem to like the life he was born into. I think he knows that his “legionary career” is not long for the world; even now, he should be in Manitoba but is instead neck-deep in “the family business.” Eloise certainly seems to like him but I’ve never had an Indian (dot-not-feather) in my books before and don’t want to take a month off bringing myself up to speed on their culture. I know that China has broken up into a redo of the “Era of the Warring States,” but I think India has held together somehow. *sighs* A question I’ll have to answer at some point…

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Book 17. Part Two. 3

Here I begin to go down a rabbit hole I had no intention of ever – ever – exploring. Time travel stories are not hard science fiction and also very dangerous from a causality standpoint. Time travel into the past is boring and stupid; as Larry Niven once noted, it is just a child’s wish fulfillment of “make it didn’t happen!” Into the future, with a presumed return to the present? Similar “Sound of Thunder” problems.

My work-around is my faith. As a Catholic, I believe God sees everything in His “unbounded now.” Past, present, future, to a mortal mind is just NOW to Him. So long as I keep close track of what I’m writing over the next few installments, I should make it out of this without sounding like a complete idiot.

BTW, “Lest Darkness Fall” is a spectacular book.

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Book 17. Part Two. 2

Hope everyone is having a fine Easter. Below, we drill down on just what has happened – that they know – to the Empress and her son, Bob’s older brother. Aurelia prays for a miracle. Hey, it’s Easter… I’m not going to disappoint! A wild Kalí appears.

Not really sure where this is going, to be honest. Carryover from “Regent:” Bob does not like his cousin’s new man. I wonder why?

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Book 17. Part Two. 1

In order to save my mind and my liver, I’m returning to the format where they show me some reels, I do what research, if any, then write it down here. No more of this “simultaneous writing” efforts for awhile.

In my two summaries of Part One, it was told from the POV of Sgt. Sergei Konev. Now we jump to Centurion Bob Hardt, who, of course, is more than he seems to be. There was a tension I introduced in Obligations of Rank and ended on a cliff-hanger in Regent which needs resolution. That is what I think Part Two is for. After that? Who knows?

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Book 17. Part One Summary, 2/2

Wrapping up the summary.

Konev and his men tend to the Canadian Lt while alerting higher-ups. To their surprise, Gen. Suvorov himself shows up in one of their reactionless motor ships. With Konev in tow, they move to the temporary HQ outside of Moose Jaw. Konev, using what little he knows of Centurion Hardt – Patel’s friend – manages to break the ice with her.

The next day, Reina interferes and orders Patel returned before things get worse. Konev and Patel set up a rendezvous with her unit just SW of Winnipeg, which, though further south, is already under the ice; the two lakes to its north acted as highways for the ice sheet, already halfway to Grand Forks. At the rendezvous point, Hardt and his team, backed by one of their S-3 flying saucers, meet them, inviting both the Canadians and Russian scout teams to a meal in a nearby abandoned golf course clubhouse.

There, the three team leaders, Konev, Patel, Hardt, stay alone on the outside deck in the freezing weather to talk frankly to one another about what seems to be going on around them. Messengers run out with orders for all three from their respective commands. Knowing more than he should – we’ll see why in the next installment (or you already know if you have the good sense to read Obligations of Rank) – Hardt renders Patel unconscious and, via some subterfuge, abducts her.

Some quotes below the fold.

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