Book 17. Part Three. 13

Getting things back on track. What? You thought I would listen in to three girls gossiping? On the first hand, that’s rude; on the second hand, it’s boring. On the gripping hand Aurie would kill me.

So, it’s the next day. A little exercise before Aurie meets with the Texas Secretary of State. Who will be mad as a hornet about the blockade.

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Book 17. Part Three. 11

Road trip. Which shall be followed by a train trip. I like telling road stories.

Looks as if things are getting a little hot, vis a vis politics with the Republic of Texas. I do wonder if the Rigó family – the other branch of the other daughter of the Barrett’s – weren’t there, if Faustina would have annexed them, at gunpoint, by now. Oil, natural gas, uranium, industry, agriculture… I think the temptation to her would have been overwhelming.

And now a faction of the Texan government threatens one of the Rigós. One married to one of the Empress’ sons. This is more stupid than anything the Canadians have ever done to the imperium. Very curious how this shall play out.

Research to do. Have a good Memorial Day weekend, for those of you in FUSA. The nation is dead but we must honor our dead.

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Book 17. Part Three. 10

I think Aurie has become comfortable enough with the idea of Bob and Kali handling the Martian rescue that she can relax and play a little, even if it might start a war.

Speaking of, this concludes this arc of Part Three. Next will see Aurie and Colour, along with an increasingly bewildered Eloise, on their way west. There is still that matter of Edward’s wife, Livia, being detained in Texas. I need to get that resolved before I see Miss Patel back home.

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Book 17. Part Three. 9

Aurie being Aurie decides to “turn it up to eleven.” She does seem to personally like Eloise but it’s just as obvious she is using her. The next installment will show just how much.

Not really sure what Aurie is up to, here. Just because she thinks fast and has access to vast information, that doesn’t mean she always makes the right decision. I’ve already had Bob point out in that meeting that she seems flustered in a way that Faustina never was. It may be she’s not suited to rule. We’ll all just have to wait and see.

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Book 17. Part Three. 8

And here I am, ten days later. Been thinking a lot while prepping Daughter #1 for her Hokkaido internship then getting Daughter #2 installed in her 5th-floor flat, two hours away. And it’s a 5th-floor with no elevator for an old man with hypertension. But I’m getting back into the story and realizing revisions are going to be as important as new material.

Below starts with a bit of a re-write of the last post as I thought of the “write a letter” thing a few days later. It happens. I’m also thinking about moving the entire “imperial family back six months late” to the end of Part Three. I’ll know more when I get there.

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Book 17. Part Three. 5

A lengthier addition as I’m travelling this extended weekend. Daughter #1 is graduating college with a technical degree and completely debt-free. I want to be there to honor her for her hard work. A week later she’ll be in Japan for an internship. I hope she’s been watching lots of anime for her language lessions.

Below… well, it’s not really a surprise to us, as we saw the end of Part Two. Still, Aurie’s announcement surprises everyone, even her husband who got her that way an hour before. I do wonder what Julian means about Eloise “being different” as she is entirely human. I might be misunderstanding what the lad means. When he said, “my family are scavengers,” I nearly spit-taked my Martini onto the laptop screen.

And as we have all seen, once you put a glass in Eloise’s hand, she doesn’t stop. Very cheap date.

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Book 17. Part Three. 3

Politics, sure. How can there not be with a group such as this? But it is also a chance to see a simpler side of “normal” humans out for a walk.

As we have seen in some of my books, Empress Faustina has always been very careful to not let he first husband, and now her second, have, or even to be seen to have, political power. She is an autocrat and acts as one. That certainly does not mean she doesn’t love them, but power is power and too dangerous to share.

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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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