Verba's Writerblr

Sometimes I wish life was less full of bullshit so I could make more time for the marketing side, but alas, it is what it is. It's currently awaiting manual approval by tolino media. I will yell in another post when it's officially out. The site was wigging out on me so I couldn't set a pre-order period, but hey, Digitalisierung and all that.

Also if you hear distant screaming: I somehow in all my edits missed a single typo IN THE BLURB don't mind me while I crumble to dust from shame. Bring me a steamroller and flatten me into 2D.

What would you do to protect your freedom? Fight? Die?

Who would you be willing to fight? Who would you be willing to kill?

For the sake of your free will, what master would you serve?

My name is Aurum Verilin, and I was forced to answer these questions time and time again. I served for eight years as a soldier in Sen, fighting against the Ferusian military in an effort to conquer their land and claim it as ours. The rich mineral deposits and precious metals would have been enough cause for my country to invade, and yet they were not the justification we gave.

No, that would be 'preemptive action', a claim by the Shogun often paired with stories of Ferus mustering forces to attack our homeland. The truth could not be further away. We weren't fighting to stop some planned attack, or to protect our way of life. This was an unprovoked assault, a genocide. One I'd decided I would take no part in.

An order disobeyed, a superior killed, and my brothers-in-arms wiped out for my refusal. But when ordered to turn my magic on Tangkorak, those creatures most closely in tune with the world, most attached to nature, I could not bring myself to do so, and had said as much.

I stood there, staring at the man I'd grown to trust with my life. Our Satakintaro let out a huff, flames beginning to swirl around his hand, denser and denser, forging a gauntlet of powerful heat.

"Kor tont eralla, Mortesh!?"

I stared at him, terrified, hands raised as my chest tightened, muscles tensing as I felt the world around me slow down. I could see the flames building, condensing, second by second. Feel the heat emanating from his magic.

"What was that, Scrapper!?"

I blinked, shocked. Something wasn't right. Ferusian? No, he didn't-

"What was that, Sir?"

I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, I saw a young woman holding a cigarette, standing across the counter from me. She waved her hand, the small flame over her palm dissipating as she did, her cigarette freshly lit and smoking. I was in my store, not the battlefield. I was safe. I was okay.

My breathing was heavy, chest as tight as it could be, like the world itself sat upon my breast. I could see the embers fizzling in the air, remnants of her magic. Time felt so slow that I could count the embers as they faded, like houseflies buzzing in the air. I looked around, counting items on the shelves, mentally recounting their prices, their Ferusian names, and what they were used for.

The woman looked me over, concern growing on her face. I needed to say something, and soon, but I needed to be sure I knew what to say, how to say it. It had taken me months to learn Ferusian, and I still found myself slipping up more often than I would like. I nodded, taking in a deep breath and shaking my head, clearing my thoughts.

She had placed a small package on my counter, a prepared bundle of travel foods. Not very tasty, but they were filled with nutrients, designed to last several days. I wondered where she was going, but my life depended on secrets. The last thing I felt right doing was prying into the secrets of others.

"I said..." I thought, trying to recall the price from memory, trying to push myself further into the present, further from the memory, "Four Noll." I said, nodding. "Four Noll, that's the price."

She nodded, opening the coin purse at her hip and setting four copper coins bearing a finely-etched insignia onto my counter. I took the purse, smiling politely at her. She looked at me as if I'd grown a second head, gathering her bundle and leaving. I sighed, relaxing as she did. I stepped back once from the counter. I was okay, I was- I was alright. I-

Pulled my hands inward, swirling them around one another, air rippling between them, around them, sparking with power. My hands flew forward, sending a powerful bolt of lightning from my palms, striking my teacher, my superior, my friend-

I clenched my teeth and shook my head, smacking it against the wall. My brow furrowed and I pounded my fists against the wall, feeling the wood splinter against my fists. I growled, serrated teeth grinding as I tried to focus my thoughts on the present. I opened my eyes, counting the splinters surrounding my fist, breath quickening.

I threw my hand back, turning as I did, shaking off the-

Magic flew from my hand, fizzling away into the air as I began weaving sigils with my fingers, gathering raw power into my fist and throwing it forward, knuckles colliding with one of my fellow soldiers, a young Serval, two years my junior, charging at me with sword raised. I struck him hard, watching as the flesh of his neck tore from the force, severing-

I cried, stumbling from behind the counter and trying to get to the door leading to the storage room, legs giving out, dropping to my knees and falling to sit back against the wall, staring at the nearest shelf. I scanned items with my eyes, reciting each one verbally.

Ferusian name, price, purpose. Milk, two Noll, baking and drinking. Bread, one Noll, dipping and eating. Dozen eggs, five Noll, baking and eating. Pound of flour, five Noll, baki-

The scent of death filled the air, scorched flesh and the smoke of dissipating magic all around me as I drew my falchion from it's scabbard. I raised it just in time to barely deflect a slash from the last member of my squad, the other three lay dead around us, our Satakintaro face-down in the dirt several feet away, a blackened crisp of what used to be. I looked into the eyes of my companion, another man charged with protecting my life, another man I had been charged with protecting.

His blade collided with mine and the metal clanged, only to be brushed aside, narrowly missing my body thanks to the split-second contact. I felt tears run down my cheeks. I never wanted this. It was meant to be us or them. But these people were not our enemies. They were not helping our allies. Why-

Why?

Why did we-

Why?

Why were we-

Why?

"Why were we ordered to kill them?" I cried out, burying my face in my hands, knowing no answer would come.

Why had my Satakintaro acted so suddenly?

"Why did he-"

Why had the rest of my friends turned so easily?

"What did I-"

"What did I do-"

"To deserve this...?"

I sat there with my back to the wall, crying into my palms for what felt like hours. I was lucky nobody came into the store, I wouldn't have been able to stop. I finally did manage to calm down, and returned to my place behind the counter. Glancing around the store, I drummed my webbed fingers on the wood of my countertop, claws clacking against it as I did.

Clack-clack clack-clack, clack-clack clack-clack, clack-clack, clack-clack

I tapped rhythmically, focusing on the beat of my claws against the wood until I finally relaxed. I sighed, looking to the door. Not one patron in nearly six hours. A slow day was good for my nerves, terrible for my dues. They were coming up soon, the pay for the building and for my home as well. I bowed my head, forming an upside-down M with my hands in front of my stomach, closing my eyes and sending a prayer to Malor.

Malor, O archivist, designer of Fate, hear my prayer. I ask not for wealth, nor for fame. I ask not for complacency nor comforts. I only ask that I be granted opportunity to earn my keep, to serve my fellow man. Allow me reprieve from this idleness, and offer me chance to be rewarded for my patience with the patronage of others. By your good will, I thank you.

I opened my eyes, returning my hands to rest on the countertop. I smiled to myself, black eyes glancing at the door as it clicked open. In walked a handsome young fox, grey of fur and with piercing blue eyes, wearing a blue tabbard and a shining silver collar around his neck. He was dressed in a black padded tunic and fine leather trousers, his shoes clearly of high quality and well-padded. The collar had told me his status, a lesser noble, but his clothing told me that lesser or not, he had money to spare. Even the wealthier merchants in the village could not afford such warm, or such comfortable, clothing.

Thank you, O archivist, for granting me this opportunity. I am in your debt, and you have my gratitude.

"Welcome, what might you need, Sir?" I offered him a smile, keeping my lips closed to avoid flashing my teeth at the man. As predators, we were equals. As people, his status meant to imply such would be an insult to him. He returned my smile and, much to my shock, parted his lips to bare his teeth at me. I quickly did the same, returning his gesture so as not to offend the man.

"Good afternoon. Please, don't let this collar inform you of my character. I'm simply a man looking to gather food for his family. What can I expect to find here, Sir?" he walked around, looking through my stock and examining various produce.

"Ah, thank you, kind Sir. We have milk, fresh from the farmer just outside the village every morning, as well as potatoes, tomatoes, eggs, herbs, spices, apples, berries… baked bread too. If you've the coin to spare, we also have sweet rolls and pie, baked fresh on request." I watched him examine a particularly large potato, smiling at it and stuffing it into a burlap bag bound to his belt.

"I'll take the lot, then." he said plainly. I was about to ask what exactly he meant, only to watch in shock as he grabbed three more potatoes, then made his way about the store, grabbing several of each item before meeting me at the counter. "A dozen sweet rolls and four pies, please, preferably mulberry, apple, blueberry, and cherry, but if you can't do all of those I'll settle for four apple pies."

"Sir, that is quite a large order. It may take some time." I counted out his costs as he placed his produce on the counter. He laughed, nodding and drawing his coinpurse from his side. "With these, and the baked goods, the cost is two toruts."

He nodded, reaching into his coin purse and pulling out a single gold coin, a ket, placing it on the counter. "Then please, think of the rest as my gratitude for your willingness to grant my request." I took the coin up and let my magic flow through it, feeling a familiar spark run through my fingertips, the sign of the Engraver's Coin Mint. It was certainly real.

"Sir this is far too much, it's eight toruts over. I can't accept this." I gently pushed the coin back towards him. He raised an eyebrow at me, his posture changing, looking down his snout at me. The sight almost drew a snarl from me. I was a soldier, a warrior, I could snap this man in-

"I cannot force you to take it, but I'm afraid if you won't, then I have no choice." he pulled another coin from his purse, this one silver, bearing the crest of the royal family. A sygn. I sighed, resigning myself to the reality that my refusal had cost me any pay at all. I nodded, and the man put the sygn away as I set to work preparing his baked goods.

An hour and a half later, and quite drained from using so much of my magic to rush the service, I placed the goods on the counter. "Your order, Sir. Apologies for my hesitation and causing you difficulty before. Please, enjoy them."

"I believe my family and I will, thank you." he gathered his things, leaving my shop with a satisfied smile.

Arrogant nobles… No matter what nation, no matter the origin, you're all the same, a caste of snobbish, pampered… Little…

My thoughts trailed off as I noticed he'd left something behind on the counter. I reached out, taking up two shining ket. I looked at the door, the man barely a dot in the distance now, my jaw slack. A noble with a conscience.

I believe I've seen everything now.

The rest of the day passed mostly without incident, a few other patrons coming and going with supplies for travel, produce for their suppers, a pie or two. I offered a prayer of thanks to Malor after each, not blind to the divine intervention that must have taken place. Nearing sundown, barely two hours before my usual close, a group of men walked in.

I could smell blood on them, my nose twitching at the scent of copper and iron. They carried swords at their sides and my first instinct said they were Ferusian soldiers, until one of their cloaks billowed up from their movement and I saw the shape of the blade.

Curved along the edge, then a sharper curve back with a straight back to the blade, glittering with fulgurite flecks. A falchion. These were soldiers, yes, but they were not Ferusian. These were soldiers from Sen, like I had been. I kept my eyes down, hoping they wouldn't recognize me. They milled about the store, grabbing up fruit, vegetables, some of the bundled goods for the road.

One approached, digging his coin purse out and looking at me expectantly. I kept my face down, trying to quickly do the math before giving up. "Three torut." my voice was hoarse, throat tight. The man pulled three coins from the purse and placed them on the counter, nodding before another put a hand on his chest, stopping him.

"Pies." he said simply, likely trying not to say too much for fear of an accent giving him away, or simply a lack of understanding Ferusian. I nodded, pointing to the berries, fruits, and vegetables in the store.

"Amount, and flavor, pick what you want." I turned away, going to the back room to prepare the oven. As soon as I lit the flames, I heard the door open and they began to file in one by one. "You can't come back here, this is-"

"Ey tokla sun iy lash." he growled, grabbing the hilt of his sword. My hand flew to my side, grabbing at… Nothing. I wore no sword, I carried no weapon. The others smirked, laughing amongst themselves at what they surely expected to be an easy victory. An unarmed foe, disgraced and cowering in a village in the middle of nowhere, hiding like a rat.

I stood up straight, squared my shoulders, and wove my magic into a loose ball before sending my hands outward to the sides, the aura flooding the room and passing through them, coating the walls. The door slammed shut behind them, every surface of the room glowing dimly with protective barrier magic. I rolled my shoulders, clenching my fists. One of them drew his sword and rushed me, flames radiating from the blade as his hands and arms erupted in a blaze while the others began to slowly spread out in formation around the room.

I would not make this easy for them.

I would not give them the satisfaction.

I would show them I am no rat.

Lightning coated my arms and chest, arcing around my body in violent jolts as one soldier rushed me, swinging his blade at my neck. My arm flew up, catching the blade. I twisted hard, snapping the blade with ease while ducking down beneath another blade. I heard the sound of a third cleaving through the air and growled, turning my head to catch it in my teeth, biting down as hard as I could.

The sound of shattering metal and mineral pierced the air as I bit through the blade. Rising up, I willed my magic out, lightning exploding out from me, arcing through the air and into the swords surrounding me, dancing between my attackers. They spasmed, crying out as the current ripped through them. After a moment, my magic died down and two of them dropped, the others stumbling down before rising again.

Okay. Rookies down. Now-

One of the men rushed me, snarling, dropping his blade. I braced myself, seeing another of the three slowly circling to the left while the third circled to the right. Trying to flank was smart. It still wouldn't work. I let the man charge into me, drawing back and spinning around at the last second, looping my arms around his neck, pulling up as hard as I could.

A sickening crunch echoed from his neck as his body went limp, and I dropped him just in time to duck under a punch from one man, rolling to avoid a kick from the other. My arms lit up with lightning again as I lunged forward, arms out at my sides. I hooked an arm around each of them and squeezed as tightly as I could, pouring as much energy as I could muster into my lightning, flooding them both with the volatile power.

One screamed, the smell of burnt flesh filling the room before he went limp and I let go. The other glared at me, bringing his knee up to my groin hard. I exhaled sharply, breath leaving me as pain radiated from the impact, dropping to my knees and letting go. He grabbed my throat, lifting me up and locking eyes with me.

"Iy solsa sekli gep iya Satakintaro yotor Iy deret ay seklu hup koss." he snarled, squeezing my throat hard. I felt how close he was to crushing my throat, how near to death I was. I swung my leg hard, my paw colliding with his groin full force. He let go, dropping to his knees, and I coughed, sputtering. As soon as I had my bearings, I stood, watching him do the same.

He stared me down, and I stared back, neither of us wanting to make a move. His paws shifted, adjusting, and I realized it was time to stop playing. I'd nearly been killed, the time to hold back had ended. I spread my arms, then drew them into myself, the glowing aura that coated the room to protect it from our fight shrinking inward, faster than the blink of an eye.

It encased him, surrounding his body like an armor, and in an instant he was immobilized. I calmly walked up to him, the aura parting around his snout to allow him to speak and breathe. I wanted to hear him when I killed him. I placed a hand on his chest, blending into the aura and dragging him along with me towards the oven, opening it.

The fire roared inside it, blazing at nearly seven hundred and fifty degrees. His eyes went wide and I could see the fear in them. More than that, I could smell it. Adrenaline spiking well beyond what he'd been putting out. I pulled him in front of me, forcing him to bend. He fought against the aura, the dense magic shifting, waving, and cracking before mending and returning to the shape I willed it into.

With him doubled over, his head pointed at the opening of the oven, I glared down at him, keeping my hand on his back now to maintain the aura binding him.

"By jun al um hesra yan byu fesam. Hup ulla hesra by seklu tets."

He stared at me in fear, the cold, inky blackness of my eyes betraying none of my feelings, none of my hesitation, my fear. I was grateful for their monstrous appearance in this moment. I was angry, furious. This man invaded my business, brought the war back to my life. I wanted him to suffer. I wanted him to be afraid. As the scent of ammonia hit my nose, I knew I'd succeeded. The dark stain in his trousers confirmed it, and I was almost satisfied.

Almost.

I willed the aura forward, forcing him to move. His head went into the oven, the rest of his body outside it, and I adjusted the aura, allowing his arms and legs freedom. Fire engulfed his head, burning away the fur first, then scorching the flesh beneath it. The smell of burnt hair and melting flesh slowly filled the room, his body flailing, his arms scratching and pounding against the aura, his legs kicking, paws slamming into the walls of magic I'd expanded around him.

He screamed, a sound of deepest agony and most profound regret. He begged and pleaded, offering me pardon, offering me wealth and power, offering me safety. His words fell on deaf ears, and I simply watched as flesh melted away little by little, charred to cinder and scorched into ashes. Skull became visible, more with each second, as his cries dwindled, his legs going slack and his arms following suit.

After a time, the room was silent save for the crackling of the fire, the snapping of bones being made brittle by the heat, and, to my surprise, labored breathing from one of the soldiers I had electrocuted earlier. I looked down at him, seeing him watching his Satakintaro in fear. I turned my full attention to him, releasing the aura around the corpse slumped against my oven.

He looked up at me, trembling, lip quivering. "Lash iy oora yan vura bya yana?" he choked out, weakly trying to pull himself away from me. I shook my head, eyes settling on his throat for a moment.

"Ot." I wreathed my paw and leg in a dense aura, condensing the energy as much as I could and stomping down with all my might on his neck, crushing it with amplified strength. Flesh ripped and bones shattered as I crushed his throat, reducing it to paste against the floor, his head now free from his body with nothing between them.

I stared down at the scene before me, blood and viscera pouring from his body and head, the smell of cooking flesh filling my nose from the corpse still slumped into the oven. I took a moment to check the other men for any sign of life. Only one other still breathed, still had a heartbeat, and I crushed his throat as well, leaving two dark, pooling puddles of crimson around the pair of now-beheaded bodies.

This will not clean up easily. I'll need to close-

A footstep caught my attention and I whirled, launching a bolt of lightning towards the door, expecting another foe. Exhausted as I was, I collapsed as soon as I did, the bolt fizzling mid-air as the last of my energy ran out. I hit my knees, struggling to keep myself up. I looked at the door, teeth bared and snarling, vision blurred. I couldn't see the face of my intruder, but I recognized the colors and the shaping from earlier in the day. The blue draped over his shoulders, the silver around his neck, the black coating his torso.

The noble from earlier? Why is he here?

I slumped forward, falling prone, groaning in pain as my cheek hit the floor. My vision blurred further, my ears filling with a high pitched ringing, not unlike a mosquito, though far louder. I looked up at the man in pain, trying with all I had to focus my vision, to form words.

As the man stepped forward, kneeling down in front of me, he cocked his head to the side, saying something I couldn't quite make out. I was fading fast, my eyelids heavy, my head in a powerful vice, and just before I lost consciousness, his voice became as clear as daylight.

"I'll help you." were the only words I made out, the world fading to black as I vanished from it.

I awoke in a plush bed, large and covered in silk sheets. The air was cool against my face, but the blankets were warm, as if recently heated. A young lynx, dressed in servant garb, was placing a plate of sausage, eggs, and a loaf of bread onto a small bedside table along with a cup of, judging by the smell, tea.

She noticed me and smiled. It reminded me of my mother, when I was little, all sugar and honey in her eyes. I started to speak, only to stop short. She noticed my hesitation, standing upright and bowing her head at me respectfully.

"Lord Seltz will be here shortly. He is quite invested in your recovery. I'll take my leave. We took the liberty of washing your clothes, you'll find a clean set in the wardrobe. Good morning, sir." She said, offering another bow before leaving the room. I glanced under the sheets, finding myself bare. My cheeks flushed and my ears burned as I hurried to the wardrobe, pulling the outfit she'd mentioned from its confines and dressing.

I straightened my clothes, checking my reflection in the standing mirror in the corner of the room. They were of impeccable quality, silks and satins with blue and black dye, and silver trim. The fit was somewhat tight, clearly not intended for a man of my stature. I adjusted them a little more, taking in a deep breath before relaxing. It would have to do, just until my clothes were clean.

While checking my reflection, I heard a knock at the door. "Might I enter, friend?" a familiar voice called through the wood. I glanced back, then turned fully.

"Please." I said, uncertain as to why a blueblood like him would request permission for anything in his own house. He stepped into the room, quietly closing the door behind him and offering me a polite smile, his hands folded behind his back. My fur stood on end and I could feel the muscles of my face twitching, tensing.

He laughed at that. It was a soft, wispy sound. "I understand, you are no fan of me. But you haven't truly met me, so won't you give me a chance? I just might surprise you, friend. I am Alaric Seltz. What's your name?"

I scoffed, looking away. "Aurum." I kept my gaze away from him, and closed my eyes. He laughed again, and I heard footsteps. Opening my eyes, I watched him walk from the doorway to the bed, straightening up the sheets and tending to it like a servant.

Probably just trying to give me the idea that he works to keep the home as well as his servants…

He finished, then stood upright and went back to the door, opening it. "My family and I are about to take breakfast. Join us when you are ready, the food should be done soon." he said with a smile, leaving the room shortly after.

I scoffed, huffing before looking at the window, past it to the fields beyond. There were hedges, stone walls, a garden. Beyond the grey slate was an unknown number of miles of open field. To the west, forest. To the east, river. North held open field, and I could only assume South held the same. If I were to leave unannounced, they had my clothes. A simple thaumaturgy spell could do all manner of harm.

I would just have to wait until I got my clothes back, and hope I hadn't shed enough for a bundle. Leaving the room, I followed the scent of food and found my way to the dining hall. A large, circular table adorned with a single golden candelabra in the center sat in the middle of the room. Covering the table was a dark blue tablecloth with a white crochet doily in front of each chair, eight in total. Wine glasses sat beside each, along with napkins and what must have been silver utensils. While I had originally believed the scent of food came from here, the otherwise empty table proved otherwise.

The kitchens must be close by… Maybe a room or two over? Should I sit and wait? Look around?

My thoughts were answered in the form of Alaric entering along with a host of others, a few of which wore the same noble garb he did, while the others were clearly servants. Alaric carried a rather heavy-looking platter of meats in each hand, another well-dressed male following suit carrying equally-sized dishes.

Behind them trailed two females dressed similarly to the males, as well as three servants. Each person carried platters, drink, or washcloths. "Ah, Aurum. My apologies, I had intended for this to be already prepared and laid out by the time you found your way here. Please, take a seat, it matters not which one."

I eyed him and his entourage wearily, taking the nearest seat and watching them all cautiously. The group began to set the table, with plates, platters, and bowls being placed meticulously so that what one couldn't reach, another could easily pass in their direction. Glasses were filled with wine, though one found itself filled with water, and when all was done, each person took a seat at the table. Alaric sat across from me, the other nobleman sitting at his right, while the noblewomen sat on either side of the men. Even the servants took seats at the table, the group wasting no time in taking hands and looking to me expectantly.

I eyed them for a moment before taking their hands, uncertain and hesitant, only for them to bow their heads as Alaric began to speak. "Gaius, we offer our thanks for this feast, the fruits and vegetables of which you provided us, and the meat of which grew by your kindness."

I bowed my head and closed my eyes. Hesitant or not, it wasn't good to disrespect a prayer to the gods. Alaric continued, his voice shifting from gratitude to light joy. I could hear the smile in his speech. "Malor, we thank you eagerly for the addition of another to our table this morning, and hope you grant them peace and happy days moving forward. We ask that you continue to provide for us, and for our new friend, as you have all our lives."

When I felt hands let go of mine, I raised my head and opened my eyes, looking ahead. The others began to eat and I took the cue to do the same. With all of us eating from the same plates, I could mostly ignore any concern about poison. We ate wordlessly, and when the meal was done, the servants stood and began clearing away the plates, the doilies, all except the bottle of wine and the water pitcher which remained in the center on either side of the candelabra.

With a wave of his hand, Alaric dismissed the servants. When the three cleared out, all that remained was myself, Alaric, the other nobleman, and the two women on either side of them. One, a coyote, was refilling her glass with water while the other poured herself and the other nobleman a fresh glass of wine. Alaric took a deep breath in, and then smiled at me.

"Aurum, if I may, I have a question to ask of you." he asked, folding his hands together and leaning forward.

I tensed up, sitting up straight. The others looked at me calmly, their expressions soft and patient. I nodded. "You may."

He smiled, nodding gratefully. "Thank you. In that case, I would like to know…"

"What is Sen like?"

***

CURRENCY

Torut (T-or-uh-t) - Higher value currency than a Noll, lesser to the Ket. Used for mid-tier trading and payment for greater services. Common folk rarely carry Toruts, but the middle class and above tend to carry them quite commonly.

Ket (K-eh-t) - Highest common currency. Used for high-tier trade and payment of high-value services. Rarely seen among the middle class, but very common among nobility and royalty.

Sygn (S-eye-n) - Only carried by nobles and royalty. Small silver coin bearing the insignia of the relevant family. Can be shown in place of payment, allowing nobles and royalty to acquire goods and services free of charge. Etiquette demands these only be used when trade becomes difficult or haggling ends unsatisfactorily.

SENESE GLOSSARY

"Satakintaro" (S-ah-t-ah-k-ih-n-t-ah-r-oh) - Senese military rank equivalent to a Commander

"Kor tont eralla, Mortesh!?" (K-or T-on-t Eh-r-ah-l-ah, M-or-t-eh-sh) - "What was that, Scrapper!?"

"Ey tokla sun iy lash." (Ay T-aw-k-l-ah s-oo-n ee l-ah-sh) - "We know who you are"

"Iy solsa sekli gep iya Satakintaro yotor Iy deret ay seklu hup koss." (Ee S-oh-l-s-ah s-ay-k-l-ee g-ay-p ee-y-ah S-ah-t-ah-k-ih-n-t-ah-r-oh y-oh-t-or ee d-eh-r-eh-t ay s-eh-k-l-oo h-uh-p k-aw-s) - "You should have let your Satakintaro kill you when he had the chance"

"By jun al um hesra yan byu fesam. Hup ulla hesra by seklu tets." (B-ee j-oo-n ah-ll oo-m h-eh-s-r-ah y-ah-n b-ee-oo f-ay-s-ah-m. H-uh-p uh-ll-uh h-eh-s-r-ah b-ee s-eh-k-l-oo t-eh-t-s) - "I hid as a mercy to my people. The only mercy I had left."

"Lash iy oora yan vura bya yana?" (L-ah-sh ee oo-r-ah y-ah-n v-oo-r-ah b-ee-ah y-ah-n-ah) - "Are you going to cook me too?"

"Ot." (Aw-t) - "No."

MISC INFO

Chapter One: Discovery

Do you ever look at the night sky and think… "What's out there? What could I find if I just had a way?"

I did. Every night, when I was a little kid. I used to look up and wonder who I'd be if I were out there. A valiant captain, running headlong into danger? A cunning rogue, using my words to get out of trouble? Maybe I'd be a reckless hero, gambling on a prayer and saving the day at the last second.

Or maybe I'd just be some janitor on a vacation cruiser cleaning up the mess of every crotch-goblin that thinks the urinal cakes are made of actual cake.

When space travel became public technology, the world changed. People like me, people who never felt at home on Relan, started coming out of the woodwork in massive hordes, buying up whatever vessel they could afford and taking off with their friends and families. By the time I was born in 5245, census estimates showed that roughly a third of the population had permanently taken to the stars.

It was a mass exodus. Wanderlust became a marketable skill, with exploration and adventure becoming paid work. That's where I come in.

"Sera Charn, P-Class IV pilot, captain of the Queen of the Stars. Thirty-five relative years old, honey badger, female." I said, exasperated. "Chess, have you had to turn in one of these damnable reports yet? All the cool tech they have these days, stuff that's leagues better than my college courses taught me about, and these hacks still use that outdated automation from sixty years ago."

I huffed, waiting for the auto-responder to acknowledge my input. Chess, the love of my life, my other half, the most beautiful cat I had ever met in my life, sat across the room tinkering with some toy she'd bought at the last station.

Her voice was smooth, gentle, her accent pleasing and refined. "Love, if you're having trouble now, and the last time, and all of the times before that, I worry it may be that you simply suck at it. Although, to answer your question, I'm afraid I haven't had to turn one in. Captains only, and… Well, you made sure not to mark me down as co-captain." she gave me a wry smile, glancing up from her toy. I scoffed, shaking my head, earning a giggle from her. After a moment of watching her, looking over her clever, dexterous hands, her toned, strong arms, I had my attention stolen by a soft "plink!" from the computer.

A message, requesting my fingerprint and a few more details. I scanned my print in and began tapping away at the keyboard, slowly getting more frustrated with the constant appearance of new fields to fill out. A birth date here turning into a planet of origin there, leading to a request for confirmation of which continent, to which state or province, then city or town, on and on for what felt like forever.

Just before I could rip that godawful machine out of the ship, I felt a hand on my shoulder. A calm, humble voice stole my attention from the computer. "You're still filling that report out? Don't you do these every month? One would think you'd have these down to quite the science."

I turned to face Thomas, Chess' brother and a scorch dragon with better maintenance skills than both of us combined. I huffed at his comment and shrugged his hand away. He laughed, heading over to the kitchen space and setting about preparing some food for himself. I glanced at his hands and groaned. "At least wash your mitts before you go touching our food, I could taste the axle grease for a month last time you went rooting around in there without cleaning up."

He gave me a pointed look and, with a grand gesture, made a show of reaching into the fridge and grabbing something. He pulled out a bag of shredded cheese and popped it open, reaching in and getting a handful. I could see black smudges on the inside of the bag as his hand left it, and black on bits of cheese throughout.

"You son of a bitch, that's-" He cut me off, turning the bag to face me. It wasn't the sharp cheddar I thought it was, he'd grabbed the mild cheddar, his favorite and one I didn't touch often. "… Not my cheese. You play dangerous games with me, Tommy…" I glowered at him, then turned back to the computer. It finally took my information and, with another "Plink!" was asking for my report and telemetry since my last report.

We were adventurers, no set destination, no planet to call home. We didn't even count as citizens of any one nation, which afforded us certain protections by the International Institution of Extraplanetary Affairs. We could go anywhere, stay anywhere, be treated as citizens of whatever world we wanted…

So long as we kept providing them reports of our exploration and travel events, samples from any unsettled worlds we landed on, and scanner telemetry for their maps once every relative month. So here I was, uploading files again. At least the hard part was over. I finally finished up the report, hitting send and standing up to stretch, the implant in my upper back straining a little as my muscles shifted. As uncomfortable as it was, it was worth it.

"Andy, where's Chess?" I asked, looking up to the nearest camera. A calm, soothing voice responded from the ship's speakers.

"Mrs. Charn is currently in the lab, performing maintenance on her cybernetics. She has asked that I inform you if any obstacles arise."

My brows furrowed and I looked at the camera. "Without me? I get that she's good at it, but I help her for a reason. Did she have a reason for not calling me to help?"

After a moment of silence, the camera shifted to focus on me better. "Mrs. Charn wished for you to continue your duties, and did not intend to perform invasive maintenance. She is adjusting the tightness of one bolt on her left leg, and lubricating the pistons as well."

I nodded, smiling. "Alright. I'll leave her to it, then. And Tommy?"

"Mr. Teach is currently performing critical maintenance on the vehicle bay blast door. It was suffering a fault in the closing mechanism and was quickly becoming a high-risk circumstance. I alerted him of this fault several days ago while it was still low-risk. He has procrastinated since then and is only now beginning the task."

"Yep… That sounds about right. Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, cocking my head and dropping one ear to the side.

"The last time I attempted to inform you of a technical fault, you responded with the following."

A second later, my own voice, recorded from the event, came through the speakers. "Lissen'ere… You cometuh me with… with techsical issues, I'mma BITE the WIRES, an'… An' I'm gonna nest in… insiiiiide your server. Now… Where wass we Chessy-wessy~?"

The recording cut off as my ears burned. "I was drunk, and very… Busy. You can tell me if there's a technical issue, Andy. Just don't do it if I'm in my room with Chess, or if I'm sloshed, right? And… Especially not if both are true."

"Understood. I will account for this in the future. Would you like to hear the latest reports?"

I nodded, sitting back down in my seat. "Thanks, Andy. Go for it, I'm not sure what else to do, so let's hear it. Maybe it'll give me something to work on."

"Very well. In the last forty-eight hours since my previous report, there have been one-hundred and sixty-six flags in our system, each of which corresponds to a new exoplanet entering our scanner range."

"Okay, might do some sightseeing later, then. How many within reasonable params for terraforming?" I turned to open up the digital reports on the computer beside me, tapping away at the keys one-handed while I waited for an answer.

"Twenty-eight. And of those twenty-eight, four are already habitable as-is, without need for additional efforts."

I sat upright, looking at the nearest camera. "Hold on, you mean we found not one, not two, not three, but FOUR planets that don't need a damn bit of work to survive on? That's huge! We can drop right down to the surface and check the place out! Any of them got life? Flora, fauna, anything? Not just the four, but any of them at all."

"Yes. Six planets show readings consistent with early stage flora, five of which are including photosynthesizing flora. One planet, auto-designated as EXO 1998-VDH has signs of both life and technology, as our sensors were disrupted in short bursts by electrical signals given off by the exoplanet. These signals are inconsistent with natural electromagnetic activity and imply a level of concentrated technological advancement. I have marked it on your chart."

I stared at the camera, my chest tightening as I felt a heavy drumbeat beneath my breast. My claws dug in against the metal of my desk, and I turned to look at the computer, zeroing in on the planet Andy highlighted for me. Sure enough, several waves of electromagnetic activity, uncannily similar to those given off by Relan, were coming off the planet. An unnaturally strong concentration of it in certain parts of the world.

Going over the deep-scan report, I could see that the disruptions ranged from simple electrical interference to radio waves, advanced energy output, and even signs of cold fusion. Some readings didn't even make sense, a form of energy our scanners couldn't punch through, but couldn't identify either.

"Andy, set a course immediately. Call Chess, tell her whatever she's doing can wait. I need her on the bridge." I said hurriedly, rushing from my chair to the door, sprinting down the hall.

"Would you like me to alert Mr. Teach? as well?"

I shook my head as I ran to the bridge, willing the door open just before I arrived, then willing it closed as I passed through it, the machinery responding to my implants instantly. "No, let him fix the blast door. When he's done, tell him to report to the bridge immediately." I sat in the head chair, punching in coordinates within cruising distance of EXO 1998-VDH. I flipped a couple of switches, prepping the ship for the jump. "Andy, tell everyone to hold on to something, we're about to take off."

"Understood."

After giving a moment of time to let everyone brace themselves, I hit the switch to prime the engines. The instant they activated, I hit the accelerator and felt the ship lurch, everything not bolted down being shifted back as it warped forward. I felt gravity pulling on me, dragging me back against the chair for barely more than a second, like being hit with a wall of solid air, and then all was calm.

Stars stretched and colors outside of the ship shifted slowly across the visible spectrum before settling into the blue range. As I watched the map, the blip of our ship slowly closing in on the dot that was our destination, Chess came hurrying in, half limping before sitting down and fiddling with her leg brace. "I'm here, what happened? Why did we need to jump so suddenly?"

I turned my head to look at her, glancing at her leg. "You said it was just tightening a bolt and lubing the pistons."

She rolled her eyes and faced her computer. "It was. And… Then it wasn't. If you hadn't had us jump, and insisted I come to the bridge, I would have had ample time to fix it properly. As it stands, I blame you for the lack of support at this point."

I laughed, flashing her a grin. "Alright, alright, but I blame you for it since you could have asked for help. Now hit your station, you'll see why we jumped. Andy, file a report to Chess about what you found."

As Chess sat at her desk, her computer let out a notification. "I don't need help every time, love. I appreciate it, but it isn't necessary. It only takes me a little longer to do it alone." I nodded, smiling as I focused on the map, ready to slow us. I heard her clicking through files, and then a gasp. "Is this accurate? You've not made Andy falsify this to tease me, have you?"

I shook my head. "Not a chance."

She laughed, clicking through. "All these terraformable worlds, this will cover our costs for the next few months. And some already habitable? We will be stable for a year, easily."

I flashed a cheeky grin her way and nodded towards her computer. "Keep reading, there's something better than a few habitable worlds."

One of her ears dropped to the side, her tail flicking curiously behind her. She turned her attention back to the computer, reading through before stopping short. "Love… Tell me this isn't a joke."

I smiled from ear to ear. "Not a joke."

I watched as our ship finally came close enough, and decelerated. A sudden rush of force, this time pulling me forward, and then stillness returned. Chess and I stood, approaching the monitors that made up the false window at the front of the bridge together. My fingers brushed against hers and I reached for them, taking her hand in mine and squeezing it.

She squeezed in return, then turned her head. "Sera, there are people down there." Her tone was incredulous, almost disbelieving.

I laughed, nodding. "There are. And we get to meet them before anyone else."

Chess leaned against the glass and stared out at the planet ahead of us. I could hardly take my eyes off of her, it was like watching a kid walk into a candy store for the very first time. I wasn't much different, but there was a wonder in her eyes that was intoxicating.

A whole new planet of people… A whole new society, new cultures, new countries or kingdoms or whatever they have…

The world was large, massive even. Nearly twice the size of Relan, easily.

Chess is bound to have an advantage here, that gravity is going to be hell on me and Tommy…

Sprawling, green and brown continents. White, grey, and black clouds across the atmosphere. A hurricane spun over a gargantuan ocean, and on the portion of the dark side of the world that we could see from our vantage point, there were countless yellow dots and unnatural lights covering the surface. Clear, obvious signs of civilization.

I took hold of Chess and gripped her side, pulling her close and steadying her against me. She laughed, looking at me before turning her head back to the planet ahead. Looking out over across it, I noticed a few things that stood out as odd. There were no constructed satellites, and of the natural satellites orbiting the world, there were three. Despite the highly advanced readings we got from the scan, there were no space stations, no ships, no indication of space-age advancement at all.

That's… Odd. There should be at least some kind of tech out here. I'll bet they don't even know we're watching them…

We stood there for… I don't even know how long. Eventually we were interrupted by the door to the bridge opening. Thomas stepped up behind us, wrapping an arm around each of us and poking his head in between ours. "What are we looking at? New world to check out? What's got you wanting to see this one so bad you jumped us here without a meeting first? Fancy waterfalls? Diamond rain? Venomous plants?"

I smiled, glancing at Chess and laughing. "Nope. Chess, wanna do the honors?"

Chess turned, hugging her brother and laughing, squeezing him so tight that his breathing became little more than wheezing. "Tom, there are people down there!"

He pried her off of him, looking at her with one brow raised, the other furrowed, his hands on her shoulders. "Okay, so supply run? Are we low on something?"

I smacked his shoulder. "No, you daftie! There are NEW people down there!"

He rubbed his shoulder and looked from me to Chess, then to the planet. His eyes went wide and his lips parted, jaw dropping ever so slightly as he gently pushed past us to get a better look at the world, staring at the lights, the moons, the continents, taking in everything he could see. "New… Did we really…? Those… Those are lights. Those are LIGHTS! That's technology!" He cried out before turning to face us again.

I nodded, my smile growing as Chess' did the same. Thomas laughed, a soft, choked-out sound. "We… We found intelligent life!" He shouted, then scooped up Chess and spun, the pair laughing, a loud, eager, joyous sound shared between them.

When he put her down, she held on to steady herself, her braces clicking out of place awkwardly as they adjusted to the impact. She turned and took my hand, pulling me in for a kiss, my lips and hers crashing together as she looped her arms around me. I hugged her middle, smiling against her lips, my tail ruffling as I hummed happily.

Thomas moved away as Chess and I broke our kiss, locking eyes. "What do you think we'll find down there?" I asked, reaching up to brush her cheek with my thumb, feeling her soft fur beneath the pad of my thumb.

She laughed, shaking her head. "I have no idea. I really, truly have no idea. But I want to know."

I gave her a grin, dropping to one knee and adjusting the mechanism at her knee, slotting it into proper place so it wouldn't pop out again. I stood, looking into her eyes with a smile, my eyes softening a little. "Then let's go find out together."

Tangled Wires: Secrets that Bind (STATUS UPDATE: POOblished-- Date 1/11/25!!!!!!!)

Raz knows two things, computers - and that people can't be trusted. However on the run, and with the head of the Russian mob seeking to put her back in a cage Raz must quickly decide if Emet Shultz of the FBI can be trusted, and if he can help her unlock the treacherous secrets of her past. As the past reveals itself, one thing becomes clear- nothing is as it seems, and sometimes lies are easier to stomach than the truth.

Tangled Wires: Threads of Deception (STATUS - TO BE PUBLISHED 3/11/27, PRE ORDERS AVAILABLE)

Four months.

It had only taken four months, and one persistently annoying FBI agent to completely turn Raz's world upside down.

And now- with the secret of her missing memory finally unraveled, and the events of last year behind her, she should be moving forward.

But with Kit still missing- and the time to save her rapidly diminishing, will the attempt to save her force Raz back into the same tangled web of lies and deceit that she had spent her whole life trying to escape?

In a world where trust is a liability, can Raz believe that the people around her are who they say they are? Or will the forces conspiring against her leave her trapped between two inevitable, but impossible choices.