Stories tagged “intrigue”
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Out There
“What do you mean that’s all I can see?”, Margaret demanded. “That’s it. Well, not entirely, but yes, that is all you can see.”, replied Dave. “But how? It’s space. How big could it be?” “Very...
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Oi!
Oi! Your voice is in my head! What’s it doing in there? I don’t know if it should be there, Maybe we should get it out. But it silently refuses to leave. It doesn’t distract me, It has good behavior, But when I turn my mind loose Into...
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A Kind of Fascination
I find my mind inadvertently drifting towards you. It’s not heading towards any specific thought, just your “idea” of sorts, your essence. I’m not really sure there’s an attached emotion, either. Perhaps a touch of happine...
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Uh, Guys--
James came to first. The three of them had impacted the snowdrift and had fallen in about a meter and a half. The rope, impossibly, was still connecting them together. When the others regained consciousness, they stood dazed in the snow for some moment...
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All Is (Dis)Quiet…
They were speechless as they realized that Craig was right. The insanely powerful snowstorm was nowhere to be found. A storm of such magnitude as the blizzard was could simply not have blown itself out in a short time interval. There was something else...
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What Does One Call It if the Mirage Is Real?
They had been walking, without much rest, for seven hours. They had stopped once, after four hours, at Craig’s insistence, to eat some granola bars he had stuffed into his pocket. To quench thirst, one simply took a handful of snow and swallowed....
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The Fact of the Matter
“Jones? Jones, is that you?” Gustav Jones started with surprise at hearing his own name. He turned to face the general direction of the voice, though he could make out very little in the dark. Stupor still held him silent. “Jones, if ...
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Knowledge is Power
Two days had passed, and the stagnation reflected in Con Gregor’s eyes. “Frankly, I am at a loss.” He had lost the intensity of emotion that had stifled the advisors previously; now they were stifled by his surrender. One of the advis...
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99
Her hand dangled over the balcony, the ring he gave her last Christmas slowly slipping off. She was to meet him at 1024 Riverside, but she was stuck at 99 McGalliard. The balcony she was sprawled across was small, allowing only two chairs and a side ta...
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Wishful Thinking
Kender Vassi, Counselor of Internal Affairs, studied the stylized rendition of the Brotherhood’s hierarchical structure. Each member had up to three subordinates and one contact, which kept individual knowledge of the entire organization to a min...
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Rain Check
He had pleaded exhaustion, promised to return to the topic in the morning, and excused himself. Gustav Jones had almost blurted out in relief that he had been wondering the very same thing as the Ambassador, and had held himself back by the narrowest m...
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Taking Words From His Mouth
The ambassadors were seated in the lecture hall – the closest semblance to a senatorial meeting house that could be found. The veil of action had disintegrated, and most, if not all, were coming to the shared, but still unspoken, realization that...
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Crazy Is As Crazy Does
Although Rand Maeli had shown signs of shock first, it was Ulric who eventually broke down. Rand, having recovered several hours later, took it upon himself to assume Jemsen’s post as the leader of this tiny part of the Tertian revolution, while his ...
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Out in the Open
Ambassador Ponan had made his way to the podium, and thundered over the speaker through the din. “The problem that no one has bothered to voice, and I’m sure is instrumental to both the decision we make together, as well as the personal dec...
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Union Out, Coalition In
Ambassador Ponan allowed for arguments to thrive, but himself stayed quiet. Had he continue to speak, his proposition would have been neglected, while his character was ravaged. His cessation allowed others to take the brunt of any harsh words. When th...
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No Relief for the Wicked, Democrats
“Voices. You are all mad voices in my head, pulling this way and that. I feel like a crazy person!” Con Gregor had cut short a councillor mid report. “We have idled for two weeks, doing nothing. Nothing. We have issued no ultimatums, ...
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Baby Steps
Proof! Undeniable, unequivocal, proof. Vassi had long wondered if perhaps it was possible, and sometimes imagined that it was true. But now… now he knew! His face had turned into a frightening grimace of vengeful joy, and his eyes must have spark...
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Whatdunnit
“This simply will not do at all,” the Kyzillian Purser’s Mate moaned. “This is a cruise liner; you cannot kill a human here. It’s murder, I tell you!” Human blood soaked into the fine carpet. A Ssznake, who was being...
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Colony Z, Chapter 8
“I know, I know, I know! Shut ’em off!” Dr Kras shouted over the medi-alert klaxons pinging him from every direction. The AI obliged after a pause that could only be construed as grudging disobedience. Everyone swore AI’s didn&#...
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Distant Mistress
The courier pushed the double doors open himself, no servants, allowing only enough space to enter the receiving chamber with haste. This arrival lacked escort, nor were any royals waiting other than King Frederi and Councillor Jori. Splendor and cerem...