#milsf — Public Fediverse posts

Maria and Ashwan read over Tannis' conclusions.

Maria frowned, "I hate to say it, but she's good. The Cerian's lost a good one when you brought her in."
"She's sharp tactically as well. After I started talking to her when she appeared in the middle of my formation, I noticed that her power levels dropped off. I think she was originally going to open up with everything she had before we could target her. She'd have gone down, but we would have lost at least half the squadron."
"In that case, I'm glad you brought her in. Even if it did...shit. I'm still blaming her."
"It is hard not to. Can you do anything with what she's uncovered?"
"I" she paused "maybe. If I look at funding and voting patterns, I might get something." Maria looked thoughtful, and then looked at her husband "Shoo. You should head back to your base, bring your team up to speed. I'll call when I have something."
"Yes, ma'am!" Ash saluted her, and she swatted him over the head before grabbing him in a tight hug.
"Take care. They'll have worked out what happened by now. We'll be safe here - the house guard will see us right."
"You take care, too my love."
She hugged him again, and gave him a kiss before pushing him out of her office.

As Ash flew back, Maria started collating data about voting patterns in the Assembly, and funding of space technologies. At first there was no real pattern - funding for research would get delayed or blocked, but the factions doing so would change. Some funding still got through, though, and that must have annoyed the anti-space fanatics.

But who were they? It did not look like any of the Assembly had anything to do with it. Maria worked through the night.

Just as the sun rose, the obvious answer suddenly struck her. Who was backing the factions that opposed the research? At first the numbers did not show much, but as she refined the data, a pattern arose. Three families, through various groups, were pushing cuts. Never for the same reasons, never using the same front. They would quietly move in on an alliance, bring money and opinions, and then move on.

For a time that alliance would be anti-space, but usually got over it.

And then the war came. And space research became very focused. The same families supported that research and development. Because while everyone concentrated on that, they were not looking at the bigger picture.

Maria had to give it to them, they had been very clever. But now she had a trail. And names. These were the people who killed her little brother. And she was going to make them pay.

She packaged up her findings with the evidence, encrypted it, and sent it to Ashwan. A plaintext copy went to the family heads. And, after a moment's thought, a copy was sent to Tannis, with a note: "We've got them."

Then Maria reclined her chair and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Read the whole WIP here: https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

#SF #SFF #SciFi #tootfic #MilSF #CerianAndVaranWar #IAmWriting

As Humanity set forth into the stars, there were certain luxuries they were unable to leave behind. These changed somewhat between the various cultures, but ultimately came down to four things. Which of the four varied, but there was always at least one of them.

Cacao, coffee, tea, and alcohol. Every ship leaving Earth had some means of producing at least one of these. And, humans being humans, alcohol was always soon to follow no matter what the official stance was.

There were other luxury staples that went into space - hemp and tobacco being the most common - but they were not a certainty. The big four? At least one of them was always officially present.

On Ceria and Vara they had arrived with all four. Getting them to grow in the alien ecosystem, that was more difficult, and the resulting plants and their products were only passingly similar to their Earth-born ancestors. They way they were used? Very similar. Cacao pods produced a brown bitter paste rich in theobromine, coffee beans were roasted and brewed for caffeine, and tea leaves were dried and steeped.

And there was alcohol, in many forms, local fruits were adapted to make wines, herbs found to bitter grain brews, and anything that could be was distilled.

And so Tannis, after her meal, allowed herself to relax a little, and chewed thoughtfully on Cerian chocolate.

As she chewed the bitter-sweet bar, she continued to browse the oldest of the histories. As she did, she started idly drawing on a pad next to the computer.

Around an hour later, she looked down. In amongst her doodles was a question: "Who was Dejute?" She started searching. The fusion plants were called 'dejute modules', but there was no indication of how they came by that name. The existence of that person had been erased.

Tannis looked deeper, checking the other critical interstellar technologies. Not one of the inventors was recorded. Not even the inventor of the chemical rocket. Nor was there any record of any of Humanity's explorers.

The only hint of the earliest days of space flight that she could find was discussion of "The Kessler Event", and how carelessness had closed space for a generation.

She had them. She knew who the people behind Intel were. They were some kind of radical anti-space group. Not environmentalists - if they were that, then they would never have used nuclear weapons.

Tannis started writing a note for the Gould family explaining her finding. It might not help them identify them all, but it would tell them how to spot their activities.

Read the whole WIP here: https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

#SF #SFF #SciFi #tootfic #MilSF #CerianAndVaranWar #IAmWriting

Cerian and Varan War fragment.

By the time day three of her captivity rolled around Tannis was getting sick of bits of nutrient bar and sugar water.

She did what workouts she could, and continued her research. History was not her strong point. She'd become a pilot because that was where her strengths lay - not doing comparative history. Still, she'd spotted some things. And passed them on.

Squadron Leader Ashwan had answered the messages tersely but politely, and she suspected that the death of his brother-in-law had affected him more than he was letting on.

Around midday, the comm pinged, and she picked it up "Hello?"
"Hello Tannis." It was one of the matriarchs of the Gould family.
"Madam Londry, what can I do for you?"
"There will be some work going on outside the study. You know there is a small airlock there?"
"I've seen it. I know I'm small, but I doubt I'd fit."
"We are going to be fitting an adapter to the outside. Your flight dropped some cargo pods for you. They are sealed, but they won't fit inside, so we're going to make it so you can open them one at a time without going outside."
"Cargo pods? My flight?"
"Going by what is written on the outside, yes. X-rays suggest that they have clothes and food packs inside."
"Oh. Thank-you. I'll suit up just in case something goes wrong."
"Very wise. I'll call when we're done."

Tannis suited up, and waited, listening to the sounds of the workers. After three hours, everything went quiet.

The comm pinged again. "Tannis."
"Good news! They are done. The outer area has been sterilised, so you can open both doors safely."
"Thank you Madam Londry."

Tannis went over and opened the inner door. The airlock would fit about half of her. She opened the outer door as well. Beyond was a small metal box, with the outer wall curving inwards - it was the shell of a cargo pod. There was also a spanner.

She got to work undoing the bolts holding the hatch closed, and pulled the cover off. Inside she could see bags, with numbered cords attached.

Pulling on the first cord pulled out the nearest bag. She kept pulling. After the twentieth bag came out, she stuck her head inside, and looked around. Empty. Tannis put the cover back on and closed the airlock doors.

Only then did she take the respirator and flight suit off.

Opening the first bag, she saw clothes from her locker, and (thank-you Hitomi!) some scarves. Even before looking for the food, she re-wrapped her hair, and felt properly dressed for the first time in days.

Then she looked for the food, and discovered several weeks worth of rations. Enough variety to stop her going completely nuts, but it was not going to be fine dining. But compared to the last three days, it was silver service.

Tannis opened one of the packs, and got out a main meal. Real food. At last!

#SF #SFF #SciFi #tootfic #MilSF #CerianAndVaranWar #IAmWriting

Read the whole WIP here: https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

While Tannis mulled over old records, Ashwan had other matters on his mind.

Maria's initial reaction to the news of her kid brother's death had been tears. Ash had not been much better. Eric had been annoying as anything while he and Maria had been dating, but he'd grown out of it. Especially when Maria proposed.

Since then, he'd looked up to Ash as a big brother - and had followed him into military service.

Now, though, the tears had given way to anger. "It's that Cerian's fault Eric's dead" she announced.
Ashwan thought for a moment "Yes. You're right. It is absolutely her fault."
"If she hadn't..wait, what?"
"You're right. It is Tannis' fault. She's completely to blame."
Maria stared as her brain rebooted. Ash wasn't supposed to be agreeing with her. "You're not defending her?"
"Nope. You are correct. If she had not brought the news that our Intelligence agency was lying to us, and then started to blow themselves up, Eric would not have gone in and cut that power cable."
"You bastard."
"My love, you needed to rage at someone. Our guest was convenient. But we both know it is not really her fault."
"Ash, that was a horrible thing to do, but thank-you. Those Intel sods are going to pay, aren't they?"
"The few that are still alive. And we need to find the rest. They will have collaborators elsewhere, you can be sure. And that is where you come in"
Maria tilted her head slightly.
"We need you to look at the records. Find the gaps, and find who could have made them."
"And then we make them pay."
"With interest. They are going to live long enough to regret ever crossing House Gould."
"He was supposed to be safe, Ash."
"I know. And he chose to stop them."
"It's your fault too, you know."
"I know. I was the heroic pilot" he shook his head "If only he'd known the truth."
"Ash, you didn't know the truth."
"We're going to make them pay", Ashwan looked grim, "dearly."

#SF #SFF #SciFi #tootfic #MilSF #CerianAndVaranWar #IAmWriting

Read the whole WIP here: https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

Tannis resumed studying what early histories existed. A lot of the very early documentation was fragmentary, something she now suspected was not accidental. Especially as other documentation - technical, scientific, engineering, even literature - was considerably more intact. There was something rotten.

After a couple more hours, and another half ration bar, she noticed something else. There was another gap. This one was so conspicuous that the only reason no-one would have asked about it was that it was not there to ask about.

There was nothing about why the colony ships had left Old Earth in the first place. Not a single word.

She picked up the communicator again. "Madam Londry?"
"Yes, Tannis?"
"Why did the original colonists leave Old Earth?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Why did we all leave Old Earth at all? It must have been very expensive, and very risky. So why?"
There was a pause. Tannis could hear keys clicking. They stopped.
"That, my dear, appears to be a very good question indeed. What do you think?"
"I think the answer to that question will tell us exactly who Intel really are."

#CerianAndVaranWar #Milsf #SF #SciFi #IAmWriting
The full work in progress: https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

2/2
The moment Hitomi hit the jump key, another massive rush of power flooded the ship's skin, ripped a new hole in spacetime, and then poured back into the fighter.

The capacitors intended to buffer and bleed the energy had not had time to bleed off even half of the first jump. The second was too much, and they shorted out, sending power surging through the circuits of the craft.

The quadruply redundant systems, intended to survive multiple shrapnel hits were no match for the massive electrical spike that followed.

Hitomi heard almost every alarm her craft trigger as she dropped back into Cerian airspace. As she glanced down, she could see the circuit breakers trip, and then sparks leapt across them and fused them to solid lumps of metal. Smoke from burning insulation filled the cockpit, and then the alarms stopped.

Hitomi only had a second to realize that the alarm circuits had also fused before her hands automatically reached down and pulled the lever that linked to the one circuit that was completely independent of the rest of the fighter. The only one still working.

The canopy blew off, and a giant kicked the base of her spine as her seat ejected.

She watched as her tiny ship tumbled away and then exploded as the fuel systems had their turn to be adhoc energy sinks.

Then there was a crack, and another giant slammed her back into her seat. The parachute had opened.

Looking around she searched for the rest of her flight. There was Ava. Where was Estelle? Wait, there she was - above her. Two parachutes. Plus her own. They had made it. She waved, and saw the others wave back.

They were still a few minutes from the ground when she spotted the Search and Rescue floater circling.

Hitomi stretched her wings, and tried to look for a clearing to land in. Her wings might not be enough to glide with, but she could still use them to steer.

She was not going to let Tannis down by messing up the landing.

#CerianAndVaranWar #IAmWriting #tootfic #SF #SFF #SciFi #MilSF

https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

1/2
Hitomi watched the universe turn inside-out around her fighter, there was a brief pause, and then the universe righted itself.
"Chimera report!" Ava's voice came across the radio.
"Bird check - four thousand metres 230 degrees, plus 250 metres to Paper" Hitomi responded, giving her location relative to Ava. The jump engines never quite kept the formation together, and they always had to regroup after emerging. Estelle called in and they formed up into a tight "V". As a group they dived to a mere 5000 metres above the Varan base.

"Drop packages!" Ava ordered, and they each released the four canisters they were carrying. Ava waited just long enough for her belly camera to spot the parachutes opening and then "Jump!"
Hitomi hit the button and the universe turned inside-out again, only this time there was no pause.

They had spent less than five minutes in Varan airspace, during which time the energy used to rip a hole between dimensions had been bleeding into heatsinks all over the tiny fighter. But not enough time for it all to discharge. Nowhere near enough time.

#CerianAndVaranWar #IAmWriting #tootfic #SF #SFF #SciFi #MilSF

https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

Commander La Trous swore as the air-raid sirens went off for the very first time. He knew the Cerians would have worked out where this base was ever since they captured that pilot and her fighter. What he did not know was what the Cerians planned with this.

He went to the window of his office, and scanned the sky. After a few seconds he spotted them - three small craft - they looked like the same sort of fighter that they had captured. As he watched the space around each of them twisted, and they were gone - vanished into the alternate space-time continuum that allowed for faster-than-light travel. "How do those buggers do that inside the atmosphere?" he asked himself.

Then he saw the parachutes. Twelve of them, each marked with a large red circle. He tapped the headset he'd taken to wearing over the last couple of days "Interceptors, stand down! Those look like emergency chutes, not weapons."
"Sir, are you sure?" came the reply.
"No, but stand down. If this were a bombing run, they would have already hit. This is something else."
"Yessir!"

He selected another channel "Lieutenant Claire!"
"Sir!"
"Get your flight into hazmat suits, and collect whatever is under those chutes. Take one of the cargo lifters."
"Yessir!"

It was not normally the job of pilots to do something like that, but he had a feeling they'd be the best ones to do it.

Claire and the rest of the flight found the first canister - almost four metres long and a metre across. As soon as they saw what was written on the side, they knew why they had been sent. There was just one word, and it was the same on all of them: "Tannis".

It took the team almost an hour to collect all twelve containers, and then another hour to douse them in all the antiseptic substances they could think of. They incinerated the parachutes.

"Well, Lieutenant, what do you think?" Commander La Trous asked, as he inspected the unopened containers.
"I think that Tannis' teammates care a great deal for her." Claire replied, "It takes a lot of guts to do something like that, just to drop supplies for one person. Even with their absolutely insane jump technology."
"You'd do the same for Squadron Ashwan." he observed.
Claire grinned ruefully, "True. But he's Ash, you know?"
"Indeed. And I suspect Tannis is the much the same. Get them X-rayed in case someone had a bright idea, and then personally transport them to House Gould. Take an escort."
"Yes Sir!"

#CerianAndVaranWar #IAmWriting #tootfic #SF #SFF #SciFi #MilSF
https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

In Jessica Brook's "The Blind Mystic," mercenary Myrilla Nakamura deals with a madwoman who makes people look at the sun. Read it here: https://zurl.co/zvuqZ . #MilSF #BulletPoints

"Get a load of the freak and the losers!" Hitomi flinched and her wings twitched as the voice echoed across the bar. Estelle looked furious, and started to get up.
"Don't 'Stell. I know you could break his arm, but he's not worth getting busted over," said Tannis, putting an arm on her shoulder. "Besides, I want you all on your game for tomorrow's trials."
Ava spoke up "We need to do something."
"I put up with it all my life, Ava. It won't change anything" Hitomi unconsciously brought her wings in closer as she spoke.
"I know what will," Tannis grinned, and started to draw on a coaster.
The other three gathered closer to look. After a few moments, Hitomi spread her wings out and around their table, giving them privacy.

The next morning, after the briefing, the teams walked out to the waiting aerospace craft.

"Hey, Jarrad?" Tannis called out, "Want to make some easy cash?"
"What, you're giving up now, are you?" he shouted back, his team snickering.
"Nope - but I tell you what, you win this bout, I'll give you this month's pay."
"Sure, no problem. What's in it for you?"
"You'll transfer to logistics."
"Why the hell would I do that? I'm easily the better pilot!"
"Then you've got nothing to be afraid of, do you?"
"Ok, Ok, you're on!"

The ground crews looked at each other.

The scenario was simple enough. Get the fighters past a set of defences, and tag a target point. The team that completed the scenario with the least losses won.

Jarrad's flight was epic, following the nape of the earth to minimise the time the ground defences had to fire. As it was, he lost one plane (simulated), and had two damaged (also simulated). But there was no sign of Tannis and her team. He'd seen them take off, but lost track of them while concentrating on his own mission.

He landed, and saw the other four fighters sitting right where they had started, they must have given up and circled back.

He and his team were grinning as they entered the briefing room.

Tannis, the freak, and the other two losers, were sitting with their heads down, but everyone stood to attention as the commander came in.

"Sit, at ease, all of you. We've analysed the footage and the effects. Jarrad - nape of the earth was what we were expecting for this scenario."
Jarrad grinned.
"Which is why we had the defences set up to intercept low fast targets."
His face fell.
"We were not expecting someone to jump in over the target, and then depart out the back. Tannis, you had one plane get a glancing hit to a wingtip. You win the exercise."
"Thank-you Sir! Hitomi ran the calculations last night. We would not have been able to do it without her. And we'd like to name the team, Sir."
The commander raised an eyebrow.
"Chimera Flight."
"Very well. Also, Jarrad, I expect to see your application by tonight. You will honour the bet, understand?"
"Yes, Sir." came the reply as Jarrad's head dropped into his hands.

#CerianAndVaranWar #SF #IAmWriting #SFF #MilSF #tootfic

Part of https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

Chimera Flight were halfway to their fighters when Ava's headset chimed.
"Ava, go."
"Acting Flight Leader, you're being reassigned. Please return to ops."
"Hitomi! Estelle! Back to ops. We've got a new assignment."
Shaking her head, Ava led the others back to the ops room.
The commander was waiting for them.

"Chimera Flight? We have a new assignment for you. Your fighters are being reprogrammed as we talk."
"What's the mission, Sir?"
"One you'll like, I'm sure. We have coordinates for Tannis' bird. Your job will be to fly into that airspace and jettison some cargo pods."
Hitomi excitedly broke in "Supplies for Tannis! You want us to do a supply run for her!"
"Correct. We want you to drop two pods each, they'll have parachutes and beacons, so you don't have to get too close and give them an excuse to get alarmed."
Ava nodded, "Right sir. "
"I want you in and out, fast. As tempting as it might be, no loitering."
All three pilots responded "Sir!"
"Right then, get in the air. Dismissed!"

They jogged back to their aerospace fighters as the cargo pods were being fitted, the ground crews getting clear as they reached them.

Getting their clearances, Chimera flight took off, and vanished into jump.

#CerianAndVaranWar #IAmWriting #tootfic #SF #SFF #SciFi #MilSF

Part of the on-going https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

My Brain...Forever Wars and a sloppy blue brushing
#books #BookReview #MilSF #TheForeverWar #consciousness #Philosophy #writing #blog #warhammer #warhammer40k #minipainting #BroodBrothers #KillTeam #WarhammerCommunity

https://neurontosomething.wordpress.com/2025/04/27/my-brain-forever-wars-and-a-sloppy-blue-brushing/

CONDITION OF WAR preorder is up!

Believe it or not, it’s coming out on June 3. Here’s the blurb:

Accused of destroying a Corps warship, the crew of the starship Galileo must prove sabotage—or face the wrath of what’s left of Central Gov.

When the Central Corps warship Capricorn—silent and unresponsive, light-years from her last reported position—threatens a civilian space station, the former Corps starship Galileo comes to the station’s aid. But Commander Elena Shaw’s attempt to disarm the warship culminates in its destruction, and despite evidence Capricorn was sabotaged, Central is happy to direct public ire at Galileo.

To vindicate their ship, the crew must reconstruct Capricorn’s final journey, seeking proof of what really destroyed her. But Elena finds an alarming pattern in the evidence they uncover. It seems Capricorn’s fate has roots not in sabotage, but in a weapon Central has been keeping secret—a weapon Elena has encountered before. A weapon whose origins may not be entirely human.

Turns out Galileo has a stowaway, hiding in plain sight. And that stowaway might link Elena to Capricorn’s destruction after all.

It’s been seven and a half years since Breach of Containment was released. For my characters, it’s been six weeks.

I started writing this book in the fall of 2016, but an awful lot has interrupted my progress. It’s not even just The World[tm], although that’s a big piece of it, for me and everybody else.

I’ve been through two agents. I’ve self-publisehd an anthology and a standalone novel. I’ve learned more about marketing than I thought I’d need to know, and I’ve actually enjoyed it, which is extremely weird.

Covid turned up and turned everybody’s lives upside down.

I’ve had a whole lot of family Stuff. Both my parents were diagnosed with dementia. We moved them out of their home, cleared the place our, and sold it. (Right before covid hit. One small bit of luck.) My father died. My mother doesn’t know who I am anymore.

The Kid has gone off to college. We have acquired a third cat (my mother’s). When The Kid is home for breaks, she brings her own cat, so even when she’s here we’re all outnumbered by felines.

This country has broken my heart, and that will never go away.

I gotta say, I’m tired of having my heart broken. Heartbreak is for kids; it should involve a few nights of ice cream and too much wine, and then fade away into sad nostalgia. It shouldn’t remove enormous chunks of our hopes and dreams and leave a bleeding, cavernous wound. But here we are.

I have read this book so many times now I have absolutely no sense of it anymore. It takes my people further along on their journey. Everybody grows and changes, which isn’t a big shock. I’m not the writer I was when Elena, Greg, and Jessica first started this journey.

I’m just as idealistic, though. I expect that shows.

Anyway. The link above is to Amazon US. For now, it’s available at all Amazon geographies, and at barnesandnoble.com. Getting the others up is a touch more complicated, but that should happen over the next couple of weeks. I’ll update links as they become available.

The prologue is up on my author site, if anybody wants to give it a shot. CW for violence, death, and lots of cussing, so I guess I haven’t changed that much. 🙂

#fiction #militaryScienceFiction #milsf #preorder #scienceFiction #sff

Returning to the present, and Tannis.

After Londry left, Tannis reflected on what she'd just been told. It had been less than 24 hours since she was what? Captured? That describes things best. In that time the Varans had uncovered a planet-wide conspiracy, and lost a brave young man - probably the first ground military to have died in this conflict if everything matched up.

So what about the Varan Intelligence? Who were they. She looked at the console. "Well, they said I had free use of it..."

Turning it back on, and locating the search facility, her fingers tapped in 'Military Intelligence History'. Her eyes widened when an extensive article came up, and then started to read.

After a couple of hours, Tannis sat back. So Intel had originally been ship-board security. That was interesting. They morphed into Intel after a separate group took on the job on-planet after the plagues. Reading between the lines, the group had tried to become the main military force, but were knocked back for being too valuable as they were.

Unfortunately the records had little about the history of ShipSec prior to departure from the failed colony. Which was also interesting. Clearly their history had been carefully managed.

The Cerian Intel group was very tight-knit as well. And - when had they been established? Thinking back, Tannis was certain that had never come up. She could say when the Biological Survey was set up, or the Space Command, or any one of a dozen other bodies, but not Intel. And somehow everyone just overlooked it.

"If they followed the same path as the Varan group, they had been shipboard security, with access to all areas of the ship." Saying it out loud somehow made it all the more real. "And that would include engineering." One more step. "So it is likely that they caused the ship to crash!"

She picked up the communicator. "Madam Londry?"
"Speaking."
"It is Tannis. I was looking at some history, and I think Intel caused both our ships to crash."
"Ah. How did you do that?"
"Looking at the history of Intel. There are some gaps that fit the theory."
"We came to the same conclusion shortly after you left us. A family history was our guide."
"It goes further."
"Indeed?"
"I think they were behind the failure of the original colony."
"That also seemed likely to us."
"Madam, who are these people?"
"I don't know. Yet. But it is likely the group originated on Old Earth."
"I wonder what became of the other colonies. We can't have been the only one, were we?"
"No, I don't think we were. As for what became of the others, I suppose we'll have to come up with a way to find out. And for that to happen, we need this ridiculous war to end."

#CerianAndVaranWar #Milsf #SF #SciFi #IAmWriting

The full work in progress: https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

Continuing from where I left things last night.

The Gould matriarch strode in, somehow making the isolation gear seem like a business suit "No, don't get up, it is best we be sitting for this."
"What is it, Madam Gould?"
"I told you, Londry. Kim is Madam Gould most of the time. But important matters."
Tannis gestured for Londry to continue.
"The Intelligence office at Ash's base blew up just before you left, correct?"
"Yes, just before they could be confronted."
"The pattern spread across Vara. The Intelligence Office no longer exists anywhere. Except for one site."
"The gas leak! That's what was being covered up!"
"Yes, that is the sort of story they would use."
"But you said one site did not. What happened?"
"What happened was Eric, Maria's youngest brother, my youngest half-son. The site was at a logistics depot where he was a junior technician. He heard the reports, and ran in with a pair of bolt-cutters, and cut through the power feed to the building. The surge destroyed the detonators' communication paths."
"How big was the building?"
"Eight floors."
"That must have been a big feeder ... oh." Tannis' face darkened as she realised what the effect of shorting out a high power high voltage cable would have on the person doing it.
Londry nodded "The plasma ball covered the top half of his body."
"I am so very sorry for your loss. You must all be devastated. "
"The family is closing ranks, but we must continue. Eric's rash heroism means we have been able to capture some of the people responsible for this war."

#CerianAndVaranWar #Milsf #SF #SciFi #IAmWriting

The full work in progress: https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

More Cerian and Varan War. This time we are backtracking a little, as I discovered I had a) forgotten to introduce someone, and b) conflated another character with the one who had been forgotten. So we go back to the previous night, before Tannis gets her own sterile quarters.

She looked up. It had gotten dark while she was working. Through the open window she could hear the sounds of evening on a strange planet. If only she could take this damned respirator off. But that would be a death sentence.

There was a knock on the door, and it opened. It was Londry, who glanced at the computer. "Been keeping yourself busy?"
"Yes, working out what went wrong.."
"And?"
"Would you believe it was a typing error by a nav tech?"
"Your nav data is entered manually?"
"Yeah - Estelle, she's my XO, hates it."
Londry shook her head. "Well, have you worked out how to save your work?"
"Yes, thank you. You have been very kind."
"You can thank Claire more - her family have got a suite ready for you. The water will be cold only for now, but you'll be able to wash, drink, and most importantly, breathe."
"Already? Just a moment!" Tannis unplugged the data recorder and stood up. "Show me the way!"
As they walked down the hallway, Londry looked over "Maria got in a little while ago. Claire opened the conversation with 'Ash brought home a strange lady.'"
"Who's 'Maria'?"
"My half daughter, who married young Ashwan."
Tannis stopped "And Claire greeted her with that?"
"You've only seen Claire's professional side. She has quite the wicked sense of humour. Don't worry, everyone else sorted it out before Maria could get up a too much of head of steam. And when she did blow, it was Claire who was the target."
Tannis shook her head and started walking again.
"I thought it fair to warn you, before anyone starts calling you 'the other woman'."
Tannis stumbled. "What??" and then looked at the older woman, "You did that on purpose!"
Londry just smiled serenely "You quarters are through there", pointing at a clearly retrofitted hatch in the wall.

#CerianAndVaranWar #Milsf #SF #SciFi #IAmWriting

Full work-in-progress here: https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

A new part of the Cerian and Varan War.
Previously: https://aus.social/@rdm/112744472701208379

Tannis, was sound asleep through all of this. With no alarms and no patrols to fly, she slept in for the first time in over two years. She eventually woke mid-morning, with her stomach rumbling. Confused at first by the soft unfamiliar bed, and the natural light, the transition from half awake to alert was somewhat less than comfortable. Looking around, though, she quickly remembered the day before.

A few minutes later she was in the cold shower, and then dressed in the robe that had come in a hermetically sealed pouch.

Sitting in front of the computer, she looked over her ration bars, selected one, broke it in half, and forced herself to nibble at it. Looking over the menus, she located a news feed. No Cerian attacks - good. Some scandal about some sports team breaking some sort of cultural code, typical. Some politician caught in bed with ... oh, that was different, with a member of an opposing party. That made a change from the usual aide or secretary. An explosion at a government building - a gas leak apparently. Some discovery about part of the Varan forests - again not too different from home.

"Gas leak", she said to herself after a few minutes, "That sounds odd for an office block." Going back to that article, it was also very light on facts - no mention of what department of the government, no mention of casualties or lack thereof. "It's a coverup."

Sitting back, Tannis started to wonder what was being covered up, when then communicator on the desk lit up, and began chiming. She picked it up. "Hello?"

"Ah, good, you are awake. It is Londry here. Are you dressed?"
"I've got a robe on."
"Good enough. I'm coming in. I'll be suited up. This needs to be said face to face."
"Alright?" Tannis agreed questioningly, but Londry had already closed the connection.

#CerianAndVaranWar #Milsf #SF #SciFi #IAmWriting

Full work in progress available here: https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

@myxomycetes The new edition of Twilight 2000 (https://freeleaguepublishing.com/shop/twilight-2000/core-set/) from Free League is absolutely stunning and crunchy enough to satisfy the military geeks in your group, no doubt.

While it's not particularly big on supernatural horror, it certainly has all the tools to make the horror real. More grounded horror seems to just happen naturally, as your squad of remnants after the fallen world try and live a hardscrabble existence doing the best they can and maybe pull something together.

If you really wanted "military" in your military science fiction, this is the way. It's very near future and might not be out there enough, but we have solutions for that too.

(cont)

#TTRPG #Twilight2000 #MilSF #horror

Part 3c

Across Vara there was a series of explosions at military bases. Not a single Cerian ship was spotted, nor were any missiles detected. The explosions did not hit ammunition or fuel supplies, nor did they occur in the hangers or barracks. They all occurred in the Intelligence Offices. As fast as word spread of the explosions, so too did the blasts.

In Landfall, the capital, the Intelligence HQ also suddenly exploded, damaging many buildings around it. That it occurred in the middle of the day only made things worse. But just outside of Landfall, at the space force's central logistics base, the Intelligence office did not explode.

A maintenance corporal had heard what had been happening, and took a pair of bolt cutters to the main power feed into the building. The resulting short, sadly killed him, as the bolt cutters vapourised in his hands, but the feedback through the power systems of the building also blew out every switch and fuse. The siege by the rest of the maintenance squads of the office was short and violent. Of the defenders, only three were taken prisoner.

At the Gould estate, a phone rang, and was answered. Shortly after, Londry called the family together.

"I just had a call from Central Logistics. I have some bad news. Eric is dead."
Ash stared "Eric? How? He's just a maintenance tech!"
"He cut the main power feed into the Intelligence Office there with a pair of bolt cutters. They said the plasma ball would have killed him instantly."
"What did he do that for?"
"He heard about the other offices. The other maintenance squads then raided the office. They got prisoners. And the computers are intact."
Ash and Claire collapsed into each other. Eric was Claire's youngest brother, barely out of school, and looked up to Ash. Now he was gone, and in part because of the information Ash had brought with him.

Read the full WIP here:
https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

#CerianAndVaranWar #Milsf #SF #SciFi #IAmWriting

Part 3b (It has been a while, hasn't it?)

"Breaking news this morning of a joint Exploration and Biological Survey raid on OPIS headquarters!"
"We interrupt our usual program to bring you this news from the OPIS building in Landing, where a raid by Biological Survey and the Scouts uncovered secret cooperation between OPIS and the Varan military intelligence!"
"Shocking scenes this morning as OPIS are revealed to be feeding civilian targets to the Varan military!"

The civil government was not pleased, but also quickly realised that there was little they could do - and the conspiracy that had been uncovered was genuinely shocking. The question that they were all asking themselves, though, was "What are the Varans doing?"

The military were not happy either. How had such blatant lies been propagated? How deep did the rot go? How long before the Varans made use of their disorganisation to strike?

"Rise and shine people! We've got CAP duty today! Lieutenant Ava? You are commanding Chimera Flight until we get Tannis back."
"Yes sir!" Ava replied. "Estelle, you are in charge of EWACS, Hitomi, targeting and load out. But Hitomi?"
"What is it, Ava?"
"I want you to load us with defensive and training rounds. Only add a couple of offensive missiles for each of us. With what we know, we want to warn them off."
"Ava!" Estelle broke in, "Your brother is on the news! They've shut down OPIS!"
"Hitomi, spread the word to the other flights. Let's see if we can cool things down a bit."
"OK. Ava?"
"I'm sure she's OK, Hitomi. I'm sure of it."

#CerianAndVaranWar #Milsf #SciFi #IAmWriting

Read the full WIP here: https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

Part 3a

It was night in Landing, the largest city on Ceria. There had been numerous debates about renaming the city over the centuries, but simple public inertia always undid every attempt. According to what historical records that survived, it was - in various languages - the most common single city name in all the worlds settled by humanity.

This night, as usual, the city mostly slept. A handful of late night shift workers and city maintenance teams were about, along with the obligatory scattering of persons of ill intent, and the inevitable joggers. These few were surprised to see road blocks going up in one part of downtown, but not the usual police or road work gangs. These were quarantine blocks. It was unusual enough to attract some news crews, even as everyone else backed away, in case they got caught up in the isolation.

The news crews were very startled to find themselves subject to the very quarantine that the general populace were avoiding.

What followed only increased the state of surprise.

"We want you to keep filming. And come with us. The only limitation is that you cannot broadcast or transmit your footage until we give the all clear. We won't limit what you send, we just need to keep things quiet until it is over. You will understand soon enough." was what the tall woman leading the blockade told them. This was just enough to keep the reporters sufficiently curious to agree.

Several buildings were evacuated, with the people being led to temporary bunkers. But one building was not touched. The Office of Planetary Intelligence and Security.

It was three hours short of sunrise when the quarantine teams with the news crews entered the OPIS building - through the sewers. The reporters were shown the explosive charges as they were found, and filmed them being disabled.

An hour before dawn, four helicopters landed on the roof, and small groups of armoured troops started down. Down in the sewers cameramen jumped as they watched relays click to complete now broken detonation circuits. It was then that the quarantine teams cut the power from inside the building. Everything went dark and quiet. Briefly. From far above came the sounds of gunfire.

Suddenly it was over. The news crews were shown the entire surviving staff of the OPIS in restraints. They watched and filmed as the servers were brought back online, and maps and messages extracted.

Maps that made no sense. Mail messages that made no sense. Maps that showed ammunition dumps where everyone knew there were holiday camps or schools. Maps that showed hospitals as barracks. Messages that recommended these places as suitable targets. And messages recommending other places - places on Vara as targets. Hospitals, schools, and residential areas. Messages exchanged with groups on Vara.

Dawn broke.

#SFF #MilSF #SecretSciFiNetwork #SciFi #CerianAndVaranWar #IAmWriting
https://rdmasters.lympago.com/p/cerian-and-varan-war-story-in.html

To my horror, I have just discovered that I have accidentally given one of my main characters (Tannis) the same name as a character in a video game. One I did not even know the existence of until a few days ago.

What to do?
#AuthorDilemma #WritersProblems
#IAmWriting
#CerianAndVaranWar
#SFF #SciFi #MilSF