Weekend Writing Warriors – Return to Civilization 3

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with snippets from my science fiction story ‘Return to Civilization.’ Andy is a space prospector who’s just returned home with the co-ordinates of a ‘jackpot’ planet.

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As he approached Check-in, the communicator sprang to life again. “Unidentified vessel, match our course at a distance between 100 meters and 5 kilometres. Do you understand, and will you comply?”

“Yes, this is the Yukon Stranger, acknowledging receipt and I will comply. Hey, is Rebecca Stern still working there?” Becky’s name brought back memories of warm nights and cold days; she’d asked him to stay and move in with her, but he couldn’t resist the temptation to go prospecting again, looking for his big score. . .

“Query not recognized. Term ‘Rebecca Stern’ unknown.”

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Return to Civilization 2

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with snippets from my science fiction story ‘Return to Civilization.’ Andy is a space prospector who’s just returned home with the co-ordinates of a ‘jackpot’ planet.

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“Greetings, outgoing vessel. This is the Yukon Stranger, incoming. I hope your check-out wasn’t stressful.”

There was a long pause, and Andy wondered if anybody was listening. Then a gruff answer came. “Intraship messaging within the border zone for non-emergency calls is a clear violation of protocol, Yukon Stranger.”

“Sorry. Last time I checked out, it wasn’t against the rules to message an outgoing ship, inquire about their destination and wish them good luck.” But that had been a long time ago.

“Understood, Yukon Stranger.”

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Return to Civilization 1

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

I’m going to start snippets from a new story this week, one that I just submitted to a magazine a few weeks ago. These eight sentences are from the start, and I don’t think they need any set-up. (I hope.)

Andy pressed the red button and the stars popped back into existence around his ship, with Sol visible as a distant yellow marble. It had taken him twelve years of solitary wandering, but he’d found a jackpot: a beautiful planet perfect for human settlement, already growing great food, with uranium and silver deposits ready to mine. The bounty would be enough to set him up for life on any planet he liked. He might even go back to Jackpot once it was through its pioneer years–even if they wouldn’t let him call it Jackpot.

First things first; he had to stay awake through check-in. The radar display on the flight console showed two blips. One was drifting near the edge of the display; the other was quite a bit closer, accelerating vaguely in his direction.

He turned the radio on.

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 11

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. Cassandra and her mother have been talking about why Mom took her to the Tunnel of Love to see the goddess Frigga:

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Cassandra stared at her mother for a moment and then shrugged.  “I have spoken the words of my heart, and now I am empty.”  She turned back to the line.

“Don’t forget this, my darling.”  Mother passed her the copy of Jane Eyre and followed her back to rejoin Geoffrey in line.  “Good afternoon, Geoffrey.”

“Good afternoon, Missus Worthington.  Thank you for suggesting that we go through the tunnel together.”

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 10

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. Cassandra and her mother are talking about why Mom has taken her to the Tunnel of Love to see the goddess Frigga:

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“I wish to love no man because a goddess decrees it so. You have satisfied my mind that Geoffrey North will be a good husband. I can see that he works hard, keeps his word, and that he cares for me. Allow our hearts to come to love in the natural way. Do not subject us to Frigga’s whim.”

Mother brushed at Cassandra’s curls. “You say this because you do not know the fleeting nature of ‘natural love.’ If I could have frozen the love your father felt for me into a stone, I would have cherished it all the days of my life.”

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 9

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. Cassandra has asked a poor young man, Henry, to create a diversion, but doesn’t really get a chance to explain why…

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“Her lot is all the same, thinking that because we’re not as richified, we’d do anything for a few shillings. Well, you can forget it, my lady.”

Cassandra considered making one more appeal, coming clean, and then she heard her name called again. “Cassandra dear, where are you?” Cassandra stood up straight and tall, knowing that Mother would be keeping an eye out for her bright golden hair, and stepped away from Henry and Raven.

She pulled her mother away from the line of waiting couples.  “One last time I beg you, and then I hold my peace forevermore:  do not ask this of me.”

“You do not wish to love Geoffrey on your wedding day?”

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 8

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. We’ve been learning more about what Frigga’s tunnel of love means to the other couples waiting in line, but Cassandra hasn’t stopped looking for a way out…

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When she thought Geoffrey was busy enough with another conversation, Cassandra leaned close to Henry and whispered, “Would you like to make a little money?”

He shrugged, his eyes steady on her face and his mouth an even line. “That depends on what I’d have to do to earn it, miss.”

“Just pretend to get into an argument or…”

Raven cleared her throat. “You want us to create a disruption or a distraction. What will you do then?”

Cassandra hesitated, not sure how she could explain. 

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 7

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. We’re learning a bit more about what the tunnel of love means to the couples waiting in line…

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“It’s not all about the presents or the love what’s already bloomed,” Henry said.  “I’ve seen it time and time again back home.  We find somebody new to try our chances with, pay our ha’pennies to the wise ones, and come up with any old thing what has some memories to it.  Doesn’t work often, no, but if we can’t stand the sight of each other after we’re through the tunnel, it’s no skin off our noses.  But when Lady Frigga blesses a lad and a girl, they’re good together.  I think that’s the key; she looks at what could be, not what is already.”

 

 

Other people in line shared their stories:  an older couple, widow and widower, lost childhood sweethearts prevented from marrying with their hearts when they were young; a poor knight and a rich man’s least favourite daughter who had come together for a marriage of convenience; and unfaithful parents attempting to mend their cheating ways.  They all showed off their sentimental sacrifices, but Cassandra couldn’t bear to look at more precious personal treasures thrown away for the sake of divine love.

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 6

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. We’re learning a bit more about what the tunnel of love means to the couples waiting in line…

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“I hope Frigga blesses us all,” Faith said. “There are other things that matter more than the sentimental gifts. She judges the love in the couple, doesn’t she? I think that’s our best hope. Julian and I love each other so much. If the goddess is pleased she’ll preserve our love forever in its full beauty.”

Cassandra kept her mouth shut. What if Frigga judged Julian and Faith’s love strong but fleeting, and decreed they should face a loveless marriage sooner rather than later?

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Weekend Writing Warriors – Love is a Masterpiece 5

Welcome friends, followers, and Weekend Writing Warriors!

Continuing with sentences from ‘Love is a Masterpiece’ this week. Last time, Geoffrey interrupted Cassandra’s attempt to run away from the line of couples waiting to go into the Goddess Frigga’s Tunnel of Love.

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Soon Geoffrey was exchanging stories with them all, as Cassandra stood back and watched.  The pocket watch man’s name was Julian, and he’d been married to mousey girl, Faith, for one week to the day.  The teenagers were Henry and Raven, and they were from the East End.

“Do you mind if I ask you about your gifts?”  Faith asked.  “It’s a horribly personal question:  what do you pick as a sentimental sacrifice for a goddess?”

“It’s hard to find something with the right emotional impact to show the value of a life full of love,” Geoffrey said.  He produced a canvas and unrolled it to show an oil painting of boats in a harbour and gulls in the air.  “It doesn’t look like much, but my grandfather’s best customer gave him this thank you gift, and passed it on to my father as a housewarming gift.”

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