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The Great Technician Kaguya, by James WylderFebruary, 2385 "If you go to any areas not listed on your itinerary, you will immediately be taken down by snipers." Well, always nice to have a friendly greeting. Au Kaguya just smiled and nodded. "You should be honored to meet our employer," the armed man said. "I am, of course." Not that she knew who she was meeting in the slightest. The job listing had simply listed requirements, a salary, and a cypher. She'd solved it, sent her resume in, and had promptly gotten a request for an interview. She wouldn't have even gone if her mother hadn't badgered her about it. Yes mom, I'm still at home. No mom, I haven't found a job. Yes mom, I should have gone for a Masters degree you're right. Now that she put some thought into it, the options seemed pretty limited: Secret Operations for CiSyn on Earth, or the Government of Mars. Or Gongen. Whatever they were calling it now. Or, the Yakuza. She wasn’t sure how she’d feel about serving the Ebon Gate. She sighed, and man looked her up and down as the train car jostled. She could tell he was disappointed in her level of dress. What had he expected; that she'd come wrapped in a yukata, hair and makeup done up like it was New Years? She was here to interview for a job, so a yellow turtleneck and slacks would do just fine. The man kept blathering about all the security measures that would kill her if she slipped up on protocol, so she moved her eye to activate the visualizer in her glasses, and scrolled through social media till they go too far into the facility for the signal to carry. After that, there was another hour, giant doors slamming behind their railcar. The place was intentionally disorienting, but she could feel artificial gravity under her feet, something that took either a lot of experience or a lot of research to notice. That wouldn't be necessary on a normal train, it meant the thing had a functional grav drive in it, that could propel it at speeds fast enough for space travel. And it confirmed one of Kaguya's suspicions: this train was going straight down, deep below the surface of Mars. That she felt like she was going horizontal was an illusion. This was the kind of place that liked its smoke and mirrors. Duly noted. Finally, right before the nearly empty train pulled into its stop, noise canceling headphones were placed over her ears, and black hood was pulled over her head. She could feel a person's hand guiding her, not the man in the train with her, these fingers felt different, and she held tight, getting jerked along till she felt the hand pull away and the hood whipped off of her face, the headphone pulled off from the back. Kaguya was standing in the center of a series of gray monoliths, a blue light shining from a panel on the face of each one. Other than that, they were smooth and featureless. "Princes Kaguya, so the fable goes, came from the moon. As I understand it, that is true of you as well, Ao Kaguya." A light came down on her from the ceiling, illuminating her like an actor. "That is true, sir or madame...or...am I speaking with Shocho?" The lights flashed. "That is correct." She bowed deeply, "It is an honor." "That is correct." She'd expected something odd, but not for Shocho. She didn't entirely trust it, the most powerful Artificial Intelligence every constructed. Connected to every aspect of life on Mars. She let out a deep breath. "Recite your story to me, Kaguya. Of your name." "I'm sure you know it, Shocho-san." "Correct. But I wish to hear your telling of it." She coughed, "Yes, alright then, uh, the tale of Technician Kaguya..." * * * Earth, the Exclusion Zone, 2381 "Please make sure your partner's hazmat suit is secured tightly, ZIR Tours is not responsible for death, cancer, or any other ailment related to improper suit usage," the tour guide said over the intercom, then more quietly, "...or anything else really." Kaguya hadn't wanted to come, but her mother had insisted, so here she was risking her own wellbeing in order to walk through a carefully prepared part of Tokyo that the CGC allowed tours through. Her partner, a man who she'd already forgotten the name of, checked her suit, and she returned the favor. Everything seemed to be in order, and as the whole armored bus finished signaling they were ready, they were let out of the airlock two by two. They were on a sun-faded street, a canyon of disheveled sky scrapers crawling at the base with abandoned cars. They walked along a carefully cordoned path, and she looked into the wheeled vehicles windows they passed. Cups sat abandoned in their holders, their liquids long abandoned. A child's doll lay on it's side, plastic eyes staring eternally into the seat back. It almost seemed too on the nose: she got it, this was a tragedy unlike any other, the individual human cost had been immense. Now let her go back to the hotel and read before bed already. She'd probably be enjoying this more if her body had reacted better to the training and medicine to prepare her for Earth's higher gravity--she had felt exhausted the whole trip, a never-ending headache betraying even her ability to sleep. "...When the nuclear disaster that devastated Asia in 2071 hit Tokyo, residents were hit by the radiation without warning. Of course, this was only one of a number of tragic events involving nuclear energy in the history of the island of Japan..." She could see a pair of sneakers in the window of a shop, they were totally white from the long sun exposure, but the more shaded picture behind them showed they'd once been blue. The history intrigued her less than these individual stories, the lives of the people who had walked these streets. Had someone stood here, admiring these shoes just as she was? "...Many of you are descended from the evacuees who moved from Tokyo to Mars--" "Gongen!" someone in the back yelled. "...Mars," the tour guide gritted her teeth, Kaguya knew she'd never be allowed to say the G-Word on a CGC sanctioned tour. "I myself am descended from a Tokyo resident who chose to stay here on Earth, moving to San Paulo. But we're all united in our common ancestry, and our mutal ties to this land." The tour guide finished her prepared speech with a certain tiredness that expressed a deep wish that no one would try to fight her on things she'd lose her job if she disagreed with." The man in the back began to speak again, but Kaguya turned and shook her head no. He stopped. Pursing his lips with a bow of his head. The relieved tour guide continued their journey, and it struck Kaguya for the first time that this wasn't her home. Her body barely was able to function here in Tokyo, but more than that, she didn't feel the connection her mother had hoped she would. She felt bad for her ancestors who had died here, but the ones who lived had brought her to red-soil beyond these skies. With every step, she felt more and more hollow. Earth had emptied from her, and all she wanted to do was go home. To where her family was. Where she belonged. * * * 2385 "You may not come from the moon, but you come from the stars Kaguya. You have been looking up wherever you are, and have never found your place." She stuck her hands in her pockets, "And you believe you can give me that place?" "I believe that you will find that place yourself when given the chance." A short pillar rose from the floor, and with a small frown of confusion, Kaguya stepped up to it. The only thing on it was a nametag. "Lead Technician Ao Kaguya" She picked it up, "That's a very interesting job title, Grandfather." "Your name is a legend, but the times that will come soon will birth new legends, frightful and wondrous, and as they come to pass I will need hands. Hands that are familiar with some of everything, hands that will be loyal and can help create a glorious future for Gongen." She ran her finger across the embossed nametag, "...I think this could be my destiny to be here, in this room." "Then you accept?" "If you answer one question. The way you're talking, I always heard Shocho talked in a very forthright and analytical manner. So why do you talk to me of legends with glossy words?" There was a pause, the red light flashed. "Because my child, I have lived a long time. And I have many ways of speaking. I simply chose the manner that would be most effective towards bringing you to my cause." She smiled. "But you had already concluded this." "I had." "This simply re-enforces your suitability for the job." She picked up the nametag, and pinned it on, "Alright then, Grandfather Shocho, when shall we start?" The light flashed again, as though it were an excited child, "Well then, Moon Princess, let us see if you live up to your name. I will be sending you to Deimos." She raised an eyebrow, "There's nothing on Deimos." A hologram appeared, and as she investigated it, her eyebrow only raised further. "I see you've been busy." "The work, Technician Kaguya, has only just begun. Things are merely under construction." She nodded, she'd remember that phrase. "Fly me to the moon."
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 October 4th, 2022, for immediate release
WARSONG: Stretti Brings Intrigue and Adventure to Print in October Arcbeatle Press and Decipher, Inc. announce the continuation of the WARSONG saga with the second volume of “The Battle of Phobos” series, WARSONG: Stretti. In Stretti, the heroes of Preludes return to face a solar system in crisis, for war is on the horizon between Earth and Gongen (the newly renamed planet Mars). Rogan Hallard, Higen Orochito, and Jack Wilgress each return to face new dangers and make new discoveries. “Stretti is an exciting book, because you’re seeing these characters, and the whole world around them, taken to the brink of disaster,” said range editor James Wylder. “Readers are going to find a more complex political scenario, bigger challenges for each character personally, and even more action. It's everything you want from a sci-fi adventure!” Written by Nathan P. Butler (Star Wars Tales, 10,000 Dawns), Sabrina Fried (A More Civilized Age), and Jim Perry (Bladewielders), the three novellas in this collection continue the story started in WARSONG: Preludes. The collection will also feature two new epilogue short stories by range editor James Wylder. “With this new edition, we’re able to look not only backwards, but forward at the final set of novellas, and add depth and connections to bring the story of The Battle of Phobos to new heights,” they said. The world of WARSONG was crafted for Decipher, Inc. by such notable creatives as New York Times bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole and Lord of the Rings artist John Howe and has featured in everything from the WARS trading card game and roleplaying game to original music. Bringing these stories to print is Arcbeatle Press, the publisher of several licensed Doctor Who spin-off book series, new novels, anthologies, and their original series 10,000 Dawns. WARSONG: Stretti will be available in both print and ebook formats on October 27th. Preorders are available at: https://tinyurl.com/stretti You can find out more at arcbeatlepress.com/WARS. Inquiries can be sent to arcbeatlewars@gmail.com.  We have something very different for today in WARSONG Week: this one is for the long-term fans, the ones who know the old lore, and have been chomping at the bit for a taste of the future of the WARSONG Universe. At Arcbeatle Press, we're telling the story of WARSONG from before the Mumon Rift opened for now, with Academy 27 and The Battle of Phobos series, but thanks to the hard work of fans digging up material, we have something old that may be new for you: a short WARSONG story from back in 2005 that seems to have been forgotten to time! So sit back, relax, and le'ts go back to the past, to the future of WARSONG... Oh, and if you haven't already, why not check out the first volume of The Battle of Phobos while you're here? Quondam Falx by Mark Tuttle
From the scientific journal of Viramri-Damir Historical Lord Advisor to the House of Damir Subject of Study: Relic – Quondam Falx Viramri-Damir writes: A very curious weapon indeed. The Quondam Falx was found on Prilcali during an off-world competition 4,517 years ago when the Shi expansion spread out thousands of light years from Seyal. The world's fate would be decided, as per normal decorum, in the arena. The Prilcali champion, Battah, was undefeated, and welcomed the Shi challenge. So sure was the Prilcali council, that it eagerly accepted the terms. Helashir-Damir, the Shi champion, was also undefeated having vanquished over a thousand aliens from as many worlds Helashir traveled to through rifts. The duel was brutality at its most spectacular. Blood was drawn on both sides and the battle turned from one side to the next. For several hours, the combatants fought. Blood sprayed the spectators, which only drove the savage Prilcali into frenzy. Even the Shi were swept up into the fury of battle, seeing their champion fight so valiantly. Then a curious thing happened. Helashir began to slow and soon took more blows than Battah. The Prilcali's weapon struck again and again and the Shi began to falter. As Battah took fewer blows, he delivered more and more to his opponent. Finally, Helashir fell to the ground, no longer able to remain aloft. Helashir's Vatarma shattered at the head, leaving nothing more than a splintered rod. Blood poured from dozens of wounds and Helashir's nanites couldn't heal him fast enough. Battah stepped forward and looked down to the deliver the final blow. He kicked the Shi hard in the head, spinning Helashir over. Battah raised his weapon high into the air. He turned to the cheering Prilcali and screamed "Quondam Falx!" As the crowd roared in response, the Shi spectators sat in stunned disbelief. Helashir-Damir was about to die. However, that was not to be. Using Battah's arrogance as a distraction, Helashir drove the broken Vatarma clean through Battah's fleshy upper leg, ripping the muscle from the bone. Battah screamed in pain as Helashir then grabbed both sides of the Vatarma and spun it like a wheel. Hunks of Battah's leg flew in all direction as Battah crashed to the ground, falling on his good knee. He swung his weapon around desperately, but Helashir-Damir caught the weapon by the handle and began to wrestle with Battah for control of it. The account of what happened next comes from Helashir-Damir's personal journal. Helashir described the sensation of touching the weapon as spiritual. It felt cold and warm at the same time. It was impossible to determine its weight and balance, as it seemed to shift wildly up and down its length as Battah and Helashir fought for it. Reeling from the pain in what remained of his left leg, Battah made one final shift to try and throw Helashir-Damir off-balance. Helashir had almost forgotten about the battle and was intoxicated by the weapon's feel. With the smallest gesture, Helashir plunged the weapon deep into Battah's chest with a sick, slicing sound. Battah fell to the ground gasping. He looked back up to Helashir and reach up a bloody hand toward the weapon. "Quondam Falx," he said desperately, before he died. Helashir-Damir, the champion of all Shi, had won. The following day, 100,000 Quay slaves were deposited on Prilcali and the civilization was destroyed. The origins of the Quondam Falx would never be answered. In journals, Helashir struggled to describe the Quondam Falx, as it became named, assuming that is what Battah had been referring to. Helashir said the weapon was like holding a sealed tube, half filled with water. As the weapon was shifted, the weight on one end or the other seemed to increase. This wasn't consistent though; as the weight change always seemed to coincide with a strike or block or some other move during combat. Scientific analysis done long after Helashir-Damir's death verified that the weapon was not hollow but did seem to respond by increasing and decreasing its molecular density when certain individuals held it. Many in the scientific community scoffed at such a ridiculous notion and dismissed such talk. One scientist speculated that the weapon was almost sentient and would respond to beings with special abilities. What these abilities are, no one knows. Helashir-Damir was the most traveled of the Shi champions, but beyond his battle prowess, he possessed no such capabilities that could ever be detected in those ancient times. Helashir-Damir used the Quondam Falx for a thousand more battles, and was never defeated. Helashir became popular, powerful, and dangerous. Whispers in Shi society saw that as a threat to their own power and ambitions. Helashir's eventual death was a mystery never fully explained as he fell in the Coliseum to a vicious Quay savage named Grttak. Helashir seemed sluggish and distracted as he entered the arena, a condition that the Quay took advantage of. As Helashir died, his last breath spoke "Quondam Falx." Grttak picked up the weapon, looked at it curiously for moment, then threw it aside. Grttak was shot dead by the Coliseum security detail. The Quondam Falx then disappeared for several thousand years, before being found in the remains of a prominent member of the Vishal house who couldn't explain its presence there. Reclaiming it as their property in a bloody civil war, the Damir have held it ever since. Where it came from and what secret it holds is a mystery for the ages. Nevertheless, the Shi are timeless and patient. One day we will know. Entry closed. Viramri-Damir looked up from the data gelscreen and stared at the broken, empty pedestal where the Quondam Falx had remained for hundreds of years. The security tendrils lay strewn about the floor in tatters and human blood trailed down the hallway toward the outer corridor and onto the maintenance level boarding platform. "The Shi are timeless and patient," Viramri thought to himself. From the Publisher's Desk: WARSONG has a long enough history that its managed to accrue some lost media in its nearly two decades of existence. Some more lost than others. Recently though, a lot of material has come to light due to the diligent efforts of fans, and this story is here thanks to the diligent efforts of fans like Ketora on Discord, who helped dig up things we didn’t even know we’d lost.
During the wilderness years of WARS, as fans passed around the original WARS stories written to promote the WARS Trading Card Game, this story was never among them. Imagine my shock when I read a brand new WARS story I hadn’t read before—and I hadn’t commissioned! It was a real treat, and I hope you get the same joy out of its rediscovery. Yes, its a short little ditty, but its unique and fun. Written to promote the release of the unreleased WARS TCG cardset “Edge of a Sword”, this story is perhaps the furthest most edge WARS existed in in its timeline. For new fans who haven’t gotten to the appearance of the Shi yet… well, we at Arcbeatle Press hope very much to tell the exciting story of how the events here came to be. There’s so much yet to explore. Thanks for reading, and celebrating WARSONG with us! -James Wylder President and Publisher, Arcbeatle Press WARS is Copyright Decipher Inc. WARSONG is Copyright Arcbeatle Press and Decipher Inc. WARS and all associated characters and concepts are the property of Decipher inc. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to people, places, events past or present is purely co-incidental. Arcbeatle Press is owned and operated by James Wylder, and is based out of beautiful Elkhart Indiana. This story is copyright 2005 Decipher, Inc.  Pressure is mounting on the Academy 27 Theater Department to put on their next show--but someone is getting in the way! A mysterious Phantom has made it their goal to stop the show, whatever the cost... Read the story in PDF below:
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 Four girls are trapped in a bathroom with no way out. Four girls whose problems with each other have been boiling under the surface. Four hours trapped are about to turn to five. The only thing left to do, is go for a punch. Today at Academy 27, we reach a turning point you won't want to miss. Read the story in PDF below:
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 New from Arcbeatle Press: a vision of our future called: WARSONG: Preludes Humanity has fractured, and now in its cracks the seeds of the greatest conflict humanity has ever known begin to take root… Rogan Hallard is on the trail of a rogue scientist, but in trying to catch him and the secrets he stole, Hallard and his crew will find themselves in the crossfire of more than one hidden agenda… Higen Orochito’s ancestors created Shocho: an AI powerful enough to run an entire planet. But when Higen begins to suspect that Shocho is malfunctioning, how can he save both his family and the future?
Jack Wilgress lost the family that raised and loved him in order to eke out his own freedom. Now, the family that he found on the edges of space could be lost too, but Wilgress isn’t going to take that threat lying down. Featuring three novellas by Nathan P. Butler (Star Wars Tales), Sean E. Williams (Wonder Woman), and Jim Perry (Bladewielders), with a brand new short story by James Wylder (Cwej: Down the Middle). Based on the universe created by writers like New York Times Bestselling Author Michael Stackpole, comes the return of the cult-classic series from Decipher, Inc. and Arcbeatle Press. The journey to the Battle of Phobos begins here. Whose side will you be on? Available now at the link below in print and for kindle:  Tsetseg Sansar doesn't have many friends. Or any friends. But when a girl joins her for a class project on the foods and festivals of the old Asia their ancestors came to the planet Gongen from, Tsetseg is going to face a new set of challenges: Relating to her father. Relating to her family's past. Relating to her new potential friend. And finding a future that's her own. Join Tsetseg on a heartfelt journey through taste, love, and finding a place to be. Read or download the story in PDF below:
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 Geraldine "JackBox" McGraw has crawled her way from a dark and painful childhood to a free teenage life filled with friends and fun. But everything has a price. While her friends attend Academy 27, JackBox has to work to stay in her new home, and the jobs aren't always above board. Join us on the adventures of a girl trying to climb into the light by the grip of her cybernetic hand. Read or download the story in PDF below:
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 Read the new story in PDF below: Being a teacher at one of the best schools on Mars for gifted students isn't an easy job. But at least when a hard day of work is over, Mrs. Ichinose will be able to just have a nice relaxing date night! ...Right? Take a journey with the kids' homeroom teacher as she has a night that goes entirely not according to plan, but still manages to have some romance along the way...
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