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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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The Battle of Phobos Series Comes to its Epic Conclusion August 27th With WARSONG: Codettas.7/20/2023 The Battle of Phobos Series Comes to its Epic Conclusion August 27th With WARSONG: Codettas. The long-awaited finale to the Battle of Phobos book series is finally here with the new book WARSONG: Codettas. Readers have been waiting for the conclusion of the three intertwined stories of Jack Wilgress, Rogan Hallard, and Higen Orochito for over a decade now. “When the series started back in 2010, I never guessed I’d be the one shepherding it to its finale,” said range editor James Wylder. “I was just an excited fan at the time, so its an honor to bring it to its conclusion.” This final volume takes the build up from the previous books, Preludes and Stretti, and hammers it to a climax. In the far future, a splintered humanity has reached the point of no return on the divisions between them, and now war between these fractious groups is inevitable. Over the skies of Mars, the biggest conflict in humanity’s history is about to begin, and the choices of Wilgress, Hallard, and Higen will make all the difference. Codettas features an exciting line up of talent, featuring novellas by the esteemed Hugo Award Finalist and Locus Award Nominee Bryan Thomas Schmidt (Shattered Shields, Infinite Stars), WARSONG veteran Sabrina Fried (A More Civilized Age, WARSONG: Stretti), and James Wylder (Cwej: Down the Middle, 10,000 Dawns), as well as a short story by Michael Robertson (Goblinpunk, Cwej: Down the Middle). “Working with Bryan Thomas Schmidt on this book was a dream come true, and his prowess as a writer and editor really made these stories shine. I think readers will find something special with this one,” Wylder said. WARSONG has its origins in Decipher’s WARS TCG, whose setting and story were created with the help of New York Times Bestselling Author Michael Stackpole (X-Wing: Rogue Squadron, I, Jedi). The stories and characters have continued on from it, with the support of a devoted fanbase. The Phobos series began in 2010 from Grail Quest Books, before moving to Arcbeatle Press in late 2019. Since then the series has been rereleased in new editions before continuing to its conclusion. “It's been a long road,” says Wylder, “but this final volume makes it all worth it.” WARSONG: Codettas will be released August 27th. Digital Pre-Orders are available now, while the print version will be available on day of release. Pre-Order Here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CC9VD778  Cover art by Kieran Yanner, Graphic Design by Evan Forman.  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.  Today with the second day of WARSONG week, we have an interview with WARSONG Range Editor James Wylder. James has had a long history with the property, and has been passionate about bringing the universe to life at Arcbeatle Press. If you're curious about what WARSONG is, he'll be glad to share! WARSONG Q&A Q: Can you give a bit of background for those unfamiliar with WARSONG? A: WARSONG is a science fiction setting about a future where humanity has fractured in to three factions: earth has become a corporatocracy, Mars has declared its independence, renamed itself Gongen, and is now a communist government run by an Artificial Intelligence, and people who don’t want to be a part of either of those two powers have become Mavericks–people who live in the lawless reaches of space waking out an independent living. Earth wants Gongen back, the Mavericks want to be left alone, and everybody is starting to get in each other’s business as a complicated situation starts reaching a breaking point… In the real world, WARSONG is a series of fiction based on the universe that was created by writers like New York Times Bestseller Michael A. Stackpole (Star Wars: X-Wing), Chuck Kallenbach, and Tim Ellington, with art for the series done by folks like John Howe (the Lord of the Rings films) and Kieran Yanner (Magic the Gathering) for the WARS Trading Card Game by Decipher, Inc. back in 2004. The game itself didn’t last long, but the universe, the game, and the stories have had a hold on myself and other devoted fans for nearly two decades now, and I’m beyond excited to be able to bring this universe to a whole new audience of readers. Q: What can the audience expect from WARSONG: Preludes? A: Three novellas by some really talented writers, and one short story by a mook–sorry I’ve been told I should be nicer about myself! I mean, one story by another writer some people have called pretty-okay (me). Nathan P. Butler wrote the first novella, and he’d written for Star Wars Tales comics, so he was a great find for this series. The guy is really smart too, he understands history and politics on a deep level that you’ll really get to see play out as his story continues. Sean E. Williams wrote the second one, he’s had a wild career, writing Wonder Woman comics and Fairest. He’s great at character work, and you’ll get some great stuff as the characters in his novella are built up and torn down. Finally, Jim Perry wrote the capstone to it all, which is a legitimately riveting and funny book that’s going to take you on an adventure that I think is fair to call “cinematic” in a good way! Q: Do you have a favourite scene in the book? A: Oh how to pick… There’s a reveal in the first novella, Healers and Hunters, that I think first time readers are going to have an absolute ball with and just eat up, and folks familiar with the lore already will be grinning when they realise what’s about to show up. Q: How did you find the editing process? A: It was unique. After all, the three novellas had already been released before! They started with Grail Quest Books, who I worked for in the past, but they didn’t manage to finish releasing the series sadly. I’d been part of the series as a proofreader and setting advisor–as well as writing an unreleased novella for it!--so when my old bosses Josh and Kas Radke, offered to let Arcbeatle Press finish releasing the series they’d started for it, I was ecstatic. I’m honored Decipher gave us this chance, and we’ve taken it very seriously. But we had a few things we knew we could improve going in. One of the writers wanted a chance to improve some elements of their novella they weren’t satisfied with, so I did a new editing job on one of the novellas, and added a new epilogue to the book to help lead readers into the next book better. I think this is the best release this book has gotten, and I can’t wait for new readers to see it for the first time, and old readers to see it in its new form. Q: Does the book connect to the WARS Roleplaying Game? A: If you’re a fan of the WARS Roleplaying Game you’ll find some of your favorite places and characters from the game in this book, not to mention a lot of valuable lore about the universe you’ll uncover along the way you can use in your games. In making the Battle of Phobos series, when it started at Grail Quest Books, there were a lot of things we had to figure out and expand about the setting to make the series happen. All the writers, and the series first editor Josh Radke, made a lot of wonderful additions, and I think we at Arcbeatle Press are doing our best to add our own! Q: Could you list a few reasons readers should check out WARSONG? A: Do you like character driven stories? Adventure? Sci-Fi? Factions maneuvering against each other in the shadows? Giant robots? Jetpacks? Heartbreaking separations? Mad science? Cool spaceships? You might be into WARSONG. Give it a shot! Q: What can we expect to see in future WARSONG releases? A: In the next trio of novellas, Stretti, you’ll get to see the ramifications of everything that happened in the Preludes will play out. Things will have consequences, characters will be faced with tough choices, and things are going to get real dramatic in all the best ways. Not to mention how wild the finale of the Phobos series, Stretti, is going to be… We also have our continuing serial series Academy 27, which follows kids at a school on Gongen that’s had a surprising amount of success lately and we’re very proud of. WARSONG has been resting awhile, but there’s a lot in the works and on the way. We can’t wait to show it to you! Check out WARSONG: Preludes HERE, and start your journey in the solar system! Welcome to WARSONG week! Every day this week we're going to be celebrating WARSONG with something new, we hope you'll join us! If it's your first time here: we're glad to have you! Why not check out our MAIN PAGE about what WARSONG is? If you're returning, we're glad to see you back, and we have a long-awaited treat for you: the long-delayed "side-B" story that shows what happened during the story "Kalingkata Has a Bad Night Out" from the perspective of Earther Kippli Darnell. You'll see more of Kippli in the upcoming book WARSONG: Stretti as well! You can keep up with further WARSONG Week updates by clicking Here! So, without further adieu... WARSONG: Kippli Darnell Should Read the Room by James Wylder
"You can't really expect to make people stop yelling about war by throwing a dinner party, sir..." Howard Martin sighed, Kippli Darnell was talented in his own way as a diplomat, but he still didn't understand the job. "You're young, I get that, but you need to learn not everything is grand gestures. History doesn't always change in a moment, sometimes it's a long series of ups and downs. If you get the chance to push things up, you go for it." Kippli nodded, but the frown plastered on his face showed he wasn't convinced, "If you say so, sir." He nudged his junior, "Maybe you're just getting jealous everyone wants to talk to Yumi." Howard had been joking, but the way Kippli went red showed he'd actually hit the nail on the head. He held back letting out a second sigh, oh to be a young man and have such ridiculous worries. Earth and Mars were teetering on the edge of an incline they would slide down together into war, and Mr. Darnell was just coming to terms with his wife being noticed again now that she wasn't hobbling around from her injuries or covering her face to hide the wide straight scar that went across both cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Well, it shouldn't be his job, but he knew how to work people. That's why he was the head diplomat after all. He slapped Kippli on the back warmly, "Come on kid, she's glancing over at you half the time. The woman clearly loves you, she's doing exactly what a diplomat's spouse is supposed to do and keeping the boring people busy. Isn't that right, Mary?" The third diplomat in their party, Mary Spruce, did not feign levity, "I wouldn't know sir, I'm not married." He'd have to teach Kippli how to not pout, and Mary how to play along. Alas. There was a chime, and on the other side of the room, past all the white-draped round dinner tables, a security detail came through the door, examined the room, and then the guest of honor came in as the herald at the door loudly announced him: Sato Shintaro, the President's son, followed by his ever-present bodyguard Hotaru. "Well damn, I guess the rumors the President's health is still declining have more weight to them than I thought," Mary grumbled. "They'd RSVP'd for the man himself." "They always RSVP for the President and send Shintaro instead these days," Howard said coolly. "You'll get used to it." It took him a while to work his way over to them, stopping to talk to every smiling face like a good politician, but eventually he got to the hosts. "Ambassador Martin, it's always a pleasure. Ambassador Darnell, a pleasure as well, I'm glad to see Yumi is feeling well enough to be out and about. Son with the grandparents?" Howard was always impressed with Shintaro's ability to either remember details about every person he met, or alternately cram a briefing ahead of every event. He'd mastered the skill to an incredible degree for a man so young. Hotaru hung back behind him expressionless. He gave her a smile. She didn't budge a muscle. "Yes!" Kippli replied, "It's nice to have a little time to go out on our own now and then." He looked at Mary, "And I don't believe we've been introduced. Sato Shintaro." She gave him a customary bow, and then they shook hands, "Mary Spruce. I'm the newest diplomat here. I hope to get well acquainted with the planet." Howard noticed a bead of sweat on Mary's temple. She had wiped her palm on her pant leg before shaking hands. He'd read her file, she'd worked as an attaché to the president of iCom, so she'd met plenty of rich and powerful before. Still, it was a whole new planet, and her first time meeting a Marsian official, so he'd excuse it. "And how are you liking Gongen so far, Ambassador Spruce?" "I am liking Mars just fine, sir," she replied. Martin grimaced, the Marsians renaming their planet and people Gongen was still a point of contention after all this time. For all the dinner was supposed to bring people together, the cracks were still popping through. Shintaro wasn't phased though, he kept up that pleasant smile, "If you haven't tried the local bathhouses, I'd recommend them. You'd be surprised just how relaxing they can be." So he'd noticed her sweating too. "Thank you sir, I'll take that under advisement." The President's son moved on, they'd have their real discussion after he made his rounds, and Howard turned to Mary, "I know you're ex-military, but you need to start learning to relax at these events. Just take a deep breath." "Yes, sir." "And drop the sir." She adjusted the collar of her knee-length green and white jacket (the Earther fashion these days) and nodded, "I'm going to step out for some air if you don't mind." He smiled, "I think that's a good idea. Don't worry about tonight, just take it as a trial run." She put on a fleeting smile before turning and heading for the balcony. * * * “So, make new friends? That Earther girl looked cute.” “Ha. Ha,” he rubbed the bridge of his nose, “That’s our new junior, she’s… been assigned to us.” “I got that impression. The one you mentioned driving you up the wall?” He nodded, “One and the same.” “I tried talking to her when we got in, she was… touchy.” “She’s ex military, not necessarily a bad thing, but it feels like they threw her in here just to keep tabs on us, frankly she doesn’t have a bright future as a diplomat.” “What tipped you off, her inability to talk to people, or her inability to read the room?” He laughed, “I’ll keep her around just so you tease her about that and not me.” “I’m sure I’ll fit it in somewhere.” The host of the evening stepped forward, and brought the room to attention. It was the ambitious Ito Ryuu, a man whose motivations Kippli hadn’t entirely grasped yet, but whom he was certain had his eyes on the presidency of the planet. A fierce nationalist, sure, but one who seemed to not be easy to pigeon hole with that descriptor either. Beside him was an older woman wearing an Au Dai. "Ladies, Gentlemen, and honored guests, I know you're all anxious to see the main event. But if I might say a few words--the future of Gongen in our solar system is one with an uncertain path, but one for which we must be sure on the direction we will guide it on. Tensions are flaring, and our security is more important than ever. Who can protect Gongen, but the Gongen? The idea that we can rely on outside help when danger comes to our own citizens is a folly, and our soldiers in the Self-Defense Force need every advantage they can get. And that is why I'm proud to announce the latest in monomolecular blades, a mass production model based on the work of master blademaker Ming Hu Tran." The woman bowed, and there was much applause. Kippli didn’t applaud, this wasn’t the kind of thing an Earther ambassador should ever be applauding, but he did give it his full attention until he noticed someone awkwardly sidling up beside him. "Great party huh?" Kippli looked up to see a young Marsian lady—perhaps in her late teens?—who was so clearly faking her confidence in being here that it was, in a certain way, charming. Was she the daughter of one of the officials here? Probably. She didn’t want to be here, that was for certain. "Oh, sure. I suppose so, if you have a certain sensibility,” he replied with what he hoped was a sense of camaraderie. The girl nodded, "Love that war profiteering, and stuff like that. Really enjoy the prospect of imminent mass death for no good reason." He frowned, "Are you... being sarcastic?" "Sorry, I don't get to speak English a lot. Yeah, that was sarcasm." She gestured over at the sword. "Kind of a blunt force way of showing off that they don't want to give peace a chance." He sighed, "It’s certainly not what I was hoping to see, especially not from Ito Ryuu... who might you be again?" "Oh right," she extended a hand. "Kalingkata. I'm a criminal hacker with the space mafia." He took her hand, awkwardly, and shook it. "Is that also sarcasm?" "Who knows? Who are you?" "Kippli Darnell, ambassador to Mars from the CGC. I'm here with Howard Martin from the Earth Mission to Gongen, and my own junior ambassador Mary Spruce. And my wife, of course." She blinked, "Oh shit, I mean, uh, oh... gosh. Wow. So there are important people here." "...Did you sneak in?" "Not at all, I got announced at the door and everything. My name is 'and guest'." She glanced over to see a line of guests who were taking turns giving the sword they'd brought for demonstration a few swings, then asking the old man questions about it. "Well at least you're not boring. And it's good to see not everyone is being a warhawk about all of this." Before he knew it Yumi had slid in next to him, smiling at Kalingkata. She really was too good at sneaking up on him. "Who might this be?” The girl glanced at the scar on Yumi’s face, everyone did that, but thankfully had enough tact not to linger on that detail and move her gaze up to her eyes. "Kalingkata. I'm just some girl." "Yumi Darnell, I'm Ambassador Darnell's wife." "Pleasure, so my boss, who I am here with--" "--From the space mafia?" "Right, exactly. She wanted me to check on the item she put up for display here. Any idea where I'd go to make sure it’s ready?" Yumi mouthed, "Space Mafia?" at her husband who whispered something back Kalingkata couldn't hear. "Below us is where all the items being showcased for the guests are located. I take it by ‘space mafia’ you were being funny about saying ‘arms dealer’ then?" She winked, "You got it." Kippli had watched this girl’s cover story shift multiple times in the tiny amount of time he’d known her. He wasn’t sure whether to call her out on this, or just keep playing along. And he hesitated, as he often did, and because of that he didn’t get an answer. Because that was when the explosions started. Yumi rushed forward, catching Kalingkata deftly as she began to tumble from the shaking. The girl looked up breathlessly from the rescue—not everyone in the room was so lucky. Many had fallen over, and a rush to leave the venue began immediately. Kalingkata, wasting no time, extracted herself from Yumi and with a mock casualness said: "You guys should go, I have work in the morning.” There wasn’t a chance to go after her. She disappeared into the chaotic crowd, moving further into the room. He reached for Yumi, and she grabbed his hand as the throng swarmed around them. At least they hadn’t been separated. “What’s going on?” Yumi said. “I don’t know, but we need to get out of here.” Yumi stopped, and pointed. The girl he'd been talking to was standing on top of the display the sword had been on, lowering into the floor. Was she performing a robbery? Was she in danger? It didn't matter, Yumi was already springing into action, shoving her way through to Sato who was trying his best to direct the crowd as he straggled behind her. "--below us!" he heard as he finally caught up. "What makes you so sure?" Sato replied. "If I was trying to sabotage this, that's where I'd be!" He opened his mouth, shut it, and nodded. "Hotaru," he said to his bodyguard, "go now. We'll follow." The woman nodded, and bolted. Kippli found himself caught up in following, as Yumi and Sato ran after her. He worried Yumi's leg would give out. They barreled out of the hall, through an ornate hallway, and then down a service stairway Shintaro seemed to know by heart, where they could see an open doorway that they charged towards--the scene inside was a mess. The girl was in the back, standing by a hole in the wall that had clearly been the earlier explosion. There were other explosives in the room too--but something had gone wrong and they hadn't gone off, a small blessing there. The girl looked like she was about to jump out of the hole in the building, which was a skyscraper. This was concerning. What was also concerning however was that Hotaru was in the middle of a fierce grapple with an opponent who Kippli immediately recognized, and began to curse up a storm over as soon as he did. It was Mary Spruce. The brawl was fierce, Mary threw Hotaru down, only for her to turn the fall into a roll, and kick back up while activating her jetpack to rush her again. Yumi yelled something at the girl which Kippli couldn't hear over the noise. The girl didn't seem to hear either. She jumped. Yumi sprung into action, and as Mary and Hotaru fell once again into a fierce grapple, trying desperately to take each other's weapons, she grabbed a display rifle from where it had fallen on the floor. Of course it wasn't loaded, but she was reacting without thinking. Once she'd realized this, she continued reacting without thinking and hurled the rifle at Mary's leg--it slammed into the back of her knee, her leg folding, and Hotaru used the sudden loss of balance to disarm her, and drop her into a hold. She squirmed and screamed on the ground. "What the hell," was all Kippli could think to say. And then he ran towards the hole in the wall. He didn't know what he expected to see. The girl hanging from the ledge? A faint pinprick of red on the ground below? What he did see was a surprise. The girl had been caught in a floating net, attached to a hover bike. He let out a relieved sigh. Well, she may have actually been a thief and a spy, but she was far too young to die. That's why he was here after all, it was a good reminder. All these warhawks. This whole stupid banquet showing off weapons of war for the older generations to force the younger ones to use to kill and be killed. He wasn't supposed to let them win. Shintaro's voice broke him from his reverie, a grimace on his face. "Ambassador Darnell, I think it would be best if we agreed nothing happened here." He blinked, "I'm sorry?" "There wasn't an incident. There are no explosives." "DAMN YOU, YOU'RE ALL INSOLENT LITTLE CHILDREN!" Mary screamed. The pieces came together in his head. He nodded. "It’s unfortunate, but I believe Mary Spruce's drunken conduct tonight may require me to quietly send her back to Earth." Shintaro gave a bow, "I'm glad we have an understanding." "...What about...?" he gestured at the damage, the bombs. "I'll handle it, don't worry about it." Kippli nodded, and staggered over to Mary. It was all so... confusing. She scowled up at him. "Mary... why? Just... Why?" She spat, trying to reach him but it falling short in front of his shoes. “Because this is what we’re supposed to be doing! The Marsians need to be taught a lesson. They’re not going to understand until we put them back in their place.” “You want a war?” “Of course I do! You should too, Ambassador.” “Think of the children who would die… the innocent people. I have a young son here, Mary.” “And he’ll thrive as part of the Central Governance Corporation’s glorious future.” Shintaro stared down at her, impassively. “The fate of Gongen isn’t yours to decide.” She took a breath, steadying herself, then spoke firmly, never breaking eye contact with him. “You think you have any leg to stand on? Mars once belonged to Earth, and will always belong to Earth. You don’t get to choose your own name, or choose the way your own foot takes a step forward. You’ve become so drunk on your illusion of independence, you’ve forgotten who your masters are. The CGC is going to remind you who is in charge, whose soil this is, and I don’t give a single damn how many innocents get bombed to a pulp in the meanwhile. Think of the children? They’ll die in the bonfire like the rest of you traitors.” Shintaro didn’t react. “Thank you for your opinion. I’ll keep that in mind. Hotaru?” She grabbed Mary by the hair, and slammed her forehead into the floor in one precise movement. Kippli cringed. He looked at Kippli, “Take care of your own now, if you would.” * * * Kippli Darnell’s new assistant barely talked. It wasn't as though she wasn't well knowledgeable about her position; along with a previous diplomatic internship she had a full on degree in Marsian Studies. She just didn't seem to have a lot to say. She followed his orders pretty precisely, took notes perfectly, and didn't make herself known. He was 100% certain that she was another spy, but at least this time they'd sent someone who wasn't going to cause her masters more trouble than she was worth. "I did finish running the check on the girl you met, one Kalingkata," his new aide began as they sat in the lobby of Sato Shintaro's office. "Quite the interesting character. She actually fell on our radar last year it seems." "Is she--" "Alive? Yes. She's been attending school." She handed him a padd, which had a brief dossier on her. Student at Academy 27 in Takumi, associated with several Mavericks. Grandparents were dissidents. Then several pages of completely redacted text. "Well that's curious." "I thought you might think so." He sighed, and set the padd down. "Curious but not useful. I feel like I just stepped for a moment into a whole other life, and then just as quickly stepped out of it again. I'll probably never encounter--sorry I'm rambling now." "You're fine sir," she said, tapping the right side of her head by the eye with her curled fingers. "Feeling alright?" She tensed for a moment, "Fine, sir. My right eye is prosthetic, I lost it fighting pirates in the rings of Saturn. First and last tour out. When I came back I thought I might try my hand at something a little more peaceful so I went back to school. Now I'm here." "You should get it serviced if it’s bothering you," he said in a voice that might have sounded a little paternal. She screwed her lips up for a moment, "I don't want anyone to think I'm a Maverick, sir." He sighed, "I'll have someone come into the office for you. And drop the 'sir' already. What's your name again?" "Catinka. Catinka Barow, from Hamburgplex." "Well, I look forward too--" "Ambassador Darnell?" The secretary called. "Master Sato will see you now.” Finally. Annoying timing, but finally. He rose up. "You won't be allowed to come in with me I'm afraid," Darnell told her. "Try to get to know the secretary and the staff while you wait. Those are more important connections than you might think.” The young woman nodded, and turned around to go do just that. Maybe she'd stick around, maybe she wouldn't. Things would be difficult either way. Entering into Sato Shintaro's office he found the man buttoning a shirt up as a floating bot sprayed him with de-scenter. "I apologize for my appearance; I just finished a workout." Kippli waved away the apology, "No, I should be thanking you for making time for me in your busy schedule." The formalities out of the way, Sato went right into it. "I understand Mary Spruce has been reprimanded and sent back to Earth." Ambassador Darnell nodded, "It’s unfortunate she caused such trouble getting intoxicated during a crisis. The vague implication that she accidentally had a hand in the explosion due to her intoxication probably helped." Sato slid into his seat. "Of course, no one believes your report." "Probably not." "I did my end of the work. As far as anyone is aware, it really was just an accidental explosion. I found a man willing to take the fall for it, and relocated him with the same job down in Hozin." Perfect. Kippli wasn't keen on the way that Sato Shintaro had been given the reins his father the actual president Sato Satoshi should be guiding, but he was good at his job. He let out a sigh of relief. Crisis averted. Well... "...Master Sato, if I might?" He gave a curious look and nodded. "How many more crises like this can we avoid?" Sato gave him a sad smile. "As many as it takes, or as many as we can. We can only keep trying." “And when we run out?” The President’s son sighed, “Read the room Ambassador Darnell. The answer to that question seems to be either despair or joy for most people.” “And which camp do you fall into?” Sato got up and walked to the window. He looked out at Kazuki, and after a time Kippli thought he might never reply. Then finally, he looked into the Ambassador’s reflection in the window and give his reply. “Hope,” he said. * * * Mary Spruce opened her eyes. The room was silver and green, with white support beams. She was sitting in a chair, but she could tell it could be lowered into a bed for medical procedures. She tried to move, and found before she looked down to confirm it that there were restraints around her wrists and ankles. She tried a few of the normal tricks to get out of them, but whoever had designed them had worked around each one, and doing so only continued to make her more uncomfortable. "You're quite tenacious, aren't you?" It was a man's voice. She tried to turn her head to see him, but it was no use. "I like tenacious people. That's a compliment, mind you. But there's also a problem with them." He finally came into view. She couldn't place the face, she was great with faces too. But he seemed familiar. "The name is Jylan Rathe. You're currently at CISyn headquarters. Do you know what that means?" She stopped struggling. "...You don't need to bring my family into this, please. I'll tell you anything you want to know. But there isn't much, the whole bomb plot was my idea, and I can give you the list of the sellers I--" He shook his head. It stopped her dead cold. She knew about CISyn. Had been in the army long enough to know not to say anything if someone just happened to get mysteriously reassigned. Her pulse raced. She tried to steady it, but she struggled. She thought of her parents, her siblings, back in Atlantaplex. Her pulse raced faster. "Please, Ms. Spruce. No need to be so ragged and weary. I want to offer you a job, actually." She gulped, and found she couldn't not, so replied. "What sort of--I mean, yes sir." He smiled. "There's only one problem of course. For this job to work, I'm afraid we can't have Mary Spruce running around. Too many pesky memories." The chair began to turn into a table. Her mouth was forcibly shut. "But I have complete confidence you'll be whoever I want you to be." From the Publisher's Desk:After a long wait, we’re happy to finally present you the “Side-B” story to “Kalingkata Has a Bad Night Out” we promised back when that story came out. A lot changed in the world since then: we came out with a the first volume in “The Battle of Phobos” saga, we successfully launched the first WARSONG spin off with the surprise hit Academy 27 (a series none of us saw coming!), and announced that Arcbeatle Press would be putting out even more WARSONG content for the WARS Roleplaying Game with our newly acquired tabletop gaming branch, Shotgun Angel Games. And now, WARSONG: Stretti, the second part of the Phobos saga, is on the horizon. How time flies, huh? We’ve got a lot of exciting things on the way: the other two Phobos books, more original WARSONG stories, new RPG content, and a second season of Academy 27! We hope you’ll join us, and spread the word. Oh, and if you haven’t already, grab the first Phobos book. Or heck, get one for a friend! With Stretti on the horizon, its time to get reading: Click Here to Grab WARSONG: Preludes! -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 2022 Arcbeatle Press and James Wylder. Edited by Jo Smiley and James Wylder.  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: |
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