I am off for the next two days, unwilling to share either my good news or restrain my bad mood should the word I am hoping for prove negative. The wait is exhausting, and while I am writing slowly, it drags at me, not knowing, a funk I feel like a weight pulling me to earth.
So, off I go. More writing. More waiting.
Tomorrow, if I get no word, the Agent will call and find out why and I shall wait through that, as well.
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Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Another Bridge of The Broken Excerpt
This is some of what I have been working on lately. I hope you enjoy. I certainly needed to pick on someone, even if it was a character in my mind:
“Who was that?” Vytas asked Cory, hating the man, his manner, and his disdain for common courtesy.
They’d been negotiating the disposition on another shipment when Cory had taken a call, ‘Just like that, in the middle of talks, while all this shit is up in the air with Prometheus and I shouldn’t even have taken this meeting, the round-headed little chimp decides he can tell me to wait while he talks to some whore?’
“Nobody, just a girl.”
“Which is it?” Vytas asked.
“Huh?”
“Nobody, or a girl?”
Cory smirked, “Both.”
Vytas let that witty comeback drop between them like lead, just stared at Cory, trying to hold on to his temper, ‘I can be reasonably sure Alaric and his people weren’t into the attack on Prometheus. Of course, given what I’ve learned about Alaric’s opinion of Cory, I wouldn’t be surprised if he were willing to let cousin Cory get smoked to make it look good.’
“What?” Cory asked when he could take the silence no longer.
“Why allow this nobody of a girl interrupt important business discussions?” Vytas asked, just to see what kind of response the twit would give while he concentrated on other things, ‘I am pretty confident Alaric’s crew couldn’t have organized a hit down here, in orbit, sure, but some kind of word would have reached someone in Prometheus’ organization otherwise. Then there’s the fact that Alaric called me direct, offering to help.'
“What? No, she- I…”
‘God save me from morons,’ Vytas thought with feeling.
Cory missed the point, of course, decided in his discomfort that blundering into even deeper water was a good idea, “Look, I hear things ain’t all that good in your organization.”
“Really?” Vytas said, “And who would be saying shit about how things are or are not in Prometheus’ organization?”
Cory made a smoothing-out gesture with his hands, leaned away, shrugged, “I don’t know.”
Vytas leaned into the space vacated by the smaller man, “That’s right, you don’t know. You, and whoever else might be talking out of turn ought to keep their mouth shut about shit they know nothing about, lest some of that shit seep in and choke the life from them.”
Cory digested that a moment, shrinking further before swallowing his pride, “You’re right.”
Pressing the point home, Vytas lingered in the smaller man’s space.
Cory grunted, looked down at the schedule on his databoard.
Satisfied, Vytas relented, “Now. We can expect the drop at oh-three hundred, correct?”
“Yes, that’s when the shuttle is scheduled. So long as your man is there, we’ll be in business.”
Vytas nodded.
“I mean, your guy has to be there, not chasing fish or some shit,” Cory persisted, despicable smirk back on his face.
Patience vaporized in the heat of the man’s stupidity, Vytas felt his lip curl and -barely stopped his hands from wrapping around the man’s neck, settling for poking two fingers in the smaller man’s chest, “Motherfucker, if you say one more word about this organization or how it’s run, I’ll beat you till the color runs out your eyes, understand?”
“What? What did I sa-“
“So, you’re too stupid to know what you’re saying, is that it?”
“No-“
“Listen, fucktard, I have had enough of your snippy little comments, your shitty attitude, and your general lack of professionalism. Get your shit straight or I will end you.”
Cory sucked in a breath, face paling, but rallied with “You wouldn’t start a war over some stupid comment, would you?”
Vytas snarled, “You think Alaric would go to war over me kicking your ass? I think you overestimate your value, you knobby, dried up little cunt. I don’t think he even likes his wife that much, let alone her cunt cousin who can’t keep his fucking mouth shut and earn his way.”
Cory’s mouth snapped closed and his face drained completely of color.
‘That’s right, you piece of shit, I know all about who you’re related to and why I’ve been saddled with your bullshit these last couple months,’ Vytas thought as the other man tried to recover. Determined to put the other man’s bullshit to bed for good, he went on, “Now, no more of this shit you think is funny, or just idle commentary, or whatever. We are not equals, and I will fuck you up if you give me the least reason. Got it?”
Cory nodded, swallowed.
“I’ll have you say it.”
“I get it. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
“Now, get out. My men will be on hand to take the next shipment.”
“Yes, yes. No problem,” the man said, already heading out the door.
Vytas’ phone buzzed in his pocket. No one was supposed to be calling…unless Prometheus’ condition changed.
Dreading the call, Vytas answered, “Speak.”
“Vytas, there’s a problem down at the warehouse,” Gopti, the organization’s front man at the warehouse, said.
“What?” Vytas said, ‘Motherfucker, was I that off about Alaric’s crew?’
“Someone came asking questions.”
“Who?” Vytas asked.
“Nevermind. Meet me at the usual. I’ll be there in a few.”
“The man was strange, said he knew you.”
“See you in a few, Gopti. We’ll talk then.”
“Very well, I will be seeing you.”
“Yes,” Vytas said, hanging up.
“Who was that?” Vytas asked Cory, hating the man, his manner, and his disdain for common courtesy.
They’d been negotiating the disposition on another shipment when Cory had taken a call, ‘Just like that, in the middle of talks, while all this shit is up in the air with Prometheus and I shouldn’t even have taken this meeting, the round-headed little chimp decides he can tell me to wait while he talks to some whore?’
“Nobody, just a girl.”
“Which is it?” Vytas asked.
“Huh?”
“Nobody, or a girl?”
Cory smirked, “Both.”
Vytas let that witty comeback drop between them like lead, just stared at Cory, trying to hold on to his temper, ‘I can be reasonably sure Alaric and his people weren’t into the attack on Prometheus. Of course, given what I’ve learned about Alaric’s opinion of Cory, I wouldn’t be surprised if he were willing to let cousin Cory get smoked to make it look good.’
“What?” Cory asked when he could take the silence no longer.
“Why allow this nobody of a girl interrupt important business discussions?” Vytas asked, just to see what kind of response the twit would give while he concentrated on other things, ‘I am pretty confident Alaric’s crew couldn’t have organized a hit down here, in orbit, sure, but some kind of word would have reached someone in Prometheus’ organization otherwise. Then there’s the fact that Alaric called me direct, offering to help.'
“What? No, she- I…”
‘God save me from morons,’ Vytas thought with feeling.
Cory missed the point, of course, decided in his discomfort that blundering into even deeper water was a good idea, “Look, I hear things ain’t all that good in your organization.”
“Really?” Vytas said, “And who would be saying shit about how things are or are not in Prometheus’ organization?”
Cory made a smoothing-out gesture with his hands, leaned away, shrugged, “I don’t know.”
Vytas leaned into the space vacated by the smaller man, “That’s right, you don’t know. You, and whoever else might be talking out of turn ought to keep their mouth shut about shit they know nothing about, lest some of that shit seep in and choke the life from them.”
Cory digested that a moment, shrinking further before swallowing his pride, “You’re right.”
Pressing the point home, Vytas lingered in the smaller man’s space.
Cory grunted, looked down at the schedule on his databoard.
Satisfied, Vytas relented, “Now. We can expect the drop at oh-three hundred, correct?”
“Yes, that’s when the shuttle is scheduled. So long as your man is there, we’ll be in business.”
Vytas nodded.
“I mean, your guy has to be there, not chasing fish or some shit,” Cory persisted, despicable smirk back on his face.
Patience vaporized in the heat of the man’s stupidity, Vytas felt his lip curl and -barely stopped his hands from wrapping around the man’s neck, settling for poking two fingers in the smaller man’s chest, “Motherfucker, if you say one more word about this organization or how it’s run, I’ll beat you till the color runs out your eyes, understand?”
“What? What did I sa-“
“So, you’re too stupid to know what you’re saying, is that it?”
“No-“
“Listen, fucktard, I have had enough of your snippy little comments, your shitty attitude, and your general lack of professionalism. Get your shit straight or I will end you.”
Cory sucked in a breath, face paling, but rallied with “You wouldn’t start a war over some stupid comment, would you?”
Vytas snarled, “You think Alaric would go to war over me kicking your ass? I think you overestimate your value, you knobby, dried up little cunt. I don’t think he even likes his wife that much, let alone her cunt cousin who can’t keep his fucking mouth shut and earn his way.”
Cory’s mouth snapped closed and his face drained completely of color.
‘That’s right, you piece of shit, I know all about who you’re related to and why I’ve been saddled with your bullshit these last couple months,’ Vytas thought as the other man tried to recover. Determined to put the other man’s bullshit to bed for good, he went on, “Now, no more of this shit you think is funny, or just idle commentary, or whatever. We are not equals, and I will fuck you up if you give me the least reason. Got it?”
Cory nodded, swallowed.
“I’ll have you say it.”
“I get it. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
“Now, get out. My men will be on hand to take the next shipment.”
“Yes, yes. No problem,” the man said, already heading out the door.
Vytas’ phone buzzed in his pocket. No one was supposed to be calling…unless Prometheus’ condition changed.
Dreading the call, Vytas answered, “Speak.”
“Vytas, there’s a problem down at the warehouse,” Gopti, the organization’s front man at the warehouse, said.
“What?” Vytas said, ‘Motherfucker, was I that off about Alaric’s crew?’
“Someone came asking questions.”
“Who?” Vytas asked.
“Nevermind. Meet me at the usual. I’ll be there in a few.”
“The man was strange, said he knew you.”
“See you in a few, Gopti. We’ll talk then.”
“Very well, I will be seeing you.”
“Yes,” Vytas said, hanging up.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Impatience
Anxiety over outcomes has suddenly started to drown everything else. I am short-tempered, foul-mouthed, and generally not pleasant to be around.
Then again, am I ever otherwise?
Then again, am I ever otherwise?
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Karma is a Bitch, Ain't It?
Today I had another riding experience I am now going to force you to hear about.
Experience one:
Heavy fog this morning, forty two degrees out. I ride.
There is an intersection that has two left turn lanes, one of which is almost always used as a U turn lane and is slow as molasses because of it. As the road drivers complete the U turn onto is narrow, drivers often edge into the other turn lane, making it slow as well. Knowing this, and needing gas, I decided to go straight, perform a legal U turn in the next intersection, and get gas at the station located at the far corner of the first intersection.
Trying to get through the first intersection, the truck in front of me slams on his brakes. I brake, come to a stop inches from the rear end of the truck in front of me. I look to see what emergency has caused my near-death experience. It appears someone does not want to go straight and wants everyone else in three lanes to stop so they can butt into line. I wish I was that important.
So, on we go. We get to the next intersection, I put my signal on and begin my U turn. Those of you who ride might know that U-Turns are not the simplest maneuver on a bike given the low speed and tight turn radius required, especially in slick conditions. I gave myself space. I performed the turn. The asshat who started behind me decides to make his U-turn inside my arc AND THEN FAILS TO MAKE IT IN ONE MOTION, requiring me to stop to avoid hitting him.
ASSHAT.
I gave him a flash or two of the lights, to let him know he was endangering my life with his impatience. He did not move his head or raise a hand to indicate, 'oops' or anything of that nature.
I rode up next to him where he was stopped at the light (Unlike me, he was not getting gas) and motioned for him to roll down his window. He stared.
That's right, he was a big man behind the wheel of his hurtling car, but unwilling to man up and face even the mild correction I might have directed at him. Such behavior causes me some stress, as I was somehow brought up to acknowledge mistakes I made and own my behavior, yet there seem to be so few people who do this.
I was satisfied to see him zoom off to get stuck in traffic. Later, after getting gas and getting on the freeway a little further down the road I saw his vehicle with its ambers on, broken down on the side of the road.
Had I been in a lane closer and could have done it safely, I might have stopped, offered to help, then told him, "Karma's a Bitch." and ridden off.
Perhaps fortunately (for my own karma, at least) I was unable to do so. My darker side does hope the fucker is still there, unable to get help and stewing in his own juices.
Experience one:
Heavy fog this morning, forty two degrees out. I ride.
There is an intersection that has two left turn lanes, one of which is almost always used as a U turn lane and is slow as molasses because of it. As the road drivers complete the U turn onto is narrow, drivers often edge into the other turn lane, making it slow as well. Knowing this, and needing gas, I decided to go straight, perform a legal U turn in the next intersection, and get gas at the station located at the far corner of the first intersection.
Trying to get through the first intersection, the truck in front of me slams on his brakes. I brake, come to a stop inches from the rear end of the truck in front of me. I look to see what emergency has caused my near-death experience. It appears someone does not want to go straight and wants everyone else in three lanes to stop so they can butt into line. I wish I was that important.
So, on we go. We get to the next intersection, I put my signal on and begin my U turn. Those of you who ride might know that U-Turns are not the simplest maneuver on a bike given the low speed and tight turn radius required, especially in slick conditions. I gave myself space. I performed the turn. The asshat who started behind me decides to make his U-turn inside my arc AND THEN FAILS TO MAKE IT IN ONE MOTION, requiring me to stop to avoid hitting him.
ASSHAT.
I gave him a flash or two of the lights, to let him know he was endangering my life with his impatience. He did not move his head or raise a hand to indicate, 'oops' or anything of that nature.
I rode up next to him where he was stopped at the light (Unlike me, he was not getting gas) and motioned for him to roll down his window. He stared.
That's right, he was a big man behind the wheel of his hurtling car, but unwilling to man up and face even the mild correction I might have directed at him. Such behavior causes me some stress, as I was somehow brought up to acknowledge mistakes I made and own my behavior, yet there seem to be so few people who do this.
I was satisfied to see him zoom off to get stuck in traffic. Later, after getting gas and getting on the freeway a little further down the road I saw his vehicle with its ambers on, broken down on the side of the road.
Had I been in a lane closer and could have done it safely, I might have stopped, offered to help, then told him, "Karma's a Bitch." and ridden off.
Perhaps fortunately (for my own karma, at least) I was unable to do so. My darker side does hope the fucker is still there, unable to get help and stewing in his own juices.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Gaming News, and Something About Fiction Too
I still have yet to devote much time to reading fiction, though I have been reading a lot of Eclipse Phase, the roleplaying game I just picked up. It has a fascinating setting that I think I will enjoy telling stories in.
I have also been picking up the pace on my Rogue Trader game on RPOL. Delicious agonies will follow.
I let my face-to-face Warhammer game slide this last weekend to give the family more attention. I hope to add a new wrinkle and some 'new' players this weekend via webcam and microphones. One is willing to log in from England, and another from further north in California. Hopefully it will work out and everyone will have some fun. I think another heist might be in order, now they've dealt with almost all the enemies they know they have.
Today I will jack the headphones in and get some writing done on Bridge of The Broken, and consider plots for the other short story I have been thinking on.
But first, to get Boo to school.
I have also been picking up the pace on my Rogue Trader game on RPOL. Delicious agonies will follow.
I let my face-to-face Warhammer game slide this last weekend to give the family more attention. I hope to add a new wrinkle and some 'new' players this weekend via webcam and microphones. One is willing to log in from England, and another from further north in California. Hopefully it will work out and everyone will have some fun. I think another heist might be in order, now they've dealt with almost all the enemies they know they have.
Today I will jack the headphones in and get some writing done on Bridge of The Broken, and consider plots for the other short story I have been thinking on.
But first, to get Boo to school.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Other Shit To Do
Lots going on, very busy. Tide yourself with this, the premiere of which I shall be watching tonight:
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