© Maeryn Lamonte 2025

"Alright Megamind," I typed, "let’s see what you think I’d look like as a woman." I’d already uploaded a photograph of myself wearing my most recent Amazon purchase, a wine coloured dress with a wrap over front and loose cap sleeves. I’ll be honest, I really didn’t like the raw photo – too wide around the middle and with a face that, whilst not in any way rugged, could not pass for female if it tried.

Queen's Gambit - Chapter 6

© Copyright 2025 Maeryn Lamonte

Polly traded her anxious look for one of relief when I rounded the corner.

“I thought you might have forgotten,” she said.

“No, just got caught up talking to my parents.” I led her into the cafeteria and over to where Marie, Elaine and Abby were sitting.

“Why on earth did you bring Polident?” Marie asked as we sat.

Queen's Gambit - Chapter 4

© Copyright 2025 Maeryn Lamonte

We’d taken over a fair chunk of one of the carriages and the girls were back to chatting animatedly. Most of them had rediscovered their appetites and we’re tucking into energy bars and sucking on juice boxes. I still wasn’t hungry, but dug out my juice box to suck on just so I could join in, and so I had an excuse for not saying much.

Queen's Gambit - Chapter 2

© Copyright 2025 Maeryn Lamonte

I agreed on the basis that it was the easiest way to move things on. There really wasn’t anything else on offer that particularly interested me so I had a vested interest in trying to enjoy the costume making.

Chapter 3 – Follow through

Not as bad as the others, and with maybe an epilogue to follow

Chapter 1 of 3 – Draw

This one's a rough one. Proceed at your own risk.

Skantily Clad

by Maeryn Lamonte Copyright © 2025

A Star Trek Next Generation fanfic with an homage to all those blokes who put on a skant (I know, horrible name. I think it’s meant to derive from a merging of skirt and pants, although I thought that was supposed to be the equally dreadful skort) in the name of gender equality. A short-lived experiment that lasted all of season one then disappeared. Here’s maybe an insight into why:

Chapter 16

I opened my eyes to see Mark gazing down at me. The expression on his face made me feel all soft and squooshy.

Was that a word? I was going to make it a word. Squooshy. The way you feel when someone you like looks at you like that.

“Hello handsome. What time is it.”

“Eight o’clock.”

“Right on time. What do you have to say to me?”

“Well, your instincts were right for one thing.”

“What?”

This one's not for the faint of heart. Over the course of the story there will be death, suicide attempts, a fair amount of physical and mental abuse, some egregious torture and a hefty dollop of foul language, but hopefully a happy ending. Actually, the last bit's a given since it's me doing the writing, but between here and the end is a rocky road, so please if any of the above is likely to be triggering for you, please, please think twice about reading.

Laura recalls some of her experiences in this chapter, and quite graphically. I’ve marked them in red in case you prefer to skip.

Chapter 13

“What’s happening?” he asked as we arrived at the comms tent. Stuart and Jen were there along with our remaining guards.

“We’re er, waiting for Laurel,” Stuart said. “She and Nick are on their way. I’m not sure she would have been able to do anything by herself, any more than these, er, people can.”

“This has to do with what you were saying when I left the tent, isn’t it?” I asked one of my former captors. “That heuristic defence thing you were talking about. Care to tell us about it?”

This one's not for the faint of heart. Over the course of the story there will be death, suicide attempts, a fair amount of physical and mental abuse, some egregious torture and a hefty dollop of foul language, but hopefully a happy ending. Actually, the last bit's a given since it's me doing the writing, but between here and the end is a rocky road, so please if any of the above is likely to be triggering for you, please, please think twice about reading.

The year was 2010 and I was in my fifth year as a teacher. I’d been told from the outset that not many people transition into teaching in later in life, but I’d though, ‘I raised three kids on my own, how hard can it be?’ What nobody told me – and I’ll admit I never bothered to ask – was that not all kids were polite, intelligent and interested in learning.

Nobody bothered telling me – though this I should have been able to figure out for myself – that maths and science are among the most hated subjects in school, and only weirdos like me actually like them.

Chapter 10

“Stuart? Bring the barrier down at the graveyard, please. The vampires have been dealt with and the portal’s gone.”

“Then what…”

“David’s trapped inside.”

“Oh, alright. Miss Ephemeris said she’d meet you at the school.”

“Why?”

“She has something for you. You may need it if you’re going to, er, do battle with…”

“Something came through?”

“You could say that. A sort of vine thing, with teeth. It’s spreading through the whole school. Nick set off the fire alarm, but there may be some people still trapped inside.”

Chapter 8

I hadn’t noticed the summer dress causing much hindrance to my fighting style, and I had several in a similar style. I put on a different one and packed a short skirt and tee-shirt combo as alternatives. Mum gave a small smile of approval. I mean the hemline wasn’t that much lower, but it did cross that narrow dividing line on the parental scale between cuteness and indecency. The dress had puff sleeves and a ruffled skirt, which I think helped from the cuteness angle.

Chapter 6

Surprisingly, I woke before my alarm. I slipped out of bed, noticing how filthy my feet were, which meant my nightdress and bedding were a mess too. I threw on a dressing gown and slipped across to the bathroom without rousing anyone. The shower would wake Mum, but there wasn’t much I could do about that.

With me thoroughly cleansed, I bundled up my nighty and headed back to my room wearing just my dressing gown. Mum appeared just as I closed the door, so I paused long enough to smile good morning to her.

I had never enjoyed shopping more. My feet ached and we’d about doubled the mortgage on the house, but I had so much new stuff. We did just about manage to empty the back of the car in one trip when we arrived home, but only with both Mum and me carrying as many bags as would fit in each hand.

“What the hell is this?” Dad grumbled from his seat. The water on his table was untouched and there were a couple of extra beer cans beside the one I’d left him. Well, if he wanted to start Sunday with a hangover, that was his lookout.

The growl was the same, but the effect it had on me wasn't, even doubled up as this was. Last time it had been full of intimidation and malice; this time it was nothing more than the taunt of a bully, containing little more than hot air. I'd already beaten one of these guys and I’d been almost totally unprepared. This time I had some measure of confidence and, despite the peculiarity of it all, I was properly equipped.