They led me out the suite and through the halls. I couldn't see anything and I couldn't move my hands either. The helplessness finally allowed me to think.

'Oh fuck, they know'

How did they find out? My mind scoured for all possible ways they could have found out what I did. They didn't have any reason to suspect me right?

Stepping out of the Pathfinder was a mind-blowing experience. There were thousands of people walking around with tents dotting the entire beach. It reminded me of those old music festivals that held before the world went to shit.

One of the Voyagers had landed dangerously close to us but I could see four other Voyagers at various locations in the distance just peeking above the forest.

John insisted on telling Will and the rest of the crew which abruptly halted any plans I'd had of going out the next day.

"Could this have anything to do with her abilities?" Robert asked as we discussed the situation the next morning in the medbay.

"It's the most likely culprit." John agreed "Either way, I want to get it removed quickly before it spreads to more problematic sections of the brain".

We entered the throne room, and I had Spire show me what was going on outside the station. We saw Queen’s Rage firing on three ships that had come into the system. “Spire, get me in contact with Admiral Stook.” A separate screen flashed up showing Admiral Stook in the command chair.

“Admiral, what is going on out there?” I asked.

Things didn't improve between Will and I until 8 months into my pregnancy. Over those months, we sort of just devolved into coworkers again.

He'd still kept me off work duties but suddenly it didn't feel like it was for my protection anymore.

I moaned as he pulled me closer. I still don't know what came over me. I wrapped my arms around his neck as his settled around my waist. I didn't want to stop.

If Robert or any of the others were in the bridge, they would have been getting a steamy show but I didn't care. For those few mind-blowing minutes, it was like something inside me had snapped.

"Wait there's really intelligent life down there" I asked still in shock over what I'd just heard.

"It would seem so" Will affirmed.

"But he hasn't seen any yet? Just their homes?" I followed up.

He nodded.

"Could they be extinct?" I asked.

"Possibly. Or they could have simply migrated somewhere else on the planet. We can't possibly know now?" Will answered.

"No! No!" I screamed while backing away "Absolutely not"

"You don't even know it's going to be you" John said. He seemed giddy about it.

"But I do. It's going to be me"

"Yeah you're probably right" He laughed.

"I'm not doing it" I made it clear "I don't agree to it"

Will who seemed to be pondering the whole time finally spoke "Is that even possible?" he asked.

Mars station was an orbital facility that served numerous functions for both planets.

While it acted like a space port, it's main purpose was scientific research. Mars station was tasked with studying the planet's atmosphere and surface to aid in our terraformation pursuits.

Also, like so many other missions before us, we were using it as a launch pad to the farther reaches of the solar system.

"I'm sorry, what?" Heather asked and I could immediately tell that we we're all in the same perplexed boat.

"Are you serious?" I asked not sure how to feel about all of it.

I'd had working guesses about what they might have wanted from me when Caitlyn walked through my cell door. Safe to say this didn't make the list.

"Why us?" I asked in desperate need of some answers. "What are were going to be doing exactly?"

"dinner with your family?? like me you and your parents"

I read the text that had just arrived from Murphy. I was still riding the high of what had just happened. I had made a plan and executed it to perfection.

And as much as I hated to admit it, that was very much unlike me. See I never really made plans. I didn't think things through. I certainly never had backup plans for my backup plans like I'd just done.

"And Lucas. Are you busy? I can just tell my dad that you're busy" I texted back careful not to deviate too much from how she typed in previous messages.

See the thing to know about me, the one and only Eddie Russo is that I don't back down from a fight. I've never cared about picking fights I can win. 5 versus 1? Bring it. No one makes Eddie their bitch. Certainly not some hormone fueled teenager.

"Relax Murphy, I come in peace" Noah said as he approached our table. Turning to me, he added "You got me in a lot of shit yesterday"

"You only have yourself to blame" I replied snarkly.

"You're real mouthy knowing you boyfriend is going to protect you" he laughed at his statement which infuriated me.

Why did I know that? Don't panic. I had to figure this out. I had never been the same person twice and certainly not two days in a row.

My mind darted to her locker code. 14,22,7. I didn't just remember it from yesterday, I remembered it from the start of the school year.

My mind darted from one memory to another before being pulled to focus on the heavy footsteps rapidly approaching my door. A moment later, the door opened with her father peaking through. He looked worried for a moment but his expression slowly dissipated into a neutral one.

Parker looks out towards the water from the pier he is standing on, thinking about jumping. He was cradling a heavy stone in his arms and standing close to the edge of the dock. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. He could not believe what had been done to him by people he trusted.

His life was now ruined, all thanks to what they did to him. Not only had they recorded what they did to him, but they had posted the footage on all the social media sites and the college site he attended as well. They sent footage of what happened to him to his parents.

Orphan Petal

July 2023 - Part 3

Shirley has changed and is doing things he would never have done a few months ago

This is a spin-off to the story "The Teenage Years of Alexander Horten"

When a mountain downpour forces Lydia and Thomas Thompson into a cavern's shadowy embrace, Lydia's touch upon ancient runic inscriptions awakens her latent power and identity. As they emerge to find the enigmatic town of Sælicbrook—a nexus of realms and magic—Lydia is transformed into her destiny as its guardian. But as the cosmic entity Nyarlathotep stirs, intent on unraveling the threads of reality, will Lydia's newfound power be enough to stand against an eldritch horror bent on devouring all? The battle for existence looms, and only the guardians of Sælicbrook can safeguard the world from the impending darkness. Will they triumph, or will everything they know be consumed by the infinite appetite of the Crawling Chaos?

Orphan Petal

July 2023 - Part 1

Shirley has changed and is doing things he would never have done a few months ago

This is a spin-off to the story "The Teenage Years of Alexander Horten"

First day of Fall semester 2022
I don’t like when people call our town racist. I mean it’s only natural that we whites call the shots since we are the majority, 51% of the population, with the rest more or less evenly divided between beaners and nig… blacks. I almost forgot that you can’t use the N word unless you’re one. It’s not like we’ve had any cross burnings in years. We even have … blacks on our high school football and basketball teams. You know, they’re like genetically predisposed for that. Not any beaners though, they are pathetically useless both in sports and academically. Excepting Pablo of course. With a pitcher like that they couldn’t keep him off the team. Not that the baseball team is of any importance anyway. The few chinks, like Sissy, are terrible gunners and of no consequence socially. Sissy is not really her real name but who can pronounce that?

Hunter slowly wakes up in a strange room under a warm blanket. The last thing he remembered was passing out on the side of the highway. He had walked as far as he could before he passed out from the cold and exhaustion.

He looked around the bedroom and saw that it had an old-style dresser drawer like his mother's. There was a nightstand next to his bed with a lamp on it. The bed he was lying on was more significant than the baby mattress on which he was forced to sleep.

The Norse and Zebrins have been confronted by a local force with an officer who wants to shoot first and not bother asking questions. Eriana and Ursula do their best to pacify him but then another vessel arrives... and another, and another! The first of these newcomers is an unexpected surprise but the occupants are able to answer many questions.

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

82 - Gathering at Hamalbek