Rocket Science: Chapter 34 – The Anaconda

Dan Wild

Previous chapter “I don’t believe you, Chuck Marley.” Gaston giggled.“I don’t care. But that’s what happened.” Marley did care. They watched the hologram of the V13 thruster as it settled next to the Fooolzian Trawler outside Doookie’s Spare Space Parts. The only way for Marley to convince Gaston was to deliberately exaggerate: “I saved the …

Rocket Science: Chapter 33 – Firefight

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. “The exhibition is over.” Billyboy stepped forwards. Mr Kibbles backed away. “But we thank you for our arms. Boys?” Barrel raised his assault rifle, Martini his laser knife. Billyboy drew two pistols. “Sorry Kibbles, but you know Guthrie. You’ve known him a long time. And he thinks that head of yours has got …

Rocket Science: Chapter 32 – Demonstration

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. Mr Kibbles bowed flamboyantly. The fire of youth burned in his eyes, and although he wore the clothes of someone half his age, he wore them with pride. Marley half-bowed. “This is quite a collection you have, sir.” Marley added the ‘sir’ as an afterthought. Mr Kibbles patted the fuselage of the V14 …

Rocket Science: Chapter 31 – Accept this panel

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. He regathered his senses and rose to his feet, again. The security guard who had kicked him out looked vaguely into the distance, as if Marley never existed. He brushed his trousers and jacket.“I’m going.”The guard pretended not to hear. “Goodbye. Toodooloo.” Marley returned the way he came. As he walked past the …

Rocket Science: Chapter 30 – Excessive Force

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. They did not look like the kind of ex-hipsters Marley expected at an exhibition. Too many smart jackets, trim hairstyles and no boots. Between the legs of the crowd, he perceived a cardboard sign leaning against the wall. It was too far away to read so he pulled out his flablet. He pointed …

Rocket Science: Chapter 29 – Hipsters at an Exhibition

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. He took out his fold-up tablet, or flablet, and entered the exhibition address on the ticket stub: Odyssey Hall, 24 Paradox Close, Very Bad Ends. He pinched his fingers and zoomed the map out. The orange pulsating dot indicated he was 3 miles away from an industrial area with three petrochemical plants and …

Rocket Science: Chapter 28 – Don’t play snooker after Bangers and Mash

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. He stopped, stumbling and out of breath. This part of the Bad Ends was badder. The wiring above the crossroads was so haphazard that only an electrician with obsessive-compulsive disorder could hope to untangle it, if he wasn’t electrocuted first. A grubby street sign showed that Marley was on “Definitely Badder Street”. The …

Rocket Science: Chapter 27 – Graffigraphy

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. The rectangular metal cart rattled further into the Bad Ends. It was just passing the border into ‘Very Bad’. Chuck Marley might as well take advantage of the path being tidied before him. Inside the sweeper, a small head bobbed up and down. A Sirian down on his luck. The Very Bad Ends …

Rocket Science: Chapter 26 – Just a haircut

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. Not far north of the Cretan capital, Reticulum, lay the Bad Ends. North of that lay the Very Bad Ends. South of the Bad Ends, the Not Quite Bad Ends went about their business being fairly standard livers of life. The residents of the Bad Ends (and especially the Very Bad Ends) took …

Rocket Science: Chaper 25 – Trader Etiquette

Dan Wild

Previous Chapter.. Marley lent Gaston Dimble the Da Vinci manuscript. The historian pored over it in his quarters. Unusual antique spectacles didn’t help Gaston at all. But they looked good. Gaston studied his reflection in the glass coffee table. He beamed a message to Marley. “Leonardo was a genius. He foresaw everything. Even in space, …