Rocket Science: Chapter 9 – In denial
Dan WildPrevious Chapter The VT was playing hits of the 2670s. Chuck Marley had fallen asleep. Gaston Dimble was relishing the opportunity to study a rare historical document. The closest he had come to anything like this was when the curator of the Cretan Museum allowed him to glance at Harvard Akbar’s geological survey, Asteroidal Tendencies, …
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Rocket Science: Chapter 8 – Man of perfect proportions
Dan WildPrevious Chapter When Gaston Dimble stumbled into Marley’s condo, he immediately began tucking into the leftover popcorn chicken. Marley had ordered a bowl of all varieties to entice the historian. He could never work out what Dimble loved more, food or books. Gaston’s first degree was in very ancient history. But if one was to …
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Rocket Science: Chapter 6 – A short history of the Orion Arm
Dan WildPrevious Chapter He preferred to think he’d consulted a prophet, not a psychiatrist. That’s what he told Elysia in Server Assembly. She had been quite surprised how quickly he wired cords to their correct patch panels. He asked her about the final message from his psychological readout. “It means what it says. There is no …
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Rocket Science: Chapter 5 – A candle and the shadow
Dan WildPrevious Chapter A rising hum passed through his entire range of hearing, like the proposed Ravel-Class Dreamliner lulling passengers to sleep. He had a sudden vision that maybe he should have done Flight Attendancy. Bags flashed through his mind: leather bags, suitcases, knapsacks, pouches, rucksacks, backpacks, bumbags, plastic bags, swags, beanbags, handbags. He saw every …
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Rocket Science: Chapter 4 – Update the PriMate
Dan WildPrevious Chapter The PriMate tried its best analysing Chuck Marley, but he hadn’t installed the recent updates. In fact he hadn’t updated it in quite some time. His room was stuffy, and dietary feedback had been deactivated. Marley’s attempt at biophysical independence had backfired. His shower sprayed him with a bodywash that was perfect for …
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Rocket Science: Chapter 3 – Procrastinating at the bar
Dan WildPrevious chapter Marley lifted his head from the desk and looked around the library. It was mid-evening and buzzing with students. He collected his laser stylus and fold-up tablet, or flablet, and headed to the Quasar Bar to spend money and time. Marley didn’t drink unless there was someone to drink with him. At the …
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Rocket Science: Chapter 2 – A haircut, red dust and Octomaids
Dan WildPrevious Chapter Marley had not taken Interspecies Liaison seriously. Presentation was important, so the first requirement – have a haircut. He recalled his visit to the Shabbylands. The hairdresser had asked, “Do you want to look like him?” He pointed to a picture of Frisky Benjamin, the famous C-grade actor. And the haircut was good. …
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Rocket Science: Tales from the Orion Arm
Dan WildChapter 1 – The Omniverse The Multiverse was in a particularly bad mood when it first noticed Chuck Marley. It had just snacked on Y77, a small test universe on the fringes of imagination. Y77 was a failed universe and the Multiverse decided to eat it and start again. However, the ingestion of Y77 left …
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Percy the Pianist: Canto 1, stanzas 51-69
Dan WildPrevious.. Invocatio: To its own substance; woven tracery ran Of light firm texture, ribbed and branching, o’er The solid rind, like a leaf’s veined fan— Of which Love scooped this boat—and with soft motion Piloted it round the circumfluous Ocean. –Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Witch of Atlas, XXXIII, 308 51The bath continued… The river Lethe …
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Percy the Pianist: Canto 1, stanzas 31-41
Dan WildPrevious.. 31Half a day before the gathering stormRose Percy, not Percival of Wagner’sDour overture, based on the French wormOf Tours – these were really snaky nagas,Like an open pack of Lady gagasBought from a small Chinese tobacconistThat sells everything except hate. No ragasWould be played today, nor would F. LizstBe taken out of the stool …
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