Al Norris

And here I thought that anyone from the Korner Krew that needed help... Umm, we all help!

I was pretty harsh. I wasn't sure if you would even respond to my angry diatribe! I'm on chapter 5...

My feelings are not mixed at all. For those of us who read Changes, we know that Louis had grown some balls and stood up to Don when it was required. While Louis may be the beta to Don's alpha, Louis would not have caved to this conspiracy as quickly as it was written. This seems to be out of character to me. The character we know from Changes would have blown up at Robert and Don. So, Robert leaves... But then Don pushes the paperwork over to Louis WHICH IS ALREADY SIGNED! So you simply cannot use the excuse that Don wouldn't agree without talking to Louis, as he already has. I quite understand that Louis would have capitulated and signed. But not before letting Don (and likely Robert) know that such secrets are not conducive to their relationship. Should I mention that Don had to have known of the birthday trip Louis was preparing for the both of them? And here, Don completely negates all that planning? All without saying a word to Louis? Yes, I can see Don doing all of this, exactly as you have written it. What I don't see is Louis holding in his anger and just blindly submitting to Don's (and Robert's) selfish move. I'm still on the bus, Tim. I'm just angry at how Louis was portrayed in this opening chapter.

@Mikiesboy, I finally found the time to read this story. I'm glad that I did. I liked the part where Louis went to dinner with Harry, and even though attracted to him, resisted the temptation and stayed true to Don. Then Louis gets home and gets accused by Don of sleeping with Harry! This, after being pushed by Don to find a partner (even suggesting that partner be Harry) to get the sexual release that Don couldn't (wouldn't) give! Louis then reads him the riot act! The jealousy that Don displayed was a natural reaction, even though it was Don who insisted Louis find a sexual partner! I so wanted to beat Don over the head with that! Several chapters later Don expressed his sorrow for trying to get Louis mixed up with Harry and that it was Don's fault for the whole episode. That was so darn real! I loved the fact that even as Louis was attracted to Harry, he was able to stay true to his own values and not succumb. The scenes of Louis and Harry kissing and Louis pushing Harry away... So real. As I said, I'm glad I was able to read this story. Thanks for writing it.

It's as if I am watching one of those old silent serial movies in the Saturday Matinee theater... Hmm 🤔, do they still cost only a nickel?

I won't speculate where Gary is taking Phil. @Ronyx has a devious mind! Allen cannot believe that Phil is dead. You simply do not reassign a POA of a dead man. The only good that would do is if the estate was already in probate. Then it becomes a procedural matter. The Estate Trustee would have contacted Allen. Regardless of all the legal mumble-jumble, this opens up a means for Phil and Allen to connect and to know each other. Lots of things may now happen and Phil may be able to move forward.

Yup! I had the old version. At least I fingered out the Five Rocks/Hills transposition! Thanks.

Paidos is a long way from the Lake Towns. The map doesn't show the Five Hills... It does show the Five Rocks. @Lupus, are they the same?

So we still need to resolve where the Chregar's crew are. Are they in stasis or actively alive? Are they onboard the ship or somewhere else?

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), long ago devised sound weapons that will kill. We don't see them because in the atmosphere they are very short-ranged, the wave disperses too widely, too fast. I can only imagine what the waveform does in water.

Two years, huh? I'm actually surprised Matt is still alive after that long. Especially if Kanaan Ahmed had found out about his "little bout of infidelity."

Oh yes. Sound may definitely be used as a weapon.

Nobody has said it, yet. So I will. What if it is Bzup who is checking the humans to see how much of a threat they are to his people?

That was kind of a whirlwind of a chapter! I loved it, however. If Crackhouse Chrissie ever shows up, I would hope that someone plays target practice with her! (there is my American fascination with guns!)

Geron has told me he doesn't plan on any more Road stories. It seems they weren't well received by his readers. Now a new Thrift Shop Nation story would be nice. I don't think we were ever meant to find out why the Doors were abandoned. Of course, I could be entirely wrong! I'm now of the opinion that Mikulsa is waiting to see what tech the Bzup-kind has and if it threatens the Human colony. I also don't know if Bzup-kind will "listen" to what Bzup may say... Assuming Bzup has a good report on the Humans.

Yeah, it might have been nice to read how @Mark Ponyboy Peters set them up for housekeeping and everything like that. As well it would be cool to see how Sally handled it!

I've ordered Tim Tams from Amazon. They are delicious! I've also tried Vegemite... Um, you Aussies can keep that one.

Those dreaded words: "The End" Sometimes I wish this story was one or two chapters longer. Just so we could see a bit into the future when the whole gang arrives! Ah well... Onward to Guys song!

Retelling the story does help to distance yourself from the trauma. It's a pretty standard treatment, especially if done in a group setting.

Cousin Ben, huh? Why do I think that Ben is more interested in Mac and Devin than he lets on? Yeah, I have a dirty mind! 😁

Only 500 years... Yes, I suspect the number of new species is understated. It does make sense that this is where the majority of biological funding should go. I still don't trust Mikulsa. He's gonna have to show me more than he has, which is not much, at this point.

Just the right amount of pleasure for a first-time meeting of possible soulmates. A really nice chapter, @Andr0gene. If I say more, it would just be repeating what everyone else has said. So I'll stop here.

Perhaps... Giving them a chance to prove me wrong does not mean I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.

This is one time I have to disagree with you. They are bureaucrats, they have a mindset of their own. Always superior to us plebes. I will admit that I always give them a chance to prove me wrong... I have rarely been disappointed.

This was an exciting chapter on several levels! Bzup-kind are not necessarily enemies of humans, but they are also not of the same thinking on how to deal with humans. It seems humans have the same style of thinking if we judge the sailors versus the administrators.