ReaderPaul

Late to the party, but loved reading this. Thanks, @astone2292.

Once again, the fantastic, amazing, whimsical, and yet believable talent of Aaron Stone has brilliantly shown up. To fully appreciate this story I had to read it more than once, and some parts three or four times, though I greatly enjoyed it on first reading. Well worth the short time it takes to read the story. It also reminds me Robert A. Heinlein's Tunnel in the Sky, in that proper climate and atmosphere quarters had to be prepared for the humans and some of the others on the planet, and an old ST:TOS (Star Trek: The Original Series) episode where there was a being called The Companion. However, this story was far better presented than that ST:TOS episode.

Sometimes what one person sees as new another person may feel that is a re-hashing of something previously said. That being said, I think this topic, if continued, might be better in the other location.

Well, you still have the name Barrie and the Beast available -- Barrie's dad noticed he had a VERY well endowed male protrusion at birth and named him Barrie in honor of Peter Pan -- which was written by James M. Barrie -- using Barrie so it would not be so obvious what the boy was being named for. Unusual shifters? In one of Larry Niven's short stories, he mentioned a were-whale. Another author mentioned, in one of his stories, that unicorns normally had the ability to shift also to human form and one other. But some herd stallion unicorns could master a fourth form. This one unicorn stallion could be a unicorn, a human, a dragon, and a roach!

You said something about Cow-man could be udderly ridiculous? Cow man wouldn't have an udder. A scrotum however-- Who knows what games could be played with balls? And new/rewritten fairy tales -- Handsome and Gresham? Jack and the Big Stalk? Puss Out of Boots? Sleeping Beauford? A retelling of The Frog Prince? The Emperor's Sexy Clothes? The Tortoise (man with very delayed ejac issues) and the Hare (guy with the proverbial hair-trigger)? Aladdin and His Genie? The possibilities are many. I bet @Philippe could come up with more.

Good Work, @chris191070 and @hankster. I see both of you in the copyright information, so obviously you both had a part. So when is another story coming out, of how the kids manage to find success and get out from the shadow of George and Jay, Colin and Mark? Good work, guys.

What, you are not including intuitive, interesting, imaginative, incredible, inconceivable, inventive, irregular (in the sense of not ordinary), individualistic, and more. Looking forward to more stories from you.

An, @Daddydavek, I have to point out someone could have the trait of empathy AND be a sociopath. Such a person would be potentially intensely dangerous. The ability to read emotions and then direct them the way the sociopath wanted -- terrifying to think about.

This is a story where we discover more as we progress. Allan and Mark help balance each other to some extent, with Allan at this point seeming more grounded. A short tale which is both intriguing and enjoyable.

@astone2292 -- great story. Some questions were left unanswered, such as -- how was the fusion/combination/attunement accomplished? Did the gaseous ones mate with any others of the species who came to the planet? What else has happened or will happen? I hope that, eventually, more stories relating to this come forth.

Fascinating. Should you add more in relation to this story, I will be glad to read it. Allan reminds me of Spock and Data for some reason.

I was told by a website owner that G was trying to charge him for the safe certificate, and they have to be renewed every so often. After fighting them for about a year, he finally surrendered and purchased a safe certificate. He said it made his site no safer; just didn't have to fight them any longer.

I just accessed Tickie at: tickiestories dot us (do NOT put www in front).

When there are authors such as @JamesSavik, @dkstories, @AC Benus, @Bill W, @quokka, @Geron Kees, @lomax61, @Altimexis, @Grumpy Bear, @D.K. Daniels, and @W_L all on the same set of stories, there has to be tons of good stuff here. I have not yet read all the posted stories by some of those authors, and now I have even more leads on authors and stories! I need a few months with no interruptions so I can read all of these.

This is a story with lots of answers, and the answers generate more questions. As with almost all of the stories by James Savik, it is not only well worth reading, but also of being connected to even more of his stories. To me it seems a short read, since I'm used to reading stories of 8,000 to 12,000 words in a chapter, but well written as it is, it seems shorter than it is. Science fiction, science speculation, generating questions and some answers -- @JamesSavik, please sir, give us more!

I think there is room for both stories. Just because in Hammerhead things are going one way does not mean that there isn't a parallel universe where things went differently. @JamesSavik -- I Would like to see both stories finished, PLUS a sequel (eventually) to "In the Shadow of the Dragon."

I have read most of the stories in the anthology, and my favorite is @Myr's "Just a Milk Run." It begs for prequels and sequels. But every story I have read is really a good one, such as "Javelina" by @Cole Matthews, and "Born Into Punishment" by @astone2292, and "Trusting the Triplets" by @RichardWrites. I plan to read the rest of the anthology stories published thus far sometime this week. Special shout outs to @AC Benus and @Backwoods Boy and @chris191070 for what they posted this week, listed above,

This is a delightful story. It is one which keeps surprising as it progresses, and helps see some traditions from a different angle. The story is both complete in itself and wide open for sequels Great job, Aaron!

Actually, Nephilim/nephylim are found in the bible, in Genesis and Judges. Also the Anakim, or giants mentioned in Judges and First Samuel and one of the Chronicles,, are supposed to be descended from the Nephilim. The most famous of the Anakim is Goliath, of David and Goliath fame, and Goliath's four brothers, one of who was about a foot taller than Goliath. This is according to scholars and traditions. I don't know; I wasn't there. Also, there was another group called the Watchers, who may or may not have been an angel/human cross. Some sources say the Watchers were very well endowed in the genitals, but I have not been able to definitively track down those references. The Watchers are primarily referenced in the Books of Enoch, a non-canonical, extra-Biblical source. A very interesting and fun read, @astone2292. And I am greatly enjoying the comments from @Al Norris, @Parker Owens, @kbois, @CincyKris, @James Baxter, @Bill W, @84Mags, and @RainbowPhoenixWI.

Actually, @Myr -- We need at least one prequel showing why the scientists were on that location and what they were researching. Then we need multiple sequels to learn A) What happened when they attempted escape with the override of normal safety protocols -- did they 1) go into an alternate universe or reality, or 2) go into a featureless or nearly featureless quantum non-space or 3) have a big surprise and make a seemingly normal jump? .Enquiring and Inquiring minds want to know!

But, @Bill W-- as the series went on, Barclay showed more courage, such as the episode where he rescued the guys trapped in the transporter stream. I don't really think it is the same Barclay but the name sameness is amazing.

I like, I like I like! Two seeming underdogs coming out on top by winning together better than alone. Well Done indeed, @astone2292.

Good story. The kids were better at understanding than their mother. In many states the female of a pair has an advantage in custody and visitation over a male. Any chance of a sequel some time in the future?

As my country rural roots might say, "Awright, @Myr -- just because this is marked "Complete" doesn't mean you can't post a sequel in 24 hours." Great story. Sometimes normal protocols MUST be ignored in an emergency.

And, is this the same Reginald Barclay from ST:TNG (Star Trek: The Next Generation) or just a coincidence of names?