Geron Kees

I'd tell you, but then you woudn't want to read the rest of the story!

Heck, they're halfway there already!

I would agree that the relationship would be partly symbiotic, but less so for the orx. In a traditional relationship of symbiosis, BOTH parties prosper from the relationship. Yet this one looks a little one-sided to me, NOT in favor of the orx!

I always thought so. Nice to know all those PlayStation hours have amounted to SOMETHING!

Jem did shoot the eye of the orx first, but followed right behind by taking out the green blob on its head, which brought it down instantly. I hope to answer your questions in future chapters!

Being a Heinlein fan, I know what you mean. Murray Leinster had the same idea in his similarly themed novel, The Brain Stealers. But I don't think the idea of mind-controlling aliens was original to either of them. Jem and his father hunted siffle, remember? If any of those beasts had had alien blobs on their heads, it would have been noticed!

Some people never know how they'll react in a crunch until it happens. The sort that colonizes worlds would give me hope that they'd be quick on their mental feet!

You don't get to be the skipper of an orxhunter by being unimaginative!

I must refuse to answer on the grounds that it may tend to incinerate the story!

I always love to have you along to keep me dancing!

Mel Ville. Know him well. Has the hardware store in Poughkeepsie, right? Always thought that writing he did on the side was fishy!

Well, the notion of fusion 'reactors' is supplanted here by something a little different, a 'slow fusion' heat source that produces enough energy to superheat water to the sort of high pressure needed in a turbine, but not a device of the traditional sort one would call a 'reactor' that would need that sort of support or upkeep. Since this is science fiction, I always feel I can stretch today's thinking into something that doesn't exist yet, but works well for the story. A 'slow fusion' device would work on more commonly available elements, like lithium reclaimed from seawater, which would be abundant and easy to obtain on a world like Benteen. Kip has not been to Benteen yet. But you must know he would NEVER go without Charlie!

Hi, can I have an orx and stonefish pizza to go?

You don't REALLY want me to tell you what happens next, do you?

This is a story of two guys who fall in love, and how that love affects and drives their lives, and the lives of those in the small town around them. It's a beautiful story, but not one unmarred by the hurtful swipes that reality likes to take at all of our lives. The ups and downs can be painful and joyous in turn, but there is a sweet streak of hope that underlies all of it, propels it, keeps it going to its very satisfying conclusion. This a story inhabited by wonderful people, a few nasty ones, a few sad ones, and a few that come and go quickly, but not without leaving their marks on the lives of the characters. This story is full of beautifully written observations of life and the world, the beauty of that world, and the joy of sharing it with someone most loved. This is a story not to be missed. So, don't!

The saddest two words in the entire story were the last two: 'The End'. A marvelous look at two special lives, and the lives of those around them. I have not been affected so warmly or so deeply by anything I've read in some time. A beautiful love story, and one that I wished would go on. I'll start The Rip next, and will miss Matt and Luke, but feel certain that there will be others there that we can feel just as strongly about in their own story. Thanks, Mark!

Beautiful chapter, written with great feeling. Memorable. And, a chapter earned by Luke and Matt. As thoughtful as these two are, and as in love as they are, it's a signal to me that they will have many happy years together, no matter what happens in their future. Wonderful.

Wonderful chapter. I had a feeling Tony would 'fess up. And that Margaret would still try to push it rather than admit she had birthed 'one of them'. She is going to face the equivalent of filing a false charge here. She should get a harsher judgment than Mr. Solomon did! I see the ruling on Luke's dad as equivalent to probation here. I have no idea if they have the equivalent of PBJ (probation before judgment, not peanut butter and jelly) in Oz, but could there be an option to remove the conviction from his record if the three years are completed successfully? That would seem more fair than a permanent record. In the end, that everyone remains free is the most important thing. I had to laugh at the 'Your Worship' form of address for the magistrate. We get by with 'Your Honor' here, and this country is a LOT more pompous than Oz! Great chapter, Mark. I have a feeling that some other things will work out well, too!

In Jem's dreams, he was once again on the dark, narrow bridge from the Marksman game. The tentacled creature had hauled itself up onto the deck of the bridge, and was turning to attack Nico, who was unaware of the creature's presence behind him. Jem knew what was coming, the replay too keenly sharp within his memory for doubt. There was only one small difference this time, one tiny change that made his next move even more of an imperative. This time they were not avatars. This time it was r

Nah. You're okay. Where would the world be without the people that see the humor in it?

I can't tell you yet, of course. But if you feel anxious, it must be for a reason!

We really do need something in writing like the Compact on the Right to Life. And there is still hope for the future, even with the present looking so gray.

I would list Benteen at the far end of the spectrum of 'desirable worlds' for humans to settle. But any world where humans can breathe the air and walk around without too much trouble is going to be looked at hard before being discounted. The continent of New Australia was deemed manageable by the standards of that future day. The addition of the Ironwood forests of the northern continent was probably the economic clincher, because here was a unique product for export that could pay for the settlement efforts there. I feel like the ability of people to make themselves at home just about anywhere is only going to be magnified in years to come, as our technology improves. Roald Amundsen reached the south pole of our own world in 1911, only 113 years ago. At that time it was a fairly extreme effort, and a distinct challenge. Now we have bases there year-round, and people live comfortably under conditions that would have killed them in Amundsen's time. Give us another few hundred years, and no halfway-hospitable place will be viewed as too much of a challenge to call home.

Humans fish the seas for food to eat. The hunting of whales did not fall into that category. On Benteen, the orx are food because they happen to be among the few species that the tuned-up human digestive systems can tolerate without difficulty. If they weren't food, no one would bother with them! Would you?

Well, Jem had to have someone to fall in love with! As far as the scarcity of the orx thus far goes, you know I can't say!