R. Eric

I grinned as Pylyp was looking at us and waited for a punchline. His jaw was partly open, but nothing was coming out. His eyes were searching our faces to see some reality. Three of the employees working that afternoon came with those lovely trays everyone knows about. Fast food restaurants everywhere used those. They were even color coordinated to reflect Makarovia’s national colors. Some were a deep red and the others were black. A young man pushed a red tray in front of Olek, “Your

Soon! I promise. I'm in Makarovia writing about the Ivanov Family, then to Siberia and Blueblood. THEN, back the twelve lightyears to Epsilon Eridani and Gaea! I promise! (Wicked Witch of the West again.) Patience, these things have to be done delicately! How I loved her! 💓 R. Eric 🤓

Joel went to the area where the drone to Tau Ceti was to be launched. He made sure he looked at the large monitor. The room they were in had no ports, windows, or whatever…the rotating of the Ark, versus the stationary image they looked at would have given people motion sickness. Joel had a pretty steady constitution, but it made him a little queasy after a few moments. Especially with Gaea just outside the Ark as it moved. Yes, he knew Gaea was moving as it rotated and in its orbit. The Habitat

I had to comment on this. I love the Simpsons! Poor Bart. He's not the simpleton he is often portrayed as. In fact, I believe he is as smart as Lisa, if not smarter! He doesn't apply himself in school. So what? There are examples of some very smart people considered simpletons, who turned out to be geniuses! I'm talking about the scientist who came up with the Theory of Relativity! Albert was considered mentally deficient because he couldn't do math!? Please. I'm not claiming to be in that group, but I also didn't do well with math. I still hate it. I can do it when I have to. My mind was too busy with dreams. I wrote them down. Bart uses his smarts to get out of trouble and solve things adults had trouble with. You go, Bart!

My grandmother then held her hands up, “What are we doing?” She smiled. “We may never know what happened to Ms. Schuman.” Her head cocked slightly, “Does it even matter? We aren’t going to be able to fix Tahnee. She has been this way a long time…all of her life, as far as I can tell.” She waved in Olek’s direction, “Olek will not let anything threaten Helga, and he has the power to do it.” Peter nodded, “Yes, he’s feeling responsible because he invited Tahnee to this event.” I nodded,

Kuyvashev smiled as everyone at the table was eating, and now was doing it much slower, and seemed to enjoy the sensations they got from the chicken. Luxuriating at the taste. The first one to feel what we cautioned them about was Daria whose eyes widened,. She dropped her fork and rushed to the “Ladies Room.” Then Kalsi and they each were fleeing the café…leaving Stan and Mark there staring with smiles because they weren’t being affected as the others were. I chuckled, “Don’t be so smug.”

Would they? You now know what Joel is worried about and why. The rush to get those people off the Earth caused problems. The next three Arks were a rushed jobs. Ark III had the military leaders cause problems. I said that in an earlier chapter. Ark IV had Stasis Pods to fail and there were deaths! The people with Ark V were rushed to get as many unaffected people as possible from the radiation and illness into shelter to ensure Human survival. Desperation makes people do desperate things. Question: Do you think they will be a threat? Answer: You know they will be! Mars is going be transformed to a major power! The moon is suffering from overpopulation. Earth is recovering and it will not die! That's what I wanted. Questions that future chapters will answer, and I have loads to tell you. I've got to go to Siberia to finish writing Blueblood 5.1. And THEN back to Makarovia. I have much more about Ark II and life on Gaea. Don't worry about that! Love all of you!

Well, I was going to tell you a future chapter, but I'll tell you some of it now. Yes, there is an emergency way to revive those in stasis. Originally, Stasis was started by injection. That was over a hundred and fifty years before. The Stasis Gas now puts people into stasis in minutes as they inhale the sweet gas and that sweetness causes the person to inhale deeper. Reviving a person takes ten to fifteen minutes as there is another gas that stimulates the person from touching their skin, reviving a little, making them inhale the gas more and bring them to full awareness quickly. I wrote that there were stretching exercises they did to keep cramps from occurring. For the food supplies, there is a kind of stasis that occurs with a vacuum and gas. The gas apparently doesn't affect the taste of food. If there is a problem with the engines, Ark structure, engines, the pods themselves, or the computers, the right person is awakened and Joel. If there's a medical problem, Sara Beth is awakened, and Joel. Joel is awakened with every emergency. The person to fix it has the authority to wake anyone they need. Anyone to send someone in their direction, Athena has eyes out there to see who is coming and can estimate how soon they will arrive. If Earth, Mars, Tau Ceti, or Canis Minor develop faster than light travel, Athena will know in enough time so that Joel and the others can plan for what to do. Athena will know if one of the sentinels were discovered, she can revive Joel and the others. Alien life? I wasn't going there quite yet. I might bring some simple lifeforms in, but I'm not sure yet. Anyway! I got it covered! I swear! Love ya! Eric

Joel rubbed his stomach satisfied as he left Manu and Andrea in their lab to continue their work on the recycled food. Joel knew they used what the residents didn’t finish with their meals. That included recycled waste from the residents. The main thing was they wasted NOTHING! The “poop” in the paste was reworked, had the dangerous parts removed and reworked for consumption. Now, Manu and Andrea had to get what was eaten to look appetizing. The “tenderloin steak” he had eaten needed work to mak

They won't agree with me!? How dare they! (Sarcasm, again.) I love the diversity with GA's stories. I created Ark II with an array of ethnicities, cultures, religions, and the very people. Gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, intersexual...everything! Yet these people work well together. Joel expressed what "he" believes based on evidence he saw. Sara Beth, too. Is he right? He admits he could be wrong. His mind is open. (You know I am Joel, don't you?) I wrote this in many of my stories. Learn, know what you believe and why. No one will tell ME what to believe. That was a lesson I learned after I understood that my master's degree father was uninformed and couldn't tell me why there were flaws in the Bible he preached from. Joel's views are mine. If you disagree, fine, but you need empirical evidence to get me to change my mind. Now, cold coffee ready and keyboard ready. Message me and we'll discuss things. Love all of you!💓 R. Eric

Why? I offer no answers to any questions brought up. I assume that is what you're talking about. Ian and his brothers asked questions all of us have asked. Joel nor Sara Beth told them "This is what you will believe!" Joel and Sara Beth told the truth. Religion is up to the believer. Being raised a Southern Baptist by a minister and believed everything I was told to. The I get science and other religious ideas and I want to be fair. Honest. No one philosophy is RIGHT, nor are they wrong. Learn.

The party continued a few more hours and the noise level just increased. Kevin had tried his game sphere and then had given in to trying out his new guns for playing tag. It was fine even in their quarters, but Sara Beth finally threw them out into the Habitat Ring. They days of watching children to keep them from getting lost or kidnapped were left on Earth. The children had kilometers to dash, dodge, and hide in. Also gone were the added worry of calling the children home and not knowing where

Oh, did you? Remember my saying I wore my keyboard out? I'm using another keyboard and the O and 0 are close together. I'm so glad I can add a little humor into your day. (Sarcasm is a crutch I use. No mean intent.)

Olek, Mom, Peter and I were wearing our formal crowns. They looked great, and now Helga had one! I knew what Olek had said about his formal crown being heavy. It looked amazing, but I knew it had to be heavy. Peter’s and my crowns were sort of heavy, basically rings of gold with various gems. Helga’s I guessed was not THAT heavy since the only metal was the gold to hold the…I didn’t know. I just knew that there were diamonds in the crown. Makarovia had been a poor country and that was changing.

The love I gave for this comment was to send love to you, not about what you talked about in the comment. I will pray and ask for the best for you and your son and family. Back to my usual slightly demented self. I had a pretty good December 25th. I won't need to eat until next year! I was happy and sad. Happy for the day, but sad because of those not with me. My grandparents, my parents, Daniel....all gone, but never forgotten. This is two turtle doves day. You know, the twelve days of Christmas? The first four days are just fowl. I mean, the partridge in a pear tree is just the beginning, then the doves, tomorrow is three French hens, and the four colly birds. (For decades I sang that wrong. What the Hell is a colly bird? I sang calling birds. If you do, now you know not to. It's a bird in Europe, naturally. Calling birds is an error. So, stop it. I love The Twelve Pains of Christmas, Wreck the Malls instead of Deck the Halls, There's Something Stuck in the Chimney, and The Restroom Door Said Gentlemen. It is also like poor Rod Serling. The father of the Twilight Zone and the Night Gallery and one of my inspirations with his twisted tales and dark humor. I love that man! I thought he was Rod Sterling! Not Serling. I apologize to him all the time. "Forgive my ignorance, Rod Serling. You know I love you." And Stephen King, and others with twisted minds...in a good way. Anne Rice, Dean Koonts...you get it.) So, Merry Christmas, or as they say across the pond "Happy Christmas." They call chips crisps and soccer; they call that football. Anyway! I wish you Happy Boxing Day, Two Turtle Doves Day, Kwanzaa...just have a good whatever. I miss Daniel every day. The season is tough. I wish you well. Eric 💞

On the way back Joel had been thinking and turned to the others and said, “I think this has been a very productive thing we just did.” He sighed and looked at Adel, “You are hardly finished. We need to have the processor and smelter finished but we should have enough materials to build more sentries.” He looked at Alejandro. “We should make other unmanned craft with the Alcubierre Drive and place more sentries out between us and Earth.” He shrugged a nodding shake, “And send a craft toward Tau C

Yes. And yes. Sending probes out to locate the other Arks locations and to watch the Earth and have a more up to date knowledge of what's happening would be more prudent. Like Joel, I loved the Star Trek series and movies. It gave a more positive prediction of Humans and Earth during a protested, chaotic period on Earth. I will tell you; the Ark II was sent out in the early 2300s. A period where Captain Kirk and even Captain Picard should be around. Joel will take steps to keep track of what's happening. (No, I never put on one of those uniforms or put on pointed ears. I'm not that enamored with the show. I loved Gene's vision of the future. I made him my grandfather and Captain Kirk my father...in my heart. If you did, wonderful! Gene taught me to never judge anyone by what they look like, be nice, but never back down!) Soon, they will plan to keep up with what's happening to Humanity. There will be good and bad. Typical, huh? ANYWAY, because you asked soooo nicely, I won't go back to Siberia or Makarovia. I'll stay on Gaea. Because you asked me to. Thank you for reading and liking my stories. I am in your debt. Love you all. I didn't need that much coercion. Coffee gotten and knuckles cracked. Time to write! Bye! R. Eric

Joel woke again with the feeling of contentment and satisfaction. He had been told it would happen when you did a good and honest day’s work. Everyone on the Ark were working a hard honest day’s work. He didn’t know of a single person on the Ark that was in the least bit lazy. Scientists often got so focused on their work they didn’t think about anything else. Matt and Mark were going to begin combining their DNA to make a new life made up from both of them. Joel knew sperm carried half of

Okay, I do this sometimes, I added something in this story and no one caught it! I realize as the author I have to explain details. If you remember, Helga's maiden name was Schneider, not Schuman. Who changed their name and why? As far as Ms. Schuman's bowing, she sort of had to, didn't she? It would have been a slap in Helga's face if the whole crowd there bowed while she remained standing. Ms. Schuman is not that big a fool. I guarantee she didn't shout "hail to the queen, long may she reign." There will not be much of a backstory. I can't say if the problem will be solved. Ms. Schuman may be an ongoing problem for Olek and Helga. You didn't catch the name issue? For shame! No one did.

Barry was right. This was going to be an exciting week. It should be. Makarovia was getting an heir for the throne by someone who was going to be queen. The Proposal was a traditional step and in a year she would be named queen. All of Makarovia knew that Olek and Helga were married already and that she was pregnant. They also knew this wasn’t to be a traditional Proposal. Edger, Pano, and Barry continued to be amazed by our underground in Stryia. This was Urbania down here. A city under th

A blood seeking Vampire’s hours of function sucked. You could take that several ways. Vampires sucks blood after the sunset, yes. They operate late at night and hide in the darkness, yes. A vampire could not be anything else other than a vampire. Whether in their life before the venom they were a morning person or a person who did better staying up late. The venom dictated what time to rest and when to get up and get moving. There was no choice. I did not consider myself a morning person. I hate

You're not done! There's more!

You've got a lot of reading to do. There's the sequel/

I wanted one that belongs to us! My characters are men. There will be sword fights and murder plots. It ain't Disney!

Oh, YOU were that fan! Yes, yes, I've said no story ends, but when the views on my stories dropped from 400 in a few days to maybe 400 a month...well, I branched out. I got Writer's Block as well. Ark II is the latest story, Blueblood, Makarovia. I will write the others, but right now these three are gnawing at me. It's an addiction. I get those little endorphin rushes when I get replies from readers.