CHAPTER 27
I really don’t know where that year went, but the school holidays were soon on us and so was our boy’s first ever trip abroad. We had taken a load of pictures of him, trying to get something suitable for his passport, and in the end the best we could manage made my son look rather like a white Malteser.

We flew from Cardiff this time, meeting the others at a coffee shop before check-in. It was slightly odd, as I remembered Vicky from the trial, but had never really got to know her husband Kevin, and then there were two hyperactive children to engage with, Tara Elaine and Kevin Twm. Bags dropped, kids supplied with amusements, queue through Security, and then sit and wait, then wait some more.

I arrived a few minutes late for work to find the squad room a scene of what can only be described as organised chaos. From the looks on everyone’s faces we’d picked up a new case. I headed for my desk and after slipping off my coat I sat down, started to get my bearings and waited in vain for anyone to remark ‘oh you are back then?’ or some such greeting.

I was just returning from three weeks holiday and I was already feeling slightly miffed that none of my colleagues had even noticed that I’d returned to work.

As I am second-guessing my ability to manage operations as president after today, I am given more reason to doubt. The alarm begins to blare out, and the ship’s computer spoke two of the scariest words known to humankind: “Emergency: Code White”.

If I should die before I wake...

They came from the same direction we had come from, more of the huge green things than I could count. Gunshots banged out from our side, but they had firearms, too, monstrous pistols like the one we had found for Trike.

 

Gaby Book 16 - Sweet Sixteen

Sweating on the Line

Masks XX: The Mystery of the Mechanical Master

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part One

The video conference call was unusual in more aspects than the fact that all three participants were wearing costumes with masks. The members of Tricorne were planning yet another Spring Break together. However, this time the youngest member was proposing something different from previous teamups.

First I thank Monika for all her efforts at editing. I asked for her help with the French translations and she dug into the story cleaning up a ton of errors including the French. Faeries and Such was posted several weeks earlier. There have been minor revisions to the first part. Nothing which will take away from the second part if one has already read the first and wishes to skip it.
For the past three weeks I either had my head down in the innards of a JD while questioning my sanity or eating dust and dirt when it's running. I lost three weeks getting the land ready for the next planting, Please, I love all of you, but don't expect me to return the volley if you comment.
Life is a gift. Treasure it until it's time to return it.

Chapter 39

We jumped into the limo and drove to my house. I was feeling nervous and a bit scared that mum was going to muck this up for me. On the other hand, Eve had this grin on her face, ready for a confrontation and looking forward to it. I think she was trying to keep me from freaking out by keeping a conversation going. We talked about music generally, favourite songs and artists.

Elizabetha gets deeper and deeper into the office of her grandfather she swore herself into. Intrigue, ideals, plots, plans, romance?

Arrival and settling in at Kincaid base before seeing the last shore leave and the academy.

This little song parody is about the feeling I had when I recently did a makeover photo shoot, and saw myself in the mirror for the first time, truly seeing me.

Who will buy this wonderful feeling?
Such an image I never have seen
Who will tie it up with a ribbon?
And put it in a box for me

Time on My Hands
Chapter 22: 235-239 CE: Emperor Roulette

Rome quickly discovered the warnings Raben had shared were quite apt. In April the Germanic tribes crossed the Rhine while Iazyges and Dacians crossed the Danube in hordes that even caused panic at the gates of Rome. The legions, who were already demoralized after their costly war against the Persians, were further discontented with their emperor when their homes were destroyed by the barbarian invaders.

In May Raben with the six trained scribes as well as their locally married wives and children traveled north to Barmaz with many of the manuscripts and all the equipment and supplies needed to set up what would become the main location of Corvus Scriptorium. One of the things Raben had specified for the library of the Corvus Scriptorium was the rooms be of all stone or brick with vaulted ceilings and stone shelving in order to be as fireproof as possible. A velum/parchment factory using the skins from the cattle, sheep, and goats was quickly constructed as well as an ink factory utilizing soot collected from the many chimneys throughout Barmaz. Sheets of papyrus were imported from Alexandria. Flax was added to the crops grown in Barmaz. Flax fibers would be processed into linen and linseed oil extracted from the seeds.