At the ending of the year there are two important occasions Garia must attend. First comes the last ever gathering of the Guilds of Palarand before they merge to form a new combined engineering institute. Then, as the old year ends, there is the festival of Midwinter's Night, where each family gathers together to remember the past and prepare for the new year to come.

Somewhere Else Entirely

by Penny Lane

112 - Midwinter's Night

UF-2 The Seeds of War
by Barbie Lee
Edited by Catherine Linda Michel
Copyright April 2002

"His breath reeked of gin and spirits. It was probably the only mouthwash he ever used. He smiled, and his yellow teeth looked bright against the dark recess of his yawning gullet. His lips were thin. Probably from seldom being pulled into a smile. He held his knife to my throat. “I’m going to sell you to the slavers.”

Over the shoulder of the first man, I could see another man coming across the room. He was holding up a slave collar. A cruel device, it was guaranteed to make the person it was placed on, submissive. Voice controlled, the master didn’t need a transmitter. All the master had to do was give a command. If the slave didn’t respond the slave collar would give a cruel shock. I had seen slaves drop to the floor writhing in agony when they didn’t respond to a command from the master. Those slave collars were a product of the government for use on prisoners. Pirates and slavers found a new use for the government prisoner collars."

And off we go in Book two of UF-2 The Seeds Of War. Strap yourselves in and suit up for action in deep space. Pirates, slavers, alien races and war loom ahead for Brandy, Sherry and all the universes and dimensions. Can our heroes and heroines stave off war and win out against the worst that space has to offer? Well here we go!

UF-2 Book 1 Chapter 6 By Barbie Lee, Edited by Catherine Linda Michel

FROM CHAPTER 5

She made the motions of drawing an X over her heart. “Nope, God’s own truth. He turned of age yesterday. That meant two things for him. He was allowed to marry without his parents permission, and he ascends to command of his clan. His dad, your father in law, has stepped down as leader of the clan.”

“Honey, you married into the Number One Clan. Toni is head or leader of all Pash as of yesterday.”

FROM THE EDITOR: So now we know who Toni actually is. In this final chapter we will witness Brandy's acceptance of the life that fate has brought her, the final showdown with the Trag, and Brandy's rise to Queen of the Pash.

Book 2 of this great space opera is about done with editing and will follow as soon as possible.

UF-2 BY BARBIE LEE EDITED BY CATHERINE LINDA MICHEL

As promised, here's Chapter 4, a longer chapter than chapter 3. In this one we get answers to a lot of questions. Who is Toni, really? Who released the virus that changed Bill and Sherri? What are Toni's plans for Bill/Brandy? All that and more in this chapter.

FROM BEFORE: "Sherry managed to push me to the bottom of the ramp and walked around me. “Plus, some dimensional side travel tossed in for good measure. We couldn’t phone home if we wanted to. We aren’t in our dimension any longer. Earth and all the worlds mankind has populated don’t exist any longer.”

“WHAT! YOU’RE KIDDING!” I was thinking about a hologram and some weird joke between Toni and Sherry.

“Brandy, don’t get me wrong. Humanity still exists, but not in this dimension. Toni’s species travel not only from star to star but through dimensions as well.” She motioned me to follow. “Let’s go see Toni’s home. It’s a rare invite. We are the only humans to be invited to a Pash home.”

“O… kay.” I followed Toni and Sherry into what I would call an Ivy covered entry."

AND NOW.....

The thot plickens. Our heroine and her friend are about to have all their realities torn apart and replaced by things they never even imagined. Secrets are brought out, changes occur and Brandy and Sherry are introduced to Toni's home world and culture.

This is a short chapter, because there simply wasn't any other good place for the chapter break. The next chapter will be considerably longer. Look for it on Monday.

FROM BEFORE:

“Oh God…!” The idea I could have a baby had never entered into my psyche. The idea I was a woman was tolerable as a short term concept. We were the most advanced intelligent race ever, at least that we knew about. I was positive medical could find a cure. Now, Sherry was telling me I could possibly not only have a baby, I was designed as a baby factory! Damn those who did this!"

And now;

WARRIOR PRINCESS CHAPTER THREE
BY BARBIELEE

This is the final chapter of this story. Will our heroine win through? Will she finally accept her place in this strange new world? Who and what are those damned Homm? The ride gets bumpier from here and our heroine faces many things she never dreamed of in her old life.

When we left off, Our heroine was facing some nasty possibilities.

"Was it doubt that stopped me? Or was I being smart by not breaking my bonds and escaping? I decided to wait when no dark voids were around had knocked me out without me sensing it coming. I didn’t want a repeat performance. Going against an unknown was an act of desperation. I wasn’t desperate. Yet."

And now:

WARRIOR PRINCESS By BarbieLee.

Neal wanders into a business, having just been laid off from his job, looking for work. What he finds will stretch his ability to understand and cope with major life changes.

Garia sees Keren depart on his Valley journey and then has to find out what the Guildsmen have been doing while they were away. Later, she begins teaching meditation to Eriana, receives an unexpected visitor and is summoned by the Queen...

Somewhere Else Entirely

by Penny Lane

108 - Oaths of Fealty

Garia resumes her exercise regime, this time with Eriana as an interested spectator. After lunch a 'Council of War' is held where she finds out how Palarand intends to fight back against Yod and makes an unconventional suggestion. Later, conversations are held with Rosilda and then the King at which the latter drops a bombshell.

Somewhere Else Entirely

by Penny Lane

107 - The Sixth Quadrant

A young student by the name of Richard Hegyi is growing restless with his life. While he lives a relatively good life, he is yearning for a change, to go to another country. However, he finds he had been yearning for more after accidentally helping set a cosmical event in motion on one fateful day. Our story follows his adventures from a few weeks before the event that changed the world forever.

Snakes & Ladders -32

Chapter 32

*Before…

I ache in a good and bad way as I see him quickly vanish off in the distance and part of me is wondering…just wondering that whole what if thing.
Or just if when it might come to Ryann and Shaya and Myself.
I wrap myself in my cloak against the cool air of the night and head back inside to meet up with the commander and to go with him to speak to The King.
I’ll be heading with Bhlaze back to The Holy City and to Lilac House.

*And Now…

Garia's plans are derailed by outside events and she is reduced to sitting with the Queen. This does provide an opportunity to have an honest private conversation, though the results are not what she expected. Later, Garia learns some important new information...

Somewhere Else Entirely

by Penny Lane

104 - Eriana Revealed

Sixteen Feet of Steel Chapter 6

Chapter 6

*Before…

Palfrey Corner is six leagues past Dewbridge and it’s gotten dark and I’m actually walking ahead of everyone…I’m holding my hand up and I’m arcing lighting between my thumb and baby finger casting off blue white light. Hawk’s behind me where she’s keeping watch as we make our way to this place where the trail breaks into a clearing and there’s a small lake and a hamlet with a stacked stone wall and a decent defensive ditch in front of it.
There’s a horn sounded from a watch tower made of simple wood and I look at Nicole who runs up a colors flag. “Watch we come with the post!”
It takes a little longer but we get a response. “Be welcome Wisdom and Squire but be warned we’re under a yellow flag!”
I look at the others. “Yellow flag?”
Taylor’s frowning. “Sickness, they’ve sickness in the village.”

*And Now…

Sixteen Feet of Steel Chapter 5

Chapter 5

*Before…

She gets up. “You’ll see Chrissy now it’s time to do our duty.”

“Duty?”

She grins at me. “We serve the people not the other way around.”

I look as Nicole is heading off with the men into what looks like the fields and Taylor’s opening the forage that we did like we’re a market cart for the women of the houses and then Hawk tosses me a bundle of firewood.

And I don’t think we’re getting paid for any of this either?

*And Now…

Sixteen Feet of Steel Chapter 4

Chapter 4

*Before…

He calls from the campfire. “As common as the come Chris. I’m just a poor peasant lad that earns is bread being useful.”

“Oh…no trade?”

“None that stuck to me I’m afraid I’m just too much a drifter for that.”

“Oh…no offense but they trust to that?”

He laughs. “I’m Keep born Chrissy; they’re all family to me.”

Chrissy?

Nicole’s tipping back a skin and was drinking when she looks at me and she laugh-chokes and spits wine through her nose.

“Chrissy?”

*And Now…

Yod's desperate plan to seize or neutralize Garia goes into action as her party rides south on the road to the city of Palarand and home. The battle is fierce and bloody and many are killed or wounded by the new weapons. Who will survive the determined attack?

Somewhere Else Entirely

by Penny Lane

100 - Blood on the Road

Greatly expanded, previously part of chapter 98.

Garia's stay at Dekarran consists, as she had expected, of a number of meetings and explanations. Uncle Gil wants to know just what happened during her trip to Blackstone and then there's the whole matter of firearms to explain. The days' hard work is topped off by a banquet in the evening for all, in which the girls get a chance to dress themselves up for the boys.

Somewhere Else Entirely

by Penny Lane

99 - Stories and a Banquet

Snakes and Ladders-30

Chapter 30

*Before…

“Do tell.”
“Not here, we’ll talk more in my quarters. I just want to be careful.”
“Hmm…I rather like the idea of going to see your quarters.”
“Uhm…Ryann I’m with someone…I’m bonded to her.”
“That’s okay I’m good with ropes.”
I stop and turn and stare at him. “I said bonded not bondage!”
I’m blushing and he’s grinning and I slap at his arms. And he starts to laugh as he sort of defends himself.
~Shaya…help…~
~What! Wren? Are you alright!?~
~No…he’s flirting with me…! ~

*And now…

After the inevitable morning distractions Garia's caravan finally departs Holville for the next stop to the south. Their new host seems out of touch and his children even more insular, with predictable results. Serious trouble is avoided, but all may not be well as they depart for Teldor.