Fledgling Teasers

Saltation Chapter 39

2008-12-31T14:01:28Z

“The first thing is that we've been wanting for some time to have a ship moved as quietly as possible, which means we needed someone to fly solo, and many pilots will simply not fly solo. We needed someone who might have special need or tendency of their own to privacy, for while our organization is not unknown, it is one that we try to keep as low-profile as possible. The pilots coming this way from Hugglelans who fit that profile were -- you.”

Read the rest, RSN*, here: http://www.korval.com/saltation/ch39web.html
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RSN = Real Soon Now

Saltation Chapter 37

2008-12-21T17:40:08Z

“Theo?”

She looked up into Win Ton's face across the scarred table, feeling the smile trying to twitch at the corners of her mouth despite the annoyance that informed her shoulders.

“What am I supposed to do, Win Ton? You're not looking up to sitting a board and I, I don't know where this ship is, I haven't the first clue where to find it. You knew where it was, and now you don't; now you know who the pilot is but not where she can board it! What a pair of First and Second we'd make for the Bechimo, eh? A pilot who wouldn't recognize her ship and a Second – well, if I'm the pilot what am I supposed to do with you?"

Saltation Chapter 36

2008-12-15T19:31:14Z

"Primadonna isn't exactly neutral territory," Win Ton allowed; "nor would our rooms be, I gather, " he said cautiously, glancing about at his companions. "Certainly here is too public."

There was dance or game going on, and Theo felt the rules a mystery, though she agreed that if she was going to be with him for the first time in, well, years, she'd rather it be elsewhere as well.

"Are we in competition then?" she asked blandly, feeling her muscles make their own space, keeping themselves ready.

Win Ton, this apparition of a Win Ton, sighed lightly, eye wrinkles tightening as he leaned toward her, speaking as low as might be heard in the cramped room.

"We are not in competition." His shoulders moved in what might be a shrug as he weighed his words with care. "We are, however, working on multiple balances and necessities, which might put us at odds, and so should not be dealt with in a place so distracting as this, nor in a place --"

"First you said you wanted some place quieter."

Saltation Chapter 35

2008-12-08T18:34:28Z

"Tell you true, I have this from clean source. Aellianna Caylon is back. They say she came busting in from Galaxy Nowhere with guns blazing and blew apart battleships with her little courier ship there at that Scout attack thing. These are great time we live in, friend, great times!"

One of her table mates was chuckling: "So when do we expect Bopper to show up, or maybe the Second Terran Fleet?"

Theo touched the order board for the morning tea special, leaning back. She could have read all this on Primadonna if she'd have known...

"Punch it in, sandfoot. No, I will. I met the Caylon once myself I did, her and her other. Ride The Luck. Look for it – she was a pick-up pilot, you know. Never missed a delivery, too!"

"She's been dead a long time Casey. No matter how pretty she was, she's dead."

Saltation Chapter 34

2008-12-01T03:15:25Z

Theo's hands were damp with sweat and her main computer was at least four screens deep on each of nine 'tops. She knew where things were but her astrogation instructor would have disowned her and Tranza was sitting back with his music, smiling.
She looked again at the screens, saw the solution, and began archiving like mad.
Let him laugh, Theo thought, he's got his jacket.

Saltation Chapter 33

2008-11-10T14:23:04Z

Armed ships were something they'd really avoided talking about at the academy, and though she'd twice effectively fired the short range beams Primadonna carried, the pair of victims had been unsuspecting space junk in an asteroid belt, the better to demonstrate Primadonna's meteor shields as well as it weapons.

Saltation Chapter 32

2008-11-03T11:45:19Z

Tranza was off on another binge, Theo realized darkly; she'd be lucky if she saw more than a passing wave of the hand acknowledging her dinner arrangements or that he'd be prepared to "study on" her proposed course and time lines. This time, besides laying out the course and schedule she'd already had to balance the official delivery loads in their outboard-minipods and fine tune the more sensitive high-value stuff in the pressure-pallets. Was that enough? No, then came the rebalance because the local office was shipping "internal matter" set to arrive after they were moved to hotpad, which meant it would have to find space in the tiny passenger cabin.
The last time they'd had "cabin-goods," as Tranza would have them, it had been a load of fron, a spice so rare and potent that an amount matching Theo's own mass was sufficient to sustain the Howsanda's needs – the final destination – for a period of years.

Saltation Chapter Thirty-One

2008-10-26T18:59:29Z

It wasn't a long walk to the office, but she was limping when she reached the door. There was a light on, of course; Hugglelans never closed. She set her hand against the door and pushed.

Aito glanced up from the console. He didn't look surprised to see her, even though she wasn't scheduled. On the other hand, he didn't look particularly pleased to see her, and Theo paused with her hand out, holding the door open.

"Should I go?" she asked him. "I don't want trouble."

Read the rest of the rest of the chapter at: http://www.korval.com/saltation/ch31web.html

Saltation Chapter 30

2008-10-20T10:51:15Z

"My ID is authentic!"

Theo schooled herself to calmness, thinking the dance moves rather than dancing them, recalling Asu saying she was always ready to fight, feeling the aches that meant she'd just been in a fight.

The Anlingdin student ID wasn't the problem; that checked out. That she'd need to show any ID to get into her own hearing, accompanied by well-known staff member, was on the far side of enough, already. But the demand had clearly been for "All academic and professional ID, please", and that had surely meant her Guild membership card, which she'd also trumped with the Huggelans Rotating Staff ID card. That card had been accepted at face, but the Guild card was another matter.

The guard in the unfamiliar uniform scanned the unmarred ID again, shaking his head.

"It does appear authentic. But it wasn't issued on Eylot, by the registry office here."

Saltation Chapter 29

2008-10-06T22:47:00Z

She'd signed always have a back-up plan to Asu there at their shared table, and when Asu left the table Theo realized that she'd never really had back-up plan when it came to next session, or even to what she'd do over the break. She had one plan, to graduate, and graduate as soon as she could. She knew she would have a spot at Huggelans since she was on already on their lists, she knew she'd have Asu in the other bunk in the fall, she knew -- well, but it turned out she didn't know.

Asu knew that, too.

Saltation Chapter 28

2008-09-29T17:05:56Z

Saltation Chapter 28

Her anticipated target moved, shaking the dump-lid, but staying out of sight. She wasn't going to trust a sound shot or try a ricochet; she needed a clear view and time ...
The dark one she'd thought she'd taken already taken care of moved, standing with a lurch, arm swinging toward her, wild shot singing somewhere else. Without compunction she took him down with a three shot volley, twisting in time to get off a shot at the other one, at the gun itself in desperation --
A flash of blue filled space, and she jerked, sighed, stood carefully.

Saltation Chapter 27

2008-09-22T13:44:41Z

"Brine Batzer."
Theo's hand moved on their own say again repeat.
Arndy Slayn laughed.
"It is an Eylot sounding name, isn't it? Brine Batzer; I can't say this behind the desk, but he's one of the most active of the cheap pod-breaking ship agents. It's a wonder that he'd move two whole pods at the same time, but I guess he got lucky. Anyway, that's who'd you'd have to start with if you wanted to pursue something against Drosslemare as a ship – well look at that!"

Saltation Chapter 26

2008-09-15T13:18:51Z

The norbear was sitting quietly beside the pool, on a mat of vegetation, gently chewing a long green plant with a bulb at the end. It looked shyly up at Theo and made a sort of chuckling noise, its thick brown-and-orange fur making it a match for the rocks of the waterfall.

"Hello," she told the norbear, and the guy at the desk said, "Hello Pilot, how may we assist you?"

Saltation: Chapter 25

2008-09-08T00:03:28Z

Saltation Chapter 25
by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

.... a tease

The place that was Codrescu wasn't pretty, and it wasn't a neat and tidy approach like bringing the shuttle into one of the three shuttle-only bays at the the so-called "big orbit" a full planetary diameter higher.

While the basics of matching orbits might be the same, the fact was that this was crowded space: ships and satellites, work-crews, stock-piled supplies all netted with warn-aways, and then more of the same, all in vague joint revolution around Eylot with the amalgamation that was Codrescu Station proper. Theo was glad of something concrete to do, still thinking of the security walk-around, the kind words for Father, the silly politics... and too, the pilot's card she'd have soon enough along with her degree, if the stupid planet didn't close the school down first.

Saltation: Chapter 24

2008-09-01T14:44:10Z

Saltation Chapter 24

Yberna was more than just tired, she was ill. Theo didn't think she'd ever seen anyone that exact shade of yellow, especially considering how pale the girl usually was, and the color didn't go well at all with scrapes and bruises. With yos'Senchul gone DCCT was acting like a team, indeed – someone had broken out extra oxygen and there were a couple first aid kits circulating among the combatants.
"I'll be fine, she was saying, her hands trembling and her lips going blue, "I just need a little oxygen."

Saltation Chapter 23

2008-08-25T17:48:42Z

"Sweetest of mysteries, alas, I am not able to convince any of the routing computers, nor my supervisors, of any route wherein Anlingdin Academy is a way-point for my journey to the assembly point. As your own location and routing is still based on the needs of tuition, and as I am not at liberty to disclose my routing nor destinations, immediate, intermediate, or final, there seems little likelihood that we shall each other in the near term, as dear as that thought has been to me since we last parted."

Saltation Chapter 22 (arriving later on Monday)

2008-08-18T14:27:45Z

"Sweetest of Mysteries," started the missive, in a surprisingly angular Terran script, hand-written in ink on the prettiest, most elegant paper Theo'd ever seen. The fibers nearly glowed with warmth and the scent of it was subtle and charming, with undertones not unlike Vaya, but not nearly as challenging to the comfortable nose. The touch of it was sensuous; her fingers caressed it as she read.

Saltation Chapter 21

2008-07-28T16:28:51Z

... from the chapter in progress...

Pressing the meter's probe against the tie-strap she knew there was a problem even before the complaining YEEP YEEP YEEP broke the relative quiet. The strap looked soft, and then yielded easily to her push... and it shouldn't. The meteorologists were calling for more of the seasonal lake-effect storms late in the day and it wouldn't do for something this light to lift and flip in a downpour, or worse, go sliding out into a taxi-way to endanger traffic.

Derryman sighed noisily, calling out "Do the right wing gear and I'll do the left..., but it's Batzer's Bat and I guarantee they'll all be forty percent light and using last year's recycled cable!"

Danger, Theo Waitley!

2008-07-11T18:18:19Z

"Once you've sat first or second seat on orbit around an inhabited planet you'll see that being Pilot in Charge of a space vessel makes being PIC on a two or four seat air-sucking cloud-hopper is an order of magnitude less dangerous to all concerned."

The casual dismissal of their progress to date shocked the room; the palpable intake of breath became a uniform glance over shoulder in her direction from the front -- and Theo imagined those behind her staring at the back of her head. As far as she knew there were exactly two people in the room who met that criteria: Instructor yos' Senchul and herself.

Read the rest of Saltation Chapter Twenty at: http://www.korval.com/saltation/ch20web.html

Saltation: Chapter Nineteen

2008-06-29T15:38:06Z

"A pleasant evening to the house." He bowed slightly to Asu, who'd been closest to the door. "I am Win Ton yo'Vala, come to call upon Theo Waitley, if she will see me."

"I see you," Theo said softly, feeling kind of fluttery and light in the chest. Win Ton, she noticed, had changed out of what must've been his dress uniform, into a dark sweater and pants -- and his jacket. He looked over Asu's shoulder with a smile.

"I see you, also, Sweet Mystery. Is this everything that will be allowed us?"

She laughed. "Asu, you're not my aunt! Let him in."

"Certainly," the taller girl said. She took a fluid step back, and swept her arm out, head inclined in a very slight bow, indeed. "I am Asu diamon Dayez. Be welcome, Pilot yo'Vala."

"My thanks." Win Ton stepped inside, brown eyes flicking to Chelly, who gave him a matter-of-fact nod.

"Chelly Frosher, Pilot Admin trainee." He paused, and added, thoughtfully. "Friend of Theo's."

"I am pleased to meet you, Admin Frosher," Win Ton assured him gravely.

He turned slightly, and Theo felt her stomach tighten, which was silly. This was Win Ton, not some stranger, or --

"Pilot yo'Vala!" Asu said, sharply.

Win Ton's eyebrows rose, and he turned, perhaps faster than he had intended. Asu went back a step, and he became very still, hands belt high, palms out, fingers spread in the sign for "I'm no threat."

Read the rest of this week's exciting installment at noon, Monday, June 30, at:
http://www.korval.com/saltation/ch19web.html

Saltation: Chapter Eighteen

2008-06-23T14:58:17Z

"Theo, just in time! You're going the wrong way!"

Cara stopping halted the whole team, familiar faces and unfamiliar together.

Theo signed blankly none there, pointing toward the dorm parapet rising above the trees in the distance.

"Might be, but there's a ship coming in, and we're going to go down to see it."

"There's always a ship coming in ..." Theo pointed out, a Star King IV obligingly dropping down through the clouds toward the main landing strip with practiced efficiency.

The hand-sign was flip – overlooked obvious.

"I mean a spaceship." Cara's hand said new info just in.

"The shuttle is still parked...."

A shake of heads, and from the back....

"Spaceship. You know, interstellar. We got a call from the field, they thought we might want to see this."

"Here? Where will it fit? What is it?"

"Right. That's what we want to see ... come on down with us! DCCT is on the move!"

Saltation Chapter 17

2008-06-16T14:40:07Z

Saltation Chapter 1t, a preview:

At one point, in fact, she turned head to pointedly look at him, since his level of discussion had gone from active to agitated, and the motion was distracting. She'd caught what might have been inadequate preparatory curriculum but, given the syntax and motion of the single hand doing the work of two, could just as well have been weakly unbaked circles.

Saltation Chapter Sixteen

2008-06-09T14:43:53Z

"And there's a problem worth a grimace?" Pilot yos'Senchul's voice was not concerned, but interested.

Theo knew she probably blushed, but the instrument lighting wouldn't betray her.
Theo reduced throttle, let the craft slow, watched for the runway ahead to take on a green stripe, to the left, and she followed the green stripe, toward those bright lights ...

"According to the chronometer I was seventeen seconds late on touchdown," she admitted. " I can't figure..."

Read the rest of this week's exciting installment at noon, today, Monday, June 9, at:
http://www.korval.com/saltation/ch16web.html

Apologies - No Saltation today

2008-06-02T14:59:52Z

Being the bearer of slow tidings, let me point out that the Winter issue of the SFWA Bulletin arrived last week, and we have seen promises that the Spring/Nebula issue will be out RSN. The Nebula issue is isusally distributed *at* the Nebula Awards event... sigh.

No Salation today.

The Nebula issue the Bulletin being late didn't materially affect us this year, and probably not you either. Theo being late may. This was not our plan. Forgive us.

We are diligently working to get back in schedule. We miss Theo, too.

No Chapter on May 26

2008-05-23T19:46:25Z

Due to the fact that Longeye is due at Baen on June 1, no excuses, and is still thirty grand from the finish line, that is where the efforts and so-called talents of both authors will be focused this weekend.

There will be no new chapter of Saltation posted on May 26.

Steve and I apologize profusely, and thank you once again for your patience.