Eloquent Tales & Blues

Return

The council members sat in the hall, whispering among themselves as they waited for the session to begin. As the whispers grew, one voice sliced through the din. “There’s no scheduled vote today. Why are we here?”

“I called everyone here to discuss the failed attempt to colonize Morven.” The statement silenced the council as the lights dimmed, and millions of bluish-white spheres emerged from the central dais. When the orbs coalesced into an imposing figure, it inclined its head, pressing its hands together. “Long ago, some of our forefathers sent an expedition to our sister planet to form a colony.”

A councilor stood, clearing her throat. “Chancellor, while it’s unfortunate that some of our ancestors vanished in the foolhardy expansion, we should leave well enough alone and ignore Morven.”

The towering holographic Chancellor bowed toward the council member. “That’s been our mantra since we lost contact.”

“We don’t want to risk a second expedition to that cursed world!” Another councilman cried out as he slapped his thighs.

“Distracting our thoughts with an attempt to re-colonize our sister planet is a mistake,” a distinct voice declared. As a hush descended on the council chambers, a woman rose and leaned upon the railing. The silence lingered for an instant before she clasped her hands to her chest. “There are too many issues here that require our entire attention.”

The hologram cleared its throat as it scanned every councilor in the auditorium. When the holographic eyes latched onto the standing woman, the figure widened its stance. “We have established programs to address each of those concerns, Jasmine.”

“And you’re aware of the positive reaction to those initiatives,” she said.

The Chancellor waved her worries away and addressed the room. With a smile, the hologram lifted an admonishing finger. “It is long past the time we discovered what befell our kin. We can no longer bury our heads in the comfort of our own affairs. We must explore the planet whose orbit we share.”

Another councilor stood and clapped methodically. The mocking echoes silenced the murmurs as he offered the hologram a false grin. He waggled a finger as he descended to the edge of the dais. “However, you’re not being honest with us...

Icy Wasteland

Wan moonlight bathed a stocky man’s pale arms as he leaned against the metallic rails, whistling a simple tune.

“Anton, stop making that awful racket!”

The sporadic notes stopped as Anton twisted his head and pushed against the railing. “Norman, the silence is eerie.” Anton marched across the deck and swatted the consol. “Why don’t you have a radio or satellite on this boat?”

“You weren’t hired to be entertained.” Norman released his grip on the yoke and pointed at an indention in the massive frozen cliff. “I enlisted you to assist me with my cargo. Besides, there aren’t many options available when you’re this far removed from civilization.”

“Whatever, Norman,” Anton said, waving his hand as he sauntered back to the rail, staring at the looming glaciers. “Can you explain why we fled the civilized world?” Anton chewed his lips as he wrapped his fingers around the metal bar. “Specifically, why you are steering us right into a hunk of ice.”

“We’re out here to dump my cargo in my decontamination facility.”

“Out here in a glacier?”

A dark smile spread while Norman throttled the ship’s engine. As the craft approached the icy wall, he spun the wheel, guiding the ship into the gap, plunging them into darkness. “Fortunately, out here the world’s pesky regulations don’t exist.”

Distant howls ripped through the tranquil atmosphere, chasing a shudder down Anton’s spine. With shallow breaths, his whitening fingertips dug into the boat. Closing his eyes, Anton took a few deep breaths and twirled his hand toward the star-filled sky. “It’s creepy navigating through all these massive chunks of ice. With the pale light, those cliff-faces look like giant gravestones.”

Norman turned off the engine and pulled a slender stick from the console. With a crack, a sickly green illumination leapt from the tube, chasing away the darkness. With a series of quick motions, Norman cracked another rod and tossed it on the approaching dock. Norman sauntered to the bow and twisted a section of rope off the cleat. When the vessel crept alongside the small metal wharf, Norman hopped on, securing his craft. “Privacy, is as precious as gold in most cases.”

Colonization: Frantic Weight

"Hurry!" Keldon barked as he lifted his side of the beam. "We have to fix the wall before the horde can flood in and wipe us out."

Caleb lifted the other end and grunted. "You'd think looming devastation might revive Tarian's mind."

"That's enough, Caleb!" Keldon glanced over his shoulder as he hefted the slab of metal. With a slight stumble, he shot Caleb a wicked glare. "Lloyd's death hit him hard. I doubt anything will bring him out of his funk anytime soon. Now be careful, or I'll end up breaking my neck."

Caleb slowed as he shook his head. "It's remarkable those monsters haven't attacked yet."

"Be thankful for small favors." Keldon glanced over his shoulder as the beam fought his grasp. "Wayne, please assist us in getting this into position."

When the weight lessened, Keldon whipped around and found Tarian beside him. "Allow me to assist you. After all, you've helped me carry my burdens lately."

Keldon burst into laughter, but his foot caught on a rock, and he tumbled to the ground.

"Under normal circumstances, I'd lend you a hand, Keldon," Tarian said as his arms twitched. "But I trust you appreciate why I've refused to help out."

"Don't worry about it." Keldon propped himself up while he rubbed his heel. He staggered to his feet, waving at the crowd of people sealing the breach in the wall.

"Please take your time," Caleb said, sweat erupting from his brow. "It's so much fun holding up this slab of metal."

"I'll forgive you, Tarian." Keldon grabbed the beam and glared at the man across from him. "Caleb, it's good to know you're enjoying yourself. But how about we hurry up and seal that breach?"

"Funny," Caleb said as his eyes narrowed.

"Thank you for picking up the slack," Tarian said as the men resumed their march.

"Tarian, I'd be happy to have this conversation with you," Keldon started as he tightened his grip on the beam. "But can we wait until we've brought this over to Wayne's crew?"

"Sure," Tarian said...

Fleeting Beauty

A paw slammed to the ground, crushing the scattered remnants of the surrounding trees. With a grumble, a furry beast emerged from the forest’s edge. As the animal strode from the protection of the forest, it halted when the crunching twigs and leaves gave way to an undulating sea of purple flowers.

While the massive creature stared at the field, the sun’s golden rays crested the distant mountains and raced toward the swaying plants, bathing them with their first meal of the day. With each passing moment, the din of the forest diminished. As the silence intensified, the bear rose to its hind legs while ripples washed over its body.

When the rippling ceased and the last of the dark fur receded, a stout man stepped closer to the flowers, running his hand through his thick hair. As the individual stood there, the chattering wind chipped away at the nascent stillness like a chisel striking a stone.

“Lander, why are you here?”

Without tearing his gaze from the ever-shifting lavender carpet, Lander reached up and interlaced his fingers behind his head. “Neville, why are you bothering me?”

“You shouldn’t be here wasting your time.”

“Where should I be?”

“Preparing for the fight looming over us.”

The towering figure turned to Neville, his lips drawing into a harsh line. “Is there a problem with my separating myself from the inevitable maelstrom to bathe in the sight of something beautiful?”

The newcomer rushed forward, pinching the bridge of his nose before gripping Lander’s arm with rough fingers. “Nobody thinks you have to abandon things of beauty.”

“Then, before we rush into something terrible, stand here with me and appreciate this moment.”

“While I agree,” Neville said as his hand swept across the violet field, “that this is a stunning view. You have responsibilities that require your personal attention.”

Sucking his lip, Lander tapped Neville’s hand with a loose fist...

Colonization: Message

Tarian clambered to the wall's edge and stared into the barren field. When he discovered a solitary figure, his fingers turned white around the gray stones. "That's a massive creature. What is it? When did it arrive?"

"I'm not sure what's out there, but it's been there since the sun came up," Keldon said, closing his eyes.

"Keldon, who's our best surviving sharpshooter?" Tarian's gaze turned ice cold as his lips curled into a snarl. "Bring that individual here and destroy that monster!"

Keldon lifted his telescope and studied the distant creature. When the scope lowered, he tapped it against the wall. "Given the recent attack, there's a significant chance it's a shapeshifter."

"Does it matter what it is?" Sherry stepped in front of Keldon, her hands on hips. "Tarian's right. One of our marksmen could end the threat."

"I'm more concerned with whatever's beyond our field of view." Keldon laid a hand on Tarian's shoulder, pulling him close. "That thing's the tip of the oncoming storm."

Sherry threaded her fingers through her hair as she stared at the creature. "Why are you trying to distract us from the simple solution?"

Keldon's fist slammed the wall as he glared at Sherry. "We're not in a position to defend ourselves from another assault."

Sherry blanched as she gripped her chest. "We're prepared for this kind of situation, right?"

"Unfortunately, Lloyd's dead." Tarian stepped up to the wall and examined the towering monster. With a hiss, Tarian spun around and leaned against the wall, collapsing to the floor. "Besides, a pair of shapeshifters tried to steal a significant amount of our ordnance...

Questions

Shawn glanced from the assignments in front of him to his watch. He laid his pen down and folded his hands on the pile of papers, “Zachary, you’re the last one here, and your time has expired. Please turn in your exam and start your weekend.”

“Can I take another minute?”

Shawn shook his head and thumped his desk, “You are out of time. I’ve already given you an extra thirty minutes, now give me your test, or I’ll be forced to reward your hard work with a zero.”

Zachary slipped his pen behind his ear with a groan and strolled up to Shawn’s desk. He dropped his exam next to the assignments his professor was correcting, “Thank you for giving me what you could. Do you have anything planned for the weekend, aside from grading those?”

Shawn grinned and lifted Zachary’s test and slipped it into a drawer. He locked it and propped his chin on a hand, “Normally I would grade these tests tonight. However, this time that’s a job for my teacher’s assistant, because I’ve got important plans for the weekend.”

“Did you finally find a new place?” Zachary looked around the lecture hall as he shoved his hands into his pockets, “Cause living in a university lecture hall is a little strange.”

Shawn’s fingers drummed on his desk while his other hand stabbed toward the door, “Run along, Zachary, and enjoy your weekend.”

“Bye, Professor,” Zachary retorted as he rushed to the exit. He walked out of the auditorium, bumping into a woman. The young man looked away and tipped his head, “I’m sorry, are you looking for Professor Tillman...

Colonization: Devastating Loss

Tarian lifted his head from the desk as the alarm blared. With a groan, he turned toward the noise. When he couldn't locate the source of the racket, he started blinking the sleep away and stumbled toward the window. He leaned on the sill and saw the ordnance storehouse lights flashing across the field. As his gaze tracked the beams, the scene made sense. Tarian spun and bolted from his quarters.

When he burst out of the building, Tarian dashed toward the depot. As he crossed the courtyard, a hand yanked him to a stop. Tarian reached back, grabbed the stranger and twisted his arm behind his back. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Lloyd said with a whimper, his face paling. He raised his free hand in surrender. "However, you rushing headlong into an unknown raid isn't one of your better ideas."

As Tarian relaxed his grip, he spun toward the armory as his hand flew to his side. He reached for his sidearm, but his fingers brushed an empty belt. A curse flew from his mouth as he whirled toward Lloyd. "Do you have a spare gun?"

"You're lucky you ran into me first." Lloyd drew a handgun and thrust it toward Tarian. "Next time the alarm blares, you might remember to secure your sidearm before you try to take on a mystery unarmed."

"That's enough," Tarian said as he took the weapon. After a brief check, he aimed the small firearm at the depot and inched forward.

"You shouldn't be the first to enter," Lloyd said, pulling Tarian's shoulder. With a few long strides, Lloyd pulled ahead of Tarian and placed an ear against the depot's door...

Running Leap

“Didn’t you learn your lesson last time?”

The man peering down the chasm smiled, waving his arms over his head. He glanced down at a collection of stones, and knocked them off the ledge, watching them plummet toward the lake. When the rocks plunged into the tranquil water, ripples spread across the surface. He turned around and scampered to his friend, resting his cast on the guy’s back. “Ethan, why are you worried?”

“Daniel, you broke your arm the last time you tried making that jump!”

Daniel pulled Ethan closer, smirking as he nudged his friend’s shoulder. “You make it sound so unpleasant.”

Ethan pushed Daniel away, as he thrust his hand toward the far side of the gorge. “That gap’s over ten feet wide, and I’ll remind you of two things. First, your earlier try came up short and second you almost killed yourself when you plummeted thirty feet into the lake.”

“Bah,” Daniel waved his cast over his head as he hustled back to the gap and peered into the calm water. “I can see the rock outcropping that gave me this lovely billy club.” He turned, waving Ethan over to the ledge as he pointed at the still lake. “To avoid a similar mishap, I’ll jump over the darkest patch of water...