ted@usceast.UUCP (Ted Nolan) (12/28/84)
<fiction while U wait>
Well, here it is. The contest that nobody has been demanding: The
first and possibly last annual net.sf-lovers round robin short story
contest.
The idea is simple. A high percentage of sf readers are known to be
frustrated authors, this contest gives you a chance to take out some
of that frustration. Here are the rules. I have appended part one of
an sf short story below. Your mission is to write part two. Simple
right? Where, you ask, does the contest part come in? Well, it's
like this. I'm asking you to send your part 2's to me by netmail , and
the person who I judge has best continued the story will have his
part 2 posted as the first winner.
Of course, I can't keep you from posting it own your own, but where
would be the fun in that? There are a few requirements for a winning
entry. First and foremost, don't end the story. Second, don't send
me anything I would hesitate to post except as rot13. Third, it
should be good (whether or not you think part 1 is good). Make your
submissions a reasonable length also, I think 2 pages would be
sufficient for most purposes. Finally, there will be a slight
penalty for killing off either of the main characters -- you can
do it, but it had better be worth it.
I think you can take the story in many directions, adventure, humor
who knows, perhaps even mystery or romance. I doubt very much that it
will go anywhere near the way I envisioned it when I plotted it 8 or
so years ago, but that's ok, surprise me.
If I get at least 3 respones to this, I will post a winner and go
ahead and ask for part 3's, otherwise, the contest ends
(ignominiously) right here. It's in your hands now!
Ted Nolan ..usceast!ted
Use the path on this article for email or ..
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Ted Nolan ...decvax!mcnc!ncsu!ncrcae!usceast!ted
6536 Brookside Circle ...akgua!usceast!ted
Columbia, SC 29206
("Deep space is my dwelling place, the stars my destination")
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The Tower of the Sun
Part 1
by
Ted Nolan
Mertion flexed his hindlegs luxuriously, relaxing under the
singleminded ministrations of his attending workers. He allowed his
mind to wander to the fast approaching queening flight. Now there
was heaven. To soar the clouds, his sleek wings driving his glistening
body faster and farther than any of his competing brothers, to catch
his intended, the beautiful Mother of All as she darted teasingly
ahead of the drone pack and to know that brief final ecstasy of mating.
He shook his head in irritation as the workers started to
groom his antennae. Ecstasy, yes he could deal with that. It was just
that recently, the "final" part of it was beginning to seem a little
much. There was still so much to do, there were never enough drones
to do the research that workers were too practical to fool with and
after the queening flight, there would be none. Who would invent the
cargo balloons, the grub warmers and sting debarbers while the new
generation matured? And what about his own work, the flying of the mind?
There was so little time. As the workers started to clean
each pane of his huge multi-faceted eyes, Mertion began the mental
exercises to free his mind from his body, the discipline he had
developed and that would doubtless die with him. Suddenly, his
perspective changed, and he watched with interest from above as the
workers flicked at an minute dirt spot on one of his lenses, but he
couldn't linger here, he had to try again the barrier he had come to
know so well and with such disgust. He hurled himself,not exactly
upward, but outward. It wasn't movement in any physical direction he
suspected, but more of an attuning of the senses to a more fundamental
reality.
As always, he came up on the barrier with no advance warning.
It stretched in all directions a formless gray nothing, less
substantial than the thinnest mist but as impenetrable as the bedrock
of the hive's foundation. Mertion began to slide along the surface
looking fruitlessly for the opening he knew had to be there somewhere.
As always, he thought , there is no limit to the Great Ones' creation
so this cannot be an ending. Time seemed fluid in this world of mind,
but after what seemed to him a long interval of searching, he took the
thought to a conclusion that had escaped him before. There is no
limit to creation, therefore the limit must be in me. He stopped,
considered the strange thought from all sides and found it sound. He
was at the limits of his mind, not his universe.
The thought goaded him, pampered but ignored what did a drone
have besides his mind? He would accept no limits on that. He tensed
himself and made the ultimate leap that he suddenly knew as the final
inevitable result of his studies and.. looking down on his mind as he
had earlier looked down on his body, saw the built up prejudices of
his racial heritage and rearing. Saw them and erased them, only a
mind newborn could solve the problem he had set himself, the knowledge,
yes, keep that, but the viewpoint had to go. Finally, the strain
overcame him, and he fell back into himself, the moments of
metaknowledge gone, but the difference..He laughed with joy.
The surface he had perceived as formless gray was now a
riotous kaleidoscopic rainbow of color and form, riddled with portals
and lines of ethereal force flashing between them. He floated for a
timeless instant, entranced with the wonder of it all, and then he
dived for the portal nearest him. Die he might soon enough, but till
then, he would live as no drone ever had.
* * *
The battle moved furiously around Rale as he yelled orders to
the men of his squad. "Fall back damn it.. they've almost got us
surrounded!". He swung his heavy sword furiously, trying to stem the
sudden unexpected onslaught of the Aldwin forces. The clangour of
weapons and the confused shouting of troops were deafening. According
to the Relban spies in Aldwin the thrust into this part of the Relban
line was supposed to be just a feint. The king had placed Rale and
his mercenaries there to provide token resistance, withdrawing the
royal legions to the south where the real attack was to fall. Rale
fell back swearing. There had been treachery somewhere, the whole
damn Aldwin army was coming through the pass. Heads were sure to roll
over this bit of nonsense. And mine could be the first, he
acknowledged grimly. They had sent a rider down the line early on,
but Rale doubted very much that they could get more troops in
time to keep the Aldwins from marching right to the heart of Relba,
and right over Rale and his men.
He parried again and caught a thrown spear on his shield. His
principal foe ducked in reaction to almost being shafted by the toss
from his own rear line and Rale spitted him before he could raise his
guard again. Stupid fools, no coordination , what the hell was a
spearman doing behind the swordsmen? It there weren't so damn many of
them this would be easy. He gave ground again. Or if we had some
archers. Suddenly, he felt a shooting pain in the back of his skull
as if someone had hit him full on with a bludgeon. He crumpled to his
knees, his last feeling ,as darkness closed over him, was dull
surprise.
* * *
When he woke again, the sun was sinking over the horizon, casting long
bloody shadows over the corpse strewn field. He shuddered and closed
his blurry eyes. Dead, he thought, I've been left for dead. Then the
next logical step... well, am I? It seemed not, though he might have
been more comfortable that way. His head was one massive ache,
feeling easily big enough for two people.
"Funny you should think that". Rale looked around wildly for
the voice; there was no one there. "Actually, you can't look close
enough. Allow me to introduce my self. You may call me Mertion".
Rale knew then, he was worse than dead. He was possessed.
END OF PART 1
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Ted Nolan ...decvax!mcnc!ncsu!ncrcae!usceast!ted
6536 Brookside Circle ...akgua!usceast!ted
Columbia, SC 29206
("Deep space is my dwelling place, the stars my destination")
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