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Galway Girls Part 9

This gave me a minute or two to collect my thoughts and survey my surroundings. The place was electric with everybody seemingly in good spirits. There also seemed to be a great sense of camaraderie, with some of the women going from group to group chatting away.

A few moments later the two lads had returned. With a quick shake of Sean’s head, I was informed that there was no space for a wheelchair inside. Not that I minded.

“A lot of talent around here,” I said loudly to Sean over the din of music.

Sean was somewhat of a connoisseur.

“Yeah,” he replied, “it’s all the universities, tourists and the like. It’s unbelievable around here. You can just be walking down the street and see so many good-looking women.”

I took another slug of my vodka and took in the atmosphere the two lads talked for a while.

Then while I got lost in my thoughts.

“Say hello to Irene,” Sean said to me.

She was one of the girls that had been going from group to group earlier.

“Hi, lovely to meet you,” I replied.

“Hi,” she replied with a warm smile.

“She’s a musician, very good too.” Sean continued.

She had shoulder-length brown hair and was wearing a black jacket.

Review of Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Hello readers, it has been quite some time since my last review. I’ve been fully engrossed in my own writing and it actually took me quite a long time to read this. Just a quick update. This is the third of the Children of Time Series. I had already read the first two. So what did I think of this one?

Well first off, I think you’d really need to have read the first two before you could make sense of this. It is set in a complex universe and I think it would be just too confusing without having read the other two.

This is the blurb from the book –

On Imir, Captain Holt founded a new colony on an empty world. In the process, he created hope and a new future for humanity. But, generations later, his descendants are struggling to survive. As harvests worsen and equipment fails, strangers appear in a town where everyone knows their neighbour. Now the inexplicable lurks in the woods and the community fears that it’s being observed – that they’re not alone.

They’d be right, as explorers from the stars have arrived in secret to help this lost outpost. Confident of their superior technology, and overseen by the all-knowing construct of Doctor Avrana Kern, they begin to study their long-lost cousins from Earth.

Yet the planet hides deeper mysteries. It seems the visitors aren’t the only watchers. And when the starfarers discover the scale of their mistake, it will be far too late to escape.

There are two main characters Liff, a young girl growing up on the planet, and Miranda, one of the explorers from the stars. Many common sci-fi tropes are brought up such as when, if ever should a more advanced civilization affect the affairs of a more primitive one.

There is a major twist near the end, but I found it most unsatisfying. It made the whole novel feel somewhat redundant. I still recommend that people read the first two books, especially the first but this one not so much.

I give it 3.5 out of 5.

And, remember please share your thoughts and recommendations with me. Like and subscribe.

Wheelchair Wars Part 2 (26)

Celebrations were held throughout the planet. Everybody was relieved to be alive and thought that it was a good way to honor the dead. The Emperor’s Ambassador quickly returned to take control once news of the alien defeat filtered out.

Timothy was awarded the Emperor Cross. At first, he felt proud but he barely made it through the lavish ceremony, which lasted for three days and three nights, and wanted to tell the Ambassador what he really thought of him. But he could not, he was still there on behalf of the Emperor, despite his cowardice.  In the official story, the one that would be sent throughout the quadrant he had been by Timothy’s side all of the time. The meals were extravagant, the alcohol flowed freely and there was much love-making.

Timothy found himself retreating to his room though, unable to fully partake. Each day, he felt worse and retreated for a little bit more. The first day had been mostly fine but then the problems really started. He knew that he should be rejoicing but found himself thinking of all the deaths under his command. He could see the faces of fear, panic, and bewilderment of the dead staring at him in his sleep, waking him in cold sweats.

This was not what was to be expected. For he was a wheelchair warrior, born to kill. Why was he so soft? Was it the force of chaos within him?

All he knew was that he must hide his frailties.

Pegasus (Part 32)

We must have drifted off asleep because the next thing it was bright again. But now the train was hurtling through a rainforest. A blanket of densely packed trees leaving a dark forest floor. No more large herbivores were to be seen. I nudged Tabitha to wake her.

“What?”

She immediately looked around as if sensing danger.

“It’s okay. Just wanted to wake you. We seem to be in some sort of forest.”

“Yes, in another few hours, we’ll come to a clearance. The train will slow down somewhat and then we’ll have to jump.”

“Jump?”

“Yes, jump.”

Damn it. That is not what I wanted to hear. This didn’t look like the kind of place one would survive an injury.

“What if we get injured?”

“Oh, you’ll be okay. There’s a technique to it. I’ll show you.”

With that, she showed. It involved rolling once your feet touched the ground.

I sure hoped it would work.

“Once we’re off the train, we will have a bit of a walk through the dense jungle ahead of us. I want you to know that we’ll be perfectly fine. I’ve done this particular journey a few times previously.”

I nodded.

“So tell me about your family Tabitha. I want to know everything about you and where you are from. How did you get involved in all of this?”

Galway Girls Part 8

Just as well, Sean was with us because I would have no idea where I was going with all the side streets. Turn left, turn right there, like a maze in a labyrinth of possibilities.

“Just across the road now. Can you get up that path?”

Looking across the road, I see that it is an aging, degraded footpath with only a small bump required to get up onto it.

“Yeah, I’ll be grand,” I replied.

A few moments later Sean was pointing down a narrow laneway, which led to a relatively large but narrow smoking area. I found a suitable spot to park. It was a beautiful sight to behold, more women than lads in what felt like a crowded, raucous outside garden with hanging flowers here and there. Sean really knew the best places to go.

I also gathered what he meant by “alternative”. There were all colours of hair and piercings. All very exotic for the likes of me. Most were smoking away on their vapes and in boisterous, jovial form.

But priorities, priorities. We had our priorities and drink was top of the list. This time Ronan was entrusted with the responsibility. Sean said he would check if there was any space inside as it was at a premium where we were.

Wheelchair Wars Part 2 (25)

They were going too slowly. Timothy ordered them to pick up the pace. Those that didn’t or were unable to were to be left behind. The only exception was wheelchair users who had soldiers assigned to carry them to safety. He ordered his troops to the rear to try and protect at least the swift-moving civilians. A few moments later the sweet sound of machine gun fire ran out through caves.

It was only a matter of time without the heavy cannons. He knew that from his first battle. But a bit more time was all that he needed. He could feel that he was driving upwards now and found himself bobbling up and down over the stone surface.

His troops were going frantic and he could hear the screams of death over the communicator. It was over though, the enemy just didn’t realize it yet. He set off the preliminary explosions. This sealed off the enemy menace killing many of his own men.

Then a few minutes later he set off the rest of them to bury the enemy.

The plan had worked to perfection. A few hours later they exited the vast underground chamber with the remaining survivors. By then, the Tyranid ship had already left its orbit and was sulking back to its hive.

Pegasus (Part 31)

Gradually, the light faded and it became night in the habitat. It was now close to pitch black except for very dim lighting. But, you could still hear the massive creatures and occasionally smell what they left behind them. I wondered what magnificent or terrifying sights I would behold the next day.

“It’s amazing what has been built here, isn’t?”

Tabitha raised her head from my shoulder and stared at me.

“It’s terrible. There are billions of humans engaged in a living nightmare on Earth. I’ve been to London. They are forced to try to survive underground most of the time, drink filthy water, and eat barely edible food. This would be heaven on earth for them. And some of them were the best type of people. Instead, it’s one man’s playground. He’ll never even set his eyes on the majority of it.”

“Yes you’re right,” I replied wondering how things suddenly got so serious.

“It’s important, this is what I’ve given up my life for. I know you are new to all this but you must realize how important this cause is to me.”

” I know, and it’s important to me too.”

With that, she held my hand and put her head back on my shoulder.

Galway Girls (Part 7)

A few moments later, the main act appeared on the stage. He was a thirtyish Irish bloke from Cavan of all places. It didn’t take him long to get the crowd going. He interacted much more with them, asking them where they were from and what their jobs were; hitting the jackpot somewhat when he came across some nurses. They had fascinating tales about body parts getting stuck in very strange places, which the crowd found very amusing.

All the time, the drinks kept flowing After about 40 minutes, the gig came to an end.

“Well, what did ya think of that Sean?” I asked. They had gotten up off their seats and were standing in front of me now.

“Yeah it was good,” he replied.

“Where now?” asked Ronan,

Sean was the guy from the area, so we were following him with the expectation that he would bring us to the best spots that the city had to offer. He had yet to let us down.

After glancing at his watch he said, “Well, there is an alternative type spot quite close to here. It can be very packed but we should be able to get in if we leave now.”

Alternative, I thought to myself. I wasn’t really sure what he meant exactly but it did sound like somewhere I should be going to. 

“Yeah, let’s go there. It sounds cool.”

With that Ronan concurred and off we went.

Wheelchair Wars Part 2 (24)

Then one of the six-legged beasts jumped and landed in front of him. He opened up with his machine guns and the beast was cut down swiftly. It’s green blood splattering over his face. But more were coming. He continued firing as he reversed saving at least some of his minions.

The fortress’s heavy cannons had fallen silent now. Timothy launched some grenades from the back of the battle chair killing several of the enemy but still they came.

It gave him the time though to finally get inside the mine entrance as a large metallic door closed from overhead behind him. Immediately, he could hear the enemy hurling their bodies against it. In the dim light, he turned to assess his forces. Despite minimal losses, only a third of them, or thereabouts, had been wiped out so far, they seemed cowed. Expressions of astonishment and fear were written on their faces. All except for his veterans who had known what to expect.

“It won’t take them long to get through that door. Follow me, if you wish to live!”

He was leading them deeper into the abyss. They descended into the heart of the network before what sounded like a large explosion echoed through the cave structure. It was the sound of their protective heavy metal entrance being breached.

Pegasus (Part 30)

Much time passed with us in each other’s sweaty arms. I loved the feel of her warm body up against mine. The fact that we smell terribly Her peerless beauty was memorizing and kept me in a magical trance. Then, she told me that there was something wonderful that I needed to see.

We quickly put back on our clothes and she takes me by the hand. At this moment, I feel like I would follow her anywhere. She leads me to the open side of the carriage. For a few moments I am utterly speechless for before me are behemoths that I would never have the imagination to envision. I had seen them from the air but this was something else entirely.

There was a huge herd, with their necks raising what were relatively small heads up to the sky. Their legs were huge, wider than a car with a long tail. Every now and then, they let out this enormous guttural roar that could be heard over the rattling tracks.

“They are herbivores. Despite their immense size, they are not a threat. Well, unless they accidentally stomp on you, of course. It’s the carnivores you have to watch out for,” Tabitha advised solemnly, “there are not as many of them and they are not quite so huge, but they can gulp you down in an instant.”

“Well, this is all very comforting,” I replied, “Tell me this are we not in danger of crashing into one of these things?”

“No, the train gives out a low-frequency sound that drives them away from the tracks.

With that, we sat and admired the local wildlife. It was all there was to do.