posted
This follows on from the 'what happened to Dream Boy?' fanfic.
Briefly, for those who haven't read the previous story - Dream Boy, following a vision, arrives on Xanthu, meets the Amazers and the Tamaran Quantum Queen. They join up and defeat the League of Assassins only after a hard fought battle in which Insect Queen in killed. James Cullen and Dream Boy start a relationship.
There was quite a bit more to it than that but you'll have to read it for yourselves to find out - I don't want to give too much away!
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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It had been exactly a week since the Life Eradicators had been defeated.
Still Rol felt bad about it.
He hadn't had a single vision about the galaxy wide threat that had hit so many planets so badly, and he knew that quite a few of his fellow inhabitants at Amazer's Spire were wondering what good having a pre-cog on the team was when said pre-cog couldn't even see a potentially galaxy wide extermination event. He didn't tell them but apart from short range visions while taking the unarmed combat class he hadn't had a single vision since they had defeated the League of Assassins a month ago. He even heard someone sat behind him in the canteen ask in a quiet conspiratorial voice why they hadn't asked him to rejoin the Legion since he had obviously not mentioned the threat so the Legion could get the credit. Rol hadn't turned around to confront the enqisitor, partly because he was worried that it would start an official inquiry into his tenuous membership to the group, but also because James' flinty glance had told Rol that whomever had made that comment would be remembered and dealt with. Rol didn't want James to lose his popularity within the ranks because of him. They were still getting to know each other, they didn't need this!
The Amazers' did nothing to help defeat the virtual monsters, not one glance at them let alone decisive battle. Even worse, the Earth Govs Young Heroes team had collapsed and potential members had rallied to the Legions' call rather than the Amazers'. All of this added to the chagrin of the Xanthu Tribune's Office of Meta-Human Affairs which meant that the Amazers were put under the scrutiny of the Tribunes High Office. Rol had let the team down, he didn't need the Government or the Amazers to tell him that, he saw it in his own eyes reflection every morning in the mirror.
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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Even though no-one had said anything directly to his face somehow this made things worse for Dream Boy. The military discipline within the Amazers team made such direct confrontations highly unlikely. It also made small sideways comments, casual unexplained avoidances and unwillingness to make eye contact all the more painful.
James Cullin had told Rol in no uncertain terms to stop worrying and get on with it, that these things would be forgotten in no time. The hand to hand combat class that Rol had set up for the trainees had lost the majority of its attendees and as it was not one of their many compulsory training events he had no authority to challenge the members who avoided him. Of all the trainees and full team members who initially had keenly attended only the Lamprey, Typhoon and the Vygran insectoid Gates had remained. Even the Seperator and the sweet natured Captain Marvel had bowed out with quiet comments about work load increasing and too many commitments. Their apologies had been hollow to Rols' ears but he accepted them with some graciousness and reminded them that they had a duty, to team as well as themselves, to keep training to the best of their abilities.
To add to Rol's embarrassment the Monstress and Dragon Mage had casually mentioned they would start attending the class. Rol knew they meant it as a show of support but somehow it only added to his frustration.
Bloody Life Eradicators!
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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The training class had gone well. Lamprey had finally learned the Alto-Judo throw that Rol had patiently been showing the class for the last forty five minutes. She had flung him nearly twenty five feet into the air with her enhanced sea born strength. Dragon Mage's spell had cushioned him before he had made painful contact with the ferro-concrete ceiling.
Once returned safely to the ground, with a proud grin on his face Rol complimented the small trainee and called an early end to the class. He didn't want to tell them but the success of the Lampreys throw had been due in part to his distraction by a minor vision; a feeling, an urge that pulled him away from the here and now. Rol knew he would have to tell James before he acted on it and his excitement at the prospect of actually doing something other than mope around the Spire feeling sorry for himself was almost overpowering making him giddy.
He would persuade James to join him and it would all be good!
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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Rol's thoughts screamed between disappointment and anger. He didn't ask for much, just a few days together with the man who was supposed to be his partner. James himself had said he was overdue a break, but oh no, not until Psyche returned to the Spire to agree the time off.
Well sprock Psyche and her mysterious mission with Atmos and James' sister Jasmin. The Amazers were big enough that they wouldn't miss James if he joined him on a break.
At least, a darkly cynical part of Rol's mind interupted, he didn't say he had to stay just in case the Life Eradicators returned!
Rol stomped to his quarters, threw his clothes into an unseemly pile on the floor and stomped straight into the steam shower. He knew that things would be fine in the long term, that if he could only get through this with at least his dignity intact then all would work out in the end.
The vision that took him over while stepping into the shower didn't confirm or deny this life long held certainty from Rol, it did though show him that he was in for another adventure on Xanthu. One that would cement his place within the Amazers.
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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"Rol, I'm sorry. You do understand don't you?" James looked upset as he spoke, his eyes on the floor, shoulders beginning to hunch in embarrassment.
"James, you and I still have a lot to go through together so don't worry. This is something I need to do, me going is not about you or us, it's me. Trust me I need to do this. I will be back you know, you'll see me soon." He gives the Quantum Kid his biggest smile and they hug fiercely.
"Call if you need me okay, promise?"
"Stop it James, you'll see me soon."
Dream Boy musters his resolve and steps into the transport tube, smiling once more before asking the Spire's resident AI to take him up to the shuttle bay and his one man Legion craft. He doesn't look at James as he gets gently lifted by the anti-gravs but can feel his lovers eyes follow him.
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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Three days later, as Rol wandered through the small towns market searching for the whatever it was that drew him here he wished he's given James another hug and tried just a little bit harder to reassure. Still, why waste time on the past when the future is always available. Somehow the Naltoran saying that was somehow supposed to bring comfort didn't ring true to Rol. He had spoken to James everyday, he'd even had a 'call from the Monstress and Lamprey asking him how he was, but the draw of a prophetic vision was always hard to explain to those travelling in the limited space of Now-Time.
Still, here he was on East Continent of Xanthu, by far the least populated place the young Naltoran had ever been. There were literally thousands of clicks between the small towns, something that had blown Rols mind when his one man crafts' auto 'bot had explained it to him. Thosands of clicks between towns! While Naltor wasn't as densely populated as earth it still had very little open wild country, the earlier Xeroxian settlers utilised virtually every scrap of useable land in their efforts to convert their new and previously virginal world into a place that their Seers had foretold would one day be a centre for scientific excellence.
Rol smiled to himself as he remembered Naltors strange history. Only Naltor could claim, in all the scientific community of the United Planets, to have been settled through a mystical time warp by 15th century sorcerors and witches from across Old Earth. It had taken centuries for the population to fully renounce their magical past and accept scientific process and for the earlier mystics spells cast on those who had taken the strange journey there to spread the so-called Seer Seed to the whole planets population.
In the seven centuries that Naltor had been settled there had been more radical sociological changes than on almost any other planet settled by Earth humans.
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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While the Central Continent was a bustling metropolis East Continent was far more sparsely populated with several areas devoted entirely to the traditional lifestyles translated to this far off world by the original Earthfolks who had settled here five centuries before. For the first time in his life Rol had seen houses made from traditional materials - mud, wood and stone from local quarries. The animals that apparently ran free were a delight, though chickens still confused him - apart from eggs, which could be synthetically produced far quicker and easier, he could not understand why anyone would want to keep such an irritating animal. They called when the sun rose - the first time he'd been awoken by one he thought it was some klaxon portenting a natural disaster! And with their ungainly flights to roof tops and fences and squabbling... yuck, no, Rol thought, the appeal of keeping chickens would remain a mystery to him.
He'd discovered that while placing himself into the lightest of meditation he could ride the camels that the tribes folk used as transport with as much skill as any native. Of course he didn't tell them that he could foresee each bump and turn so was reacting a split second before the potential embarrassing act occurred. Goats were fantastic creatures he thought; inquisitive, fearless, affectionate. Okay, so a few had tried to chew on his clothes, one even started to nibble on his hair in one village, but their basic nature still appealed to the young Naltoran.
And the silver and black Kente cloth robe he had bought in a small market on the edge of a dark forest had been one of the most comfortable articles of clothing he'd ever worn. Rol was starting to enjoy every moment, almost resenting the interuption that James' call would bring to his journey. He didn't know exactly were he was going but as he travelled he felt the comfortable sense of purpose - his subconscious had already seen this path he was following and he relaxed himself into an easy pace of travelling further away from the more populated areas into the Tribeslands that surrounded the huge central massif, partly forested, often rough scrub ground that he knew would turn to a large open desert as he travelled north.
Of all the new experiences the one that would stay with him the longest was the range of amazing smells! The warm earth beneath him radiated an aroma of comforting solidity. The plants swept the air with a riot of signature scents, the animals were unique. Every new smell delighted the young man as he travelled further towards his destiny.
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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He had been away from the Spire for twelve days when it happened.
For the previous two days he'd been in the lands of the Afar, a people he learned who had originally came from the old earth geo-political nation called the Ethiopian Danakil Desert. They were a surprisingly wary people, not as open or chatty as the previous tribesfolk. Their towns had small central squares were local marketstall holders would stare at him wide eyed and whisper conspiratorially to each other as he approached. Rol smiled and graciously played the stupid tourist for them, though he begain to worry that he may have somehow missed a local tradition or custom that made him appear stupid or even rude.
On this morning he learned why. He knew the guards were coming for him before they arrived so made sure all his possessions were in order, his robe rubbed free of creases and his face washed, his biggest smile ready for the two men in their dark grubby armour with outdated weapons to hand. Well, they were going to take him one way or another so why not make it a thoroughly more pleasant time for all, and as he thought this he remembered his mother. She would have approved of this approach to his situation. Grace cannot be bought she often said.
He walked out into the dusty street, waving a friendly goodbye to the landlord of the hostel and asked him to hold onto his camel until he returned just as the guards approached. Several children played, two women carried supplies in baskets and several old men sat under a tree talking. No-one looked directly at him he noticed, something that screamed louder than a banshee to him that there was trouble coming.
"Ah, there you are!" His exclamation made the two men uncomfortable but they didn't ask him how he knew that they were here for him. Instead one stood behind him while the other led him through the streets to a parked Vikken antigrav tub. The first hi-tec transport Rol had seen for days, even if it was a 29th century model that looked as if good will and spit held it together. Without being asked he gracefully jumped into it, landing comfortably on the wide seeat within. They need not know his flight ring had made that manouvre possible he thought with a small smile. The guard who followqedhim tried to make the same leap but crashed into the seat with a loud cry of embarrassment. Rol silently helped pull the guard out of his crumpled position with stateman-like aplomb before sitting back down and staring down the small path that led out of town. The first guard chuckled as he sat in the drivers seat and started the engine.
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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They drove in silence for nearly an hour, the countryside become wilder with every mile. In the distance Rol could see patches of trees with silhouetted forms of what he thought must be vultures. The legendary Earth scavengers that had become extinct on their home planet four centuries before. The tall scrubby grass that lined the roadside occassionally broke to show the wider plains. In these quick glimpses Rol saw animals that he would never have believed still existed. The diaspora that brought these people here had also brought much of the peoples' native flora and fauna; Giraffes with a clownish stature frollicked, two rhinos stood as if guarding precious stones stared at the road, monkeys scrambled over trees and rocks, and other animals that Rol could only guess at.
They stopped with a suddenness that suprised Rol. Thankfully he had a split second warning he relaxed himself enough that, unlike the guard in the back seat with him, he was unhurt as he tumbled into the front of the vehicle. Standing in the road before the battered vehicle stood a huge water buffalo with majestic horns and the gait of a ruler.
The guard in the front cursed, tooted a horn and waved his arms in an effoert to move the animal from the road. With casual indifference it stood still and lifted it's wide head to stare at them like they were rude guests in it's front room.
"Allow me." Even as Rol said it he knew what he would have to do. The guard beside him tutted and pulled his weapon up to remind Rol that he would not get far.
With a casualness that belied the trepidation Rol felt at approaching such a huge wild animal he strode up to it, right hand outstretched as if to shake hands.
"Now then, what if I asked you politely to move, what would you say to that?" As he said it Rol casually placed his hand on the creatures head and concentrated on his flight ring, not enough to generate true flight but enough to lighten the animals head, disorrientating it as he pushed the beast with his left hand towards the side of the road. The water buffalo staggered as if obeying him, momentarily going down on it's front knees as if bowing before staggering off the road.
"Thanks awfully, we won't be long and you can have your road back."
Rol casually walked back to the guards vehicle and once again elegantly leaped inside.
Fighting the urge to say "home Jeeves," Rol smiled at the driver and nodded down the road.
Both guards looked shocked and remained still for several seconds before driving off.
Another twenty minutes passed before there was sight of another human being. Rol estimated they had travelled three hundred clicks since the guards had picked him up that morning. In he distance he saw smoke and heard noises that made him realise they were finally approaching a town. This was where he was supposed to be!
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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The town was a mixture of rural farmsteads and concrete pre-fabricated housing blocks. Rol noticed very few children or animals on the streets. Dominating the skyline was a building with cathedral like windows and buttresses. Without being told he knew that this was the place he was being taken to.
As the transporter lunched to a halt Rol vaulted out and landed softly on the packed earth below. He extended his arm to help the guard down. The guards response was a few well chosen curses before he jumped clumsily to land beside Rol. The driver remained in his seat grinning.
"So where to now?", Rol kept his chin up as he asked, refusing to allow the guard to see any doubt or concern.
A grunted reply seemed to indicate Rol walk over to a large barn-like door. Smiling Rol walked, around them other people appeared, some dressed in the same dark guards uniform, other Rol imagined were servants. All of them were looking at him as if he were an assassin.
As they approached the large doors a small woman appeared, her dress and turban ornate compaired to the others. Rol estimated her age at 50 though she had obviously worked hard during those years. In her left arm she held a staff of blackened wood with a small pizo-electric cell atop that cast a strangely green light. By the way crowd watched her at least as much as they watched Rol he knew this was the person he needed to talk to.
"Hi there, my name is Rol, I believe you wanted to speak with me?" He keeps his tone light knowing that whatever the issue is here it has still to be resolved so best not jump in too hard too fast.
"You will save the princess! As foretold the Silvered Seer has arrived to guide our children and their children!" The womans voice was rich and strong, her staffs green tip pointing to Rol as she spoke though never once did she look directly at him.
The guard who had reluctantly sat beside Dream Boy began to speak, "The water buffalo bowed to him, he can control the wild beasts!"
The crowd started to chant and within seconds their numbers doubled as people streamed out of buildings to see the new arrival. More and more joined in the chanting, "The Silvered Seer! He has come! The Silvered Seer! He has come! The Silvered Seer! "
Oh bloody Nass, Rol thought, they think I'm a Prophet!
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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Wonderful work, Caron. I could see and smell the unspoiled nature you described. The bit about chickens made me laugh out loud, and you've made me think twice about goats. Rol is an immensely likeable protagonist.
I look forward very much to the next installment.
And, OMG, Captain Marvel in the 31st Century -- I love it and I can't wait to see where you go with that in future stories.
Set
There's not a word yet, for old friends who've just met.
posted
You really went wild on the sensory descriptions, with a strong emphasis on scent and a subtly sensuous description of the feel of the Kente cloth.
I love your command of the language. I love seeing words like silhouette and aplomb and diaspora, and then there's casual use of 'clicks' to denote distance, which creates a bit of 'specialized language' to remind us that we're in a different time/place.
The little background elements sneaking in, such as Rol thinking of an admonition from his mother that 'grace cannot be bought' are awesome. I like how you don't force them (a weakness of mine, to go all Exposition Lad in my writing) but let stuff like that flow. I'd lose my focus and go off on some flashback-tangent about his family at this point, while you just took the exact snippet you wanted to convey what you needed for this scene, and then moved on, without losing or misplacing the momentum.
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Wow! Thank you both, your comments are truly appreciated! Seriously, it makes my day to find out some actually took the time to read and comment on my writing.
I only wish that I could spell 'silhouette' correctly I knew it was wrong but was possessed by the ghost of writings future at the time.
Thanks Stealth and Set, as I enjoy bothof your work it means a lot
Cx
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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The Princess Rabecka, Shining Light of the House of Afar, First in Line to the Golden Throne, Daughter of Sheyneyna Queen of All Deserts and all round spoilt royal brat had gone on a two day safari trip with three loyal guards and her handmaiden Elizabori. The first the royal family had known of any shennanigans happening was when the ID chip status lights for the entire group had vanished from their family info grid. As if by magic the princess and her retainers had simply vanished. A small army led by Prince Orik, her esteemed uncle, had immediately set out to find the missing Princess.
They found two of the guards. Or peices of them anyway. Small bloody peices of them, more rags than flesh. DNA analysis has confirmed the identy of what was found.
At the same time Anagastru the Crone, Temple Seer and Advisor to the House of Afar had fallen into a trance exclaiming the arrival of the Silvered Seer. This seer would bring peace and prosperity to their peoples it was foretold. He would tame wild beasts with a touch, find his way through the deadliest of mazes, rescue a princess, heal the Great Divided tribes and ultimately ensure the peoples of the continent, so long ignored by their more techno-savvy cousins on other continents and worlds would regain their rightful place within the race of Man.
As Rol heard this he started to curse himself for a fool. He knew with a nagging barely conscious certainty that he would have to help the Princess somehow and that he would have to do it without the aid of the Amazers. Damn precognition, he thought, for telling him that although the team could be here in under an hour and probably solve this problem in as long, his role here was not to be a team player - it was to be a leader!
-------------------- "Tempus Fugitive" the final part of the Adventures of Dream Boy series, set in the Three-Boot Universe. Read it only in the Bits o' Legionnaire Business Forum.
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I knew it was wrong but was possessed by the ghost of writings future at the time.
