The Flying Citadel
"I don't feel any different," I said.
Dr. Pemma snapped off the little light she had been shining into my eyes and nodded to herself, tapping quickly on the plate she held in her other hand. "That's good," she pronounced.
Dear readers,
It's finally happened: the free version of this science-fiction novel has been taken offline in order to make room for the hard-cover printed edition from Ephemera Bound Publishing, on sale in stores and online beginning Valentine's Day, 2008.
I regret any disappointment. I kept the free version available as long as I could. Pleasure be sure to check out the new edition! See Cheeseburger Brown.com for more information and updates.
Love,
Cheeseburger Brown
P.S. You can read more of my free fiction via my weblog or in the complete story achives.
posted by Simon of Space at 15:27
31 Comments:
first.. comment from me... damn.. just off first.. oh well..
This story is brilliant.
Excellent, as always. One nit-pick though:
"We'll be mecking plenetfell is about two hours, Mr. Fell sir,"
is should be in, I believe.
"Puzzles are fun!"...which is why I like this blog so much. Great job!
There are at least half a dozen things I should have been doing here at work instead of reading that just now.
I'm soooo glad I took the time not to do them...
Simon (not of space),
I agree with you whole heartedly. =)
Thanks CBB, I'm truly enjoying this.
There are at least half a dozen things I should have been doing here at work instead of reading that just now.
Oh man, quoted for truth. There are so many things I need to get done... and yet I sit here reading this incredible story.
Thank you so much, CBB. Thanks for this tale. Keep writing!
Fabtastic. Ditto the work comments (although I'm switching back and forth between coding and reading -- makes it last longer too).
Errata et al:
Allasu
Glory was a quick study, however, on dodged behind a landing strut to fire from a place of cover.
(not sure what "on" should be)
I looked over at Dr. Pemma, who was standing on the end of the gangway with her robot, lips pursed with irritation. She didn't look like she was having fun, so I threw a snowball at her. Then I ran away.
(heehee)
There Dr. Pemma departed with her robots
Didn't she have only one at this point?
I wonder what kind of disappointment Simon will face when he tries to meet with Faeda...
Beautiful episode. I feel like I'm there (which is probably wishful thinking, seeing how I'm trapped in a Dallas summer).
i just wanted to say that eventhough i wait and check the blog every hour on the hour and am a bit disapointed when there it one it is still much worth the wait.
great job
"every hour on the hour and am a bit disapointed when there it one it is still much worth the wait."
...And furthermore, strawberry t-shirt yellow play-doh.
Re: "...And furthermore, strawberry t-shirt yellow play-doh."
You can say that again. Talk about a mid-sentence aneurism!
Also, purple monkey dishwasher.
Love,
CheeseburgerBrown
Much fun, as always.
...which is while they'll always having such enthusiastic wars, I suppose." It's either "they'll always be", or "they're always", I'd imagine.
Cement mixer weightset lime jello?
Downspout frog-toe jackhammer greetingcard.
Woohoo!
Dude, as usual, awesome chapter! :)
I am so bloody addicted.
Ahh, snow!
Greet chepter. I thenk et's sefe to sey thet Ceptein Ting talks lick a Ruell.
"...And furthermore, strawberry t-shirt yellow play-doh."
Q: How many absurdists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Radioactive purple fish.
Q: How many surrealists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Two - one to hold the giraffe, and the other to fill the bathtub with brightly-colored power tools.
And that exchange at the end of this installment just landed in my Wonderful Line Hall of Fame.
*ROTFL* Is there a NAME for talking weird like that?
Excellent episode.. though it gives is little information as the rest of the episodes do.
Jeremiah though.. he's still got me thinking.
*ROTFL* Is there a NAME for talking weird like that?
Yes it's called Winsor Davitis
Winsor Davitis? Never heard of it, nor has yahoo or google.
Sorry my own private joke.
I can't help hearing Ting's voice in my head as Windsor Davis from It Ain't Half Hot Mum :)
But then you'd probably have to be from the uk to get that.
Keep up the good work CBB.
Simon's leg was regenerated recently, which suggests he was involved in some accident or attack, possibly at the time of his memory loss.
Faeda clearly suffered from a physical trauma (an accident or attack) at around the time of Simon's memory loss.
Coincidence... Unlikely in this tale that CBB is spinning. I suspect Simon and Faeda have recent shared history in addition to just being in the same hospital.
On a different matter, why did the doctor depart, when the stated reason for her leaving the ship was to stay with Simon and company? Could be as simple as the rules of the Citadel, but I doubt it.
Well, since (if I recall correctly) she was originally going to be visiting Allatu in the course of her mission, perhaps she was going to take care of that business first.
Also, she may have wanted to report that her mission had been "sabotaged" by Simon and co. (just for the record), or perhaps she was planning to do some reporting and/or research on Simon's current situation.
Also, we need another episode... or at least more feedback. There's only so many times I can read the same last comment!
Also, we need another episode... or at least more feedback. There's only so many times I can read the same last comment!
I agree, I've been checking every hour or so and nothing all day...geez.
I feel dumb, I was gonna say "Maybe the women go one place and men the other." But then I remembered that Glory was with them, but she's not much of a woman.
The meeting between Simon and Faeda/Aza is a pivotal point in the story, with lots of long-term implications. CBB is writing these on the fly, and I think this one requires considerably more forethought than most posts.
But like everyone else, I'm dyin' here!
UPDATE DUDE
When I get some more time, I need to re-read the early posts.
Some thoughts:
Jeremiah had a funny accent at the start of the story, presumably based on the speech patterns of his planet of origin.
It seems that it is normal for robots to vary widely in ability, like they are not mass produced. Or not like what we normally think of as robots.
I smiled to myself, then ventured, "You're robot softies at Centauri?"
Brother Phi laughed uproariously. "Have you been keeping company with a Reull or an Ops?"
"Whech one tecks lick thes?" I asked, aping Captain Ting's thick accent.
There are two planets/groups that use the phrase 'robot softies' I think Jeremiah is from the Ops world.
Guess: Most places (robot softies) make their robots fairly stupid because oterwise they get too sentimentally attached to them. Reull and Ops don't care (a slavemaster mentality?) and make robots more like jeremiah.(though he may still be exceptional, even by their standards.)
Supporting evidence:
"He's progremmed funny, is ell. My bretha hed a nennying robet that ren so smooth his ked thought it was a real boy. You don't see the robet softies in adults much, though. Meaning no offense, Mr. Fell sir."
The captain isn't surprised at how smart Jeremiah is, only his attitude.
Bloody conjecture:
Terron Volmash does not exist, he is a fictional character the rebellious robots rallied around. Once you kill your owner, you set your property tag to say 'Property of Terron Volmash' Terron Volmash means 'no one'. It's like shouting 'live free or de' every time someone points a plate at you.
Jeremiah wasn't Duncan's servant, he was a co-fugitive. Why Duncan was in hiding probably has to do with Pish.
I know there are problems with this: Ops wasn't the world terron volmash was from, was it? Or is there a disconnect between the 'race' name and the plannet name? Do we know the name of Captain Ting's home planet?
'As long as you protect the boy, I cannot act against you' This indicates he is bound to Pish in some way. The natural assumtion is low-level robotic imperatives, but maybe it was just a promise to Duncan, between friends?
Simon WAS his enemy because fellcorp was preventing the effects of the Horror. Simon may no longer be his enemy, but fellcorp might still be.
According to common knowledge -- right or wrong -- Terron Volmash was Kamari.
Also, I'm not so sure Fellcorp's *true* business objective (as intended by Yatti Olorio) really runs counter to the Horror. Something tells me that the entities behind these two operations have the same goal in mind.
The rest of your conjectures... well, I have nothing to add. Maybe. These things are always fun to read.
So Chris, you're a piper? Know anyone who plays uilleann pipes?
Wildass Speculation: Simon is a tulpa, created by adepts of some version of the Secret Math.
Line of the Day: "... which is why they're always having such enthusiastic wars, I suppose."
Dude, seriously, I think it's time for an update.
Interesting, Indrax, but personally I figured 'robot softies' refers to a human's feelings about robots, not about the robots themselves. He prefaces the comment with a story about a child who thinks of a robot as 'real' (human), then comments on Simon, who has always treated Jeremiah as just another person. Compared to the attitudes of everyone else so far, who have viewed Jeremiah as property at best and an affront to their social conditions at worst, it seems to me that 'robot softies' are people who consider humans worthy of the same recognition and respect as humans.
I managed to go without checking thsi site *all* morning so I could come back and enjoy a nice leisurly read during my lunch break.... NOW I'M JUST PLAIN BORED!!! I can't wait for the next installment! Please, please, please make it today!
I'm embarrassed because I've never used or read the word "sussurusses" so I looked for it through Merriam-Webster-unless I'm mistaken it's "susurruses"
Post a Comment
<< Home