bc

Mica

book_age16+
detail_authorizedAUTHORIZED
7
FOLLOW
1K
READ
adventure
space
another world
like
intro-logo
Blurb

Mica, an expert navigator, uses the currents of the Darkstream to pilot his ship across the galaxy to join his love, Olivine. On the way, he befriends Ronnie, a stowaway who can look like a coat or a first aid kit, the mysterious Vuud, and the translucent “Slight People”. They experience the savage planet of c*****e and the whirling destruction of the Moon of 10,000 Drones before they even reach Olivine in the brand-new city of Garner in the midst of an unknown world.

Mica is created by David Selby, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

chap-preview
Free preview
Chapter 1: On Marble
From the clear bubble, Flint sat eating and slurping coffee and watching his "brother" feed the Chileans. Mica had, with great difficulty, put a pole into the solid black ground and attached a boxlike feeder on top. Each food pellet had a shell and Mica had attracted so many of the lizard-like creatures that he could walk up on top of the shell mound to refill the feeder, whereas previously he had used a ladder! Flint laughed, nobody else would have scrambled up the hill made filthy by chillian droppings, but Mica had a soft spot for living creatures. Flint caught sudden movement as a bigger creature dashed toward the shell pile and Mica perched unsteadily on it, the predator's eye bright shiny blue. The Eater sprang upward toward Mica who, as he turned, slid out of a side pocket a heavy tube which grew longer as he swung it swiftly at the Eater. The impact was almost audible to Flint who was suddenly on his feet, hot coffee on his pants. The eater had fallen and slid back on the shells and crawled off as quickly as he could. Mica disappeared from sight and returned to the galley of his underground home. "I saw you beating up on that little Eater," said Flint. "I hope he's all right!" "Not so little," said Mica firmly. Neither mentioned that the hungry eaters could rip a large fist-sized chunk out a human who was not alert. And a badly wounded human would not survive the afternoon's radiation outside. The Eaters seemed to be getting more numerous and sometimes hunted in pairs. Of course, wounded and bleeding, the government would register a red brainshout, but out here where Mica had decided to live, Gov would arrive about in time to bury him. Marble was one of the Baldy planets. It had been explored and exploited starting about fifty years ago by Modern Humans. Seen from fifty miles up, Marble looked like a polished 8 ball-mostly pitch-black with veins and stripes of orange and white. Extremely hot, harsh conditions forced the miners to live underneath the surface in the tunnels and holes they had dug, drilled, blasted, cracked, and melted to remove the valuable ores. Gov was just what it should be according to everyone, endlessly, patiently responsive to the collective will of the people. The only price was - to love the gov above all else; and most were most willing. At birth, of course, Mica and Flint had been removed from their parents who did understand that the unique bond between child and parent was stronger than the love for any Gov-no matter how caring and so----all parents had voted to let their child be raised by Gov-with love. The tender newborns were treated with professional kindness by the Gov's wonderfully trained nurturers. Babies formed new attachments, but as these grew stronger, children were rotated to different caregivers. Hence, therereally was always something missing with many youngsters which the gov. only somewhat filled. Flint and Mica had formed a friendship that was more like blood. Each shared absolutely with the other, holding nothing back and taking serious risks together. Gov had not planned for them to grow so close but Gov was not jealous. Flint looked troubled; tried not to let his feelings show as he wiped gofee from his pants. He knew Mica would feel his trouble. "I'm going to miss you very much, brother. How long again do you think this will take?" "I can't tell. Since this is my first breakaway after starting work- ten years ago, I have skips full of credit coming to me, but, you know, I really don't know that much about Wentworth. I know it's a retail hub planet, and I know that I have to see Olivine, and since that's where she was fitted, that's where I'm flitting in my flute. " Flint grunted at Mica's attempt to be poetic. "Better grab your gear and I'll drive you there, ha-ha." In Flint's swift silicat- his work cat-they sped past intersecting tunnels, their passage made safe by Gov's almost miraculous transport control system. It really was like a single harmonious body. "Does Gov know why you're going to Wentworth? Do they know or approve of your infatuation with Olivine? Hell, man, when you feel the urge, why not just pick up a pleasing Travertine? They sure take care of me," Flint shuddered with pleasure at the thought. "You know, Flint, I've told you-It's not just infatuation or desire. I've tried not to think about Olive. I've gone with a number of Travertines in the past, but there's no way to explain how different----Also, I think Gov does know. I hate to put her ahead of you and Gov, but something inside me is so happy to be already heading to Wentworth," there was almost a sob in Mica's words. Gov had been innocently playing with people's brains at the popular Neural Investigation Lab that had discovered, developed, and expanded brainspeak, or braintouch, brainshout, whatever you might call it. They started with examining peoples' feelings like "there's someone in the room with me", and "there's danger here", or "someone is looking at me" they began to discover hundreds of these not understood but hugely important awarenesses. Researchers and non-scientists too wanted to be able to use these abilities; they trained themselves assiduously in that planet with few distractions and became very adept. Brainspeak can connect lovers, enemies, humans and animals; plants, people in the same room, and people many miles away. They are spontaneous, honest, and cannot be faked (they found that out early on). Brainshouts do not use words, happen instantly despite long distance and can involve more than one person, sometimes a mob-------- Flint, always aware of the status of his silicat as they sped along, peered at his friend affectionately out of the corner of his eye. "You know, my friend, people on Wentworth will not be the same as here. I mean, I've seen hundreds of images of Wentworth and the people and they're just, you know, faster." "I do know what you mean, Flint. But it excites me. Here on Marble, people work together. They work for gov because gov is us. We were all raised together and understand each other basically. We are quite a lot the same; and most would say, "Why not?" and it seems very reasonable. But I look at those people on Wentworth, struggling, busy, pretty involved with their own little matters, and it thrills me somehow. Who knows, I may get there and be repelled and turn around and head home-but then there's Olive----" Flint looked sad, but not surprised. According to my click, we're almost there", noted Flint. " Whoa!! What's going on?!" he yelled as he quickly lifted and snaked his cat around stopped veicles, almost crunching one or two. "Well s**t, just park anywhere!" yelled Mica in fear and exasperation at the abandoned skips, coaches, and brocks. Not even parked, just abandoned. "I guess I'll have to hoof it." Mica grabbed his gear from the back and lifted the silicat side panel. Flint also jumped down into the hot tunnel. They started running toward the launchport, the tunnels widening into an open gathering area. The air over their heads seemed to be full of a buzz. Buzz. The area in front of the launchport was huge-in fact had once been a hanger for older style launchcraft. Now the space was clogged with humans who at first looked normal. They were dressed in cheerful and sophisticated snapskins of red and black stripes, yellow and purple, light shoes of lime green and white, yellow; folks with black and gold capes-red and indigo. The buzz was getting louder. Now as the two friends got closer, they could tell the people were not acting at all normal. It was like looking at a hive of restless insects-wasps perhaps. The people moved jerkily from group to group, gliding along other bodies like electric razors, clusters pulling apart, then reforming with other bunches."It looks like a fastcrunch," muttered Flint in a low voice. The people wordlessly embraced each other smiling knowingly, shivering and moving on to brush against a new bunch. More people moved disjointedly out of the tunnels, pouring into the crunch and walking quickly to the groups, nodding, petting. The buzzing was almost too much now like a crackling bundle of charged, vibrating threads. "Wait a sec, Flint, this doesn't seem at all good. I'm going to make a dash for the launchport.I've never seen a crunch like this and I'm sure not in synch with it. Get back to your craft before you get trapped in the middle ". "I think you're right, my friend. I'll run back, shut the cabin up and lie real low till I can get out. Keep in touch from Wentworth and remember no more than 3 trips!" He said in reference to how many cross-galaxy voyages gov would sponsor. A sudden surging group came between Mica and Flint. Their eyes were searching Mica hard as their heads all turned toward him. He leaped forward, truly afraid now. He had never been in a really large fastcrunch , but he could tell that his not being attuned to the mass was really upsetting them; he should not be there. All around, individuals near him seemed to be ripped away from their experience by his presence and turned to stare at him and move toward him, their eyes like shivered shards of glass. He ran as never before-once inside the port he prayed the buzz would break. At that moment an unfriendly hand grabbed his neck while fingernails raked skin off his hand. He brought out the baton and swung it back as hard as he could, feeling a bony thump and release. Again, he drove forward. The space in front of him that separated him from the port doors was rapidly constricting. He must reach those doors. Mica caught a glimpse of the enraged pursuers reflected in the marbline doors as they parted in front of him and someone's hands scissored his left leg and raked down, snagging only his shoe. Mica fell and rolled headlong into the launchport. One of the assistants at the counter looked at him and mimed wiping sweat off his brow. Mica noticed that he was himself, covered with sweat, missing a shoe, and glad to be alive. Instead the launchport the buzzing had stopped.

editor-pick
Dreame-Editor's pick

bc

Island of Enchantment

read
1.7K
bc

Redemption of War God

read
1.1K
bc

The Mysterious Wealthy Son-in-Law

read
1.3K
bc

A Life Ashore

read
59.0K
bc

God of War Dad

read
1K
bc

The Ultimate Son-in-law

read
1.5K
bc

The Billionaire's Wife

read
46.8K

Scan code to download app

download_iosApp Store
google icon
Google Play
Facebook