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Hello again from Australia. Tonight I tried to post "A Diabolical Plan" on "The Black Ship update" chat. Unfortunately, it was too big. If one of the eleven commenters from scifistories1977 could go to the "The Black Ship update" can tell me where I can upload these stories so that Ekhina can read and comment on them, I would really appreciate your suggestions. Regards, Glenn Fordyce

Hello, I see that there are 9 comments on my posts 1 and 2, but I can't read them. I am unfamiliar with r/OpenHFY. How can I read these comments?

Hello again, Last night, after I posted "A Diabolical Plan" I was thinking, "What would happen if Wyatt lost a battle?" So I wrote the following. It is not 500 words yet but it will grow larger over time. I hope you like it.BLACK SHIP THREE (Ver. 01) The Noirnavio drifted slowly through space. Fire erupted from dozens of lacerations in its external surface. There was tons of debris and pieces of battle-ships, cruisers, destroyers, gun-ships, and fighters drifting with it then spreading out from it. The Eternal Garden floated about five hundred kilometres away from it and was also drifting away. There was not a lot of activity nearby. The war against the Drazzen had been going well but even with all the advantages that the Principality and its allays had, but there was always a chance that a battle could be lost. This battle had been lost. Well, almost. Most of the Drazzen ships had been destroyed and there was no immediate threat to the surviving Principality and allied fleet; what was left of it. During the battle Wyatt Staples and Admiral Redford Kalon had used all their knowledge, experience, and ideas they could come up with to defeat the Drazzen. And Princess Clara had raced down to the hanger deck and confiscated a fighter to rescue Wyatt. Cynthia raced after her and talked her into taking a gun-ship. She roped Jincho and X into being the other two members of the crew. They had rescued Wyatt from his damaged fighter. If the Drazzen had any reserves left then they would be here shortly. They were only four solar systems away from the Drazzen home-world and home-system. The Reapers Vision and the Reapers Blade were two solar systems away, attacking

A DIABOLICAL PLAN “I think it is time,” said Wyatt as he sat in Clara’s living room one evening on the Noirnavio. “Time for what,” asked Clara. “Time to kill the Drazzen,” Clara stopped the sewing she was working on and looked at Wyatt. “You mean you want to take the Noirnavio against a Drazzen position, in a raid,” she asked. “No! I want to kill all the Drazzen.” “That’s a pretty big task,” said the beautiful and blue-haired Cynthia Winfield, “and I think we need to end the revolt of Duke Draymore first.” “I think that can wait. It has taken us over a year but we are now in a position of advantage over Duke Draymore and with Gabriel’s deflection it is only a matter of time now before he is defeated. And I say that the elimination of the Drazzen threat for good, for ever, will win us the propaganda war, and will show the Draymore forces that the Prince has the interests of his people, both common and noble, in mind and is the correct person to lead the Principality.” “And how are you going to wipe out the Drazzen?” asked Clara. “We have a captured cattle ship. We have removed all the sentient cattle from its interior are and sending them back to their homes. We have already done that with the Erebians and Ykanti. We are now doing that with the other nationalities that are close to us. “Yes, we have done that, and the sentient cattle are from the other side of Drazzen territory are being given ships to take them home through non-Drazzen space,” said Clara. “When do they leave?” asked Wyatt, quietly. “In a few weeks,” “Then please hold them up for another few weeks.” asked Wyatt. “Why?” asked Clara. “Until Redford and I have completed our plans,” said Wyatt. “So they can take a message of ultimate victory over the Drazzen?” This was Cynthia. “Yes,” said Wyatt. “We will also need to remove the non-sentient cattle out of that cattle-ship,” said Cynthia. “We will leave a few thousand to provide food for the people, pilots, and other staff of the invasion fleet,” said Wyatt. Wyatt hadn’t known that she was a animal-lover, but he was determined to stay on subject. “And we have filled it with thousands of fighters and hundreds of gun ships. Then we jump into a Drazzen system that is a long way from our borders and the borders of the other nations surrounding Drazzen space so that they do not know where the attack came from,” Wyatt explained. “Don’t underestimate the Drazzen, they may be monsters but they are not dumb. They will be able to analyse any debris we leave behind and recognise our Astorian technology,” said Kaylon Winfield. “Yes, I have thought of that and we can deplore dozens of sweeper ships using Drazzen technology to collect all debris from that system,” said Baron Staples. “Then what about our weapons and engine signatures?” asked Winfield. “You won’t use Astorian ships or weapons,” said Wyatt. “Then what do we use?” asked Cynthia. “We have the technology from captured Drazzen ships; we have copied their technology and then we will build our versions of Drazzen ships. We will not use any Astorian or Black Ship technology.” “How will we do that, we don’t have enough technicians or ship-yards to build f those,” said Redford. “I have been keeping up to date with Jinko, and he believes that we should be able to build our own Drazzen ships in a few months.” “I thought that you said that we would only use Drazzen technology,” said Clara. “We will, for the first few attacks. But we don’t want to build and use the technology of that disguising race for ever, and our troops, they will not want to use that technology for long periods of time, either,” said Wyatt. “So, let me get this right. We attack a few Drazzen systems deep within their territory using a Drazzen cattle-ship and battle-ships which we build ourselves. What then?” asked Redford. “We return to Astorian space with as many Drazzen ships as possible. We build copies of those Drazzen ships and when we have enough we take them to the Erebian Commonwealth, the Ykanti and to all the other nations surrounding the Drazzen and ask them to use them against the Drazzen.” “We don’t tell them of our imminent attack on the Drazzen, we don’t know how tight the Erebian and Y’Kanti security is,” said Wyatt. “These nations might be upset not to be included in the Drazzen conquest plans,” said Clara. “We can give them some planetary systems as compensation for not including them,” said Wyatt. “Then we invade their space and attack the Drazzen with everything we’ve got,” said Princess Clara. “Then we tell the Erebian Commonwealth, the Ykanti and to all the other nations surrounding the Drazzen what we have done and that they should expect attacks from the Drazzen as they try to work out who attacked them.” “Then we tell them to join us as we have taken a good percentage of the Drazzen systems.” “I like the idea,” said Kalon Winfield, smiling, “but it is many years away, I would think. But tell me more.” “Yes, I suggest that we alert the Ykanti Hierarchy, the Erebian Commonwealth, and other nations bordering the Drazzen on the day after our first attack, that they might expect invasion of their space by Drazzen in the next week or two.” “We could also build copies of the cattle ship and other Drazzen ships to make the fleet larger,” suggested Cynthia. “And when we get to the Drazzen home-world we slam the cattle-ship into it and wipe them out for ever,” said Wyatt. “When our allies join and the combined assault starts, then the Noirnavio and the rest of our Black Ships and the fake Drazzen ships will protect the cattle ship and kill as many Drazzen fighters and other ships as possible until we can impact the surface of their home-world. The impact will create an explosion that will shock-waves that will circle the planet. It should destroy their government and most of their industrial and agricultural capacity, it may even destroy the surface of their home-world.” “I do not agree with this strategy,” interrupted Princess Clara. Baron Wyatt Staples stopped talking, looked at Clara with shock, and said, “Princess!?” “We can’t slam the cattle ship into the Drazzen home-world,” said Clara. “Why not?” asked Cynthia Winfield. “Because there will be sentient cattle on that planet. Humans, Ykanti, and many others. We must do what we can to rescue them first, then we can destroy that planet.” “NO!” exclaimed the Prince, “we will populate it with humans, Y’Kanti and every other race.” “Yes, of course,” said Staples, taken aback and ashamed that there would be sentients there and that habitable planets were always valuable. “Of course, but I thick that my brother the Prince may want to wait until after Duke Draymore is defeated.” said Princess Clara. “I disagree. Wiping out the Drazzen is the ultimate objective. As I’ve said before, I don’t care about glory or honour or anything else, just the victory. My house’s motto is ‘Victory shalt suffice’.” CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE: AN IDEA “I have an idea,” said Wyatt. “What’s the idea?” asked Clara. “You know how we are planned to make raids deep inside Drazzen territory,” he stated. “Yes,” said Clara. “What if we could have bases inside Drazzen territory?” he asked. “That would shorten re-supply lines, save time, and drive them mad, but how.” “Place bases under oceans on water planets, under sandy deserts on dry planets, and under pack-ice on frozen planets.” “How would getting ships under a sandy desert work?” asked Clara. “We would have to get rid of all the heat and enter very slowly.” “Because the heat would turn the sand into glass and high speed would make the sand glow on the infrared band and expose the base,” said Cynthia. “Then we will have to do with the water and pack-ice planets,” said Wyatt. Clara smiled, “What about ‘Demon Class’ planets like Earth’s sister planet, Venus. That we learnt from our legends has an atmosphere of CO2 and H2SO4, a pressure of 92 atmospheres, and a temperature of 800 degrees C.” ***** ANOTHER IDEA “Jincho, why don’t you become a pilot?“ asked Wyatt one day. Jincho looked startled. He turned to Wyatt with his beak hanging open. “So I can collect my own data,” he said. Then his beak went back to hanging open. “You are a genius, Wyatt, and I know just how to do it.” CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE: OAKMOON “There are ships approaching,” said Galt Tiron. “Identification?” asked Redford Kalon. “These are ships from the fourth fleet,” said Galt. “Battle stations.” said Redford Kalon. “Receiving a message from the first ship.” “Hello, this is Lord Howland Oakmoon of House Oakmoon. Can I please speak to Admiral Kalon.” “Speaking.” “Would you please tell the Prince that Lord Howland Oakmoon would like a meeting with him and with Princess Clara.” “Certainly. Would you care to tell me what the meeting will be about.” “I would rather do that in person, if you don’t mind.” “Please come over by shuttle-craft. Land in Bay 23B.” ***** “So, Barron Oakmoon, why are you here,” asked Clara. With Clara in the conference room were her bodyguard Cynthia Winfield, Admiral Kalon, Galt Tiron, Wyatt Staples, and Declan Oakmoon. “I heard about the action that Wyatt Staples took to save my son’s life, some rumours about the cattle ships you are building in Firentis territory, and your plan to wipe out the Drazzen, so I have decided to change sides.” Baron Oakmoon declared. “I am most pleased to know that you have decided to turn your back on my traitorous uncle and to be a good loyal citizen of the Astorian Principality,” said Clara. “And I am pleased that my son is alive and well,” said Lord Oakmoon. COMMENT A lot of scenes are rather vague, to allow EckindaWriter to put his own ideas into those parts of my story. CHAPTER HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN: EXTERMINATION “Well, it is time for Operation Extermination to begin,” said Wyatt as he sat in Clara’s living room one morning, with Cynthia Winfield, Admiral Kalon, and the Prince. “Is everything is ready to go?” asked Clara, smiling. “YES!” “You have everything you need?” “Yes, we have three cattle-ships completed and stocked with a thousand fighters and a hundred gun-ships, as well as the original cattle-ship we captured. It also has a thousand fighters and a hundred gun-ships. There are another three cattle-ships under construction.” “So when do we go?” “Tomorrow, before noon. Today we will be informing the Albion Confederation, Erebian Commonwealth, Ur Diviners, and the Ykanti.” “That should be fun,” said Cynthia. “With that said, it is time to call the Ykanti,” said the Prince. ***** When the Y’Kanti appeared on the screen, it was the same Okorak that the Prince had talked to after they had liberated the ten thousand Ykanti from the Drazzen cattle-ship, the Eternal Garden. “What do you want?” it asked. “I am calling you to tell you that the Astorian Principality has copied the Drazzen cattle-ship, filled in with fighters and gun-ships, and have sent two of them to attack Drazzen systems; and to warn the Ykanti that it may expect attacks from the Drazzen because of our attacks against them.” “So, you wish to take all the glory for your attack and to deny any glory to the Ykanti.” “This has been a top-secret project. We would have called you earlier but I didn’t know how strong your security protocols were.” “Just know that we have no ill feelings towards you or your species. Maybe we can work together to eliminate those disguising monsters for good. Your reward for helping the Astorian Principality would be to keep all the systems you take from the Drazzen.” “A generous offer.” “Then we are in agreement?” There was a pause, then, “The elders would like one more boon for joining you in an attack on the Drazzen.” “And what is this boon?” “That you send one of these cattle-ship to us to help our defence against any attack from the Drazzen.” “They are very expensive. I cannot just give you one, but if your leaders could return any humans amongst the Ykanti that are no longer able to work, are unhappy among you, or are homesick, then we will not demand any thing else of you.” NOTE: Recruit the Lone Wolf, Roaring Thunder, Maxamillan Userack. ***** ANOTHER IDEA Also, have a representative of the Ur Diviners, or a revenue, join the Operation Extermination. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED: BATTLE PREPARATION The survey mission had become tedious. The Noirnavio and two sister Black Ships, the Reapers Vision and the Reapers Blade, had been accompanying the Noirnavio were jumping from system to system using non-regular jump points was good and fun when going against Drazzen and rebels, but after a time it had became somewhat boring. They were almost half way along the southern boundary of the Drazzen Collective, according to the maps that they had found in the Eternal Garden, doing a survey of the other nations around them, and to find allies in their war against the evil, flesh-eating Drazzen. But this last jump had put an end to his tedium. Not long after they arrived the sensors of the Noirnavio picked up signs of battle. “What do the sensors tell us,” asked Redford. “There are two weapons signatures: one unknown, the other Drazzen,” said Galt, at the helm of the Noirnavio. “Send out sensor drones and get a picture of the situation.” ***** “What is the condition of the forces in this battle,” asked Redford, some hours later. “The Drazzen have one battle-ship, three cruisers, and five destroyers. There is also a cattle-ship and three destroyers at the edge of the system, in reserve. The other civilization has twelve destroyers, nothing larger,” said Galt, when the information came in. “Launch two thousand four hundred fighters and four hundred gun-ships,” said Redford. This was Wyatt’s chance to kill more Drazzen. Something Wyatt loved to do. His Composters squadron was still intact and today he would have a fleet of one thousand eight hundred war-ships. That would be the first wave. The second wave would be the four hundred gun-ships. Each gun-ship had a million rounds of ammunition one hundred missiles, and a crew of four. They were spread even further apart than the fighters but there target was not the battle but the cattle-ship and its escorts and protectors. His first order was have all the fighters spread out as far as possible in order to not be detected by the Drazzen until it was too late for them to do anything about the upcoming attack. It would take many hours to arrive at the battle site so Wyatt made his fighter seat into a couch and went to sleep dreaming about the cakes, chocolates, and juices he had stored in his little frig. Of course, he would only eat those after he had had some meat and eggs from his small induction cooker. One needed the correct amount of protein in one’s diet. When the battle had ended the command crew met the aliens. They were blue. They had the same colour hair as Cynthia Winfield but there skin and eyes were also blue. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TEN: BATTLE “Wyatt! We are getting close,” said the voice of Declan Oakmoon. He had become a fighter pilot in order to protect the saviour who saved his life, and the war had reduced the number of trained pilots. But Declan had trained hard and had proved to be a quite a good pilot. Wyatt woke up, adjusted his couch back into a pilot’s seat. His only regret was that he had overslept and had not had a chance to eat some of the pastries or drink the delicious juice that still waited for him. “How far away are we?” he asked. “Fifty thousand kilometres.” “So why have you woken me up so far out?” “Because we need to know which enemy ship we should attack first.” “Let me check my scanners.” Wyatt saw that the battle was going well with the defenders. Since the Noirnavio had entered the system they had only lost one destroyer, the same as the Drazzen. He made his decision. “We are to attack the two destroyers that are the most heaviest damaged with two thousand fighters while the other four hundred will attack the cruiser. After the two destroyers are destroyed the surviving fighters will also attack the cruiser. After that we will see what we will see.” They approached the battle stealthily. They detected a wing of fighters coming back from the direction of the mother-ship that the Principality they had detected earlier. If they were Drazzen then the alien fleet was in great danger. It was then that Rachel Olkara spoke up, “They are not Drazzen,” she said. “Good,” replied Wyatt. He was thinking hard about the next move he could make. Then it came to him. “Rachel, Declan, activate your engines and move towards the alien fighters. Establish communications with them and give them an invitation to join our formation for the next stage of the battle.” ***** Declan and Rachel came up on a damaged alien fighter that was having engine problems. The pilot was having trouble with an engine that was having trouble staying ignited. It was of a design that was very similar to the standard Principality fighter. Declan came up beside this this fighter port-side and tried to obtain the pilot’s attention. They had detected zero radio transmissions from the fighters and concluded the fleet was under radio-silence. Declan only visual means of contact. The pilot was busy with his or hers temperamental engines and did not see Declan’s fighter from a few tens of metres away. Declan took a risk. He used manoeuvring thrusters to point his fighter straight at the alien fighter. He then flashed his headlights straight at the fighter. He then immediately turned away from this fighter so as not frighten the pilot. This worthy turned and saw Declan and Rachel’s fighters for the first time. They waved. He/she/it waved back. Declan turned to Rachel and indicated that she should go over the top of them both to the starboard side of the alien fighter. NOTE: Are they using psionic implants. When this was done, they attached tow lines to the faulty fighter and started pulling it forward towards the centre of the formation and towards the front line. This was where the leader of the formation would most probably be situated. They came up to a fighter of a different colour. It was white while all the other fighters were battle-ship grey. The pilot of this craft, after seeing Declan, spent a few minutes at his instruments. Then Declan dropped his tow line as the readings of the damaged fighter showed the pilot had fixed most of her problems. He then pealed away to return to Wyatt’s formation. Rachel followed. Over the next ten minutes the alien formation slowed so that the two formations were flying, actually drifting, through space side-by-side. When they were two hundred miles form the main battle Wyatt Staples broke radio-silence and said, “My fellow pilots, close up and prepare to fight.” Less than a second later the white fighter’s pilot also broke radio-silence. ***** It was a few seconds after that that the Drazzen realized that they had lost the battle. They pulled away from the alien destroyers and turned to face the incoming fighter formation. The alien fighters went up against the Drazzen fighters and hit blow for blow, they were equalled matched. The Principality fighters were superior to the Drazzen fighters in fire-power, manoeuvring, and shields. After they were defeated they attempted to join their brethren fighting the aliens but the Principality fighters followed them and they were dying at a greater rate. However, the Drazzen destroyers were closing in so Wyatt ordered a retreat. The Drazzen followed only to fall into Admiral Kalon’s trap. Three black ships came out of the darkness and engaged the Drazzen ships while Wyatt’s formation wiped out the rest of the Drazzen fighters. ***** The Kalon forces had learnt the Staplean Assault and that is what they did next. They used torpedoes to the maximum effect. When two destroyers were destroyed in as many minutes, the alien destroyers revived and counter-attacked the now rear of the Drazzen formation. The remaining Drazzen tried to escape but there were surrounded and died in a fire. ***** Princess Clara and Cynthia boarded a shuttle craft and visited the flagship of the alien fleet. “Thank you for saving us from those dreadful monsters,” said Jolongo. “Not a problem. We are on a survey to find allies to attack the Drazzen with us and to wipe them out for ever,” said Clara. “Count us in, we have lost four planetary systems and millions of citizens to those Drazzen monsters.” CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN: ATTACK THE CATTLE SHIP “I don’t think these Drazzen will hang around, they will warp out of the system to save their cattle-ship,” said Galt Tyrone. “No! They won’t flee. That would go against there arrogance,” said Wyatt. “We’re see,” said Galt. “They still don’t know what happened. At that range they would not be able to detect our black ships,” said Wyatt. Wyatt looked at his displays and noticed that the aliens were following his wing. “Where are you going?” he asked of the leader. “To join you in the attack on the Drazzen cattle-ship. It is the right thing to do after you helped on defeat their invasion fleet,” said the alien leader. “The best thing for you to do for you is to land inside the Noirnavio. We have a chief technician and master engineer called Jincho. He will be able to fix your damaged fighters and give you some food and rest. Then you can re-join the battle. If you move now you should only end up an hour behind us.” “Thank you again. Those fighters that need repairs and the pilots that need medical intervention will join me. I can see that you have turned back. Are you on auto-pilot.” “Yes.” “Good! You will rendezvous with the Noirnavio in seventy-three minutes. You can go to sleep now.” The alien leader fell asleep almost immediately. ***** The Drazzen cattle-ship would not be taken easily. It would be more difficult than the attack on the Eternal Garden at Haego. There the cattle-ship was half empty because most of their troops were on Revol. ***** After the capture of the second Drazzen the Royal Marines found another five thousand Y’Kanti and one hundred thousand of the blue aliens. ***** CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE: AFTER THE BATTLE “These aliens that have totally blue skin, hair, and eyes. They have pointed ears. Perfect for your future husband Cynthia,” said Admiral Kalon. “Look, Cynthia, they’re your cousins,” exclaimed Princess Clara. “Only if they are human,” said Cynthia. ***** Then the Noirnavio and its sister ships continued its survey of the southern boundary of the Drazzen Collective. When they arrived at the extreme south-western tip of Drazzen space they dropped off the sentient cattle rescued from the cattle-ship to the local non-Drazzen civilizations in that area and started their return to the Astorian Principality. They left behind plans for the monster fighters, Drazzen ships, Drazzen cattle-ships, and black-ships, enhancement procedures and implants, Lone Worf and Staplean tactics. They had also developed a communications system stretching all the way back to the Principality and to the Ur Diviners territory. They were back at Haego in two weeks. Wyatt wanted to get back to the Barony of Screaming Forests, there was a young lady he wanted to see again.

Hello Black Ship fans, Greetings from Kallangur in Australia. I am working on two Black Ship side stories. I have called one "A Diabolical Plan" and it is about the 'Norinavio, some other black ships, and the Eternal Garden take a trip along the southern border of Drazzen space in order to prepare for their extermination. The second story is called "Visit Home" and is about Wyatt going back to Volantis to visit his family. Of course, you knew what will happen to the Staples men when they find out they are in the presence of Princess Clara. Regards, Glenn Fordyce Attached is "Visit Home." "A Diabolical Plan will follow. CHAPTER 55?: VISIT HOME Weskal was concerned about Wyatt. Very little information had been received on Volantus about the succession dispute. And there had been nothing about what had happened to Wyatt, just rumours. There were rumours of Wyatt wiping out five hundred Drazzen fighters all by himself and having been promoted to Duke by the Prince himself. Wam didn’t believe that. Wyatt was a good pilot, but no one was that good. And no one would believe that the Prince would promote any commoner to the high rank of duke. He was sitting on his father’s settee in his family’s living room. It had been a hard day’s work, hunting clix’als. But a good day. They had just finished dinner and Mum was preparing some gooney to finish off the meal. The money that Wyatt had sent them had given his mother the medicine she had needed to return her to good health. The new monitor against the wall burst into life with a message, ‘Call from Wyatt Staples: Accept or Reject.’ “Dad, dad,” yelled Wam towards the kitchen, “call from Wyatt.” “Accept! Accept!” yelled Wirt, Wesskal’s dad, as he raced in from the kitchen with Winona, Weskal’s mother, and younger brother Wam right behind. Wyatt’s face appeared on the screen. This time he looked different from the last time. All was quite, no one was walking behind or near him. Behind him was a banner bearing a winged stag. The shape of the shield surrounding the winged stag was a two engrailed top design. Above the stag rested a grey spartan helmet and a white staple rested in the top right and top left corners. The field outside the stag and shield was white, making for a clean, crisp, and and bright design. The same winged stag emblem was also on Wyatt’s chest; well, not his chest but on the chest part of the uniform he was wearing. “How are you all? Well?” Wyatt asked. “We are all well, son, thanks to you,” said Wirt. “Good,” replied Wyatt. He was about to tend to them the next item on his list when Wirt interrupted him, “What is that design behind you?” “That is the crest of House Staples, I hope you like it.” “It is lovely,” said his mother. “Before we go any further, you need to go out onto your front verandah. We will be landing outside in a twenty to thirty seconds.” The whole family raced outside, eager to see their eldest son, or older brother. A few moments later they saw spots in the sky. There were at least seven of them. As they came closer they became much larger and then they saw there were many other smaller dots. The seven large ones turned out to be large shuttle craft. The smaller dots became fighters. The fighters flew over their heads while the shuttles settled to the ground on the street outside. The doors opened and a ramp descended to the street surface. Wyatt Staples walked out first. Walking next to him, and keeping pace in spite of Wyatt’s height advantage, was a bird. But not just any bird. It was a bird wearing the uniform of a naval officer. Also in attendance were few other of the aliens birds. Wam’s eyes went wide, “Weskel, is that a baby Clix’al?” he asked of his older brother. “No! Wam. It is wearing an Astorian naval uniform with Astorian insignia, it is looking around to appraise it’s surrounding, and it has six eyes. It is not a Clix’al.” Immediately following them came a beautiful, blue-haired women in red armour and at least ten marines in full armour. Then a beautiful, blond-haired, young woman followed by at least ten more marines. While they watched Winona whispered in Wirt’s ear, “The blonde lady is Princess Clara.” Wirt whispered back, “Don’t be silly, royalty wouldn’t come to Volantis.” After that a man leading a cohort of a dozen other men carrying large boxes. The people carrying the boxes took them into the Staples house and piled through every room and available space. Then the other shuttles opened out came tanks, mobile missile systems, and other weapon systems, but Weskal didn’t get to see what was happening with them because Wyatt had arrived at the top of the stairs leading to the front verandah. There were hugs and greetings until Wyatt suggested they proceed indoors before the other guests had brought with him arrived. He knew his father Wirt and his brothers Wam and Weskal would faint when they found out that they were being visited by royalty. And his mother would make tea to help revive them. Several of the marines set up three chairs in front of the family monitor and Wyatt sat down opposite his family, with Princess Clara in the middle and Cynthia Winfield on her left. Wyatt was on the right. There was also another chair set up just inside the door for the man who was leading the box carriers. “This is Declan Oakmoon, he is a knight in the House of Staples,” he introduced them. “Well introduce us to your family,” directed Cynthia. “My friends; this is my father Wirt, the mother Winona, my younger brothers Wesley and Wam.” “I have been promoted to lieutenant-commodore and I am a now baron of my own house,” he announced. “Let me introduce my two new best friends. On my far left is Lady Cynthia Winfield, personal friend and bodyguard to Princess Clara Astor, second princess of the Astorian Principality,” announced Wyatt. “And on my immediate left, her Royal Highness Princess Clara Astor.” The eyes of the three Staples men, except Wyatt, went wide with shock at his words, they made some gulping noises, and promptly passed out. “I did warn you,” said Wyatt to Clara. “Oh dear,” said his mother, going to their aid. “Wyatt, you should have warned me,” she continued. “They would have fainted over something, so there was no point,” said Wyatt. In the meantime the other shuttles had unloaded their cargoes and several tent-like structures had been erected in the staples yard and along the sides of the street, but not on the part where people walked or vehicles drove. They had then taken off to land a few miles away. The fighters had landed alongside them. His ‘composters’ squadron had landed at the nearby space-port and travelled to Wyatt’s family home in a shuttle. There were also boxes piled high all around the living room, in the doorways to the bedrooms, and if you looked into those bedrooms, piled high on the beds, although they didn’t find them until later. The neighbours had gathered on the street to watch and to find out what was happening. Wyatt organised implants for his whole family to improve their health; for his mother’s back pain, and for Weskal to improve his survivability in clix’al hunting, and to protect his whole family for any attack from hostile commoners, pirates, and nobility. “Princess Clara, please help me in the kitchen to make more tea and prepare water for my husband and my sone,” asked Winona Staples. “Just a moment, let me sweep the room first,” said Cynthia. “Certainly, but it is not a big kitchen. There will not be room enough for the three of us, or for your royal marines, just for us ladies,” said Winona. Wyatt hoped that Cynthia was not offended by his mother’s exclusion of her in the kitchen. That could be very painful for him during their next training session. When Cynthia returned Clara followed Winona into the kitchen. There the two women could talk alone. There were royal marines patrolling the yard and the road outside and Cynthia and other royal marines in the living room. “So, what do you want to talk to me about,” asked the Princess. “You are perceptive,” said Winona. “You didn’t need help to make tea so there had to be something else.” “Yes, how long have you been in love with my eldest boy?” Winona asked. NOTE: Winona could invite Cynthia into the kitchen and ask her that question. Which young lady is invited is up to EchindaWriter. There was a pause as Clara needed a second to find a way to lift her lower jaw back to her face. “What makes you think that I am in love with Wyatt?” “I have been watching how you look at him, you do have feeling for him.” “Yes, I do have feelings for him. He is my friend, my true friend. He would die for me if I asked him to,” said the Princess. “As is his duty,” said Winona. It was then that Cynthia came back from her patrol and the tea was ready to take to the unconscious men. The unfinished conversation came to an end. ***** Back in the living room Wirt, Winona, Weskal, and Wam were introduced to cakes, chocolates, pastries, various fruit juices, and teas. None of them could believe that such tastes existed, but there were no fainting, they were too busy eating to do that. Then there was a commotion at the door. Wirt went to the front door to find Mr. Warlo on the verandah arguing with a couple of royal marines. He had come for a visit. Wirt let him in. He hadn’t been expecting to meet royalty and when he found that he was in the presence of an Astor and a Winfield he was most afraid that he would be killed for his comments against blue-bloods. He would have gone down on his knees but his age and injuries prevented him from doing that. Wam stood and allowed Mr. Worlo to have his seat on the sofa. “How some pastries Mr. Worlo,” said Wyatt. Mr. Worlo hesitated to pick up anything from the living room coffee table. Wyatt encouraged him, “Try one of dark brown squares. That’s called chocolate and it’s yummy.” Mr. Worlo did so. He sniffed the small confection first then put it in his mouth. His eyes went wide as he held the chocolate in his mouth chewing slowly. Wyatt gave a sort nod to one of royal marines who then walked into one of the house’s bedrooms and brought back a large box with the name Mr. Worlo stencilled on its side. After receiving a large supply of baked goods and wonderful juices from Princess Clara he suddenly changed his mind about blue-bloods. Wyatt had also organized a regular supply of baked goods to arrive from a baking house in the capital city to be delivered by shuttle once a week. “I have been made into a baron, and as well as a banner I now have a house motto. It is ‘Victory shalt suffice’.” During the discussion Clara found out that Weskal was a Clix’al hunter, and that were a menace across most of Volantis. “It would be nice if we could get rid of them for ever,” said Wirt. “I think that we could do that,” said Clara. “How?” asked Wyatt. “I think that my royal marines could wipe them out, with the Clix’al hunters help,” said Clara, smiling. “I think so too,” said Cynthia. “But they have other work to do, so we will hold that idea for another time.” said Clara. “I think we should ask the Y’kanti here to investigate the Clix’als first to see if they are as dumb as we think they are. We don’t want to wipe out a sentient species,” suggested Wyatt. ***** After the Y’Kanti check on the Clix’al verified that they had their assumed level of intelligence then the Y’Kanti took some examples back to the Eternal Garden. The Royal Marines then work with the Clix’al hunters to wipe out the hostile birds so that the agriculture of Volantis can flourish. It only took three months to eliminate the pesky birds. Then the Clix’al hunters are given militiary implants and training and migrated to Haego to fight the Drazzen.

Hello Black Ship fans,

Hiya. Scifistories1977. I'll check out the link you sent. Although I signed up for the black ship when I reflected and ummed and arr'd about whether to sign up or not I decided to sign up to support you .so I tune in in large part as a result of your journey and seeing how your Chanel develops. Ironically the first week I signed up to patreon expecting the black ship .......there was no Black ship ( writers block)....so whilst disappointing it compelled me to appreciate and focus on your input and efforts 🙂🙂🙂

Can I post my story on both hfy and open hfy

I love the new mug and have ordered one.

I may think about it but for now the AI is not very "I", i am sorry to say. That solution is not good now, but they may be better later.

AI narrating is one thing, AI storytelling on the other hand not so sure how I feel about that one. Definitely going to be interesting to see what comes out of it.