BooksBarbecue
Back Excession
Chapters (108)
  1. About the Author
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. 1 - Outside Context Problem
  6. I
  7. II
  8. III
  9. IV
  10. V
  11. VI
  12. 2 - Not Invented Here
  13. I
  14. II
  15. III
  16. 3 - Uninvited Guests
  17. I
  18. II
  19. III
  20. IV
  21. 4 - Dependency Principle
  22. I
  23. II
  24. III
  25. IV
  26. V
  27. 5 - Kiss The Blade
  28. I
  29. II
  30. III
  31. IV
  32. V
  33. VI
  34. 6 - Pittance
  35. I
  36. II
  37. III
  38. IV
  39. V
  40. VI
  41. 7 - Tier
  42. I
  43. II
  44. III
  45. IV
  46. 8 - Killing Time
  47. I
  48. II
  49. III
  50. IV
  51. V
  52. VI
  53. VII
  54. VIII
  55. 9 - Unacceptable Behaviour
  56. I
  57. II
  58. III
  59. IV
  60. V
  61. VI
  62. VII
  63. VIII
  64. IX
  65. X
  66. XI
  67. XII
  68. XIII
  69. XIV
  70. 10 - Heavy Messing
  71. I
  72. II
  73. III
  74. IV
  75. V
  76. VI
  77. VII
  78. VIII
  79. IX
  80. X
  81. XI
  82. XII
  83. XIII
  84. XIV
  85. XV
  86. 11 - Regarding Gravious
  87. I
  88. II
  89. III
  90. IV
  91. V
  92. VI
  93. VII
  94. VIII
  95. IX
  96. X
  97. XI
  98. XII
  99. XIII
  100. XIV
  101. 12 - Faring Well
  102. I
  103. II
  104. III
  105. IV
  106. V
  107. VI
  108. Epilogue

The old drone rose and flicked round as if glancing at him. It thumped back into the seat cushion, its aura fields off. ‘It’s hopeless,’ it announced, as though it hadn’t heard what the man had said. ‘We’re locked out. Nowhere to go.’

The girl in the far seat narrowed her fiercely blue eyes and glared at Genar-Hofoen. When she spoke, her voice was like an ice stiletto. ‘This is all your fault, you ghastly piece of shit,’ she said.

Genar-Hofoen sighed. He was losing consciousness once more but he didn’t care. He had absolutely no idea who this creature was, but he liked her already.

It went dark again.

IV

IV

[stuttered tight point, M32, tra. @n4.28.882.4656]
xLSV Serious Callers Only
oEccentric Shoot Them Later
It’s war! Those insane fucks have declared war! They’re mad!
∞
[stuttered tight point, M32, tra. @4.28.882.4861]
xEccentric Shoot Them Later
oLSV Serious Callers Only

I was about to call. I just got the message from the ship I requested attend Pittance. This looks bad.

∞

Bad? It’s a fucking catastrophe!

∞

Did your girl get her man?

∞

Oh, she got him all right, but then a few hours later the Affront High Command announced the birth of a bouncing baby war. The ship Phage sent to Tier was standing a day’s module travel away; it decided it had better things to do than hang around on a mission it had never been very happy with even from the beginning. I think the declaration of war came almost as a relief to it. It promptly announced its position to the Steely Glint and was immediately asked to ship out at maximum speed on some desperate defence mission. Bastard wouldn’t even tell me where. Took me real milliseconds to argue it out of confessing all to the Steely Glint and telling it exactly why it was anywhere near Tier in the first place. I was able to persuade it Phage’s honour rested on it keeping quiet; I don’t think it’ll squeal. I let it know I give serious grudge.

∞

But it was Demilled. Hasn’t it just gone back to Phage for munitioning?

∞

Ha! Demilitarised my backup. Fucker left Phage fully tooled. Phage’s own idea, sneaky scumbag. Always was over-protective. What comes of being that geriatric I suppose. Anyway, the Frank Exchange Of Views is cannoned to the gunwales and itching for a brawl, apparently. Whatever; it has gone. Which leaves our lass and the captive Genar-Hofoen floating in a module nearly a day out of Tier with nowhere to go. Tier is requesting - make that insisting - all Culture and Affront craft and personnel leave it for the duration of the hostilities and nobody’s being allowed in. I’ve tried to find somebody else within range to pick them up but it’s hopeless.